380 acres of Great Pond located in the towns of Douglas and Sutton, Massachusetts, USA.
Join the Manchaug Pond Foundation (MPF) in promoting the welfare and correct use of the lake and its watershed!
An agreement concerning the Manchaug Pond state boat ramp has been worked out between MassWildlife and the town of Sutton. January 17, 2012 the Sutton Board of Selectman reviewed and approved the details as follows:
Fee structure of $6 for in state and $12 for out of state users. (no change)
User fees collected 24/7 (new- expands from seasonal weekends to daily, year round)
Lockbox/honor system for collection (new)
Police patrols, with fines for non-payment.
Discussion noted the fees as another revenue source for not only the maintainance of the ramp and quality of the lake but for the maintenance of the dam. "No dam, no need for the ramp."
The Manchaug Pond Foundation is continuing to work closely with the town on this new arrangement.
Of interest is the following editorial appearing in the Worcester Telegram written by a friend of Manchaug Pond, Eric Kaplan the Conservation Director of the Mass Bass Federation:
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 AS I SEE IT
A win for the environment
By Erik Kaplan
The problem is serious. More than 500 power plants in the U.S. belch 48 tons of mercury pollution each year.
During the recent holiday season, most Americans were busy making their
lists and checking them twice, and weren’t paying attention to whether
Congress was being naughty or nice. Fortunately, President Obama and the
Environmental Protection Agency gave us a big dose of holiday cheer —
new limits on mercury and other toxic air pollutants that spew out of
coal and oil-fired power plants.
Some in Congress are still preparing to deliver the proverbial
“lump of coal” not just to our stockings, but to our lungs, to our
airways and, most frighteningly, to our children’s brains, by blocking
clean air safeguards against harmful air pollution from mercury and
other pollutants. But the Obama administration’s action will make it a
bit harder for polluters and their allies to threaten our health.
The problem is serious. More than 500 power plants in the U.S.
belch 48 tons of mercury pollution each year. That mercury falls into
our waterways through rain and snow, washes off the land and builds up
in fish and the animals that consume fish — other fish, black ducks,
loons, eagles and humans.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that is especially dangerous to
children and pregnant women. Mercury exposure affects a child’s ability
to walk, talk, read, write and learn. Until now, there were no national
limits to how much toxic mercury pollution a coal plant could pump into
the air. The mercury contamination problem in the U.S. is so widespread
that up to one in ten women of childbearing age is likely to have
mercury levels in her blood high enough to put her baby at risk for
mercury poisoning.
Every angler and hunter knows that a successful outdoor
experience depends on a healthy environment. Yet every state has a fish
consumption advisory for mercury. Almost half of U. S. lakes and
reservoirs have mercury amounts exceeding safe levels. Massachusetts has
125 bodies of water where the fish can’t be eaten at all, or can be
eaten only in small amounts and infrequently. Nearly all fish and
shellfish contain traces of mercury, according to EPA. Who wants to take
home a mercury-laden fish for dinner?
The new limits will cut mercury emissions from power plants by
91 percent, acid gas pollution by 91 percent, and particulate matter by
30 percent. These reductions, combined with the forthcoming
“cross-state” rule, will translate into $340 billion in reduced health
care costs and healthier lives. In addition to mercury and arsenic,
power plants emit lead, other heavy metals, dioxin and acid gases that
threaten public health. Even in small amounts these pollutants are
linked to cancer, heart disease, neurological damage, birth defects,
asthma attacks and premature death.
This could prevent up to 11,000 heart attacks and 120,000 asthma
attacks a year and save more than 17,000 lives over the next year
alone. In fact, the health benefits associated with these updated
standards are $59 billion to $140 billion in 2016. This means that for
every dollar spent to reduce pollution from power plants, we get $5 to
$13 in health benefits.
The truth is simple: Industry leaders and their Washington
lobbyists don’t care about our kids; they only care about their bottom
line. But for me and for parents everywhere, the bottom line is the
health and safety of our kids. We need to protect the clean air and
public health policies that work for our families and protect our kids.
We need to do everything we can to reduce harmful air pollution from
toxics like mercury and arsenic and oppose the big polluters who say our
kids aren’t worth the cost of reducing these dangerous emissions. I
applaud the Obama administration for taking bold steps to do just that.
