Who to Contact: State Resources

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Cyanobacteria Blooms

Suspect a cyanobacteria bloom? Report it using the Maine Cyanobacteria Bloom Reporting App. The app is easy to use and available to volunteers, lake associations, and the public.
For help identifying a suspected bloom, contact Patrick Lind (Maine DEP) at patrick.lind@maine.gov or Tristan Taber (LSM) at stewards@lakestewardsme.org.
For additional identification assistance and research, contact Robin Sleith at Bigelow Laboratory at rsleith@bigelow.org or 207-315-2567, ext. 417.
View reported blooms: Visit the Maine DEP Bloom Report Dashboard to see confirmed blooms and reports under investigation.

Water Levels and Dam Safety

Issues or questions about lake levels, dams, dam hazard classifications, or available engineering information, contact Tony Fletcher, Acting State Dam Safety Inspector with Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), at tony.fletcher@maine.gov or 207-624-4400.

Fisheries and Fish Populations

Never release or move live fish between waterbodies. It is illegal and could be extremely damaging to the ecology of a lake to introduce fish, crayfish, or other creatures to the lake.

For questions about fish populations, stocking, fisheries management, regulations, or fish health, contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IF&W) at info.ifw@maine.gov or 207-287-8000. For lake-specific information, contact the IF&W regional Fisheries Biologist serving your area.
Suspect an illegal fish introduction? Contact IF&W at info.ifw@maine.gov or 207-287-8000. Report suspected illegal introductions or movement of fish to the Maine Warden Service at 1-800-452-4664. This includes northern pike, bluegill, black crappie, and bass introduced into northern waters.
Looking for fish consumption advisories? Visit the Maine CDC fish and seafood safety page for information about contaminants and guidance on eating fish caught in Maine.

Water Quality

For questions about lake water quality, water quality data, or suspected state-level environmental violations involving lakes, contact Jeremy Deeds (Maine DEP) at jeremy.deeds@maine.gov or 207-446-1473.
For questions about water quality monitoring, data, or monitoring processes, contact Tristan Taber (LSM) at stewards@lakestewardsme.org.
For questions about PFAS, heavy metals, pesticides, or other contaminants in lake water, contact Tom Danielson, Maine DEP Biologist, at thomas.j.danielson@maine.gov or 207-441-7430. His work focuses on toxics monitoring, including contaminants of emerging concern.

Permitting and Development

Planning construction, shoreline work, or other land-use activities? Start with your local Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) or municipal Planning Staff for information about building, shoreland zoning, and local land-use requirements.
Building near a lake, river, or wetland? Review the Maine DEP's Shoreland Zoning resources for information about shoreland zoning standards and requirements.
Activities in, on, over, or adjacent to protected natural resources may require a Maine DEP permit under the Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA). Stormwater requirements may also apply to larger development projects or projects that disturb significant areas of land. Requirements vary by location and project type.
Permit applications and public permit records: Visit the Maine DEP's Maine Enterprise Licensing System (MELS) to find state land-use permit applications and publicly available permit records.
Report a suspected environmental violation: Use the Maine DEP environmental complaint system. Local Code Enforcement Officers are also an important first contact for suspected local land-use and shoreland zoning violations.

Aquatic Invasive Species

Clean, Drain, Dry. Always clean, drain, and dry your boat and all fishing and recreational gear to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

For help identifying aquatic invasive plants, reporting suspected invasives, or other AIS questions, contact Christine Gurette, LSM Aquatic Invasive Species Program Director, at stewards@lakestewardsme.org.
For questions about invasive aquatic plants, AIS lake support grants, or chemical treatment, contact John McPhedran (Maine DEP) at john.mcphedran@maine.gov or 207-215-9863.
For questions about invasive aquatic invertebrates or fish, contact Dakota Stankowski, IF&W Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator, at Dakota.Stankowski@maine.gov or 207-592-0982.
For crayfish identification or suspected introduced crayfish, visit the Maine Crayfish Project. Karen Wilson, a professor at the University of Southern Maine, maintains this long-term project documenting the distribution of native and introduced crayfish throughout Maine.

