This event is a continuation of the August Groundwater Sustainability Forum and will provide community members an additional opportunity to learn about project results, review recommended actions, and share input. Participants will also be able to access a recorded presentation following the session.
The forum will feature a presentation by hydrologist Carol White of C.A. White and Associates, who will share findings from the 18-month study. A facilitated discussion will follow to further identify community priorities and develop a coordinated action plan based on the study’s recommendations.
The Community Resilience Team encourages broad participation to ensure that the strategies developed reflect diverse community perspectives.
The Groundwater Sustainability Project conducted from 2024-2025 revealed on-going water quality challenges on the island. Since most of the water withdrawn from our bedrock aquifer goes back into the ground through onsite wastewater disposal systems, it’s critical that these systems are properly sited, constructed, and maintained. The following links share resources for understanding Long Island’s water supply and properly taking care of wastewater disposal systems.
Long Island Groundwater Sustainability Study 2024-25 Resources:
Unfortunately, dry periods are becoming more frequent in Maine, with some parts of the state experiencing unusually dry or drought conditions almost annually. Long Island and much of Maine are currently experiencing a Flash Drought, which typically happens during the warm seasons. About half of the state is classified as having severe drought conditions – including all of Cumberland County.
Groundwater Sustainability Forum: Community Voices and Next Steps
October 1, 2025
On August 28th, the Long Island Community Resilience Team hosted a Groundwater Sustainability Forum to share the final results of the 18‑month Groundwater Sustainability Study and gather input from residents on next steps.
The study, led by hydrologist Carol White of C.A. White and supported by Resilience Fellows Emma Morgan and Brian Wilcenski, created a well and septic database, examined groundwater conditions, and developed recommendations to address vulnerabilities…….
Join us to learn final results of the Groundwater Sustainability Study
August 28, 2025
Save the date: 6:30pm, Thursday, August 28 at the Community Center. The Resilience Team will hold a community forum to discuss overall results of the island’s Groundwater Sustainability Study with insights, observations and recommended actions.
The study has been going on for over 18 months. We have collected data on wells and septic systems, tested water samples at residences and public buildings across the island, and studied the island’s soil and geology. The information and analysis has helped generate new data sets and maps which will be very helpful in informing decisions where groundwater may play a role moving forward.
We will soon have a full report outlining findings, conclusions and recommendations. The August 28 forum will include a facilitated community discussion to prioritize and begin to act on the recommendations. We will hear from hydrologist Carol White of C.A. White and Associates and engage in conversation facilitated by Julia Maine of FB Environmental.
The report will include output from the community discussions on August 28th and will be publically available. We envision more community outreach and discussions going forward on this important topic.
This forum follows our June 30 initial groundwater forum that was attended by more than 30 community members. We learned about Long Island’s aquifer, the importance of septic system care, and head some preliminary findings from Carol White and former Resilience Fellow Bryan Wilcinski.
This forum is hosted by Long Island’s Community Resilience Team. The Groundwater Sustainability Study is funded by a Community Action Grant made possible through Long Island’s participation in Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership. The work was completed in large part by GPCOG/AmeriCorps Resilience Corps Fellows Emma Morgan and Brian Wilcenski and by hydrologist Carol White. Thanks to the Greater Portland Council of Governments, the Island Institute, CA White and Associates for the partnership and expertise through the process. We are grateful for all the volunteers from Long Island who joined in the work along the way.
In case you missed it or want to review the materials, here they are:
For more information, please contact Janice Avignon at jeavignon@gmail.com
Anchored In Action: Strengthening Our Island Community, Together
August 3rd, 2025
Implementation Team member Linda McCann presents the overview. Jane Oldfield-Spearman photo
We had an excellent turnout for the workshop last month where seasonal and year-round residents came together to talk about addressing the challenges of coastal and community resilience on Long Island.
The goals of the workshop were to provide a status update on the resilience related priorities that were laid out in the 2022 Town of Long Island Comprehensive Plan, to discuss whether or not these priorities have changed and to help participants identify how they can get involved in resilience work.
The session was planned by the Long Island Community Resilience Team in partnership with the inter-island Calling Your Bluff group. Facilitation for the workshop was provided by Julia Maine and Bina Skordas of FB Environmental, with funding from a Maine Coastal Communities Grant.
Coastal resilience is the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from natural hazards like storms, flooding, erosion, wildfires and sea-level rise while maintaining essential functions and services.
