Keep up with the Manchaug Pond Foundation!
Here’s a photo sent in from Area 2! Thank you for the submission! Yes, it is very interesting with the Tarantula-like legs and the unusual antenna, not to mention the colors of the wings. By the antennae, I would venture to say we have a moth. Anyone know it’s name?
THAT DAM ISSUE-Company, officials clash over proposed pond breach BY JOSH FARNSWORTHMillbury-Sutton Chronicle, July 10th Several residents and local officials from Sutton and Douglas joined state officials to voice their vehement disapproval of a plan by Manchaug Pond Reservoir Corp. to breach or remove the Manchaug Pond Dam at a public meeting Tuesday afternoon… …”The only way to describe this is a breathtakingly terrible idea,” said George X Pucci of Kopelman and Paige, Sutton’s Town Counsel. “The removal of a dam makes sense when it is faulty or damaged. There are no benefits other than that Manchaug Reservoir Corp. does not want to operate it anymore.” Rep. Jennifer Callahan (D-Sutton) accused the Manchaug Reservoir Corp. of being a bully and using “scare tactics” to strong-arm other parties to take responsibility for the up-keep and general responsibility of the pond. It is an oxymoron to think we will be restoring the pond by draining it,” she said. The state is not in the business of buying up dams and neither are the towns.”… … “To divest themselves is vindictive,” said Pucci. “Going through with this would cripple the ability to store flood waters going into nearby Stevens Pond. It has potentially …
Calm, cool and clear was yesterday evening. During today’s early morning moonlight, the faint call of an owl broke the 3:25 a.m. silence. Reminded me of the children’s classic, “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolan. Sure wish someone was there in the watershed getting the photo! Thanks to the MPA member who submitted the photos above.
Once again Telegram & Gazette correspondent, Ruth Vecchione reports on the blow-by-blow news lakeside – this time in the FLASH for Grafton, Millbury and Sutton and from the Sutton Board of Selectman’s perspective. Here she goes… Finally, Selectman Kevin Geraghty, with the board’s agreement, expressed their opposition to the attempt by Manchaug River Corp. to breach the dam along with their support of what the town’s attorneys and the Conservation Commission are doing in the matter. Mr. Smith said they have retained George X. Pucci of Kopelman & Paige to represent the town. “It’s a dramatic turn of events, a not-so-veiled threat by the company. Their interest is not the environment or dam safety. They are interested in divesting their responsibility.” he said. “I think they’re in for a war with the community and the state.” Good choice of quotes, Ms. Vecchione! And well said Mr. Smith and Mr. Geraghty! Remember readers that you can see for yourself the meetings of our Sutton and Douglas Selectman and Conservation Commission at the towns’ websites. Here’s the link to Sutton’s award winning website: http://www.suttonma.org/Pages/index On the left side of the home page, click Sutton TV online to view the meeting. On the …
MPA President David Schmidt present the “NO BREACH” position of the Manchaug Pond Association at state MEPA meeting. Meeting of MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act)Executive Office of Energy and Environmental AffairsEnvironmental Notification Form # 14435July 7, 2009, 3:30 p.m., Sutton Town Hall TESTIMONY OF THE MANCHAUG POND ASSOCIATIONDavid Schmidt, President Thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of Manchaug Pond. My name is David Schmidt, I am President of the Manchaug Pond Association. This organization was formed over 40 years ago to promote the welfare and correct use of Manchaug and its watershed. My family has owned a summer cottage on Manchaug since 1938 along with many of the other 120 property owners. In addition to our members, many enjoy this 380 acre lake through the public access boat ramp, the campgrounds, the YMCA day camp for inner city kids, as well as those who view from the historic Waters Farm. We will be sumbitting written testimony based on the observations and experiences of living with this Great Pond as our backyard. We strongly oppose this project and foresee many issues and hardships caused by its action. Today we respectfully ask that the scope of the MEPA process …
This afternoon a new sight was in the skies of Manchaug. This bird, slow and low, circled Manchaug Pond and than headed west to Whitin Reservoir. Can anyone identify it? We could hear it for sometime before it came back over Manchaug Pond and then headed east. Lots of activity at the dam and in the skies of Manchaug Pond today. Personally, I rather see our herons, eagles and osprey.
