Snow Cover + Warm Temperatures + Rain = Runoff Problems

Manchaug Pond is fed by runoff from the watershed – not by springs. This means that the waterlevel of the pond goes up with precipitation and from the water that drains in from the surrounding yards, forests and hillsides. Today’s warm temperatures caused most of the 2 inch snowcover in the watershed to melt. With frozen and saturated ground and heavy rains, this brought a lot of water into the lake from the watershed. Of concern to the MPA are the problems which arise from this stormwater runoff: flooded roads, erosion, non-point source pollution of sediment, organic matter, road salt, etc. Our 319 grant will address 5 such problem sites around the lake. These photos taken today show just 2 out of over 20 non-point source pollution problem areas identified around Manchaug Pond. The 319 grant will address pipes such as this which go directly into the lake to be replaced with retention pools, stormdrains and other designs which will filter the stormwater before it gets to the lake. Eliminating these sources of pollution will greatly reduce aquatic weed growth and improve the quality of the waters of Manchaug Pond. Thanks to our 1st Vice President and 319 Grant Coordinator …

Lunar Eclipse on Weds., Feb 20th

While this photo was taken of a full moon over the YMCA Camp Blanchard on Manchaug Pond the evening of January 21st, this Wednesday will give us all plenty of opportunity – actual 3 hours and 26 minutes – to view and capture photos of a lunar eclipse. The eclipse will begin at 8:43 p.m. in eastern North America with totality or mid-eclipse being reached at 10:26 p.m. The moon travels west to east and is very visible in the evening/night sky from Manchaug Pond, especially in the early evening from areas 5,6,7, 8 and 1. Below are a couple of links from NASA which will aid your viewing – even instructions on photographing. Mid-eclipse can be particularly spectacular as the moon can take on a very vibrant red-orange glow. http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/LEprimer.html http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html If you do take a photo – please email it to me and I’ll share it with our readers.

Dam Open as Rain and Snow Continue

Pictures taken this morning as the dam was open has it has been this past week sending more white water out of Manchaug Pond and flooding the area below the dam.

What’s for Dinner?

During dinner, he looked out the window toward the lake and said, “We could have had goose!”

Turkey for a Manchaug Pond Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! While turkey maybe on the menu in most parts of the US, here on Manchaug Pond they are the guests! Do you see them?! In area 3, a flock of over 20 frequently visits a number of homes along Manchaug and Torrey Roads. As you are driving, watch for them and our female deer and her three young ones born this spring. Preserving open space is another reason to form a watershed district. As property comes up for sale, conservation grants are available to secure this land to maintain wildlife corridors and protect endangered species common to our watershed.

Sutton Conservation Commission to Hold Mtg on Docks

The Sutton Conservation Commission is holding another meeting to discuss lakes and ponds on Wednesday, November 14th at 7:00 p.m. in the Sutton Town Hall. Dock regulations have been the topic of recent board discussions. Public attendence at those meetings has been by non-lake residents as well as residents from ponds with and without public access. In September of this year, Sutton Conservation Commission enacted “non-dock regulations on 300 ft. abutters notification, 2 1/2″ tree replacement (less if due to poor access) for trees felled in the jurisdiction greater than 5″, and the requirement to use 20-0-10 (or comparable), zero-phosphate, slow-release fertilizer w/in 200′ of any waterbody, wetlands or stream.” As in the past, the MPA will continue to take a strong role in educating Manchaug Pond lake abutters, watershed friends of Manchaug Pond, and others as to current state and local regulations and concrete ways to minimize and eliminate negative impacts to the lake. New docks have not been an big issue on Manchaug Pond as we have had just a couple new docks in the past few years with the sale of a couple old homes/summer cottage – the state Dep and local Sutton permit notices are posted …

Sutton Conservation Commission Schedules Meeting

The Town of Sutton Conservation Commission has scheduled a meeting November 14th @ 7:00 pm at the Sutton Town Hall, 4 Uxbridge Road “to discuss lakes and ponds strategies.” Dock regulations, as well as fertilizer use and tree cutting around the lake shore and in the watershed are planned for the agenda.

Clean up a Great Success!

On this beautiful sun filled fall day, Manchaug Pond and the roadsides around the lake saw numerous volunteers participate in the annual cleanup. Here’s a shot of the total haul! Thanks to the Mark Brigham, Highway Superintendent for the Town of Sutton for providing the town truck! The trash came by scouts! … The trash came by boat! … and the trash came by pick-up trucks, trailer, and wheelbarrow! … as volunteers reported a lot of dumping and litter at the boat ramp, Blueberry Island, the Sutton Conservation Commission land, and roadsides around the lake. Volunteers also included Cub Scout Pack 143 from Sutton: the Webelos and Bear Den scouts, their leaders, and families. Thank you for joining us! Great Job Everyone!

Will you join us! ….. Manchaug Pond Fall Cleanup

The Manchaug Pond Fall Cleanup has been scheduled for Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. The shoreline and coves which especially accumulate litter will be targeted first as well as the boat ramp. If time, energy and volunteers permit we can do some roadsides such as Manchaug, Torrey, Holt and the dam area down Parker Road, Sutton. The Boat Ramp on Torrey Road will serve as a meeting point for volunteers as well as the drop off point for all trash collected. As in past years, area reps and other volunteers can collect the rubbish by boat and bring to the ramp. We will also have a pickup truck available to shuttle from the roadsides or shoreline. Please provide the items you will need for the day, such as gloves, waders, whatever. Garbage bags will be available at the ramp and the Town of Sutton is providing the truck to haul away the trash collected. Weather permitting, the educational display will be set up providing participants with educational material on septic system maintenance, healthy lawns, etc. as part of our outreach with the s. 319 grant project. Special thanks to our 1st Vice President for organizing the …

“Everything in the Known Universe about Manchaug Pond Association!”

Well, the MPA blog has been found and rated by the blogging world. How did we measure up? My opinion is … We did good! We made the list! They found us! That is an accomplishment in itself! Out of today’s 107.9 million blogs, the MPA ranked 3,915,745! I know that is not in the top 10, or top 100 or the top 1,000 even but we are ahead of about 104 million other blogs! I’m impressed. :)) AND to add to that success (He! He!) we were also check out and given a “vote of approval” by: “Water Words That Workhttp://waterwordsthatwork.comAuthority: 33Rank: 189,691A multimedia blog to help nature protection and pollution control experts make a splash when speaking or writing for the general public.” Soo..check out the TECHNORATI site to see for yourself! 🙂http://technorati.com/blogs/manchaugpondassociation.blogspot.com “Welcome to Technorati Currently tracking 107.9 million blogs and over 250 million pieces of tagged social media. Technorati is the recognized authority on what’s happening on the World Live Web, right now. The Live Web is the dynamic and always-updating portion of the Web. We search, surface, and organize blogs and the other forms of independent, user-generated content (photos, videos, voting, etc.) increasingly referred to …