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Didymo Washing Stations
 Over the past 4 months, Ken Beaulieu has been working on behalf of FFIM on a pilot program that has put 3 didymo washing stations in Maine this year. Last Fall, FFIM received an email from Steve Smith of the Friends of Forest Lodge asking for our help in spearheading an idea that he had on the washing stations. Ken jumped at the chance not knowing how complicated the issue really was but wanted to do something. The folks at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, especially Paul Gregory and the team at MDIFW were great to work with but it did take some time to get everything figured out. It really wasn't as simple as building them and putting them up around the state.
Ken talked to biologists from Maryland, Wyoming and a whole lot of private individuals from around the globe on the subject of mitigating the risk of didymo traveling between locations. It's a really complicated issue.
There is no one answer to solving the problem but between a public education awareness program and the first of what we hope to be many public washing stations, there is a chance that we can limit the spread of this stuff.
The pilot program begins with 3 washing stations that went into place on May 8th. There is one on the landing at Lower Dam on the Rapid River, one at Middle Dam on the Rapid River, and a final pilot station on the Presumpscot River on Route 35 in Windham. The station is pretty simple (see photo). Essentially, it is a 5% salt based solution that will require(ask) you to soak your boots, nets, etc...in it for 3 minutes. There is a scrub brush affixed to the station that you will be able to use to scrub your equipment too. There is also a comment card and box with a short questionnaire that we kindly ask you to take a moment and fill out. These comment cards will help us asses the success of the program come October. There is also a sign with instructions on each station (see image). The washing stations should be part of your personal didymo prevention program which would also be home cleaning/mitigation, i.e., freezing, heating, soaking longer.
We will have "station keepers" that will monitor the stations to refresh the stations and monitor them.
Finally, we were able to build and get this pilot program launched thanks to a generous grant provided to FFIM by our friends at L.L.Bean.
Again, thanks to our partners in this program:
Maine DEP
Maine DIFW
Maine DOT
Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust
NextEra Energy
Steve Smith and Friends of Forest Lodge
L.L.Bean
Maine DEP website: http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/topic/invasives/rocksnot.htm
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