Community resilience is the capacity to withstand and recover from various stresses and shocks while maintaining essential social services, economic stability, affordable housing, and equitable access to resources that support well-being. It emerged in the discussion that coastal resilience and community resilience are interdependent.
The Comprehensive Plan laid out six top priorities and four of them were related to coastal resilience: preserve and protect the groundwater supply, protect and manage natural resource, maintain access to the working waterfront, and build resilience and self-sufficiency to cope with climate impacts.
As the participants discussed these priorities and the progress that has been made to address them, (i.e., the Water Sustainability Study, the Ponces Wharf repairs, and the Wildfire Vulnerability Study), it became evident that community resilience priorities were also of the utmost importance.
For example, the need for affordable housing is linked to the crisis we face in keeping our school open, addressing the staffing on the Fire and Rescue service and generally filling the numerous jobs and volunteer roles that keep the town functioning smoothly.
Approximately 30 community members joined in the July discussion. Jane Oldfield-Spearman photo
Workshop participants shared with one another the ways in which they serve the community. People talked about their work in the town government and town committees, the Fire and Safety service, the Transfer Station, the Island School, the Recreation Department, the Wellness Center, the Long Island Civic Association, the Library, the Community Garden, the Gift Shop, the island churches, pickle ball court fundraising and many other causes.
Even though most of the folks in the room were already actively involved in volunteering, everyone wanted to find out how they could help with urgent initiatives related to resilience. The Community Resilience Team will be following up with workshop participants to offer to match them with volunteer opportunities soon.
It was truly astounding to observe how generous people are with their time and talent on this Island. As the meeting came to a close, the need to show appreciation for the hard work that volunteers and staff do was emphasized. All of us can be part of this gratitude practice: simply take notice of the ways your neighbors and friends sustain our island way of life and say thank you!
If you would like to get involved in helping our community thrive, please contact Jane Oldfield-Spearman at janeellen.os@gmail.com or another member of the Community Resilience Team – Linda McCann and Janice Avignon.
Groundwater Community Forum
June 30 2025
Groundwater Community Forum: June 30th from 6:15 – 7:30 PM. Please note that the date listed in the June LICA newsletter has been updated: The Groundwater Community Forum has been moved from June 23rd to June 30th from 6:15-7:30 PM at the Community Center.
Have you ever wondered how septic systems work? What steps can you take to keep yours in tip-top shape? Why does septic system maintenance matter?
Come get answers to all your questions about wastewater at the Groundwater Community Forum organized by the Community Resilience Team on June 30th from 6:15–7:30 PM at the Community Center. Hydrogeologist Carol White from C.A. White & Associates will be there to answer your questions and provide steps you can take to protect the health of our community and groundwater resources.
We will also be sharing some preliminary results from the Groundwater Sustainability Study and discussing what they mean for the health of our water supply.
Join the community conversation at Anchored in Action workshop
July 6, 2024
Sunday, July 7 is water testing deadline
Water quality team reminds residents to fill out survey by tomorrow to get free water testing
The Groundwater Quality Committee is seeking volunteers to help with their summer 2024 water sampling and testing initiative. Volunteers will attend a water sampling training session and then will be assigned to conduct water sampling at a number of participating island addresses. The GWQC will transport samples to the lab to be tested for a specific set of predetermined parameters. Test results will be aggregated and shared with the community.
The volunteer training session will be scheduled for the end of May and water sampling will be conducted over the course of approximately 6 weeks from June to early July.
If you are interested in volunteering and helping the GWQC or have any additional questions- please each out to emorgan@gpcog.org.
If you’re interested in helping but are unsure if your availability aligns, please reach out anyway and we can talk more!
The Town of Long Island 2022 Comprehensive Plan identified water supply as the top concern to the community. In the wake of the devastation from recent storms, the need to sustain our single source aquifer is now even more apparent.
In order to address this challenge, the Town of Long Island is conducting a water supply sustainability study to update the island’s existing groundwater data. The study is funded by a grant awarded through participation in the State of Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership.
The Comprehensive Plan recognizes that “the future of Long Island depends on the ability of the island’s resources to support those who live and work here.” In response, several community members formed a Groundwater Quality Committee to collect data, research solutions and implement sustainable practices.
