Tacoma Lakes Association
Devoted to the health of our lakes through conservation & education.
– Litchfield / Monmouth, Maine –
Welcome to Tacoma Lakes!
Our 5 beautiful lakes are located in Litchfield and Monmouth, Maine. They are named Buker Pond, Jimmy Pond, Little Purgatory Pond, Sand Pond, and Woodbury Pond.
The Tacoma Lakes Association is dedicated to the education of lakes’ users and the environmental protection of our lakes. We believe that education is the key to ensuring that future generations have the same privilege we do to enjoy the special beauty of the Tacoma Lakes. The Association is actively involved helping to protect our lakes. Particularly important is protecting our lakes from invasive plants, exotic fish and “slow the flow” nutrient reduction. The Association also assists the dam keeper, who maintains our water levels. The Association is a not for profit lake association. We depend upon volunteers for all our activities.
Litchfield officials quickly working toward permanent fix for leaking dam
The earliest possible construction date is next fall, according to the town manager, as officials say seepage has continued despite the placement of sandbags.
Officials and engineers are working as quickly as possible to determine a permanent fix for the Woodbury Pond Dam, which recently began to show signs of seepage. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal.
December 9, 2021, by Chris Bouchard, Kennebec Journal
LITCHFIELD — Officials and engineers are working as quickly as possible to determine a permanent fix for the Woodbury Pond Dam, which recently began to show signs of seepage.
Workers placed 12 large sandbags along the east wall of the dam as part of a temporary fix; however, dam keeper Terry Averill noted during an emergency workshop Wednesday that some seepage is still occurring, with signs spotted along the right side upstream training wall.
If continued deterioration occurs, it would cause the roadway across the dam to become impassable and significantly lower the water level in the Tacoma Lakes. This would result in negative impacts on animals and plant life, as well as surrounding property values, officials say.
Town Manager Kelly Weissenfels said there has been some debate as to whether or not the sandbags have been effective, or if the lower water level has resulted in a decreased flow. He said he can not definitively say how effective they are, but that he does believe they have helped with the leak.
While no actions were taken during Wednesday’s workshop, Averill and the Select Board discussed conducting an additional dye test to determine the rate of seepage at the dam.
Jason Gallant, senior project manager with Topsham-based engineering firm Wright-Pierce, also discussed plans and cost estimates for a permanent fix during the meeting.
Preliminary estimates for installing a steel sheet pile cutoff wall on the upstream face of the dam are about $633,900 and estimates for installing a concrete secant pile wall on the upstream face of the dam are around $767,000.
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