Snow Pond / Messalonskee Lake Association

Lake Information

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Origin of the name Snow Pond ....and a bit of history..

1774 marked the beginning of the known history of Belgrade, Maine. In that year a man named Philip Snow, who had hunted for some time in what is now Sidney, decided to look for new hunting grounds on the other side of the large lake to the west. He crossed the lake and landed about two miles north of what is now Belgrade Depot, and there he built a log cabin. He apparently intended this as just a base for his hunting trips, since he came alone, without any family. After about six years, Snow sold his cabin to Joseph Greely, and probably returned to his family, in Sidney. At some later date, but before Belgrade became a town, he returned to the west side of the lake with his wife and nine children. Later still, he and his family left the country.

Snow Pond (now Lake Messalonskee) and Mt. Philip (just north of Belgrade Lakes in Rome) were both named in his honor.

Philip SNOW was. Born Feb. 18,1748 in Dunstable, Middlesex, MA or Dunstable NH; died 1850 in Charleston ME. Philip's parents were Jonathan Snow and Sarah SOULE. He was married on June 13, 1772 in Hallowell, Kennebec, ME to Abagail Townsend. Abagail was born. Apr. 17, 1754 in Hopkinton, Norfolk, MA, daughter. of Timothy Townsend and Hannah Foster. Philip was a hunter in New England states. The History of Kennebec County ME says he hunted for several years in Sidney ME in its early days; in 1774, he crossed the lake to become the first white settler in Belgrade ME. Lake Messalonskee is often called Snow Pond and a mountain near Belgrade Mills is named Mt. Philip in his honor

(Submitted by Bill Taylor, April 2001)

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The Oakland Dam, Water Control Operation As described at the Board of Director's Meeting Thursday, September 7, 2000.

Harry Isbister, who works for Florida Power and Light (FPL) now that Central Maine Power has divested its dams, spoke to the group about how the dam is run.

The Messalonskee Stream drains about 175 square miles of watershed. They have a federal license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and must maintain the water level within FERC boundaries. On Messalonskee Lake during the off season of September to May the water level must be kept within a one foot span between 234.4 to 235.4 feet. In the wintertime they tend to run the water level toward the lower end of the limit. Between June and August the water level must be maintained within the top 6 inches between 234.8 to 235.4 because of nesting loons and other waterfowl.

In the summertime when they do not expect to have inflow, they run towards the top end of the limit. Conversely, if they are expecting rain, they will run towards the lower end of the limit. Those limits are also monitored outside of FPL; if they were to exceed or go below those limits, FERC would call it to their attention along with a fine. They don't have control over the other dams which feed into Messalonskee so they have to take whatever water comes in. They operate two gates at the Oakland site.

There are four generating stations on Messalonskee Stream. The first one is the Oakland station which is the biggest one and generates almost 2,900 kilowatts. when everything is running efficiently (For reference a medium sized Coal Burning Utility will generate 350,000 to 500,000 Killowatts).