Woods Pond is located in Bridgton, Maine, in the heart of the state’s Lake Region. It is said to be named after Bridgton’s first surveyor, Solomon Wood, who first came to the area in the fall of 1776. Today the town beach and boat launch provide easy access for swimming, fishing, boating and sailing. In 2003, Woods Pond became the first waterbody in the area to have a milfoil boat wash station, which was designed, installed and paid for by residents of Woods Pond, LEA and the Town of Bridgton. The Pond is 462 acres with a maximum depth of 29 feet, and runs north to south with the south end bordering on Rt. 117.
The Woods Pond Water Quality Association, WPWQA, is a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit. The purpose of WPWQA is to preserve, protect, and enhance the water quality of Woods Pond. These objectives are accomplished through a variety of activities which include water quality monitoring by Lakes Environmental Association, LEA, Courtesy Boat Inspection conducted by LEA staff and Woods Pond volunteers and an Invasive Plant Patrol team on the lookout for invasive plants.
The main water quality issues on Woods Pond are the worsening phosphorus trend and dissolved oxygen depletion, which affects about half of the water column at the height of the summer. LEA rates Woods Pond at a MODERATE level of concern. The WPWQA provides grants to homeowners on Woods Pond to remedy issues that cause erosion and runoff into the lake—the single biggest cause of increased phosphorus.
Membership in WPWQA is open anyone interested in the preservation, protection, and enhancement of the water quality of Woods Pond.