Erik Kaplan is the President of the Massachusetts Bass Federation.
You never know what, or who, you will see when you look our your window here in the watershed of Manchaug Pond! Today, walking casually down the road, was a new bird this writer had yet to see this close to the lake: a ringed-neck pheasant!
He walked down the road, across a neighbors lawn, along the shore to the water's edge, stood on a rock to look around, and then flew across the channel over to the other side.
Here's a close up:
Did you know their feathers are used in fly tying!
Our recent fundraiser, the Patriots Ticket Raffle, not only brought in needed funds for our effort to preserve our water level, but also great excitement for those buying and selling tickets as well as the winner and his guests!
4 tickets were presented to the holder of winning ticket # 200 (the last ticket printed!)
Thank you to all who participated and to the Patriots for winning this game!
Here's a photo of a few wild turkeys from a flock of about 40 who ventured up the driveway of a Manchaug Pond home in the Douglas woods a couple days after Thanksgiving.
Thank you to the vegetarian photographer for sending this in!
Sutton Town Administrator Jim Smith reports the town has been awarded the Green Communities' Grant in the amount of $140,000. Included in the list of items earmarked to benefit from these monies is a feasibility study looking at hydropower at the Manchaug Pond and Stevens dams.
The grant was part of the administrator and selectman's decision and push to align the town's goals with the Green Community initiative. Selectman Geraghty stated the grant was very substantial for a town the size of Sutton.
Past photo of the Manchaug Pond dam with flow from the low level gate.
Dear Manchaug Pond Association/The Dam Race Organizers,
I wanted to send a quick thank you note to express how wonderful your race was on October 15th and how much my family and I enjoyed it! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming!
The scenery was lovely, the volunteers were extremely helpful (especially the kind gentleman who let us use his RV bathroom!) and it was an outstandingly organized race! Looking forward to next year's race already!
SUTTON —
Voters at last night’s fall town meeting voted overwhelmingly to allow
the Board of Selectmen to purchase Manchaug Dam on Torrey Road for $1.
The dam’s current owner, Hydro Projects North, which is a
subsidiary of Interface Inc. of Atlanta, has also agreed to give the
town $350,000 for the maintenance of the dam that controls the level of
380-acre Manchaug Pond.
Before the vote was taken by the approximately 200 people at the
meeting, Manchaug Pond Association member Andrew Mosher commended the
Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator James Smith for their efforts
to negotiate the offer that was being considered last night. Mr. Mosher
said purchasing the dam was a quality-of-life issue for the people
living on the shores of the pond. Other people said the entire town
would benefit from the purchase of the dam that was built in 1836.
While the Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee voted 4-1 to
back the article, member Robert Recore said he was worried about the
town’s liability if the dam was bought. He wondered how long the
$350,000 would last and how much it would cost the town if a major
incident occurred.
Voters at last night’s 70-minute meeting also voted to spend
$32,700 to pay for work at town-owned Marion’s Camp and for an article
that would prohibit solar power installations of over 250 kilowatts in
residential areas.
— Bill Fortier
* * *
TESTIMONY OF THE MANCHAUG POND ASSOCIATION/FOUNDATION
Presented by Andrew Mosher, Treasurer
Thank you, my name is Andrew Mosher. I live on Putnam Hill Rd and have been a resident of Sutton for approx. 40 years, have my business here, and care very much for this town.
Tonight, I speak for the Manchaug Pond Association and its newly formed non-profit foundation, of which I serve as treasurer. Our organization, 44 years old and 100 members strong, applauds the Board of Selectman in putting forth this article which preserves one of the town's largest and important natural resources - Manchaug Pond.
The beauty and benefits of Manchaug Pond are immeasurable. As a public lake, it offers 380 acres of year-round recreation to all through the public boat ramp, the 3 private campgrounds on its shores and the 4th at its' inlet, and the non-profits of the YMCA Camp Blanchard and the living history museum, and conservation lands of Waters Farm.
The economic contribution in property values of the homes and summer camps along the shoreline and the tourism dollars to area businesses from the over 500 campsites, filled April through November, is significant to say the least.
