Frequently Asked Questions

A Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) is a local organization that serves a defined geographic area and works to support landowners, municipalities, and communities in protecting and managing natural resources such as soil, water, and forests.

Most districts are county-based, though some districts may serve more than one county or portions of a county depending on how they are organized locally. In some cases, a single county may be divided among multiple districts.

SWCDs focus on education, outreach, and voluntary technical assistance rather than regulation. In Kennebec County, the SWCD emphasizes conservation education, including programs like the Maine Envirothon, as well as lake water quality and erosion and sediment control BMPs.

While priorities vary by district, SWCDs share a common goal: promoting conservation practices that prevent environmental problems before they require more costly remediation.

More Resources: NACD, NRCS, Maine DACF

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are methods used to reduce environmental impacts such as erosion, sedimentation, and water pollution during land use activities.

More Resources: EPA BMP guidance, NRCS conservation practices

Low Impact Development (LID) is a stormwater management approach that aims to mimic natural hydrology by managing runoff close to where it originates.

Common LID practices include rain gardens, permeable pavement, vegetated swales, green roofs, and infiltration systems.

More Resources: EPA green infrastructure resources

Remediation refers to correcting environmental damage after it has occurred. Methods can include soil removal, treatment, or biological approaches such as phytoremediation or mycoremediation.

Conservation focuses on preventing damage in the first place, which is generally more effective and less costly than remediation.

More Resources: EPA remediation resources

A riparian buffer zone is a vegetated area of trees, shrubs, and ground cover located along the edge of a stream, river, or lake. These areas act as a transition between upland land uses and aquatic systems, helping to filter runoff, stabilize banks, and reduce the movement of sediment and nutrients into water bodies. Buffer effectiveness depends on width, slope, soil conditions, and plant composition.

More Resources: EPA Riparian Buffers, NRCS conservation standards, state forestry BMP manuals

Forest activities such as timber harvesting, road building, and equipment operation can disturb soil and vegetation, increasing the potential for erosion and runoff. Without proper management, sediment and associated nutrients may be transported into nearby streams and lakes, affecting clarity and ecological conditions. The use of buffers and BMPs helps minimize these impacts.

More Resources: U.S. Forest Service BMP guides, NRCS forestry resources

Logging operations can increase erosion by exposing soil and altering natural drainage patterns through equipment movement and tree removal. Skid trails can concentrate runoff, and heavy equipment may compact soil. The use of skidder bridges or temporary crossings helps reduce disturbance when crossing streams, while careful planning of skid trails and limiting soil exposure helps reduce erosion overall.

More Resources: Forest Service harvesting BMPs, state erosion control manuals

Minimizing environmental impacts during timber harvest involves planning operations carefully, maintaining riparian buffers, using designated skid trails, avoiding sensitive soils, and stabilizing disturbed areas after harvest. Temporary stream crossings such as bridges or mats, along with prompt revegetation of exposed soils, help reduce sediment transport and maintain site stability.

More Resources: U.S. Forest Service BMP publications, NRCS conservation practices

Slash refers to woody debris left behind after forestry operations, including branches, tree tops, bark, and unusable stems. It is a common term in forestry and represents the residual organic material remaining after harvesting activities.

More Resources: U.S. Forest Service forestry references, state forestry guides

Slash management is important because it influences site conditions such as fire risk, regeneration, nutrient cycling, and accessibility. Proper management can help protect soil, support reforestation, and reduce potential hazards depending on how slash is arranged, treated, or removed.

More Resources: Forest Service slash management guidance, state BMP manuals

A skid trail is a designated path used by logging equipment to transport harvested logs from the cutting area to a landing. These trails are planned to concentrate disturbance and minimize overall impact to surrounding soils and vegetation.

More Resources: Forest Service harvesting guidelines, NRCS forestry resources

Phosphorus loading refers to the total amount of phosphorus entering a waterbody from its surrounding watershed over time. Sources include runoff, erosion, septic systems, and natural inputs. Because phosphorus is often a limiting nutrient in freshwater systems, even relatively small increases can significantly influence biological productivity and water quality.

More Resources: EPA nutrient pollution resources, USGS water quality studies

Flushing rate describes how quickly a lake's water is replaced through inflows and outflows. It is often expressed as the time required for the full volume of a lake to be replaced. Lakes with slower flushing rates tend to retain nutrients longer, influencing water quality and ecosystem behavior.

More Resources: USGS hydrology resources, limnology references

Increased phosphorus loading can stimulate algal growth in lakes. As algae grow and eventually decompose, oxygen is consumed, which can lead to reduced dissolved oxygen levels. This process can alter aquatic ecosystems, affect species composition, and contribute to shifts toward more nutrient-rich conditions.

More Resources: EPA nutrient pollution overview, USGS lake studies

Lake turnover is the seasonal mixing of lake water layers that typically occurs in spring and fall when temperature differences between layers decrease. This mixing redistributes oxygen, nutrients, and other dissolved substances throughout the lake.

More Resources: USGS lake dynamics resources, limnology texts

Ice out refers to the date when a lake becomes completely free of ice in the spring. It varies annually depending on weather conditions such as temperature, wind, snowpack, and lake characteristics, and is used as an indicator of seasonal and climatic patterns.

