Chamberlain Lake (Lock Dam)
Eagle Lake Twp., Soper Mountain Twp., T7 R12 WELS, T7 R13 WELS
Vital Statistics:
- Size: 2,890 acres
- Regulated: 2,825 acres
- Non-Regulated: 65 acres
- Upland: 2,723 acres
- Forested Wetland (NWI): 151 acres
- Non-Forested Wetland: 21 acres
- Open Water: 0 acres
- Roads: 0 miles
- Biophysical Region: St. John Uplands
- BPL Region: North
Rare Species and Exemplary Natural Community Table for Chamberlain Lake
| Type | Common Name | Latin Name | S-RANK | G-RANK | State Status | EO-RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exemplary Natural Communities | Mixed hardwood - conifer forest | S5 | N/A | N/A | B | |
| Mixed hardwood - conifer forest | S5 | N/A | N/A | B | ||
| Northern white cedar seepage forest | S3 | N/A | N/A | E | ||
| Spruce slope forest | S4 | N/A | N/A | B? | ||
| Spruce - fir flats forest | S5 | N/A | N/A | B? | ||
| Spruce - fir flats forest | S5 | N/A | N/A | E | ||
| Rare Plants | None found | |||||
| Rare Animals | Bald eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | S4 | G4 | T | N/A |
Description
Near the head of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the Lock Dam ecological reserve lies on the Bear Mountain peninsula in Chamberlain Lake. Nearly all of the reserve was classified as regulated timberland, and less than 5% is wetland (mostly coniferous wetland). All locations sampled during the Ecological Reserves Inventory indicate past selective harvesting, but harvesting has apparently not occurred within the last 50+ years, based on ages of stumps and old logging roads. Several areas of matrix-forming natural communities are in outstanding condition. The most noteworthy stands are mixed hardwood-conifer stands supporting trees over 200 years old. Interestingly, charcoal pellets were found in all stands sampled, although the dominance of mid to late-successional stand types suggests that fires in most locations occurred long ago. Other intact forest types include a large black spruce bog and swamp just north of Lock Dam and a small, stunted spruce slope forest on top of Bear Mountain.
Resources
Telos Unit Management Plan. 1990. Bureau of Public Lands, Department of Conservation, Augusta, Maine. 39 pp.
Rooney, S.C. 1981. A preliminary natural resources inventory, Telos Public Lot, T6 R11 WELS. Bureau of Public Lands, Department of Conservation, Augusta, Maine. 33 pp.
Weber, J.E. and S.C. Rooney. 1993. An ecological inventory of the Chamberlain Lakes Unit. Bureau of Public Lands, Augusta, Maine. 8 pp. (+ appendices).