Vaughan Brook Watershed-Based Management Plan
Hallowell, Farmingdale & Augusta, Maine – An iconic stream in Central Maine receives the attention it needs to better understand why it’s starting to degrade and how to protect it in the future.
Ecological Instincts was hired by the City of Hallowell to serve as Project Manager and planning consultant for the development of the Vaughan Brook Watershed-Based Management Plan (WBMP). Vaughan Brook flows through the renowned Vaughan Woods and Historic Homestead (VWWH), which encompasses a portion of the main stem of the brook, scenic cascades and waterfalls, historic stone bridges, and miles of recreational trails. The homestead is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is visited by an estimated 40,000 people each year.
Vaughan Brook is a Class B stream and is listed as “Threatened” on the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Nonpoint Source (NPS) Priority Watersheds List due to development pressures within the watershed. In recent years, the stream has also failed to meet Class B water quality standards.
Ecological Instincts guided volunteer-led water quality monitoring efforts; analyzed and reported on current and historical water quality trends; and completed comprehensive field assessments, including a watershed survey, stream corridor survey, and agricultural survey. The project also included a stream stressor analysis, land-cover assessment, and watershed modeling, as well as education and outreach activities such as a public workshop. This work culminated in the development of a stakeholder-driven, 10-year watershed action plan that meets the U.S. EPA’s required nine elements of watershed planning.
Project partners included the City of Hallowell, the Hallowell Conservation Commission, Kennebec Land Trust, the Vaughan Woods and Historic Homestead (VWHH), and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Funding for this project was provided in part through a U.S. EPA Clean Water Act Section 604(b) grant, with additional local match support from the City of Hallowell and watershed partners.