In mid-October, water levels in Moose Pond began to drop as the gates of the dam in Denmark were opened.
Denmark Public Works Director Ken Richardson said he keeps the water high through the fall foliage season when people still like to get out boating, but then begins dropping the lake level a vertical foot before the pond freezes for the winter. If the water level freezes high, then the ice will create pressure ridges, move rocks and cause erosion, he said.
Regulating the dam in the spring is trickier, Richardson said. “It depends on Mother Nature. If there’s a lot of spring rains, we open it up. If it’s dry, or forecast to be dry, we try to keep the lake filled up. But it is hard to predict.”
While the town of Denmark manages the Moose Pond Dam, both Bridgton and Denmark contribute to the costs.