Invasive Terrestrial and Wetland Species

For questions about invasive terrestrial or wetland plants, including identification, monitoring, and management, contact the Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP) at invasives.mnap@maine.gov or 207-287-8044.
For suspected invasive forest insects, including hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, and Asian longhorned beetle, contact the Maine Forest Service Forest Health and Monitoring Program.
Document an invasive species sighting: Use iMapInvasives to record invasive species occurrences in Maine. Questions about reporting can be directed to invasives.mnap@maine.gov.

Loons and Wildlife

For information about loons, loon nesting, or participating in the Maine Loon Project, contact Maine Audubon at conserve@maineaudubon.org or 207-781-2330. Report nesting issues, including nest washovers caused by boat traffic.
Found an injured, sick, entangled, or distressed loon or other bird? Contact Avian Haven at 207-382-6761. This licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For general wildlife questions or wildlife conflicts, contact IF&W at info.ifw@maine.gov or 207-287-8000.
For immediate wildlife enforcement or public safety issues, contact your closest Maine Warden Service office:
- Augusta: 1-800-452-4664
- Bangor: 1-800-432-7381
- Houlton: 1-800-924-2261

Waste, Illegal Dumping, and Oil Spills

Report an oil spill: Call the Maine DEP 24-hour Oil Spill Hotline at 1-800-482-0777. This applies to spills on land and in the water.
Report a spill involving other hazardous materials: Call 1-800-452-4664.
Report suspected illegal dumping or improper solid waste disposal: Submit a report through the Maine DEP environmental complaint system. Local Code Enforcement Officers or municipal officials may also be appropriate contacts for dumping on local property or roads.
Improper disposal of litter is prohibited under Maine law. This includes throwing, dropping, depositing, discarding, or dumping litter on public lands, roads, waterbodies, and other prohibited locations, including ice over the water.

Shoreland Zoning and Environmental Violations

For suspected shoreland zoning violations, shoreline development issues, or local land-use violations, contact your local Code Enforcement Officer (CEO).
Report a suspected environmental violation: Use the Maine DEP online reporting portal and select "Submit a Complaint or Incident."
For shoreland zoning standards and guidance, visit the Maine DEP Shoreland Zoning resources.

Flooding, Road Washouts, and Culvert Problems

For flooding, road washouts, or damaged or blocked culverts on local roads, contact your town or municipality's Public Works Department, Road Commissioner, or road department. Municipalities are generally responsible for local roads and culverts.
For problems on state-maintained roads, contact the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) at 207-624-3000.
For significant flooding or storm damage affecting public safety, transportation, or multiple areas, contact the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at 800-452-8735.
If a washout or culvert failure affects a lake, stream, wetland, or other protected natural resource, Maine DEP may also need to be involved, particularly when repairs or sediment removal are proposed.

Buoys and Navigational Markers

For questions about monitoring buoys, navigational buoys, or regulatory markers on Maine lakes, contact Tim Thurston, Navigational Aids Supervisor with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Public Lands, at timothy.thurston@maine.gov or 207-582-5771.
In general, a single round orange ball buoy (minimum 24 inches in diameter) used for monitoring does not require special permitting. It must display "Monitoring Station" and the lake association name and cannot remain in the lake over winter. A subsurface buoy may potentially remain in place at depths of 3 meters or greater, but confirm placement requirements with Tim. Permanent regulation-style buoys require contacting Tim and submitting paperwork.

Lake Associations, Formation, and Governance

Starting a lake association? Visit Maine Lakes' guide to starting a lake association.
For nonprofit formation and organizational governance, visit the Maine Association of Nonprofits, which supports the leadership, voice, and organizational effectiveness of Maine nonprofits.
For guidance on forming a road association and managing roads to protect watershed health, visit the Maine DEP road association resources.
Lake Stewards of Maine (LSM) partners with lake associations throughout the state, providing technical support, data management, and training for local volunteer lake monitors.

Lake Advocacy and Policy

For lake protection advocacy and science-based policy changes, visit the Lake Protection Coalition website. The coalition brings together organizations, individuals, and businesses to advance effective lake protection policies and long-term funding for Maine's lakes and freshwater resources.
For state-level lake advocacy, visit Maine Lakes' advocacy page. Maine Lakes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advocates on behalf of Maine's lakes at the statehouse.

