Forest Land Stewardship Webinar

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An informational webinar for forest land community on funding opportunities through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and DCR’s Stewardship Program […]

Douglas Board of Selectmen Mtg. – Oak Street Solar

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The Douglas Board of Selectman will meet on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 7:00 pm will include a follow up discussion of an item affecting Manchaug Pond on the agenda. Sediment-laden water is being discharged from the construction site of the Oak Street Solar project causing significant water/sediment flow to neighboring properties and onto Oak St and Parker Court, Douglas and Holt and Torrey Roads, Sutton, into Manchaug Pond, Stevens Pond and the greater Mumford River. Oak Street Solar Project (DEP #143-0989) Visit the Douglas meeting calendar for agenda and zoom link Meeting begins at 7:00 PM in the Douglas Municipal Center Resource Room, 29 Depot Road, Douglas.  View agenda here. Please plan to attend to show your concern for our water resources either in person or via Zoom. PLEASE NOTE:  ALL WISHING TO JOIN THIS MEETING WILL NEED AN AUTHENTICATED ZOOM ACCOUNT To create an authenticated Zoom account in order to join these meetings, please visit: http://zoom.us Meeting ID: 844 4108 8765  

UPDATE: Enforcement Order & Fines Issued with Mumford River Affected

posted December 22, 2023 Sediment carrying runoff from the Oak Street Solar construction site in Douglas, Massachusetts has reached beyond Manchaug Pond and Stevens Pond further into the Mumford River. This morning at 10:00 a.m., visibly brown water was exiting the Stevens Pond dam to the village of Manchaug.  (full video can be viewed on the Manchaug Pond Facebook page) Since the first incident on December 11th, Manchaug Pond Foundation has been calling for immediate action be taken to stop the erosion and prevent further impacts to Manchaug Pond and its watershed, as well as Stevens Pond and the Mumford River. Information as to the scope of the area affected, the potential for further erosion beyond the lake’s causeway/channel and to watershed streams including the Douglas trout coldwater fishery, and to concerns for future water quality impacts, are being brought to local and state officials, agencies and regional organizations. Additionally, the MPF president provided public testimony before recent both Douglas and Sutton Conservation Commission meetings. The December 18th meeting of the Douglas Conservation Commission included a call for the company to put measures in place to prevent further erosion and runoff. (View at Douglas Cable You Tube)  A December 23 …

IN THE NEWS: Distance swim marks a milestone birthday

September 22, 2023 Issue of the Blackstone Valley Xpress Distance swim marks a milestone birthday Victory! Eric Shrayer at the completion of his swim. Photo submitted By Patty Roy Eric Shrayer celebrated his 50th birthday in August, but decided to add a  challenge to the festivities by making a long swim around Manchaug Pond. Rather than setting distance goals, Shrayer headed for landmarks as he rounded the circumference of the lake.  “I swam point to point around the perimeter of the lake,” he said. “The channel where the dam is, and on the other side by old Holbrook Campground, there’s a sandbar, Blueberry Island and there’s conservation land on one point, the South Cove.“ Those were the markers he used, familiar to him from boyhood. He wore no fins, no goggles, no swim shirt, just kept it simple with swimming trunks. Shrayer guessed the water temperature was about 70 degrees. “It was nice, it was a warm night the night before.” He also noted it was cloudy and rainy on the day of his swim “So that lowered the chances of me getting hit by a boat.”  Above: Shrayer’s entrance to the Channel  Below, Manchaug Pond map showing Eric Shrayer’s …