Manchaug Pond Foundation

Spawning Fish Enjoy 2009 Waterlevel and Quiet Shores

Thanks to the efforts of MassWildlife, the Sutton Conservation Commission, MassDEP, etc. (and the MPA!) our fish are happy. Last year’s low waterlevel and fishkill are just an unpleasant memory. This photo of bluegills guarding their nests was taken June 4th of this year… … here is the same area today. Male bluegills swimming in small circles around and around the edge of their nests while females hang to the outer areas. Nesting areas like these are in the shallow quiet water along the shore in 1 to 3 feet of water. With Manchaug Pond’s higher seasonal population and a large part of the shoreline protected, ideal habitat for spawning fish is common. 60% of the homes are summer camps/cottages with residents typically moving in for weekends after Memorial Day when warmer weather settles or after the children are out of school. Favorable for nests is the gravelly bottom where males build the nests. Once ready, females move onto the nests depositing 40,000 or more eggs, and then males protect until the eggs hatch. Bluegills are able to lay eggs more than once a season and may do so a couple times until the water cools again in the fall. …

MPA 319 Grant Update

It is always exciting to see more progress with the grant! This is Site #1 which is a Gabion Wier with sediment trap underneath. This will filter the nutrients in the water coming down off the hill before the water gets discharged into the lake. The annual pollutant removal of this site is 1,275 lbs. of Total Suspended Solids, 1.48 lbs. Phosphorous and 6.15 lbs. of Nitrogen. The MPA would like to thank the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection for the 319 NPS Grant as well as the Sutton and Douglas Towns and Highway Departments for all their work making the upgrades possible!

Big Rock/Little Rock

Here is “Big Rock” now “Little Rock” as of 4 PM today >`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·…¸>¸.·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. >`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·…¸> with healthy and happy fish this year!

“Which big rock, we have a million of them!!!!!”

I received this email today in response to a comment left yesterday on the last post: …they want a picture of “big rock”? Which big rock, we have a million of them!!!!! So true, so true! Here is the one and only “Big Rock” as it appears on May 18, 2009: With the rain of the past week or so, 1/4″ to start, 2″ then one 1″ and another 1 plus yesterday and today the lake has come up and I noticed yesterday The Big Rock was still showing. Sunday a duck was using it as it’s own private island – about 6 inches and it will be under. I’ll get a photo for you tomorrow.

Another Reason to Preserve Manchaug Pond and the Watershed

On our way home from a cookout this evening, we came upon this resident of the Manchaug Pond watershed over on the Douglas side of the lake. This deer had visited my daughter’s home only yesterday, walking just a few feet from the house while they were all inside quietly waking up from naps. The gentle, quiet of this deer grazing in the green of the woods calls to us to work a little harder to protect this wonderful habitat. When I called to tell her, she said a grey fox had just pasted through her yard. Wildlife abounds here in the Douglas and Sutton woods! Past efforts of Manchaug Pond Association members, friends in the watershed and the town have resulted in the conservation of Waters Farm and the lands along the shore of the pond donated to the Sutton Conservation Commission and the beginning of the Lake Manchaug Greenway and Wildlife Corridor linking the Douglas State Forest with the Sutton State Forest and Purgatory Chasm. Check out the link of the Metacomet Land Trust to see a map of these lands. Looking further into Douglas to the southwest you can see the Douglas State Forest http://www.metacometlandtrust.org/Protected.html Click on …

SHh!! Don’t Tell Anyone…

…it is a beautifully calm, sunny day on Manchaug Pond! This photo was taken last night from Manchaug Road, Sutton. Like a mirror!

“Green” Asphalt Installed at Manchaug Pond State Ramp

Our state public access boat ramp continues to be modernized, this time with the latest in paving material: pervious or permeable pavers or porous pavement. The idea of the pavers is to capture runoff allowing it to filter into the ground before it gets to the lake. This keeps pollutants such as gas and oil drips from vehicles as well as the salts from road sand and other pollutants from flowing directly into the lake. The water flowing into the ground also recharges groundwater supplies which are important to maintaining our drinking watersupplies/private wells and water levels of the lakes and tributaries. Filtering the water directly improves water quality and reduces or eliminates weed beds in the lake and around the shoreline. So this porous pavement allows the rain and water flowing down the ramp from the parking area to hit this area and flow water through it! How is this new technology possible? Partnerships: Federal monies from EPA and the Clean Water Act, state administered through MassDEP’s s.319 NonPoint Source Pollution Grant Program, with local partnerships with the lake association securing and administering the grant and providing volunteer time and resources and the Towns of Sutton and Douglas providing …

