Sutton Town Warrant of Interest to Manchaug Pond
Yesterday gray skies filled the day with a bit of rain here and there. Minutes ago a rain shower brought a bit of hail and now the sun is shining. http://www.suttonma.org/Pages/index Of interest to Manchaug Pond are a few items on the Sutton town meeting warrant: Article 12 is the annual appropriation for the management of the state public access ramp and Article 14 and 15 allow for the small installation of hydroelectric by special permit of the Planning Board. Click the link or post title to bring you to the town website and then click to see the entire warrant to read it for yourself. The members of the Manchaug Pond Association were present at the Planning Board public hearing when the hydroelectric power article was discussed. Personally, I found it very interesting that not a dam owner or potential dam buyer was in attendance and further I have heard word on the street that this article was brought by a potential dam owner, but in reality the Planning Board opened the hearing explaining that the Board was bringing the article for town consideration at the urging of the Town Administrator to address concerns at Manchaug Pond. Sutton has …
One of Manchaug Pond’s Pileated Woodpecker
You’ve heard them around Manchaug Pond calling to each other!Now thanks to a member who sent these photos in, taken this morning, you get to see this large woodpecker up close. Click the links to hear their calls and drumming. http://www.pileatedwoodpeckercentral.com/audio/call.mp3http://www.pileatedwoodpeckercentral.com/audio/drumming.mp3 http://www.pileatedwoodpeckercentral.com/audio/awoik.mp3
A Vernal Pool in the Manchaug Pond Watershed
There is the vernal pool ahead of us… … a bit mystical … seeming out of place, away from the lake, a distance into the oak/hickory forest. Turn over a log to reveal… one of the species of salamanders which come each season to lay their eggs here… the rest of the year living within a mile or two of this pool which will be dry by summer. My sincerest thanks to the property owner and my guides. http://www.vernalpool.org/
Flow Reduced. Rule Curve Being Followed to Maintain Waterlevel
Yesterday we see the flow leaving Manchaug Pond has been greatly reduced. The MPA understands that the dam continues to be owned and controlled by the Douglas mill owner – nothing has changed. MassDEP and Sutton Conservation Commission continue to monitor and regulate the flow for downstream and the lake area itself. And at a minimum flashboards needed to go in by April 1 (which they did, :)) and the waterlevel outlined in the 1930 rule curve is to be followed.
MPA Meets with Engineers
This morning from 9:30 to 12:30pm, 2 engineers visited the roadsides of Manchaug Pond checking the catchbasins, gabion dams, plunge pools, pervious pavers and other structures constructed last year under the S 319 DEP stormwater grant project for Manchaug Pond. The engineers’ goal today was two fold: first to evaluate the current structures noting improvements needed if any and secondly to identify new sites to be addressed. Three MPA officers gave the Douglas/Sutton tour.To take the tour yourself, view the slide show on the right. For more information on Low Impact Development and what you can do to protect the water quality of Manchaug Pond consult our website at www.manchaugpond.org under Living in the Watershed or visit http://www.epa.gov/nps/lid/ http://www.lid-stormwater.net/background.htmOn seeing this site the engineer exclaimed, “It’s working!” How can you tell? Note all the road sand and salt captured!
Windy and a Fighter Jet Fly Over
This morning it is cool and WINDY! Regardless, fisherman off the ramp are on the lake with the majority from Rhode Island. Between 9:30 and 9:45am a number of fighter jets roared over the lake for a loud and dramatic few moments. Oh and the flow you ask?
Some Ramps Open, Some Still Closed
Today, the Webster Police Department website still reports Webster Lake as closed to boating. Thursday, a drive by the Public Access Ramp at Lake Singletary found it open, but the waterlevel was right up there so with more rain this weekend you might see the closed sign posted once again. Here on Manchaug Pond, our ramp is open and our waterlevel is low enough to accommodate more rain. Only problem may be finding a parking space!