Watershed Friends: The Shield Between Our Lakes and Invasives
What’s at Stake
Our watershed covers 217 square miles and includes 28 lakes and ponds. It supports more than 100,000 community members and welcomes over 15,000 visitors each year.
This is not just about Cobbossee Lake. Every connected lake, pond, and stream is part of one system. If one is compromised, the entire watershed feels it.
And when it comes to aquatic invasive species, it’s not an if—it’s a when—unless Watershed Friends stands in the way.
Who We Are
Watershed Friends—formerly Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed—has been on the front lines for nearly 25 years. We are the only nonprofit in the region solely dedicated to preventing, monitoring, and managing invasive species across the entire watershed.
Our work provides the infrastructure no single lake association could manage alone:
- 30+ Courtesy Boat Inspectors stationed across the watershed
- DEP-certified divers and rapid response teams ready to act
- Plant ID workshops and Adopt-a-Shoreline patrols for volunteers and property owners
- The only DEP permit to coordinate and supervise invasive plant removal watershed-wide
- Full grant writing, compliance, and reporting with state agencies
How We Fit In
- Lake Associations protect their own waterbody. We bring the regional expertise, staff, and equipment they rely on.
- Maine DEP regulates and funds projects for the entire state. We’re their trusted boots on the ground.
- Cobbossee Watershed District monitors water quality. We focus on invasive prevention and control.
Together, these efforts work—but without Watershed Friends, the system collapses.
What Happens Without Us
If Watershed Friends disappeared tomorrow, here’s the reality:
- No coordinated inspections at launches
- No trained divers pulling invasives
- No watershed-wide DEP removal permit
- No professional grant pipeline or compliance reporting
- No rapid response when invasives show up
And when invasives take over, property values can drop by 10–20%, recreation suffers, and management becomes a permanent, costly burden.
Why Property Owners Matter
If your lake isn’t infested yet, community funding is why.
If your lake is already battling invasives, your funding keeps them contained.
Either way, the future of 28 lakes, 217 square miles, 15,000 visitors, and 100,000 neighbors depends on the support of waterfront property owners like you.
The Bottom Line
Watershed Friends is not just another nonprofit. It is the infrastructure that keeps your shoreline safe, your property valuable, and your lake usable.
Support the shield. Make your contribution today:
www.watershedfriends.com/donate
Because without Friends, it’s not if we lose our lakes—it’s when.