The reporter of the following Worcester Telegram article, Ruth Vecchione, is seated in the center of the photo to the left of MPA President Dave Schmidt.Wednesday, July 8, 2009Dam breach comments mostly criticalMEPA official conducts meeting with residents of Sutton, Douglas David Schmidt, president of the Manchaug Pond Association, lists the reasons the Manchaug Pond Dam should remain in place. (T&G Staff/JIM COLLINS) By Ruth Vecchione CORRESPONDENT SUTTON — Despite torrential rain and the threat of severe thunderstorms, more than 60 Sutton and Douglas residents, state and local officials packed the selectmen’s meeting room yesterday afternoon for the state-held meeting on Manchaug Reservoir Corp.’s petition to breach the Manchaug Pond Dam. William Gage of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office heard opinions from local officials and residents yesterday afternoon on the environmental impact of the proposed breaching. (Mr. Gage will continue to accept comments on environmental impact in writing until Tuesday at the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, 100 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114.) The Manchaug Reservoir Corp.no longer operates in Massachusetts and doesn’t need the power the dam once provided. The 350-acre pond is in both Sutton and Douglas, has 125 lakefront homes and is used for boating …
Today was the meeting in which the dam owner presented their latest plan – breaching the Manchaug Pond dam. Today was the day legislators, many state and local officials from Sutton and Douglas, residents from Manchaug and Stevens Pond, and Whitin Res and the heads of many environmental/lake/river groups stood in support of Manchaug Pond and the Mumford/Blackstone River system. This email was waiting for me when I returned home… “…I’m sure happy we moved to such a well loved and cared for lake.” Me too! Thank you to all those who attended in support of Manchaug Pond! More details tomorrow! Check the newspapers as I counted at least 4 reporters in attendance.
With the July 4th weekend – always exciting on the lake! – we are thrilled to have finally reached a high water level! A cause alone for celebration! BUT remember…. 1.) The waterlevel will be coming down from now on as the dam owner, Manchaug Reservoir Corporation c/o Interface of Atlanta, Georgia, will be following the 1930 Rule Curve elevation – not actual historic levels. This means the water level was to peak in June (an elevation of 518.3 which was never reached) and then starts to drop off in July. 2.) The dam owners has filed an ENF/application #14435 to breach the Manchaug Pond dam with MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office) of theExecutive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. All interested individuals, meaning YOU and ME, may attend a special meeting this Tuesday, July 7th at 3:30 p.m. at the Sutton Town Hall, Uxbridge Road in the Selectman’s meeting room As the Sutton website reports: An Environmental Notification form has been submitted for the “Restoration of Manchaug Pond – Douglas & Sutton” Project. This project requires a mandatory Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A consultation meeting will be held to receive advice and comments from agencies, official and citizens …
Okay, Mumford River?! – now you are probably saying where is she going with this one! Who cares about the Mumford River! This is Manchaug! Doesn’t she have enough to write about? Well, I’ve been re-reading my copy of the Mumford River Low Flow Study (better than reading Dam Removal in Massachusetts: A Basic Guide for Project Proponents!) If you remember the low flow study, you are shaking your head up and down fully aware of where we are going! Click the link on our blog or read it in the original Notice of Intent filed by the dam owner. Anyway, the low flow study was published in 2003 for the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs by the engineering firm of Gomez and Sullivan to specifically investigate recurring low-flow observations in the river; from Manchaug Pond, Whitin Res. and every pond, dam and use east along the Mumford River to the Blackstone River in Uxbridge. The work and concern of own Douglas Conservation Commissioner, Mr. Mike Yacino is cited along with those of the Blackstone River Watershed as the reason for the study. (1st page, second paragraph) The study reveals that Mr. Yacino’s observations, experience, and volunteer work …
The sky provided the fireworks on Manchaug Pond tonight as only a couple camps had their July 4th cookouts.
Thursday as more rain brought the level of Manchaug higher, it also brought Aldrich Pond up sending a large amount of white water over their falls into Holbrook’s Cove. Amazingly, the water entered Manchaug filled with white “sudsy” water with the foam ranging in size from large balls the size of basketballs to very tiny. I could not imagine what it was as we drove by. It appeared as large chunks of stryrofoam floating throughout the area! Closeup it appears very much like soap suds, but my guess is this foam was caused not only by the strong turbulence created with the large volume of water coming over the falls but also because of the high level of organic materials in the water: algae from the little pond’s algae blooms, aquatic plants, and decomposing plant material. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality explains further: “The foam that appears along lakeshores is most often the result of the natural die-off of aquatic plants. Plants are made up of organic material, including oils (i.e., corn oil and vegetable oil). When the plants die and decompose, the oils contained in the plant cells are released and float to the surface. Once the oils …