Telegram Reporter Misses Story of Manchaug Pond

The Worcester Telegram correspondent missed the article on Manchaug Pond by a long shot. She got caught up in the dam owner’s latest effort to be rid of their last piece of Massachusetts real estate. Consulting her previous contacts with the Whitins Reservoir Watershed District and citing one report made to Sutton Selectman, she fails to report recent efforts and rulings of those champions of the 380* acre lake: the Sutton Conservation Commission, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Mass Wildlife, Douglas Conservation Commission, our local legislators, the courts and the people of Manchaug Pond and their association. (Additionally the Telegram file photo of Manchaug Pond was submitted by our MPA Vice President 2 years ago when we announced the award of the s.319 EPA/DEP NonPoint Source Pollution Grant.) Are we to panic about their INTENT to breach? No. The dam owner announced they were exploring the option to breach at least 2 years ago when they decided to relocate the mill operation and sell the properties. The MPA then and now continues to work solidly and methodically to protect the lake and resolve the dam ownership issue. Have we asked Whitin’s district to save us, or “solve the problem” – …

A Perfect Day…

Beautiful sunshine, a nice breeze, with rain in the forecast… a perfect day to get things done. A perfect day to… … survey the Lake!! Today, two boats from two different companies – one hired by the Manchaug Pond Association, the other hired by the dam owner – one looking to improve the lake, the other looking to cut the size of the lake by half. … attend a lovely garden reception!! … check out the water level!! … rest awhile!! ( female Widow Skimmer – Libellula luctuosa resting on iris) … try out a kayak!! … stop and smell the flowers!! (Mountain Laurel – Kalmia latifolia)

Tonight’s Meeting Agenda- Douglas Conservation Commission

Douglas Conservation Commission Douglas Municipal Center29 Depot StreetDouglas, MA 01516Main Phone: (508) 476-4000 Fax Number: (508) 476-4012 (Click on the title of this post to be linked to their website) 6/15/2009 – Agenda Postby mdc » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:26 am7:00 PM CONSERVATION BUSINESS1. Request for a Certificate of Compliance: Gadoury Homes, LLC, 103 Franklin Street2. Request for a Certificate of Compliance: Douglas Properties, LLC, Hemlock Street 7:20 PM PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED: DOUGLAS CAMPMEETING ASSOCIATION (NOI)25 South Street 7:30 PM PUBLIC HEARING: GUARANTEED BUILDERSAND DEVELOPERS, INC. (NOI)93 Davis Street 7:45 PM PUBLIC HEARING: MASS. DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION& RECREATION (NOI)Wallum Lake 8:00 PM PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED: MUMFORD RIVERRESERVOIR COMPANY (NOI)Whitin Reservoir Dam, Northwest Main Street 8:30 PM PUBLIC HEARING: MANCHAUG RESERVOIR CORPc/o INTERFACE, INC. (NOI)Torrey Street*Application Withdrawn

Saturday’s MPA Social

It was very nice to see a good many of our lake neighbors once again! With a higher seasonal population of property owners (not to mention the campers!) who come from far and wide, this very informal event allows us to chat over a hot cup of coffee and catch up on lake friends and neighbors as well as discuss where we are as a lake community. Welcome to our new neighbors and members from Area 2 and Area 4 and friends from the campgrounds – I’ll be sending you more in the mail! Our 319 Stormwater Grant Coordinator, Marty Jo, also had our exhibit with photos and actual plans of the work being done around the lake to improve our water quality and reduce aquatic weed growth. Plenty of handouts were available on how-tos/best management practices around the home with the lake in mind as well as booklets and floating key chains from the DCR Lakes and Ponds Program. Also available was a very abbreviated flow chart on the waterlevel issue identifying the short-term and long term goals and the directions our dam owner has taken Manchaug Pond with their various filings and lawsuits with and against local and …

If you see this camper… Wish Him a Happy Birthday!

The YMCA was hopping this afternoon as the Captain of “Dah Barge” celebrated his 50th birthday with a bang of a party! While talking with the campground owner, we recently met this faithful blog reader and lover of Manchaug Pond. The owner of “the tri-hull” (as my husband calls his boat!) is often seen cruising the lake with his family and friends. It is they who suggested we highlight his special day on the blog! So tip your hat this weekend to the tri-hull and wish him a very Happy Birthday! and many more on Manchaug Pond!