During dinner, he looked out the window toward the lake and said, “We could have had goose!”
Turkey for a Manchaug Pond Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! While turkey maybe on the menu in most parts of the US, here on Manchaug Pond they are the guests! Do you see them?! In area 3, a flock of over 20 frequently visits a number of homes along Manchaug and Torrey Roads. As you are driving, watch for them and our female deer and her three young ones born this spring. Preserving open space is another reason to form a watershed district. As property comes up for sale, conservation grants are available to secure this land to maintain wildlife corridors and protect endangered species common to our watershed.
Sutton Conservation Commission to Hold Mtg on Docks
The Sutton Conservation Commission is holding another meeting to discuss lakes and ponds on Wednesday, November 14th at 7:00 p.m. in the Sutton Town Hall. Dock regulations have been the topic of recent board discussions. Public attendence at those meetings has been by non-lake residents as well as residents from ponds with and without public access. In September of this year, Sutton Conservation Commission enacted “non-dock regulations on 300 ft. abutters notification, 2 1/2″ tree replacement (less if due to poor access) for trees felled in the jurisdiction greater than 5″, and the requirement to use 20-0-10 (or comparable), zero-phosphate, slow-release fertilizer w/in 200′ of any waterbody, wetlands or stream.” As in the past, the MPA will continue to take a strong role in educating Manchaug Pond lake abutters, watershed friends of Manchaug Pond, and others as to current state and local regulations and concrete ways to minimize and eliminate negative impacts to the lake. New docks have not been an big issue on Manchaug Pond as we have had just a couple new docks in the past few years with the sale of a couple old homes/summer cottage – the state Dep and local Sutton permit notices are posted …
How Perfect is That Autumn Sky!
Autumn on Manchaug Pond seen in tonight’s night sky!
Sutton Conservation Commission Schedules Meeting
The Town of Sutton Conservation Commission has scheduled a meeting November 14th @ 7:00 pm at the Sutton Town Hall, 4 Uxbridge Road “to discuss lakes and ponds strategies.” Dock regulations, as well as fertilizer use and tree cutting around the lake shore and in the watershed are planned for the agenda.
Clean up a Great Success!
On this beautiful sun filled fall day, Manchaug Pond and the roadsides around the lake saw numerous volunteers participate in the annual cleanup. Here’s a shot of the total haul! Thanks to the Mark Brigham, Highway Superintendent for the Town of Sutton for providing the town truck! The trash came by scouts! … The trash came by boat! … and the trash came by pick-up trucks, trailer, and wheelbarrow! … as volunteers reported a lot of dumping and litter at the boat ramp, Blueberry Island, the Sutton Conservation Commission land, and roadsides around the lake. Volunteers also included Cub Scout Pack 143 from Sutton: the Webelos and Bear Den scouts, their leaders, and families. Thank you for joining us! Great Job Everyone!
Will you join us! ….. Manchaug Pond Fall Cleanup
The Manchaug Pond Fall Cleanup has been scheduled for Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. The shoreline and coves which especially accumulate litter will be targeted first as well as the boat ramp. If time, energy and volunteers permit we can do some roadsides such as Manchaug, Torrey, Holt and the dam area down Parker Road, Sutton. The Boat Ramp on Torrey Road will serve as a meeting point for volunteers as well as the drop off point for all trash collected. As in past years, area reps and other volunteers can collect the rubbish by boat and bring to the ramp. We will also have a pickup truck available to shuttle from the roadsides or shoreline. Please provide the items you will need for the day, such as gloves, waders, whatever. Garbage bags will be available at the ramp and the Town of Sutton is providing the truck to haul away the trash collected. Weather permitting, the educational display will be set up providing participants with educational material on septic system maintenance, healthy lawns, etc. as part of our outreach with the s. 319 grant project. Special thanks to our 1st Vice President for organizing the …
“Everything in the Known Universe about Manchaug Pond Association!”
