Waters Farm Days

As with sunsets, you can never have take too many pictures of Manchaug Pond. This was taken Saturday morning before the Waters Farm Fall Festival opened. During both days it was amazing the number of comments about what a beautiful lake this is and how much of a treasure Waters Farm and the lake must be to the town. We are very fortunate. The people involved with the Waters Farm Preservation do an outstanding job of putting this event together. The Waters Farm Days is run entirely by volunteers who average over 20,000 hours each year to ensure the success of the farm and the Waters Farm Festival. Their hard work makes this event such a success. There is something for everyone with shingle making demonstrations, tractor pulls, house tours, blacksmithing, sugaring demonstrations and pony rides just to name a few. I am hard pressed to say what my favorite was but I did have the absolutely BEST apple crisp I have ever eaten…can’t wait for next year! Save the dates – October 3rd and 4th 2009 will be the 30th annual Waters Farm Days Festival.

MPA at Waters Farm Days – Octber 4th and 5th

This year the Manchaug Pond Association will be exhibiting at the WATERS FARM 29th Annual Fall Farm Days & Festival Saturday, October 4th and Sunday, October 5th 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. The MPA educational exhibit will assist you the homeowner as to the best practices you can employ around your home and landscape to protect our water resources. We all live in a watershed whether it be the watershed of Manchaug Pond, the Blackstone River or another great water resource. The exhibit will be staffed by a member of our Board of Directors and provides many handouts for you to take home. Stop by while you are visiting the farm! (click the link/post title for more information on the Farm Days!) Check out these photos taken in 2006. http://manchaugpondassociation.blogspot.com/2006/09/today-at-waters-farm-days.html Did you know that Dorothea Waters Moran served as secretary of the Manchaug Pond Association?

319 Grant Progress, Thank You Town of Douglas!

I know this picture is not too exciting at first but it is a very special “hole in the ground”. We are very fortunate to be living in a state that supports lakes and ponds through grants like the 319 NPS (non point source pollution) grant that the MPA received last spring. There are several aspects to the grant such as educational outreach programs as well as structural modifications around Manchaug Pond that are designed to filter “first flush” nutrients that enter the lake when there is a rain storm and feed the weeds that are in the lake. These nutrients come from fertilizers, lawn herbicides, animal waste, automobile tires, and general pollution. Our grant has seven sites that are scheduled to be worked on this fall. I was thrilled to come back after working out of town to see that the two Douglas sites have been completed which are located on Holt Road between Manchaug Campground and King’s Campground. A very BIG thank you to the town of Douglas for completing the work so quickly! I took a ride to check them out Saturday afternoon during the rain storm and they are working perfectly. The photo above is Site …

Fall Drawdown to Begin

Yesterday, our dam owner called the MPA President to inform all of you that the fall drawdown of the water level has begun. The gates have been opened to bring the water down to the fall rule curve level. Hurricane Hanna earlier this month did bring the level up above their curve, and yes I know, perhaps the highest our water has been this summer. But it is time to bring it back down. Don’t panic! I know many of us have been longing for higher water all summer -especially those of us down the channel, in the coves and on the shallower Sutton side – but let’s remember it is the end of the season. The water has to be brought down before November. Brought down before the critters overwinter in mud, before the lake begins to freeze, and brought down for the weed control. Here’s a little outline/summary of the timing of lake-level drawdown for weed control from the Lycott Enviromental’s fact sheet. The drawdown reduces the number of weeds by leaving them exposed and/or freezing them. Those resistant to freezing can actually be pulled from the sediment when the ice layer is raised as the the water …

The Big Guy!

Titled “The Big Guy”, this photo was emailed to me this week. I had to share it with you! THe lobster is not native to Manchaug Pond nor was he found here but the diver is! It was also reported that the lobster was released as he was too big to take home!

Dam Owner Calls MPA to Report Change in Water level

Today the MPA President received a call from the dam owner. The reason we’re open? My guess would be Hanna, Ike and the other potential storms of the Hurricane Season which give the dam owner a legitimate reason to open things up. Even though we still haven’t reached our summer high for waterlevel yet. Also the previous caretaker would have given the MPA a courtesy call notify us of the opening- reason and how much – so we could “let the people around the lake know.” We had a friendly working relationship with him, it would be nice if that continued with the two new caretakers. Perhaps the dam owner’s spokesman will call next week with an update.

