Natural spit beach at mouth of Songo River, Sebago Lake State Park.
Due to lake-level management this beach is underwater for most of each summer.
Photo taken November 2001.
1. Analysis of significance of the natural
beaches of Sebago Lake.
A 1989 Maine State Planning Office study of inland beaches in organized
townships of Maine (Parkin and Lortie 1989) addressed 900 lakes and identified
20 lakes with beaches of an undeveloped nature. Of all the lakes studied,
only Sebago Lake was rated as having natural beach resources of high value.
Recommendations of this report included:
1. Identification of two of Sebago lake's beaches for Critical Areas registration.
2. Lakes receiving moderate or high ratings for beaches should be given
special management attention by towns.
The report further states:
"Of all the lakes surveyed, Sebago Lake was the only lake rated high
for beach significance. It warranted this rating due to the high number
of beaches found along its shoreline and the high quality of individual
beaches. This lake has nine beaches, which are fairly well distributed along
the shoreline. The most striking beach is a large broad, undeveloped shoreline
beach located on the southeast lakeshore. Most of this shoreline is protected
from development by the Portland Water District. Sebago Lake also has an
extensive spit beach, which is located on the north shore by Sebago Lake
State Park. A beach on Frye Island is one of only a few significant lake
island beaches in all Maine and the only one of significance in organized
townships."
In its conclusions on page 18 the report states:
"Sebago Lake was the only lake found to have outstanding beach features.
This lake's beach resources are clearly the most significant in the organized
portion of the state and compare favorably with many unorganized area lakes
found to have outstanding beach resources. Based on the size, shapes and
natural integrity of Sebago's beaches, as well as the concentration of beaches
on this lake, Sebago Lake's beach resources are clearly of statewide significance."
This study was made during the high water years of the late 1980s when many
beaches on Sebago Lake were eroding or underwater. Many moderate and lesser
beaches were destroyed. Some of the nine outstanding beaches noted in the
study have since suffered substantial erosion and recession. FOSL requests
the EIS analyze the Sebago Lake beaches and their significance to recreation
and the economy of Maine and the impact of the existing lake level management
on the condition of these beaches.
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