A fall clean-up event of Manchaug Pond is being organized by the Manchaug Pond Foundation for Saturday, October 24, 2026… join us! […]
Lake & Watershed-wide Spring Clean-up
Let’s do it! The Manchaug Pond Foundation invites you to the annual spring cleanup of Manchaug Pond and its watershed for Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 9 AM to Noon with a rain date the following day. Volunteers are needed to canvas the lake shoreline, public boat ramp, and watershed roadsides to remove litter and other potential threats to water quality: in boats to cover the lake’s coves and shoreline, walking the watershed roadsides, at the public access boat ramp, in pickup trucks to shuttle volunteers and pick up bags of trash. Go it alone or meet anytime from 9 AM to 12:00 Noon at the Public Access Boat Ramp at 22 Torrey Road in Sutton to team up with others, get gloves and trash bags, and grab some refreshment and conversation. Community service completion sheets will be signed for youth, scouts, community and church groups and any others needing documentation of time donated to a great cause! All are invited to join Manchaug Pond! If you plan to go it alone or with your own team, please contact us! with the neighborhood or roadside(s) you will be addressing so that we can maximize the area covered. Watershed roads, in …
Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day!
Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day is May 16, 2025! Let’s do it! Wear your life jacket, snap a picture while at work and share on social media with the hashtags #wearyourlifejacketatworkday and #safeboating. It’s the best way to kick off National Safe Boating Week and it’s a fun, educational way to heighten life jacket awareness! Hosted by the National Safe Boating Council. Visit our Safe Boating website page or www.SafeBoatingCampaign.com for more information. Also watch our website and social media for information on safe boating during National Safe Boating Week, May 16-22, 2026. AND bring your vessel, large or small – sail, paddled, pedaled, rowed, or motored – to our annual Vessel Safety Check, Saturday, June 4th from 9-noon at the public ramp.
Lighting of the Shoreline – Labor Day Weekend
Join us in lighting the Manchaug Pond shoreline at 8:30 PM for Labor Day weekend on Sunday evening! This remains the last big weekend on the lake as children go back to school and the summer vacation season comes to an end. With flares, tiki torches, and campfires, light your waterfront, campsite and home showing solidarity with […]
Ice Strength & Safety
We love out winter sports! So how can you tell if ice is safe? There are no guarantees. Always consider ice to be potentially dangerous. You can’t judge ice conditions by appearance or thickness alone; many other factors like water depth, size of waterbody, water chemistry, currents, snow cover, age of ice, and local weather conditions impact ice strength.Ice tips to remember: New ice is stronger than old ice. Four inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot, while a foot or more of old, partially thawed ice may not. Ice doesn’t freeze uniformly. Continue to check ice conditions frequently as you venture out onto the ice. Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often more dangerous. Avoid traveling onto ice-bound rivers and streams, as the currents make ice thickness unpredictable. Many lakes and ponds may contain spring holes and other areas of currents that can create deceptively dangerous thin spots. Before heading out onto the ice Tell someone your plans, including where you are going and when you expect to return. Come prepared. Carry a cell phone in case of emergency. Always carry ice picks and rope with you on the ice. In case of emergency, drive the nails into the ice …
Lighting of the Shoreline – July 3rd Starts the Celebrations
Amidst the cookouts and campfires, fireworks, and flying Old Glory, our 4th of July celebrations on Manchaug Pond include the annual Lighting of the Shoreline! […]
Saturday, Lake & Watershed Cleanup
Lake and Watershed-wide Cleanup of Lake Shoreline, Ramp, and Roadsides: The Manchaug Pond Foundation is organizing the annual fall cleanup of Manchaug Pond and its watershed for Saturday, October 22, 2022 […]
Register for THE DAM RACE 5K Run and 3K Walk!
Get your sneakers on and get outside for Manchaug Pond! All runners, walkers, and strollers are invited to participate in Manchaug Pond’s The Dam Race 5K Run and 3K Health Walk on Saturday morning, October 15th… volunteers and sponsors needed! […]
If you’re on Manchaug Pond tonight: Lighting of the Shoreline
A tradition begun in 1974 – the Lighting of the Shoreline. Campfires, flares, torches… 8:30 p.m. … in solidarity together, as the Manchaug Pond Foundation, for the preservation and enhancement of Manchaug Pond. See our event page for more information…
June Events
Posted June 4, 2022 Hello everyone! June is here bringing in the summer season to Manchaug Pond! A reminder of our events and fundraisers offered this month by the Manchaug Pond Foundation is below. Be sure to visit www.ManchaugPond.org for a full calendar listing and details. _______ First up, and this morning, is our Vessel Safety Check, June 4, 2022, promoting safe boating at the state boat ramp on Torrey Rd, Sutton from 9 AM to Noon. Both new and seasoned boaters find this annual event of value to get all safe and legal on Manchaug Pond. There is no enforcement component and no police onsite, only educational, informative, one-on-one assistance from a certified examiner. This event is free, open to the public, and all vessels from motor boats to jetskis to paddle boards can participate. Safe boating information, Vessel Safety Check decal, If Found stickers, and paddle reflectors are available for free. Also we have a few gently-used life jackets a member is offering for the taking. If interested, stop in at the ramp. _______ For the month of June, Manchaug Pond Foundation has been chosen for the Hannaford’s Bloomin’ 4 Good Program! All month, Hannaford’s Supermarkets will …
Hello Spring: An April Update!
Posted April 13, 2022 Hello everyone! Manchaug Pond’s waterlevel is up, the spring peepers are singing in the coves and wetlands, and the boats are already making waves! We’re ready for the warm summer season! Through the winter months, the Manchaug Pond Foundation Board of Directors has met regularly with our organization advocating and taking action in a number of local, regional, and state arenas to raise awareness, and secure support and fiscal resources to benefit the health of Manchaug Pond and it watershed. As headwaters/ a major contributor to the Mumford River, as a recreation and tourism destination, and as a valuable water resource of the Commonwealth, Manchaug Pond is significant. In serving, I’ll be providing regular updates as to our efforts and accomplishments together and opportunities for you to make a difference! _______ Tonight, April 13th at 6PM, the Town of Sutton will hold an information-seeking meeting to discuss the river’s flow through the village of Manchaug: the dams, the ponds, and the flows which impact the village community. The goal is to pursue a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant to identify existing issues and then create a plan and prioritize solutions and improvements which could include dam …
On the lookout for cyanobacteria
Posted January 20, 2022 Join us this evening at 6:30 p.m. for a virtual water quality event presented by the Worcester Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative. Manchaug Pond Foundation joined the collaborative last year for the 2021 monitoring season. Our volunteers took monthly samples with the goal of learning more about Manchaug Pond and about the algae found naturally in the lake. Tonight program data on Worcester and participating area lakes will be highlighted. Manchaug Pond’s results were superb! What contributes to algae blooms and cyanobacteria occurrences in lakes and ponds? Negative impacts to our water quality occur when nutrients and sediment flow into our water resources either directly or through watershed streams and runoff. Nutrient-rich lawn and landscape fertilizer, pet and other animal waste, and malfunctioning septic systems can all be major threats to our blue spaces. Excessive nutrients promote aquatic plant growth and increase algae which can cause widespread algae blooms. Special thanks to our volunteers and to the City of Worcester Parks & Recreation Department Blue Spaces team for this effort. Watch for more information on our efforts to protect Manchaug Pond’s water!