Beauty of the watershed

Last night and today we continue to receive rain to bring up the waterlevel which is still a couple feet below our “normal” high level for this time of year. Up in the watershed, water is flowing down to the lake. Here’s a glimpse at a wetlands feeding Manchaug Pond. Skunk cabbage, moss, ferns, wood anenome and marsh marigolds among the rocks and flowing water make it truly a place of peace and beauty. Makes you wish the next hearing for the dam could be held right here! All the engineers and attorneys could put their “desktop, conceptual evaluations” aside and experience the reality that makes Manchaug Pond worth preserving.

Water Rising & Flashboards Still In

The lake is coming up! The rain we had yesterday is doing the trick with run-off still flowing in from the watershed. A look at the flashboards tells us we have a ways to go to get to the top, but we are thankful that the flashboards are still in. As you know, the DEP issued a Unilateral Administrative Order to the dam owner to put the flashboards in. The dam owner took the 3 day period given to put the boards in doing so on Friday April 24th. But the dam owner also decided to take the DEP and Sutton Conservation Commission to court in a civil suit to try to get the flashboards back out. With papers served late last week, surprisingly, Monday was the day in court. The judge heard both sides, noted the short notice for the defendants to prepare and himself needed time to read the Asst. Attorney General’s side of the case. A ruling from the judge is expected Friday or Monday. MPA’s President and 2nd Vice President attend and observed the proceedings.

Floating Dock Loose

An MPA member from Area 7 reports today that a dock floated by at 6:57 a.m. It sits low in the water. No wind yet today and only enough moisture overnight to partially wet the ground but it is raining now! Two MPA Board members have been doing a rain dance! A method the former dam caretaker, Fuddy, used to employ. 🙂 The next post will bring you up-to-date on the “drama” with the dam – yesterday’s day in court.

The Weather Channel Predicts 6 Days of Rain!

Threaten to take The Weather Channel widget off the blog and what a response – 6 days of rain in the forecast! Well, lets leave it on and see what happens! Sure would be nice to have it rain all week to end with sunshine on the weekend! Remember 1 inch of rain can cause Manchaug Pond to come up 10 inches (.84 feet our dam reports say) If you’re a reader from Whitin Reservoir, 1 inch will bring your water level up 1.35 feet. For those of you following the drama on the dam, flashboards are still in with the courts still reviewing the case. How about this little sunshiny flower which popped out of the sand on the beach last month – Coltsfoot, I’d say.

New York Camper and Fishing Club Check in…

This was the image at the Public Access Boat Ramp the day after our Spring Cleanup event. At 7:05 this morning another club, and another tournament was heard as the voice of the caller sent boats roaring out across the lake. Instead of starting at the ramp, the boats slowly moved up the channel and through the causeway and started on the other side. The Town of Sutton who manages the state ramp reported last year gate receipts were so low they did not cover expenses. I would venture to say a first since they became managers at the MPA’s request in 1991, as we have a very popular ramp. We are still getting run off from the hillsides of the watershed, bringing up the level of Manchaug Pond since the flashboards went in. The rain gauge has been near useless and the “Weather Channel” forecast widget has to go! I’m tired of 10 day forecasts with plenty of storm clouds and weather alerts with Manchaug Pond realizing none of it. Again this demonstrates the importance of capturing snow melt and rains beginning mid-March. A bass club has offered to help and yesterday, a New York camper checked in concerned …

Notice of Certified Letter

Yes, I received from the US Postal Service today notice of a certified letter from MRC waiting for me to pick up on Monday. This is notification to all property owners abutting Manchaug Pond and those with water rights, that the dam owner has filed a Notice of Intent with the Douglas Conservation Commission (DCC) of their revised Operation and Maintenance Plan for Manchaug Pond dam. A public hearing will be held allowing you to hear about the plan and again ask questions and present your concerns. Friday night, May 1, I checked out the DCC website to find that Manchaug Pond and the dam owner, Manchaug Reservoir Corp at Interface, is on the agenda for Monday, May 18th at 8:30 p.m.http://www2.douglasma.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1148 You’ll notice Whitin’s NOI was available on the DCC website but Manchaug’s wasn’t. I’ll keep you posted when I get details…. and I’ll see you there. Also you’ll notice Whitin Reservoir is listed on the agenda for June 1st – that’s the continuation requested by their dam owner, MRRC and the Whitin Reservoir Watershed District. 