The first step of this study involves you! Please participate in a survey to help collect data on island wells and septic systems. The information you provide will help us understand the current groundwater quality and quantity constraints on the island. This data will be used to help develop a long-term groundwater monitoring plan that will provide critical data for regional resilience efforts, identify vulnerable areas, and identify actions we can all take to preserve our precious water supply. Taking care of our natural resources is more important than ever as storms continue to increase in severity. With your help, we can protect the future health of our island’s groundwater.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. You can contact Emma Morgan at emorgan@gpcog.org or Christian LaMontagne at clamonta2@gmail.com
Thank you for your participation,
The Groundwater Quality Committee
March 6, 2024
Mission:
The Groundwater Quality Committee is dedicated to assessing The Town of Long Island’s groundwater supply and providing updated data to support informed, sustainable decision making for the Town of Long Island.
A huge thank you for the work of our previous members Ralph Sweet, Curt Murley, Chris McDuffie, Henry Donovan, Ed McAleney, and Paul Thornton who contributed their time and expertise to the goals of the committee.
The Gerber Report
An important document related to the work of this committee is the 1986 Gerber Report, also known as the CITY OF PORTLAND GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT STUDY. This report was commissioned by the city of Portland and covers all the Casco Bay islands that were a part of Portland in 1986.
The Long Island portion of the Gerber Report can also be found in the 2008 Comprehensive Plan. You can view this starting on page 52 of the displayed PDF file.
Long Island welcomes Resilience Fellow Emma Morgan
The Town of Long Island was selected as a host site for the Resilience Corps Program. This program is a partnership between Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) and AmeriCorps. It supports local government agencies, non-profit agencies, and regional initiatives in the Greater Portland area in a diversity of efforts towards regional resilience.
Emma Morgan will be serving the town of Long Island as a Resilience Corps Fellow. She joined us in January and will be with us through September 2024. Emma’s primary focus will be working with the Groundwater Quality Committee to project manage an extensive Water Sustainability study for which the town received a grant from the state’s Community Resilience Partnership. She will also be helping out with various mapping projects, supporting the Year-Round Housing Committee and waterfront infrastructure efforts as needed, along with some project support on erosion mitigation and reclamation of natural resources.
We are very fortunate and excited to have Emma serving on “Team Long Island” for nine months. Emma brings a breadth of experience and talents. She studied Environmental Science at the University of Connecticut and graduated in 2022. You may see her at Town Hall on Wednesdays so please say hello and thank her for her service!
Janice Avignon and Brian Dudley
Resilience Fellow co-advisors
July 18, 2023
Water Quality Information sites available
This document contains links to many water quality sites discussed at the July 18, 2023 informational Open House where projects associated with Long Island’s Comprehensive Plan were discussed.
Unfortunately, dry periods are becoming more frequent in Maine, with some parts of the state experiencing unusually dry or drought conditions almost annually. Long Island and much of Maine are currently experiencing a Flash Drought, which typically happens during the warm seasons. About half of the state is classified as having severe drought conditions – including all of Cumberland County.
Groundwater Sustainability Forum: Community Voices and Next Steps
Island residents learn about the groundwater study
On August 28th, the Long Island Community Resilience Team hosted a Groundwater Sustainability Forum to share the final results of the 18‑month Groundwater Sustainability Study and gather input from residents on next steps.
The study, led by hydrologist Carol White of C.A. White and supported by Resilience Fellows Emma Morgan and Brian Wilcenski, created a well and septic database, examined groundwater conditions, and developed recommendations to address vulnerabilities.
Join us to learn final results of the Groundwater Sustainability Study
Save the date: 6:30pm, Thursday, August 28 at the Community Center. The Resilence Team will hold a community forum to discuss overall results of the island’s Groundwater Sustainability Study with insights, observations and recommended actions.
The study has been going on for over 18 months. We have collected data on wells and septic systems, tested water samples at residences and public buildings across the island, and studied the island’s soil and geology. The information and analysis has helped generate new data sets and maps which will be very helpful in informing decisions where groundwater may play a role moving forward.
We will soon have a full report outlining findings, conclusions and recommendations. The August 28 forum will include a facilitated community discussion to prioritize and begin to act on the recommendations. We will hear from hydrologist Carol White of C.A. White and Associates and engage in conversation facilitated by Julia Maine of FB Environmental.
The report will include output from the community discussions on August 28th and will be publically available. We envision more community outreach and discussions going forward on this important topic.
