May 2017 | Manchaug Pond Foundation

Fly Old Glory This Memorial Day

Today we celebrate Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the summer season here on Manchaug Pond with weekend cookouts and boat rides bringing together family and friends. But most importantly, many fly Old Glory, the flag of the United States of America, and remember in a special way those loved ones and the many who have served to keep us safe and free in preservation of our American quality of life. As I write (7:48 A.M.), the gun salute is heard at Fuller Cemetery and beyond as the Legionnaires of Sutton’s Dudley Gendron American Legion Post #414 remember in a moment of silence in respect and gratitude pay tribute to those soldiers who lie just up from the shores of Manchaug Pond. Enjoy this Memorial Day weekend, fly the flag at your dock, camp or lake house, and enjoy this picture sent in of a young man hoisting the flag on the shores of Manchaug Pond some 50 years ago. Post your photos #manchaugpond or send them in for the website, Like us on Facebook, and tell others to subscribe to this Manchaug Pond Foundation website and join! For more information we offer links: Manchaug Pond Pinterest with our Patriotic …

SAVE THE DATE: Free Vessel Safety Check June 10th

This Press Release was sent out last week so look for us in your local newspaper and be sure to put on your calendar! – – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – – NEWS from Manchaug Pond, Sutton/Douglas MANCHAUG POND FOUNDATION P.O. Box 154, Manchaug MA 01526-0154 www.ManchaugPond.org Contact: www.ManchaugPond.org FREE VESSEL SAFETY CHECK OFFERED AT MANCHAUG POND Manchaug Pond Foundation and a Green Bay Sail & Power Squadron volunteer help boaters stay safe SUTTON, MA. JUNE 10, 2017 – With boating season under way, the Manchaug Pond Foundation is once again sponsoring a free Vessel Safety Check (VSC) for all interested boaters at the state boat ramp on Manchaug Pond, Saturday, June 10th between 9:00 AM and Noon, Torrey Road in Sutton. This is a no-cost, no-risk, courtesy inspection offered to all interested boaters of all ages. All types of vessels are eligible from paddleboards and pedal boats, to sail, kayaks and canoes, to personal watercraft and power boats. Qualified Vessel Examiner Jim Arpin of the Greenwich Bay Sail & Power Squadron will help you make your vessel safe and legal. Did you know that a kayak, canoe, or pedal boat needs a whistle or horn? Or that any boat with …

Endangered Species Day ~ May 19

Bald eagles, wood turtles, eastern box turtles, and marbled salamanders are on the Massachusetts Endangered Species List with a “Threatened” or of “Special Concern” designation and all have been sighted in the Manchaug Pond watershed with the past year. Last week on May 19, Endangered Species Day was celebrated, a day the United States Congress appointed to increase awareness of imperiled species. Here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts MassWildlife, through the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act with over 425 Endangered, Threatened, or Special Concern animals and plants on the state list, protects local native species that may or may not be federally protected. Species from the majestic Bald Eagle which we observe soaring and fishing Manchaug Pond to the inconspicuous salamanders, frogs and toads laying eggs in protected coves, neighboring wetlands, and watershed vernal pools to quiet turtles methodically traveling the forests of our hillside watershed are among the flora and fauna needing protection from extinction. The MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) implements the state’s Endangered Species Act. This happens through field surveys and research, regulations, habitat management, land protection, and education. NHESP’s work is funded by grants and donations from supporters. What can you do to …

Waterlevel Update: Manchaug Pond a FULL+ Reservoir

This weekend’s rainfall and watershed runoff has brought the waterlevel of Manchaug Pond further pass the “full” mark. While we all love a full lake, wet coves and singing spring wetlands, the Manchaug Pond Foundation’s Waterlevel & Dam Committee reached out to the dam caretaker for an update. This morning’s report included not only Manchaug Pond’s full plus status but that the waterlevel at Stevens Pond was up as well. Here at Manchaug Pond, water has been flowing over the top of the flashboards and out the spillway as the dam naturally sheds excess water once “full” is realized. The low-level gate has also been open but this morning the caretaker opened the gate a bit more but could not fully open due to conditions downstream. The extra flow was enough to successfully bring the waterlevel down a couple inches by this evening (see photo of shoreline). Manchaug Pond serves as a reservoir preventing flooding downstream and capturing and holding water for use through the drier summer months. Visit ManchaugPond.org for updates and further reports on the Waterlevel & Dam page found under Conservation. Contact us directly with any question or concerns as we continue to monitor and to work …