Slow-the-Flow

The Friends Slow-the-Flow program provides shoreline stabilization and erosion control services to waterfront property owners within the Cobbossee Watershed. The program is based on a “cost-share” approach that provides Cobbossee Watershed residents, businesses and municipalities with services that ‘slow the flow’ of nutrients and stormwater run-off to our lakes, rivers and streams. Engineering and construction services for Slow-the-Flow projects are provided at no charge to property owners, with property owners picking up costs associated with materials and any permits if needed.

A typical stabilization project may consist of planting a “buffer” of plants and shrubs to absorb nutrients, installing rip-rap stone along shoreline sections that are susceptible to wave erosion action, spreading a layer of erosion-control mulch in areas that are heavily eroded; building stairs or installing water bars along a dirt roadway or footbath to divert upland run-off.

Sponsored by G&E Roofing and Eco-Cycle, Inc., and O'Connor Motors the Friends Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) have completed 140 projects on 14 different water bodies since 2003, protecting over 4 miles of fragile shoreline!

The original YCC team was staffed by volunteers provided by the AmeriCorps NCCC program – we are eternally grateful to the 30 young adults from across the United States, who during the summers of 2003-2005 completed numerous projects benefiting the Cobbossee Watershed. In 2005, the Friends supplemented AmeriCorps with the addition of our own YCC team, and today’s YCC is made up entirely of young adults who attend area high schools or college. Thirty-six young adults have served in the Friends YCC since 2005, and each winter we begin recruiting the coming summer’s team. Job descriptions and job application procedures are available each January.

Demand for this program is extremely popular – to see if your property qualifies, please CONTACT US to schedule a free appointment today!