PHILLIPS — The Opportunity Center of North Franklin County has been awarded a grant for $3,000 from the Davis Conservation Foundation.

The funds will assist the Toothaker Pond Association in performing a drawdown of Toothaker Pond during September. At Environmental engineer, Nancy O’Toole, under the guidance of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, will oversee the construction of a cofferdam using sandbags around the outlet of the pond to allow phosphorus laden water to flow out of the pond in a controlled manner.

It is expected that the pond’s water level should recharge to its original level in two to three months with normal amounts of precipitation. The first trial drawdown of the pond took place in September 2007 when one foot of water was released.

Monitoring of phosphorus levels during the summer will continue as well as clarity and temperature readings. Reduced phosphorus translates into increased water clarity. To date there have been no algae blooms since the initial drawdown in 2007.

Biologists have calculated that for every foot of water released during late summer, the pond should experience a phosphorus reduction of 1 to 1.5 parts per billion (ppb). Toothaker Pond’s average phosphorus level is currently about 15 ppb. The goal is to reduce the level to 7 ppb in order for the pond’s clarity to remain constant.