Manchaug Pond Foundation

Mute Swan Nesting at Stevens Pond

This spring, while we were all looking to the Beaton Farm in the northwest, working to make this conservation dream a reality for Manchaug Pond… a new lake neighbor flew in to our southeast, making Stevens Pond their home: a pair of Mute Swans. In the cattails on the end of Stevens Pond by the shoreline bordering Parker Road, Sutton, they built their nest some time ago. Would anyone from Stevens Pond give us a report as to the status of the nest with the rise in waterlevel? You should know that mute swans are not native to North America and considered an invasive species. MassWildlife reports they were: “Originally brought in from Europe and Asia as ornamental waterfowl to grace the ponds of Long Island estates, some escaped to the wild where they became established, spread up and down the coast and are found in many inland waters. Highly aggressive and territorial, there is evidence that they are displacing native waterfowl and can be destructive to some aquatic habitats, destroying more vegetation than they actually eat.” “Mute swans are protected under state regulations and may not be hunted. They are not protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty as they …

WATERLEVEL UPDATE: A BIG MPF thanks to our new dam owner!

A huge Manchaug Pond thank you to the Town of Sutton, our new dam owner, for safely bringing us through tropical storm Andrea. Town staff check and adjusted the dam and waterlevel before, during and after the storm, which meant more than once on Saturday when the most rainfall was realized. A view of the flow from the Manchaug Pond dam this morning. We came into this tropical storm at a lower waterlevel allowing us to accept the storm rainfall thereby preventing flooding around the lake and downstream. This morning, the low-level gate was opened a few inches more to bring us down in anticipation of the next round of rain and to accommodate the runoff flowing in from the watershed. Once we are past tomorrow and the threat of more rain, the town intends to keep the waterlevel at full all summer long – providing the weather cooperates. Questions? Complaints? Comment here and we will get you an answer. Flow at Stevens Pond dam is 8-9 ” above their flashboards.

Sacred Sunday: Safe and Sound on Manchaug Pond!

To our surprise, the little family of ducks went swimming by this late morning on Manchaug Pond. They made it! Read about our first encounter in a cove here and about their later adventure over the flashboards of the Manchaug dam here.

Healthy Lake Signs

One of the signs of a healthy waterbody such as Manchaug Pond is the existence of Mayflies. Short lived, they mature and emerge in June then molt, mate, the females lay eggs and finish their life cycle just in a couple of days. They are a very important ingredient in the food chain for fish and birds. Contrary to what they may look like, they do not sting or bite. It is a welcome sign that spring has arrived when we see them each year!

MPF Spring Social brings out the winners!

The MPF FUNdrai$ing Committee put on a fabulous Spring Social this year! Our treasurer opened the morning, welcoming all and noting this was the first MPF Spring Social in many years that we were able to report the dam issue settled and the lake at full waterlevel. The Breakfast laid out by our Fundraising Committee Events chairman and assistants would put any cruise ship galley to shame! The baked french toast was the rave, the fruit platter a bouquet of color, and the homemade breads all so scrumptious! Not to be overlooked was the main course of scrambled eggs made on site, bacon, and cheesy hash browns. Delicious! About 50 members, friends and ticket holders gathered in the dining hall of the YMCA Camp Blanchard on the shores of Manchaug Pond. An update as to current issues and future events was given and we enjoyed a visit with good friends and lake neighbors as well as the excitement of this year’s BIG Raffle’s reverse drawing. Fundraising raffle chairman calls the last two ticket holders #s 74 and 22 to offer a split prize. The raffle prize was not a boat but a travel voucher to the location …

Water rising! Check your docks, boats and shoreline!

If you haven’t, it is time to bail the boats! One lake resident reports bailing at 10 pm, 3 am and again at 5 as a good 4 -5 inches hit the rain gauge. From 3:30 pm yesterday to 8:00 am this morning the waterlevel has risen 14 inches. Water is now flowing over the flashboards and is white-water coming out the low-level gate of the dam. With watershed soils saturated, we expect the level to keep rising. Manchaug the Reservoir is at work!

WATERLEVEL UPDATE Friday, June 7th: Still below the flashboards!

As of 3:30 p.m. today, with only 1 inch of rain received since midnight, the waterlevel remains below the flashboards. Yesterday we had 2 1/2″ of board showing and room for another board. The dam owner opened the low level gate this morning to accommodate runoff from the watershed and the expected rainfall from tropical storm Andrea. Questions? Concerns? Ask them here with the MPF.

Calling All Friends of Manchaug Pond: MPF SPRING SOCIAL This Saturday!

It is time for the MPF Members and Friends SPRING SOCIAL and BIG RAFFLE Reverse DRAWING! So if you love Manchaug Pond and would like to support our efforts, join us this Saturday morning between 9 and 11 am to be a part of the fun! A BIG BREAKFAST will be served followed by the reverse drawing for our BIG RAFFLE. The menu includes scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, baked french toast, homemade muffins and breakfast breads, bagels, fruit, and coffee, juice and bottled water. This year’s raffle features a prize of a travel voucher up to $5,000 or $4,000 ca$h! Tickets will be drawn, losers first, as with our past Big Boat Raffles. Free to all paid members and friends of MPF! Bring your donation to the social if you haven’t yet sent it in or hit the Paypal button on the right of this post. MPF t-shirts and more will be on sale! Our Water Quality Educational Exhibit will be available so you can obtain information on our newest grant project, rain gardens, and more! Questions? Ask an officer, area representative, or email us!

A Mother Duck’s Dilemma

Wednesday evening, four young male mallards swam back and forth in the water a few yards out from the dam. A female duck stood on the top flashboard clearly in distress – quacking and pacing. On closer look, over the flashboards was the reason(s) for her concern. There over the side in the culvert box were her ducklings – at least 9 of them. The tiny babies couldn’t make it back up over the 3 feet or so of flashboards. The only other alternative was to go downstream to Stevens Pond but they refused to follow their mother as she called from the edge of the 15 ft drop down at the end of the culvert box. Back and forth they swam from the drop at the end of the culvert to the insurmountable wall of flashboards. … A boater came by with a hopeful solution… dropping a long plank over the flashboards a ramp was made for all to walk up and hop back into the pond. Did they make the journey? With daylight waning, that remains an unknown. The boater returned the next morning to find only the plank – no signs of the older brothers, the …