Dexter Lake Association

Annual Report of the Dexter Lakes Association (DLA) to The Town of Dexter, November, 2025

 

The mission of the DLA is to help preserve and protect the health of Lake Wassookeag and Echo Lake. This is the 24th year of the Dexter Lakes Association.

 

The Board of Directors includes: Dan Hutchins, President * Cathie Frost, Vice President Michael Ann Wells, Treasurer * Ruth deBeurs (Formerly Fogg), Secretary * Adam Briggs, Membership Valerie Silverman Debra Morse * Ron Apel Heather Mullen JC Forgotson Janie Snyder, Advisor * * Invasive Plant Patroller

 

Membership is open to anyone interested in Dexter’s lakes. There are currently 120 paid members, down from 148 memberships last year Annual dues are still $10/person, $20 /family.

 

The DLA is a member of the Maine Lakes Society and also the Lake Stewards of Maine. Through Lake Stewards of Maine training, the DLA currently has five (5) Certified Invasive Plant Patrollers and two (2) Secchi Disc water clarity testers.

 

Our annual general meeting, open to all, was held on July 9, 2025 at the VFW Hall on Cedar Street, Dexter with about 50 attendees. The speaker was local Ruth deBeurs who spoke about the Dexter lakes facts, geography, history, water quality and other items.

 

The DLA participates in the Dexter Town Fourth of July Parade with a decorated towed boat and organized a decorated boat contest for the Fourth of July Boat Parade on Lake Wassookeag.

 

Nine DLA volunteers assisted with the Audubon Society's annual Loon Count on July 12. Twelve (12) adult loons and one chick (Little Lake) were counted compared to 10 adults and 2 chicks last year. As of November, the one loon adolescent, is thriving on its own gaining strength to migrate soon.

 

The Invasive Plant Patrolers spent over 50 volunteer hours paddling along the shoreline searching for aquatic invasive plants. Luckily, none were found. Similar to 2024, the shoreline Purple Loosestrife had a lesser prominence this year probably due to very high Spring water levels. Small patches of Yellow Water Iris are getting larger and are being monitored. Both species are on the Maine State shoreline invasive List.

 

Six safety buoys are placed, maintained and monitored by Frank Spizuoco and Dan Hutchins. Buoys are removed in the winter months and replaced in the spring. Ice-in on Big Wassookeag occurred on Dec 23, 2024 (11 days earlier than last year).

 

Ice-out was April 18, 2024 (a week later than last year). Smelts were not running as normal again this year.

 

This was a dry summer and with the reduced rainfall, there was less silt run-off into the lake. So despite the low water levels, we did not see the algae blooms in the Little Lake like we have in the past.