Town Stops Flow from Stevens Pond

Yesterday the Town of Sutton Highway Dept, keeper of the Stevens Pond dam, was seen closing the gate to retain water. Stevens is low and with the flashboards in at Manchaug and the future of the waterlevel and dam still uncertain, it was a wise move. Run-off still continues to flow from the watersheds but forcasted rain showers have left us with little more than a sprinkle or two.

Support Waters Farm Annual Plant Sale!

Pick up a order form today at the Sutton Town Hall to order your annual flowers and vegetables to benefit Waters Farm Preservation. Vegetables offered include Sweet 100’s tomatoes as well as Early Girl and BIg Boy, green peppers and cucumbers. Annuals include 4 colors of petunias, red and blue salvia, marigolds, lobelia, impatiens, dusty miller, wax begonias, ageratum and alyssum all priced at $2.00 per 6 pack. Specialty hanging baskets are also ready to order at 10 inch and 12 inch size and include fuchsia, new guinea impatiens, ivy geranuim and petunias. Order today for pick up May 16th from 9 to noon at the Darling Barn! Supporting Waters Farm, a living museum donated by a past secretary of the MPA helps preserve conservation land in the Manchaug Pond watershed. File photos provided by MPA 1st Vice President.

Photos from the Spring Cleanup!

A few photos from the Spring Cleanup! Sorry I only captured the ramp… roadsides and the lake shoreline also were spruced up. I should have taken a picture of the father/son team in their boat, their rubber boots and the pair that was declared most fashionable! Next year… Thanks to the Town of Sutton Highway Dept. for providing the truck and taking care of the trash collected.

Comments and Questions on the Flashboards

All flashboards in. Let’s count them… (every day!) Anonymous said… Great Job MPA, Question: Who ever took these pictures knew when the flashboards were going in. So with that in mind does that person know if the owner directed them in and how many just to keep us quiet for now. Or are there more boards to be placed in to capture all rains and runoff for the lake to go to a normal level and that is still a long way to go. But we would like to say good hard work from all involved that raised an eyebrow or stood up for the right cause. Lets not stop here, lets fill it to its max level! Thanks MPA, Resident that appreciated all your hard work. April 26, 2009 10:17 AM Nice to hear from a resident! The Corresponding Secretary (yours truly) took the photos of the flashboards going in. WHAT tipped the MPA off? Well, at the April 15th MassDEP site evaluation, we were told a determination could be out in about a week. On April 21, DEP issued a UNILATERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER to the dam owner stating “within three (3) days of the date of this ORDER, …

Rain Forecasted for Tuesday

Flashboards are in, thank God, the DEP and the Conservation Commission! Now we need rain. In spring when the soils in the watershed are already wet/saturated, the majority of any rainfall will end up in the lake as run off. Fuddy, the old dam caretaker, used to tell us that 1 inch of rain at this time can give us a 10 inch increase in the waterlevel. (the old engineer’s report confirms this info.) So 3 inches of rain would fill us nicely! The weather according to Channel 7: TonightMuch cooler air will continue to work from Boston to Worcester. Temps will go from the 80s to the 60s in an hour! Overnight lows in the low 50s. Partly cloudy skies. NE wind 5-15 mph. MondayMuch cooler with sunny skies. Less humid with highs in the low 70s—mid 60s at the immediate coast.Monday NightClear skies. Lows in the 50s. TuesdaySunny & hot again. Highs near 90. Watch out for a late day t-storm.WednesdayMuch cooler. Sunny skies. Highs in the upper 60s. ThursdaySunny. Delightful. Highs in the 60s. WBZ is calling for rain Weds and perhaps Friday and Saturday if not tonight. So between the two weather channels hopefully we’ll get …