This Week at DEP - East Pond Pilot Project Monday, September 06, 2004 There is a new pilot project taking place on East Pond in Belgrade. East Pond has had algae blooms for seven of the past ten years and scientists from the state, the University of Maine and Colby College are studying the pond in an attempt to resolve the "pea-soup" type of condition that the pond displays. Usually this condition is a result of phosphorus and other nutrients from lawn fertilizers and household detergents getting into the lake however camp owners have been careful to avoid this type of nutrient-laden runoff. Scientists now believe the algae are blooming because water fleas (zooplankton) that feed on the algae may be diminishing because of the large number of white perch in the lake eating the water fleas. The fact that zooplankton graze on the algae has researchers referring to them as "cows of the lakes." Current estimates of the perch population in East Pond is in the area of 165,000 fish. In order to achieve an ecological balance in the lake, scientists may resort to what is called biomanipulation. Essentially this would mean eliminating a large number of the fish to help the pond restore a natural food web balance. Before proceeding with this action more trapping of the fish will take place and additional testing should yield good information on which to base the best course of action.