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Taking a proactive approach, the municipalities of Cape Elizabeth and South
Portland are developing a Trout Brook Watershed Based Management Plan in
collaboration with the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District.
The main purpose of this project is to develop a locally supported plan that
will include actions needed to restore the water quality and aquatic habitat of
Trout Brook.
Water Quality
Trout Brook has been listed as an urban impaired
stream by the Maine Department of Environmental
Protection because it is not meeting State water
quality classifications due to polluted runoff and
increased storm flow volume from impervious surfaces
such as rooftops, parking lots and roads.
A number of
studies have been conducted on Trout Brook
including monitoring to look at the
macroinvertebrates (the bugs that live in the
stream).
Macroinvertebrates are useful indicators of the
health or condition of water bodies. They respond
to many kinds of pollution, including chemical
pollution and physical disturbance to the stream.
The studies to date indicate that the
following are adversely affecting the
macroinvertebrate community of Trout Brook:
Improvement Opportunities
There is great potential to restore the water
quality in Trout Brook. While Trout Brook does not
meet its State water quality classification, it does
support a
native brook trout population. Maine Department
of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife biologists have found
a lot of trout in the stream and some as large as 10
inches long. With efforts already underway to
improve the watershed, information to guide the
prioritization of additional restoration, and
considerable local interest in the stream’s
potential, this is an opportune time to enlist the
public to provide input into the process of
improving and protecting Trout Brook.
Efforts Already Underway
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Master Plan for Mill Creek Park (through
which Trout Brook flows) identifies key
restoration recommendations for Trout Brook’s
riparian area.
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Sawyer Marsh is an eight acre marsh that provides a rare scenic
vista in South Portland and has been protected
by the City of South Portland.
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The
South Portland Land Trust is interested in
enhancing the recreational amenities provided by
Trout Brook’s close proximity to densely
populated residential areas.
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The
South Portland Conservation Commission has
identified Trout Brook as an area where some of
the City’s Wetlands Compensation Funds could
potentially be used for restoration activities.
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