This forum follows our June 30 initial groundwater forum that was attended by more than 30 community members. We learned about Long Island’s aquifer, the importance of septic system care, and head some preliminary findings from Carol White and former Resilience Fellow Bryan Wilcinski.
This forum is hosted by Long Island’s Community Resilience Team. The Groundwater Sustainability Study is funded by a Community Action Grant made possible through Long Island’s participation in Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership. The work was completed in large part by GPCOG/AmeriCorps Resilience Corps Fellows Emma Morgan and Brian Wilcenski and by hydrologist Carol White. Thanks to the Greater Portland Council of Governments, the Island Institute, CA White and Associates for the partnership and expertise through the process. We are grateful for all the volunteers from Long Island who joined in the work along the way.
If you missed it or want to review the materials, here they are:
Anchored In Action: Strengthening Our Island Community, Together
Implementation Team member Linda McCann presents the overview. Jane Oldfield-Spearman photo
Jane Oldfield-Spearman
We had an excellent turnout for the workshop last month where seasonal and year-round residents came together to talk about addressing the challenges of coastal and community resilience on Long Island.
The goals of the workshop were to provide a status update on the resilience related priorities that were laid out in the 2022 Town of Long Island Comprehensive Plan, to discuss whether or not these priorities have changed and to help participants identify how they can get involved in resilience work.
The session was planned by the Long Island Community Resilience Team in partnership with the inter-island Calling Your Bluff group. Facilitation for the workshop was provided by Julia Maine and Bina Skordas of FB Environmental, with funding from a Maine Coastal Communities Grant.
Coastal resilience is the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from natural hazards like storms, flooding, erosion, wildfires and sea-level rise while maintaining essential functions and services.
Community resilience is the capacity to withstand and recover from various stresses and shocks while maintaining essential social services, economic stability, affordable housing, and equitable access to resources that support well-being. It emerged in the discussion that coastal resilience and community resilience are interdependent.
The Comprehensive Plan laid out six top priorities and four of them were related to coastal resilience: preserve and protect the groundwater supply, protect and manage natural resource, maintain access to the working waterfront, and build resilience and self-sufficiency to cope with climate impacts.
As the participants discussed these priorities and the progress that has been made to address them, (i.e., the Water Sustainability Study, the Ponces Wharf repairs, and the Wildfire Vulnerability Study), it became evident that community resilience priorities were also of the utmost importance.
For example, the need for affordable housing is linked to the crisis we face in keeping our school open, addressing the staffing on the Fire and Rescue service and generally filling the numerous jobs and volunteer roles that keep the town functioning smoothly.
Approximately 30 community members joined in the July discussion. Jane Oldfield-Spearman photo
Workshop participants shared with one another the ways in which they serve the community. People talked about their work in the town government and town committees, the Fire and Safety service, the Transfer Station, the Island School, the Recreation Department, the Wellness Center, the Long Island Civic Association, the Library, the Community Garden, the Gift Shop, the island churches, pickle ball court fundraising and many other causes.
Even though most of the folks in the room were already actively involved in volunteering, everyone wanted to find out how they could help with urgent initiatives related to resilience. The Community Resilience Team will be following up with workshop participants to offer to match them with volunteer opportunities soon.
It was truly astounding to observe how generous people are with their time and talent on this Island. As the meeting came to a close, the need to show appreciation for the hard work that volunteers and staff do was emphasized. All of us can be part of this gratitude practice: simply take notice of the ways your neighbors and friends sustain our island way of life and say thank you!
If you would like to get involved in helping our community thrive, please contact Jane Oldfield-Spearman at janeellen.os@gmail.com or another member of the Community Resilience Team – Linda McCann and Janice Avignon.
June 30
Groundwater Community Forum
Groundwater Community Forum: June 30th from 6:15 – 7:30 PM. Please note that the date listed in the June LICA newsletter has been updated: The Groundwater Community Forum has been moved from June 23rd to June 30th from 6:15-7:30 PM at the Community Center.
Have you ever wondered how septic systems work? What steps can you take to keep yours in tip-top shape? Why does septic system maintenance matter?
Come get answers to all your questions about wastewater at the Groundwater Community Forum organized by the Community Resilience Team on June 30th from 6:15–7:30 PM at the Community Center. Hydrogeologist Carol White from C.A. White & Associates will be there to answer your questions and provide steps you can take to protect the health of our community and groundwater resources.
We will also be sharing some preliminary results from the Groundwater Sustainability Study and discussing what they mean for the health of our water supply.
