WELCOME TO MAINE LAKES
PROTECTING MAINE'S LAKES & PONDS
We are a nonprofit, charitable membership organization, and continue to be the clear voice for protection of our most precious freshwater resources and wildlife habitat. We work to support everyone who values and benefits from clean water and healthy lakes in Maine, including lake residents, lake associations, surrounding communities, vacationers and the next generation of lake stewards.
Take action for lakes
Maine Lakes, working as part of the Lake Protection Coalition, is helping to build grassroots support for a bill before the Maine Legislature this session that will bring $2 MILLION DOLLARS each year to the Lake Water Quality Protection and Restoration Fund, which is housed at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Those funds could support in-lake phosphorus reduction treatments, watershed surveys, technical assistance, education, stormwater infrastructure, research, and more.
We need your support for LD 2141
1) Add your name to this Sign-on Letter circulated by the Lake Protection Coalition, urging the committee to support the bill. Amplify your impact by forwarding this sign-on letter to people in your community.
2) Submit written testimony to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee or speak at the public hearing. More information and resources are on our Advocacy Page.
Public Hearing for LD 2141:
1:00 pm February 4th, 2026
Environment and Natural Resources Committee
Room 216, Cross Building, Augusta
Thank you for taking action to support Maine’s lakes! Please forward this email to anyone who would also take action for lake funding.
Want to stay informed? Sign up for Maine Lakes’ Legislative Alerts HERE . Thank you for all you do for Maine's lakes and for supporting this amazing opportunity for lakes!
Join staff from Maine Lakes and Lake Stewards of Maine this winter for an engaging series of webinars about our lakes.
Salts in our Watershed
Presented by Karen Wilson, PhD, University of Southern Maine
February 18 at 12:00 pm. Register HERE.
Join us to learn about the state of current research about the impacts of road salt. Dr. Wilson will share the research she has been conducting for over a decade on streams and ponds impacted by salt.
Relocating a Road and Adding Native Plantings to Protect Water Quality
Presented by Rebecca Jacobs, Boothbay Drinking Water District
March 18 at 12:30 pm. Register HERE
Join us to learn more about a road relocation project in the Boothbay region that moved 1000’ linear feet of road frontage away from Adams Pond and added nearly one acre of vegetated buffer in 2025. Learn about the process, successes, lessons learned, funding and the partnerships that made this project possible.
THANK YOU!!!
You helped us surpass our goal and we raised over $35,000 for our Year End Challenge. This means we will receive an additional $10K from an anonymous donor, tripling our typical year-end giving. Thank you to all who helped us rise to the challenge! While the challenge is over for now, you can also start your year off right with a 2026 donation to help support our on-the-ground programming and actions that directly benefit Maine's healthy lake future.
KEEPING LAKES HEALTHY: BMP VIDEO SERIES
INSTALLING An infiltration pathway
LAKESMART
This free voluntary, non-regulatory program helps lakefront homeowners maintain lake-friendly landscapes that reduce pollution and runoff. Learn how to get LakeSmart active on your lake.
JUMP IN!
Donate or become a member today.
You will join a growing community of people dedicated to keeping Maine’s lakes clean and healthy.
Statement on racism and equality
This is a pivotal time in our culture, when organizations well outside the realm of political and social action must step up and speak to racism. Please read our full Statement on Racism and Equality.
E-Newsletters
Read our 2024 and 2025 e-newsletters here or check out our newsletter archive for past issues.
Maine Lakes E-News January 2026
December 2025
November 2025
October 2025
September 2025
August 2025
July 2025
March 2025
January 2025
LakeSmart E-News April 2025