Preserving Manchaug Pond For Now and The Future
The Manchaug Pond Foundation, and previously as the Manchaug Pond Association, has near 60 years of tirelessly working to preserve and protect our amazing natural water resource, Manchaug Pond. While many think of this 380 acre lake as their favorite recreation area, a great spot for bass fishing, a cherished camping area, and more, the lake is part of the Blackstone River system serving as the headwaters to a tributary, the Mumford River which impacts areas well beyond the shoreline.
Working together we are able to have a giant affect. Our organization takes a multifaceted and holistic approach to the stewardship and conservation of the lake and watershed in cooperation with local leaders, regional, state and federal agencies and organizations. Please read on and consider getting involved with the Manchaug Pond Foundation!
STE-WARD-SHIP: the careful and responsible management and conservation of the land's natural resources which involves a long-term commitment to maintaining the land's ecological integrity for current and future generations.
Dam & Water Level
- Ownership: in cooperation with the Town of Sutton, Manchaug Pond Foundation negotiated and secured local ownership, the Town of Sutton, from the previous international textile manufacturer.
- Maintenance: Negotiated donation to the new dam owner, the Town of Sutton, of $350,000 maintenance funding from textile mill owner to ensure funding for future needs.
- Water level and timing: Holding the flow-rights to the pond, Manchaug Pond Foundation is in communication with the local dam caretaker to ensure flood control; healthy fisheries, wetlands, and connectivity to coldwater fisheries; mechanical control of aquatic invasive species control through lake-level drawdown; safe recreation; public access and tourism, property values; and quality of life.
Visit our Waterlevel & Dam page!
Watershed Conservation
- Lake & Watershed Land Preservation: through securing the deed to the lake flow rights in Douglas and Sutton, saving and preserving 100 acres of prime watershed from development, and working with the Metacomet Land Trust, Town of Sutton, and individual property owners to permanently protect Manchaug Pond water level and water quality throughout the watershed.
WA-TER-SHED: The entire region draining into a river, river system, or other body of water.
WA-TER-SHED PRO-TEC-TION: protecting a lake, river, or stream by managing the entire watershed that drains into it.
CON-SER-VA-TION: the careful preservation, protection, and restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, native vegetation, and wildlife populations.
Let's do it, together!
Water Quality
Keeping Manchaug Pond healthy and clean has been a goal since organizing to work together in 1967 as the Manchaug Pond Association. Today, our approach and methods are varied and multi-faceted expanding beyond the lake and its shoreline residents to the many users and watershed residents and system-wide with such groups as the Blackstone River Coalition, Worcester Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative, Blackstone Watershed Collaborative, and Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition. Join us to ensure Manchaug Pond will continue to remain for today and future generations.
Action areas include:
- Water sampling, testing and monitoring on-lake and in the watershed.
- Installation of structural BMP's of catch basins, filter systems, rain gardens near the lake and in the watershed as well as educational outreach to targeted groups from watershed residents, campers, young people, and hobby farmers funded by three s.319 Non-point Source Pollution Grant Awards.
- No Invasives-Be a Weed Watcher! Aquatic Plant Surveys, invasive weed and species detection, management, and if possible, eradication.
- Educational resources targeting special groups, available at two kiosks - at the state boat ramp and at the Overlook, at the campgrounds, and online with specialize website pages to adults and youth, watershed residents and campers, visitors, horse owners students and educators in the watershed towns of Sutton, Douglas and Oxford and beyond.
Since the beginning of the Manchaug Pond Association’s, now Foundation’s, existence we have been active in monitoring the health of the lake’s water quality through testing and securing three s. 319 Non-point Source Pollution Grant Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP).
The map shows the project sites made possible through the grants, with photos and information for each point of interest completed in the Manchaug Pond watershed. Simply click on a point of interest to learn about the improvements made to filter pollutants, nutrients and sediments from reaching Manchaug Pond.
For further information and what you can do around your home and landscape, please refer to our Resources pages. Whether you live, camp, farm, or visit, - adult, teacher or student - we have information for you!
Click to Visit our Water Quality Pages!