Cyanobacteria

The Maine Cyanobacteria Bloom Reporting App is available for volunteers, lake associations, and the public to report suspected cyanobacteria blooms. Submit Suspected Blooms here.
Patrick Lind is a Biologist II with the Lakes Group at the Maine DEP. Tristan Taber is the Water Quality Program Director for LSM. Please contact Patrick (patrick.lind@maine.gov) and Tristan (stewards@lakestewardsme.org) for assistance identifying any cyanobacteria or suspected cyanobacteria sightings in the state.
Robin Sleith is a Research Scientist at the Bigelow Laboratory in Boothbay. His work in Maine has focused a great deal on cyanobacteria toxin gene pathways and he is a critical member of the Maine Cyanobacteria Working Group. He can be reached at 207-315-2567, ext. 417 and rsleith@bigelow.org
Maine DEP also published an online dashboard for submitted reports -- both confirmed blooms and those currently being investigated. View the Bloom Report dashboard here.

Water Levels and Dam Safety

Tony Fletcher is the Acting State Dam Safety Inspector with Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Their contact number is 207-624-4400 and email is tony.fletcher@maine.gov. You can ask for info such as dam hazard classification and any engineering info that MEMA might have on your dam.

Fisheries

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW) is the primary resource for questions about Maine's inland fisheries, including fish populations, fisheries management, stocking, regulations, and fish health. They can be reached at 207-287-8000 or info.ifw@maine.gov.
MDIFW should also be contacted about suspected invasive or illegally introduced fish, including bass "in northern waters", northern pike, bluegill, black crappie, and other species. Never release or move live fish between waterbodies. Suspected illegal introductions or movement of fish should be reported to the Maine Warden Service at 1-800-452-4664.
For lake-specific fisheries questions, the MDIFW regional Fisheries biologist serving your area can provide information about fish populations, fisheries management, stocking, and individual lakes and watersheds.

Water Quality

Jeremy Deeds is the Biologist III for the Lake Group at the Maine DEP. He is a primary resource for issues regarding water quality issues, state-level enforcement issues on lakes, and data related to the lakes. He can be reached at jeremy.deeds@maine.gov or 207-446-1473.
Tom Danielson is a biologist for the Maine DEP. His work focuses on toxics monitoring, including PFAS, heavy metals, pesticides, and other Contaminants of Emerging Concern. He can be reached at thomas.j.danielson@maine.gov or 207-441-7430.

Permitting

Local Code Enforcement Officers or Planning Staff are typically the first point of contact for building, shoreland zoning, and other local land-use requirements. Within the shoreland zone, additional local standards and permitting requirements may apply. Certain activities in, on, over, or adjacent to protected natural resources may also require a permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under the Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA). Stormwater requirements may also apply to larger development projects or projects that disturb significant areas of land. DEP and other state or federal requirements can vary depending on the location and type of project. State land-use permit applications and publicly available permit records can be found through the Maine DEP's Maine Enterprise Licensing System (MELS).

Aquatic Invasive Species

Always Clean, Drain, Dry your boat and any fishing or recreational gear.
Christine Gurette is the LSM Aquatic Invasive Species Program Director. She is an all around good resource and starting point for inquiries about aquatic invasive species issues. She can be reached (stewards@lakestewardsme.org) for assistance in identifying aquatic plants and reporting invasives.
John McPhedran is a Biologist with Maine DEP's Invasive Aquatic Species Program. He is a knowledgeable resource, especially regarding aquatic invasive plants and DEP AIS lake support grants and chemical treatment of AIS. He can be contacted at john.mcphedran@maine.gov or 207-215-9863
Dakota Stankowski is the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. She is the best first stop resources to speak with about aquatic invasive invertebrats and fish. She can be reached at Dakota.Stankowski@maine.gov or 207-592-0982
Karen Wilson, a professor at University of Southern Maine, maintains the Maine Crayfish Project, a long-term effort to document the distribution of native and introduced crayfish species throughout Maine. Questions, observations, and additional resources can be found at the Maine Crayfish Project website.

Invasive Terrestrial Species

Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP) is a primary resource for questions about invasive terrestrial and wetland plants, including identification, monitoring, management, and reporting. They can be reached at invasives.mnap@maine.gov or 207-287-8044.
For invasive insects, the Maine Forest Service's Forest Health and Monitoring Program is the primary resource for invasive forest insects, including hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, and Asian longhorned beetle. Suspected sightings can be reported through the Maine Forest Service's invasive species resources. iMapInvasives can be used by landowners, volunteers, and conservation groups to document invasive species occurrences in Maine. Questions about invasive species reporting can be directed to invasives.mnap@maine.gov.