More Resources: NOAA climate resources, USGS lake studies

Eutrophication is the process of nutrient enrichment in a waterbody, primarily involving nitrogen and phosphorus, which leads to increased plant and algal growth. Over time, decomposition of organic matter can reduce dissolved oxygen levels and change aquatic ecosystem conditions.

More Resources: EPA eutrophication resources, USGS water quality references

Nutrients cycle through lakes via inputs from the watershed, uptake by aquatic organisms, decomposition of organic matter, and redistribution through mixing processes. Internal recycling within sediments and water columns also plays a role in maintaining nutrient availability over time.

More Resources: USGS nutrient cycling studies, EPA watershed resources

Water clarity is influenced by suspended sediment, algal concentrations, dissolved organic matter, and nutrient inputs. Land use, erosion, and biological productivity all contribute to how clear or turbid a lake appears.

More Resources: USGS Secchi disk studies, state lake monitoring programs

Temperature differences create distinct layers in a lake, with warmer, less dense water near the surface and cooler, denser water below. Seasonal temperature changes and wind can disrupt these layers, leading to mixing events that redistribute oxygen and nutrients throughout the lake.

More Resources: USGS stratification resources, limnology references

Stormwater runoff is precipitation that flows over land rather than infiltrating into the soil. It occurs when rainfall or snowmelt exceeds infiltration capacity or when surfaces are impervious.

More Resources: EPA stormwater program, USGS hydrology resources

As stormwater moves across land surfaces, it picks up sediment, nutrients, oils, metals, and debris from roads, roofs, and developed areas, transporting these materials into nearby waterbodies through drainage systems or direct runoff pathways.

More Resources: EPA nonpoint source pollution resources, USGS water quality studies

Common sources include agricultural runoff, urban stormwater, forestry activities, construction sites, septic systems, and atmospheric deposition. These diffuse sources are transported by runoff rather than originating from a single discharge point.

More Resources: EPA nonpoint source program, USGS watershed studies

Impervious cover includes surfaces such as pavement and rooftops that prevent water from infiltrating into soil. These surfaces increase runoff volume and speed, reduce groundwater recharge, and can contribute to increased flooding and pollutant transport.

More Resources: EPA urban runoff resources, USGS hydrology references

Best practices include using green infrastructure such as rain gardens, vegetated swales, infiltration systems, and detention basins. These approaches help slow runoff, promote infiltration, and reduce pollutant transport.

More Resources: EPA green infrastructure resources, NRCS practices

Stormwater systems manage runoff by capturing, storing, and gradually releasing water through infrastructure such as detention basins, pipes, and channels. This helps reduce peak flows and prevents systems from becoming overwhelmed during heavy rainfall.

More Resources: EPA stormwater infrastructure guidance, USGS hydrology studies

Infiltration is the process by which water enters and moves into the soil. It is important because it reduces runoff, supports groundwater recharge, and maintains natural hydrologic cycles.

More Resources: NRCS soil resources, USGS hydrology studies

Peak flow is the highest rate of discharge in a stream or drainage system during a runoff event. It is a critical factor in designing infrastructure and assessing flood risk because systems must be able to accommodate these maximum flows.

More Resources: USGS streamflow data, EPA stormwater design manuals

Low Impact Development (LID) is a stormwater management approach that seeks to mimic natural hydrology by managing runoff close to where it originates.

Common LID practices include rain gardens, permeable pavement, vegetated swales, green roofs, and infiltration systems.

More Resources: EPA green infrastructure resources

Erosion is the process by which soil is detached and transported by water, wind, gravity, or ice. Water-driven erosion is the most common form in many landscapes, particularly where vegetation has been disturbed.

More Resources: NRCS erosion resources, USGS soil science materials

Sediment transport is the movement of soil particles and organic material by flowing water. It connects upland erosion sources to downstream environments and occurs as suspended load, bed load, or dissolved material depending on particle size and flow conditions.

More Resources: USGS sediment studies, hydrology references

Soil erosion increases sediment in waterways, which can reduce water clarity, transport attached nutrients and pollutants, and alter aquatic habitats. Elevated sediment loads can also affect ecosystem function and physical characteristics of streams and lakes.

More Resources: EPA sediment pollution resources, USGS water quality studies

Erosion and sediment control measures include practices such as silt fences, sediment basins, mulching, erosion control blankets, and seeding. These methods are designed to prevent soil loss and capture sediment before it reaches waterways.

More Resources: EPA construction stormwater guidance, NRCS practices

Vegetation and ground cover reduce erosion by intercepting rainfall, slowing runoff, and stabilizing soil with root systems. Plant cover protects soil from direct impact and improves infiltration, reducing the likelihood of soil particles being detached and transported.

More Resources: NRCS plant resources, USGS soil conservation materials

Steeper slopes increase the velocity of runoff, which can enhance the detachment and transport of soil particles. As slope increases, erosion risk generally increases, especially when vegetation is limited or soils are exposed.

More Resources: NRCS erosion prediction tools, USGS terrain analysis resources

Soil compaction occurs when soil particles are pressed together, reducing pore space and limiting infiltration. This leads to increased surface runoff and can contribute to erosion and reduced soil productivity.

More Resources: NRCS soil health resources, USDA soil compaction guides

Construction activities disturb soil through grading, clearing vegetation, and exposing loose materials. Without proper controls, rainfall and runoff can easily transport this disturbed soil into nearby waterways, increasing sediment loads.

More Resources: EPA construction stormwater program, state erosion control regulations