Messalonskee Lake Association

Snow Pond / Messalonskee Lake Association

The Snow Pond/Messalonskee Lake Association is a nonprofit, volunteer Organization founded in 1990 to promote the preservation of the lake.

The Association works to educate the public and promote the responsible use of the lake. Activities include wildlife preservation, testing & promoting water quality, promoting the practices which protect the lake ecosystem and encouraging safe recreational use of the lake.

The last lake in the Belgrade Chain of Lakes in Kennebec County, Maine. Messalonskee Lake contains approximately 39 billion gallons of water, . The lake’s water flows into the Messalonskee Stream at the town of Oakland, which in turn flows to the Kennebec River, then to the Atlantic Ocean 45 miles South near Bath, Maine.

Scenes on Snow Pond

The lake is a 9 mile long, narrow, natural creation, resulting from continental collision and glacial scouring. A dam originally built in the town of Oakland in 1905 increased the lakes size.

The lake is officially named Messalonskee Lake but also commonly known as Snow Pond (named after Philip Snow who hunted the area around the lake in the mid 1700’s) and less commonly as Nine Mile Pond. More history of the lake can be found on the Lake Information page.

This historically recreational lake has substantially developed shoreline and is located in a watershed that is experiencing rapid residential growth. This puts tremendous pressure on the ecosystems of the lake.

Scenes on Snow Pond

Arial view of Messalonskee Lake

NEWS – Updated June, 2009

New Messalonskee Lake Safety Boat

Through the hard work of several of our board members, we were able to acquire a newer Lake Safety Boat from the State of Maine. The new boat is a Maritime center console boat with a four stroke (environmentally friendly) outboard.

The boat is on loan from the Maine Marine Patrol for this year and our expectation is that we will use the funds from the sale of the old boat to purchase this new boat from the State for our long term needs.

The mission for the boat has been expanded from strictly enforcement to include Milfoil Management, Water Quality Testing, Safety and Emergency Towing, etc.

There will be a combination of Enforcement Officers and qualified Lake Association members manning the boat throughout the summer.

Thanks to Ed Pearl, Ned Hammond, Bill Libby and all of the others who have worked to make this happen.

2009 Summer Season on the Lake

The Messalonskee Lake Association is planning a busy summer season on the lake. There is more information on our activities in the just released 2009 Newsletter. To go to the Newsletter Click Here

There is also new information on the website on Water Quality and on the effects of using Ethanol Blended Fuel in your boat.

Have a great and safe summer season on the Lake and remember to support the Messalonskee Lake Association by renewing your membership.

Milfoil and Safety Zone Maps - Messalonskee Lake Association has created information packets that will be available to boat owners on the lake that provides information on the location of Headway Speed and Slow Zone areas of the lake as well as information on Milfoil areas of the lake. The packets will be provided in zip lock plastic bags and will be available at the boat launches through the Courtesy Boat Inspectors there as well as on the Lake Patrol Boat and at the Oakland Town Office. An overview of the Milfoil and Safety Areas of the Lake that is provided in the information packet can be seen HERE

Messalonskee Lake Milfoil Control Program - The Messalonskee Lake Association has started an active program to test various methods of controlling Milfoil on the lake. The first step was the installation of a Benthic Barrier in a small cove on the North end of the lake in mid August. For more information, click here.

Membership Drive On – IT IS TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP. With the start of the Spring season it is time Join or Renew your membership in the Messalonksee Lake Association. This is especially important this year with our added work on fighting Milfoil, Supporting the Lake Safety Patrol, and Increased activity with the Lake Trust. PLEASE join or renew now by clicking HERE.

Where My Dues Go. Courtesy Boat Inspection Program (CBI) at Oakland and Sidney ramps, Milfoil research and surveys, BRCA Conservation Corps, Lake Safety Patrol, Newsletters, Web Site, Maine Congress of Lake Associations , Community Support (cold water survival suits for the Oakland Fire Department) etc..