October 26, 2025
Dear Forest Lake Association members and friends,
The Forest Lake Association needs your help to ensure that our water is protected for generations to come. We have worked closely in the past with Cumberland County Soil and Water and the DEP to address phosphorus runoff. Run-off carries phosphorus from surrounding soil into our lake and soil fills the lake making it more shallow causing water temperatures to rise.
The Town of Windham adopted protective measures a few years ago and the Town of Gray is in the middle of two initiatives:
- Watershed Management Plan: a 10-year plan which outlines watershed protection in Gray’s lakes and streams. It is essential for laying the foundation for specific actions for and can assist with possible grant work. It will utilize volunteers to assist with programs.
- Surface Water Protection Ordinance: Provides Best Management Plans during design, construction, and long-term remedies for those who are constructing in the watershed. Education will be provided with best methods to avoid erosion and costly expenses fixing erosion problems. It is cheaper to prevent pollution and incrementally fix a problem now than clean up a lake that has an algae bloom from erosion.
The ordinance protects lakes 1000 feet from shoreline, feeder streams 500 feet from shoreline and all other areas 250 feet from shoreline.
Here is how you can help:
The Town of Gray wants and needs to hear your voice. Taking a few moments to email or attend meetings would show support and make a big difference. Here are some suggestions for your voice or letter to the town council or committees:
- I support watershed protection to allow for future planning and actions to protect water quality in Gray’s lakes and streams.
- I support the Watershed Management Plan as its costs will be shared with other towns, non-profits, state agencies and volunteers doing in-kind work. It also assists with grant funding.
- I support watershed protection because it allows today’s development activities to become part of the solution during construction and avoid costly remediation, and erosion impacts to our water bodies.
- I support watershed protection because it is cheaper to have shared development management now to prevent erosion than one entity fixing a water quality issue i.e. algae bloom, etc.
- I support watershed management to keep our lakes clean and healthy and to protect the value of our lakefront property thus protecting any drastic negative impact to all Gray’s tax base from reduced lake property values.
It is important that the Town of Gray hears from not only Gray residents but also Windham and Cumberland residents. Windham has implemented protective measures and your support for Gray’s initiative will help.
The Watershed Management Plan is set to be considered by the Gray Town Council at their November 18th meeting so sending letters of support starting now right up until the meeting would be helpful. The Surface Water Protection Ordinance will likely be discussed at the December 2nd Council workshop.
Send letters via email to:
- Town Council via towncouncil@graymaine.org or
- Town Manager Mike Foley at mfoley@graymaine.org.
You may also attend these meetings either personally or via town zoom, visit graymaine.org, scroll to upcoming events, select date to sign in.
Thank you for your support,
Jan Lavallee
President, Forest Lake Association