Hogan & Whitney Pond

What we do

Our Objective

We manage this key resource in the community by engaging in a number of projects:

Longitudinal water quality data collection.
Invasive plan patrols.
Removal of variable leaf milfoil.
Proactive fund-raising and implementation of best practices to prevent soil erosion from entering our ponds.
Education of our members and the larger community about our efforts.
Lake Smart program to highlight and support homeowners’ environmental practices.
Annual survey of loons on our ponds in association with the National Audubon Society.
Collaboration with local governmental agencies and other lake associations to coordinate efforts and learn about other lake association efforts.

History of the Ponds

Hogan and Whitney Ponds share a unique geological history shaped by the last ice age. They are separated by an esker (a narrow formation of land deposited by glaciers) and connected to each other by a navigable stream. This esker ridge between Hogan and Whitney was formed by ice-walled tunnels at the base of the most recent continental glacier (Laurentide Ice Sheet) that covered Maine approximately 12,000 to 25,000 years ago. These two lakes lie in the larger Androscoggin River Watershed and drain to the Little Androscoggin River, which then flows to the main stem of the Androscoggin River.

The watershed that surrounds these two ponds covers nearly five square miles of land on the south end of Oxford, but also borders Poland and Mechanic Falls. The watershed includes property of several hundred private residences as well as commercial entities like the Oxford Casino. It also includes more than 1,000 acres of undeveloped habitat blocks (including three waterfowl areas), 268 acres of freshwater wetlands, 5.5 miles of perennial and intermittent streams, and 200 acres of conserved lands.