Varnum Pond Water Quality Monitoring
Wilton & Temple, Maine – Lack of historical data prompted a multi-year monitoring effort to build a long-term dataset for a public drinking water supply in western Maine.
Since 2018, Ecological Instincts has assisted the Town of Wilton with annual in-lake monitoring of Varnum Pond, a deep (75 ft), oligotrophic lake that serves as the public drinking water supply for the towns of Wilton and North Jay. This work has expanded understanding of the lake’s physical, chemical, and biological processes, established a current water-quality baseline, engaged local volunteers, and created a framework for tracking long-term changes in water quality. Water quality parameters monitored include temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, true color, total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton, and zooplankton.
Ongoing monitoring in Varnum Pond is supported by the Maine Drinking Water Program’s Source Water Protection Grants in partnership with the Town of Wilton and local volunteers.