Watershed Protection Program

Preventing nutrients from getting into our lakes is essential in order to keep them healthy. Since 2017 LAON has received four EPA grants totaling over $370,00, allowing us to complete construction projects aimed at reducing erosion carrying nutrients into North Pond and Lake Pennesseewassee. Hobbs Pond (Little Pennesseewassee) has $88,179 approved for grant funding and $86,366 in matching funding starting October 1, 2026. Since federal funding is not always available, in 2024 LAON started a self-funded Watershed Protection Program to help identify and incentivize remediation efforts by providing up to half the cost of these efforts to property owners not eligible for federal funding.

A team of volunteers trained to identify erosion impacting on the health of our lakes provides an assessment of a site and makes a solution recommendation. This may be followed by approval of a plan and level of funding. Do you think you may have a situation deserving
attention? Our Erosion Identification handout provides typical examples to look for.

Property owners, road associations and other stakeholders within the watersheds of Lake Pennesseewassee, Sand Pond, Hobb’s Pond and North Pond are welcome to contact Jon Jacobsen at jonjacobsen72@gmail.com to discuss an erosion site and explore sources of funding.