Tonight: 9:15 at Sutton Con. Com Mtg

Manchaug Pond is on the agenda for 9:15… the time was just confirmed by our 1st VP at the Town Hall… and they have a quorum. See you there. Should I mention that I submitted the requested documentation proving we have fanwort -a 2003 Aquatic Weed Survey conducted by Lycott Environmental as well as information on lake level drawdown, timing of when to lower and when to raise as well as other info.

Public Hearing Continued to Oct 15

Last night the Sutton Conservation Commission once again took up the subject of dam owner’s proposed new lower water level. I’ll give you more details later today…. but for now… The public still has an opportunity to submit comments and concerns as to the impact of this low water level on the wetlands, wildlife, etc to the Commission…. and we hope to see you Oct 15th at 7:00, Sutton Town Hall for the next meeting. This is a 2006 file photo of the cove at the Old Holbrook Campground. Try fishing at that campsite! Looks more like a bog than a lake!

Con Com Mtg Tomorrow Night

The continuation of the Sutton Conservation Commission’s review of the new water level for Manchaug Pond proposed by the dam owner is slated for this Wednesday, September 17th in the Sutton Town Hall. As of yesterday the secretary reported that this item is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. on the agenda. But stay tuned, I’ll report here if there is a change… rumor has it that due to the large turnout and the time needed to consider the topic, the Con Com may postpone to a separate Wed. where it would be a stand alone issue at that meeting. Will keep you posted. Here’s a photo of the Old Holbrook Place campground in 2006 when the dam owner took the water down to make repairs. You can see that Manchaug Pond, especially on the Sutton side, is very shallow. Taking the water level down 3-4 feet can leave quite a few docks stranded, coves dry and the water yards away from the shore. Looking at this makes it very easy to understand why timing with a drawdown is SO important – why the fish kill, why boats hit rocks, how docks became useless, why wildlife was lost in the coves, and …

Water is flowing…

Yes the water is flowing and yes the blog has been too quiet. And you asked what’s new? Today, Monday is a beautiful, cool sunny day on Manchaug Pond in the mid 60s. Yesterday was just as beautiful with a breeze. Saturday into Sunday early morning, Manchaug Pond received a total of 5 inches of rainfall from the remnant of hurricane Hanna. Water is running downstream from Manchaug Pond out the low-level gate and under the flashboards. Friday, two “men in boots” were at the dam opening things up – the lowlevel gate was opened a good amount letting white water flow and the sandbags were removed from the spillway flashboardsso water could flow beneath them (remember the little stone situated under the bottom flashboard allowing water to run out the spillway even with the flashboards in…) The reason we’re open? My guess would be Hanna, Ike and the other potential storms ofHurricane Season which give the dam owner a legitimate reason to open things up. Even though we still haven’t reached our summer high for waterlevel yet. Also the previous caretaker would have given the MPA a courtesy call notify us of the opening- reason and how much – …

Join the Public Hearing for the Manchaug Pond Waterlevel!

3-Sep-2008 Wednesday 7:00PM PUBLIC HEARING ~ WETLANDS PROTECTION ACTSutton Conservation CommissionSutton Town Hall, 4 Uxbridge Road, Sutton. Come stand with the Manchaug Pond Association in support of the lake by attending this important meeting. Of concern is the dam owner’s new plan to further lower the water level. We have already experienced negative impacts to our lake with the drying of coves, wetland and channel areas; major fish kills involving all species; decline or loss of spring peepers/amphibian populations; excessive weed growth; public safety hazards from exposed rocks; loss of revenue to town and area businesses with drop in visitors to the State Public Access Boat Ramp and campgrounds. See what it is all about!

Caught in an Artic Votex

Where have I been?! July 28th was my last blog entry here, snuck in the one on August 2nd and now another dated August 14th! The blog has been in a big void especially with everything going on. The weatherman says we have been in an arctic vortex…. sure! http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a010000/a010005/index.html http://nsidc.org/arcticmet/patterns/arctic_oscillation.htmlhttp://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03448 Sure! I can definitely relate to that! Look at the photo of a whole lane of artic vortexes! But with all this exceptionally rainy season, the dam owner’s representative reported the lake had come up only 11 inches by July 30. Two months later with plenty of help from nature, the dam owner missed by a few feet their new “Full” date goal of June 1st. The weather has been swirling around us bring in storm after storm. But so has life and the issues the MPA is facing on behalf of Manchaug Pond. We are the busiest we have been in years! Save Wednesday evening, September 3rd on your calendar for Manchaug Pond. Stay tuned and the next post will give you a major update!