The Dam – “What’s Going On?!” Update 3

Yesterday our MPA President spoke with Fuddy’s boss – Guilford’s plant engineer… it is clear the dam remains a priority and serious business with Guilford even though the operation has relocated to North Carolina and in light of this new development with the broken gate. The concern at present is the amount of water flowing out (too much) and the upcoming hurricane season and inability to control the water flow on a daily basis. Without the gate, the water will be controlled buy removing or inserting boards from the spillway. The boards do allow for lowering and raising but just not the daily fine tuning we are used to. Also the gate cannot be fixed until the lake level is drawn down. Divers inspecting the gate and taking measurements last week noted the incredible force of the water in this area making underwater repairs impossible. I’ll keep you posted!

The Dam – “What’s Going On?!” Update 2

Fuddy, Guilford’s caretaker, called last night to report the sandbags at the dam gate held us at 5″ under full over the weekend.( FYI: Whitins Reservoir, the other dam Fuddy watches, lost 1″ through evaporation.) After today’s reading, if there is a loss of water, Guilford may decided to put additional sandbags to stop the flow further. Fuddy will keep us posted. Stay tuned!

The Dam – “What’s Going On?!” Update

Well, Guilford and R.H. White have been at the dam all day! We checked in with them a little after 7 a.m., a few times during the day and again before 4 p.m. when divers were again coming out of the water. The news isn’t good. Seems there was debris near the gate but that is not what caused the damage – the shaft of the gate is broken. Old age. Can’t just order parts for something like that. They have to be made. Guilford has 200 sandbags positioned to reduce the flow of water out of the lake. Fuddy will do his best to keep the water at this level – using the boards to lower in case of heavy rain/flood conditions.Repairs will be made in the fall when the water level is taken down.

The Dam – “What’s Going On?!”

Guilford has called in the professionals to dive down to get a view of the gate as something (a branch?) is preventing the dam gate from closing. We are 4 inches down from full. Stay tuned! By the way… if you have questions or opinions about the water level PLEASE DO NOT call Guilford in Douglas or in Maine. It really does NOT get you anywhere. Also you should know that while you’re calling for Guilford to close the gate, someone else is complaining the water is too high! It doesn’t make us look good as a group. Guilford has a mandate from DEP to maintain a flow for the sewerage treatment plants in Douglas and they have their rule curve they have been following for years. Ask Fuddy or your MPA Area Rep. or Officer or check here for more info.

Water Level 3 Inches Down From Full

Our dam caretaker reports trouble closing the dam, so a little more water than he would like has been going out the gate. He suspects debris from a previous storm is preventing them from closing the gate so divers are being called in to check it out.

Fireworks!

Millbury, Auburn and Northbridge Sunday night; Worcester Monday night and Manchaug Pond EVERY night! Sorry my camera didn’t capture the beauty! Anyone have better – send them in!

How about “Pink Sky at Night, Sailor’s Delight”!

My 9 year old daughter took this picture this evening. We are looking forward to a great weekend and 4th of July!! Fireworks, cookouts, marshmallows and campfires, family and friends. Remember the MPA tradition… the lighting of the flares around the shoreline… July 3rd at 9 p.m.

The Lake and Pet/Animal Waste

Rain yesterday, today and tomorrow. When it is not raining, the air is 100% humidity. Did you know Fuddy did a rain dance? Did you know a couple hundred residents of Whitin Reservoir met at St. Denis Church to talk about their dam and the water level? – not in the hall but upstairs in the church and many prayed for higher water. Everyone can stop dancing and praying! enough rain! Seriously, I have a little educational piece for you to check out. I found it while looking for info on dirt roads and nonpoint source pollution. You see, these heavy rains wash sediment into the lake as well as whatever else is found in the watershed: sand and salt off roads, fertilizers from lawns, oils, detergents, as well as bacteria from animal wastes and livestock manures. Check out the “DEP Fact Sheets” under Links in the column on the right. I had to take it out of the post area as it was too big:Educational nonpoint source brochure: Pet waste. January 2003. It will make you think! Tomorrow I will tell you about the state grant the MPA has submitted to help protect our water from these sorts of …

Town of Sutton Transfer Station Goes to Bags

This week is it to dump that rubbish before the “Pay-As-You-Throw” Program begins at the Sutton transfer station. July 1st you will need a $25.00 1 year sticker/permit to enter the station and dispose of recycleables, bags of rubbish and other items. The town has a long list of “other items” and their fees from $5 for a can of paint to $10. for a chair to $25. for a TV. And the bags…. a big $2.50 for the 33 gallon size (Worcester charges $1, I am told) and $1.25 for the 14 gallon bag. The bags are only available at the Town Hall and the Sutton Center Store/gas station. With recycling and composting, my household still generates about 6-10 14 gallon bags a week. Thats a good total and $$ per year! Perhaps a compactor for unrecycleable plastics and a shredder to recycle or campfire the office paper!

Another Sunday Visitor for Area 4

Another Sunday morning and we have company! A month ago it was a fox on my door step. This morning a visit from Mrs. Mallard and the twins! You can see the route she took: over the yard of the lake-front cottage, across the road, and on to my lawn. Perhaps the rain has made for few handouts on the lake (or she has had enough of the rain too and longs for dry land!) How many little families are on the lake this season? Anyone counting? On the serious side… another visitor came in the afternoon – the MPA President. He brought sample legislation and bylaws for me to review for the watershed district effort. We’re moving ahead! Check back – I’ll keep you posted!

UNANIMOUS! Pursue Watershed District!

A crowded hall was the location of last night’s meeting called by the Manchaug Pond Association to discuss the sale of the dam at Manchaug Pond and explore the option of establishing a watershed district. MPA members and other residents along the lake’s shore listened to the COLAP speaker and District Clerk of Cedar Meadow Lake Watershed District tell of the sale of his lake’s dam, and the 7 years of low water levels held by the new owner to try to get $$ out of the residents. The MPA President led the meeting explaining the vote of the Board to Directors to point the MPA to the best option for the members and other residents: formation of a watershed district. The MPA has been talking with the mill and their law firm for a few months monitoring the situation and keeping communication open.

Red Sky at Night, Sailors’ Delight. NOT!

What a storm came up moments after this red sky showed itself!! Mega wind, hail, rain, thunder, lightning. Whew! Glad our house is one row back as half the back yard, cabanas, etc, blew east into the trees as it is! (This picture is what you see when you are not waterfront…. before you run down to the lake!)