Loons and Wildlife

To learn more about loons and participate in the Maine Loon Project contact Maine Audubon. Nesting issues are also important to report, especially washover of loon nests from boat traffic. Call 207-781-2330 or email conserve@maineaudubon.org.
For issues related to injured, sick, entangled, or otherwise distressed loons (or other birds) please contact Avian Haven. They are a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility. They are open daily 9 am to 5 pm, and can be reached at 207-382-6761.
For general issues related to wildlife and wildlife conflict, please contact Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, by phone at 207-287-8000, or email at info.ifw@maine.gov.
For immediate issues (24-hour), contact your closest Maine Wardens' Office:
- Augusta: 1-800-452-4664
- Bangor: 1-800-432-7381
- Houlton: 1-800-924-2261

Waste and Oil Spills

For reporting an oil spill (both aquatic and terrestrial), please contact the Maine Department of Environmental Protection 24-hour Oil Spill Hotline: 1-800-482-0777.
For spills involving other hazardous materials, please contact 1-800-452-4664.
Improper disposal of litter is prohibited under Maine law. This includes intentionally throwing, dropping, depositing, discarding, dumping, or otherwise disposing of litter on public lands, roads, and waterbodies, and other prohibited locations, including ice over the water.
For suspected illegal dumping or improper disposal of solid waste, contact the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) through their environmental complaint system. Local code enforcement officers or municipal officials may also be appropriate contacts for dumping occurring on local property or roads.

Shoreland Zoning Issues

Local Code Enforcement Officers are typically the primary point of contact for suspected shoreline, land use, and environmental violations.
We also encourage reporting suspected violations to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) through their online reporting portal: https://www1.maine.gov/dep/mels/hub.html. Click "Submit a Complaint or Incident" on that webpage.

Flooding and Road / Culvert Washouts

For flooding, road washouts, and damaged or blocked culverts on local roads, contact the town or municipality's road department, Public Works Department, or Road Commissioner. The municipality is generally responsible for local roads and culverts.
For flooding, road washouts, and damaged or blocked culverts on state-maintained roads, contact the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT). Their general contact number is 207-624-3000.
For significant flooding or storm damage affecting public safety, transportation, or multiple areas, contact the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). MEMA can be reached at 800-452-8735.
For washouts or culvert failures that are affecting a lake, stream, wetland, or other protected natural resource, Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) may also need to be involved, particularly when repairs or sediment removal are proposed.

Buoys

Tim Thurston is the Navigational Aids Supervisor for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Public Lands. Their contact number is 207-582-5771 and their email is timothy.thurston@maine.gov. If you have questions regarding buoys and buoy placement on lakes in the state, you should contact Tim. In general, one single round orange ball buoy (minimum of 24" diameter), used for monitoring purposes does not need any special permitting. It NEEDS to have "Monitoring Station" and the lake association name written on it. It cannot be left in the lake over the winter. A subsurface buoy potentially could be left in at 3+ meters depth, but we recommend clarifying all buoy placements with Tim. A "permanent" regulation-style buoy requires a call to Tim and submission of paperwork.

Lake Associations, Forming and Governance

Lake associations are an important component of Maine's lake stewardship. LSM has partnerships with many lake associations and we provide technical support and data management, in addition to training for their local volunteer monitors.
For information on the formation of a new lake association, Maine Lakes provides a great resource which can be found on their website.
Maine Association of Non-Profits is a general nonprofit support organization dedicated to "strengthening the leadership, voice and organizational effectiveness of Maine nonprofits."
For information on forming a road association, and management of roads to support watershed health, the Maine DEP provides guidance documents on their website.

Advocacy

The Lake Protection Coalition is a collection of organizations (including LSM), supported by individuals and businesses, who are uniting to advance innovative, effective, science-based policy change, including long-term funding for sustaining healthy lakes in Maine. By bringing together those who care about and rely on our lakes, and coordinating and strengthening advocacy efforts, we can meet the many challenges of this moment and protect our lakes, ponds, and freshwaters for future generations. Link to LPC website.
Maine Lakes is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that (in addition to other activities) advocates on behalf of Maine's lakes at the statehouse. Link to ML website.