Well, the MPA blog has been found and rated by the blogging world. How did we measure up? My opinion is … We did good! We made the list! They found us! That is an accomplishment in itself! Out of today’s 107.9 million blogs, the MPA ranked 3,915,745! I know that is not in the top 10, or top 100 or the top 1,000 even but we are ahead of about 104 million other blogs! I’m impressed. :)) AND to add to that success (He! He!) we were also check out and given a “vote of approval” by: “Water Words That Workhttp://waterwordsthatwork.comAuthority: 33Rank: 189,691A multimedia blog to help nature protection and pollution control experts make a splash when speaking or writing for the general public.” Soo..check out the TECHNORATI site to see for yourself! 🙂http://technorati.com/blogs/manchaugpondassociation.blogspot.com “Welcome to Technorati Currently tracking 107.9 million blogs and over 250 million pieces of tagged social media. Technorati is the recognized authority on what’s happening on the World Live Web, right now. The Live Web is the dynamic and always-updating portion of the Web. We search, surface, and organize blogs and the other forms of independent, user-generated content (photos, videos, voting, etc.) increasingly referred to …
Migrating Monarchs Visit Manchaug Pond
Saturday afternoon before that microburst hit Manchaug Pond, in the beautiful warmth and sunshine at least 30 monarch butterflies stopped in their yearly migration to drink the nector of four plants in my and my neighbor’s perennial flower garden. Sedum Autumn Joy is the plant that drew them to our neighborhood. To see the large orange and black beauties slowly flutter at eye level to land in clutters on the flowers was exciting. Check out the following links to view beautiful photos, to learn more about Monarch Butterflies as well as the citizens’ tagging program to monitor the migration: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/construct-species-page.asp?sp=Danaus-plexippushttp://massaudubon.org/butterflyatlas/index.php?id=116www.monarchwatch.org
Press Release Announces Grant Award
The following press release and two photos taken by the MPA 1st Vice President is starting to be picked up by local newspapers. The September 20th issue of the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle published the grant announcement with the view of Manchaug Pond from Waters Farm photo. The press release was written largely by the environmental engineer at CEI and edited by the MPA President, 1st Vice President/Grant Coordinator and Corresponding Secretary and reviewed by the MPA Board of Directors… FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: David Schmidt, President Manchaug Pond Association (508) 476-7804 Eileen Pannetier, President Comprehensive Environmental Inc. 603-424-8444 x301Local Watershed Group Awarded $130,000 State Grant for Pond Improvements Douglas/Sutton, MA – September 15, 2007 – Over 40 years ago, 35 families with a common interest to protect a pond banned together to form the Manchaug Pond Association (MPA). Forty years later, the group now boasts a membership of over 100 member families along with several businesses and a nonprofit group. With an 18 member volunteer Board of Directors, the group celebrates their 40th anniversary with energy, optimism and an impressive grant awarded to them by the MA Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). A picturesque area, the 360acre Manchaug Pond lies within …
Directions to Singing Dam
Shi Chian has left a new comment on your post “Dams in the News: A Sutton Dam No One Wants!”: Hi, Would you happen to have directions to get to the singing dam from Worcester, MA? Or if you have the address of the approximate location of this dam? Thank you. Hello Shi Chian! Thanks for visiting! Singing dam is located in the village of Wilkinsonville in the Town of Sutton. The straightest route from Worcester would be to take Rte. 146 south. At the intersection at Boston Road (Tony’s Pizza is on the right!), take a left onto Boston Road and follow to the stop sign. Take a left on to Rte 122A heading toward Millbury. On 122A after you go under a railroad bridge, take a right on to Blackstone Street and Singing Dam and the future park and canoe launch to the Blackstone River is just up the street! Enjoy and glad to be off service!
Microburst Hits Manchaug Pond
A microburst hit Manchaug Pond early Sunday morning leaving a wake of destruction. Hitting at 3:30 a.m., the eight minute storm brought high wind, heavy rain, thunder, lightening and hail. Residents in areas 2, 3 and 4 were hard especially hit, waking up to lawns and driveways littered with branches and leaves, ripped off roof shingles and ridge vents, upturned and broken lawn furniture, overturned and sunken small boats and jetskis, a few twisted or submerged docks not to mention over a dozen large trees uprooted and laying on scenic Manchaug Road and Torrey Road. This severe, quick hitting storm – Force 10 at least on the Beaufort (wind speed) Scale – had to have had wind speeds of at least 60 miles/hour to cause this damage. The sound of chain saws and leaf blowers continues to fill the air! More info on Microbursts:http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/svr/comp/out/micro/anat.rxml To check out the Beaufort Scale (wind speed):http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/scales/beaufort.html A site on weather for the kids:http://www.srh.noaa.gov/epz/kids/kidswx.shtml