Heavy Rains, Runoff a Test for Grant Sitework

The afternoon brought heavy rains to already saturated soils here in the Manchaug watershed. 2 plus inches of rain by the rain gauge lakeside.

Here down past the village on Whitins Road a tree took down wires and made travel a bit dangerous.

But back at Manchaug Pond as we check in on the site work for the stormwater grant at the Public Access Boat Ramp, we see a lot of runoff being caught and filtered.

The Highway department foreman had the original asphalt taken out at the edge putting a greater slope in around the cobblestones to allow the flow off the parking lot into the plunge pools.

We definitely will need plants that can handle lots of moisture and wet roots! Native species have been chosen and ordered from the New England Wildflower Society.

Our MPA s.319 Grant Coordinator and Sutton Town Highway Department Superintendent are already discussing needs on the other side of the ramp parking lot to capture and filter the runoff there. So after this grant is completed next year, the MPA and the town will partner with pen to paper in hand to forge a new grant project to further address water quality and weed growth here on Manchaug.

Furthering the benefits to our water resources, the town is using this technology over at the Marion’s Camp Town Beach on Lake Singletary with the planning of 3 rain gardens in the parking lot area.