New Hampshire and Vermont Report New Invasive Algae in Rivers!
Disgusting! Like something out of an old horror movie! Devastating! Check out this invasive algae which attacks rivers and streams. I don’t know how or if lakes can be effected.(Thanks to the MPA Board member who passed this along to me!) “The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has issued an alert that the invasive algae “Didymosphenia geminate” also known as “rock snot” or “didymo” has been found along the northern reaches of the Connecticut River as well as in the White River near Bethel, Vermont. A local fishing guide discovered the invasive alga which was later confirmed by the Vermont Natural Resources Agency. This is the first positive identification of the algae in the northeastern region of the United States. Because of its extremely invasive nature and the close proximity of the findings to New Hampshire, it is imperative that scientists and experts from across the region address the threat of further spreading of the algae into other waterways. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this alga is the only freshwater diatom to exhibit large scale invasive behavior. It impacts infested water bodies significantly with the ability to alter food web structure as well as the hydraulics of streams …
Selectman Vote to Support Watershed District!
Congratulations to the Whitin Reservoir Association and the Douglas Board of Selectman for working together to craft legislation to protect both the reservoir and the interests of the town’s people. The Board voted unanimously in favor of the formation of a watershed district! (4-0-1 as a newly elected selectman abstained from the vote.) Last night legal counsel for both the town and the association further reviewed and “tweeked” the language of the document making it acceptable to both groups. Considered was expanding the town’s involvement to a voting seat on the district’s management committee, expanding the management committee from 3 to 5 members, further limiting the eminent domain powers to just the dam, and adding language to ensure the flow to the town’s wastewater treatment plant if the association were to ever have ownership of the dam. Over 25 member of the association were present to hear the Selectman’s vote of support and broke out into applause as selectman thanked the group for their efforts and spoke of the satisfaction with the compromise.
Fireworks on Manchaug Pond!
Sunday night held some good booms and left many cheering in the channel butMonday night was a red, white and blue sensation! and The Grand Finale! While many homeowners have and do hire professionals to launch their fireworks shows… The Office of the Fire Marshall reminds us that, “It is illegal for privatecitizens to use, possess or sell fireworks in Massachusetts, or topurchase them illegally elsewhere and transport them into the state.” Also our further disclaimer… the state requires a permit to formally sponsor or organize a boat parade. That is why here on ManchaugPond, it just happens! Don’t forget to pick up your flares at acampground store or from an Area Rep. to set the shoreline aglow. Maybe we can do it a couple nights since the 4th falls during the week 🙂
Begin the weekend in silence!
Last night’s Manchaug Pond…This morning I noticed… the silence. 6:45 a.m. Besides a few songbirds chirping, there was silence – no boats, no jetskis, no music, no talking, and no roosters crowing in the distance. 7:05 a.m. The same… silence. 7:10 a.m. One bass boat roaring out of the channel from the Public Boat Ramp. One boat. Just one! Why the silence? On the boat front, there are no fishing tournaments listed for this weekend and next! Two weeksends of sleeping late if you like or two weeksends of early morning peace 🙂 Click the title of this post to link to the state ramp schedule to see for yourself.http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/pab/pab_schedevents.htm#M If you are new to Manchaug Pond and the MPA, the State Public Access Boat Ramp used to open before 6:00 a.m. with the count and the roar of the bass boats occuring minutes later. It was at an MPA Annual Meeting inwhich our members asked John Hebert, then the Sutton Police Chief if the time could be delayed a bit. With a definite “yes” and a siting of current laws on allowable noise and reasonable times, immediate action was taken. Our thanks to Mr. Hebert who has since retired …
Reading the Newspaper
In the News… Today- Woman injured by a vehicle near Parker Road and Manchaug Road yesterday morning – Well that explains what all the sirens were about. Yesterday-Mass Environmental Police announce increase in patrols on selected lakes across the state after recent jetski accidents.Remember when operating a jetski that you must wear a life jacket, cannot operate between sunset and sunrise, cannot operate within 150 feet of a beach, cannot tow anything, and cannot operate if under 16 years old. – In N.H. a woman pinned down a fox and held it there for 10 minutes waiting for police after it bit her daughter. Glad it wasn’t our foxes from Manchaug Pond!.. You know I haven’t seen a fox this year in Area 3. Wonder were the little ones who sat on my porch last year went to live. Thursday – Two black bears eating at a bird feeder on a deck at a home on Coes Pond in Worester. Wasn’t it just a few years ago a black bear was spotted here on Manchaug Pond in Area 5 eating seeds from a bird feeder! Take those feeders in early in the season! – In Douglas, an article titled “Decision …
Haybale Maze?
My husband came home a few weeks ago with “You’ve got to see this!” Neither the property owner building the new summer cottage, my husband nor I had heard of this… an access for critters mandated by the Conservation Commission! It is a break in the fence which allows wildlife to come up from the lake yet still prevents erosion into the lake during construction. Wouldn’t you know that beside this duck, a snapping turtle was found last week on the construction site! Each year a female snapper comes up from the lake at this house or the one next to it, crosses the road and heads up the neighbor’s lawn to find a spot in the shrub bed to lay its eggs. Incredible isn’t it! And to think we could be living in a 3 decker in Worcester missing all this! 🙂 Enjoy the lake! Today was the longest day of the year I’m told.
Yesterday’s Evening Cruise
A beautiful evening to kayak around the lake.This mother and daughter from Douglas access the lake from our State Boat Ramp for a trip around the lake after supper.
Lake Views from the Board Meeting
A recent Board meeting held on the Douglas shore provided these views for those attending. What a peaceful cove! Also, we are in need of an area representative from Area 3 to serve on the Board of Directors. The husband and wife team who served this area recently sold their home on the lake. If you are interested in taking a more active role, learning more of the details effecting our lake and the association and could spare a Thursday evening now and then let me know!
Salute! Yesterday was Flag Day!
Flags fly high and proud on Manchaug Pond! Makes me think to look ahead, as in less than a month we will celebrate our nation’s birth on July 4th. Decorate your boat, your home, or both! We’ll post photos! Also mark your calendar for the lighting of flares around the shore will take place on July 3rd with flares available at the area campground stores or from your area representatives. Also mark down the Annual Meeting scheduled for Saturday, August 18th. The menu, speaker and other details are being worked out. At the last board meeting, it was actually brought up that we should forget about the brownies from Helen’s bakery and go with ice cream! Another individual suggested, since our chef sold her home on the lake, that we have grinders from a local pizza place rather than our traditional hamburgers, hotdogs and corn on the cob! 40 years of success and now a suggestion to change the menu! Radical, don’t you think! ACTUALLY, email your suggestions right here and we’ll get them to the Board of Directors!! (I need to figure out how to put one of those survey/polls on the blog!)