Environmentally, Manchaug Pond fisheries and the boarding ecosystem and watershed are part of a broader wildlife corridor and trail system which are all dependent on the lake and its waterlevel.
The dam is key to the preservation of Manchaug Pond and Torrey Road, to its vital work as a reservoir for flood control and maintaining a flow to the Mumford/Blackstone River system. It greatly enhances the quality of life for those who come to this corner of Sutton.
The Manchaug Pond Association and Foundation fully supports article 8. We recognize the dam owner's contribution in providing the funds necessary for its future care. We commend Town Administrator Jim Smith and the Board of Selectman for their foresight and hard work in bringing a workable solution to protecting Manchaug Pond for our community and generations to come.
Thank you.
* * *
Sutton Annual Fall Town Meeting
Monday, October, 17, 2011
Warrant Article 8 Sponsor: Board of Selectman
To
see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectman to
acquire by gift, purchase, eminent domain or otherwise, for general
municipal purposes, on such terms and conditions as the Selectmen deem
appropriate, all or any portion of the lands and improvements thereon in
Sutton and Douglas presently owned by the Manchaug Reservoir
Corporation, which are believed to include the Manchaug Pond Dam
(National Dam ID No. MA 00955), as well as lands bordering on, flowed by
or beneath the high water mark of Manchaug Pond, and to authorize the
Board of Selecmen to enter into all agreements and to execute on behalf
of the Town andy and all instruments as may be necessary or convenient
to effectuate this acquisition, and further to authorize the Board of
Selectmen to seek such authorization and approval of the General Court
as is necessary to allow for such acquisition: or take any action
relative thereto.
Finance and Warrant
Advisory Committee voted 4-1 to recommend passage of this article. this
article allows the town to take possession of a dam along with receipt
of a $350,000 grant for maintenance and upkeep. The town plans to
install hydroelectric capacity on the dam to provide continuing revenue
streams. The dissenting vote reflects concerns over costs and
liabilities of owning and operating the dam as well as the limited
usefulness of the dam to the majority of citizens.
"This is the best little race we run in a long time!" "What a wonderful spirit!"
Jake Murray 23:08 1st Place Men's
Eric Shrayer 23:23 2nd Place Men's
Linda Spooner 24:44 1st Women's
Howard Bottomly 26:16 3rd Men's
Greg Dubell 26:16 4th Men's
Nicole Salmonsen Gantt 26:48 2nd Women's
Nancy Ryan 27:59 3rd Women's
Chris Sullivan 28:59
Richard Costa 29:11
Lizette Gomer 29:18
Donna LeBlanc 29:50
Larry Costinos 30:31
Sandra Kuipers 31:09
Jill Bronson 31:55
Michael Frost 32:29
Katie Schmidt 33:49
Michael Andrus 34:11
Tessy Schlemmer 34:50
Laura Turner 35:16
Kathleen Laperle 35:25
Lauren Salmonsen 36:22
Kevin Stockhaus 36:41
Danielle Salmonsen 36:53
Paul Eklund 38:41
Patti Eklund 38:41
Kathleen Rocha 39:41
Kathy Lyons 39:41
Maddie Vega 42:23
Judy Castonguay 50:45
Jackie Isble 51:30
Rose Charpentier 57:27
Lesa Bickford 1:02:41
Kim Mosher 1:02:41
Kandi Schmidt 1:05:10
Timmy Isble 1:05:11
Andrew Biafore 1:06:47
Kate Biafore 1:06:47
Monica Gauthier 1:09:30
Paula DeMeo 1:09:30
Alice Smith 1:12:45
A big and hearty congratulations and thank you to all those who ran, walked, rode in a stroller, cheer'ed us on, donated and volunteers! All to benefit the preservation of Manchaug Pond. (Check in later for photos and more!)
Race Day is here! And the weather forecast is calling for clear skies!
Thank you to those who have registered to run! or walk!
Runners should park at the finish line which this year is at the crosswalk at 19 Holt Road across from Kings Family Campground.
Beginning at 8 am, Knights Limousine will shuttle you to the start at Waters Farm.
Registration for all runners will begin at 8:30 am at Waters Farm. If you haven't registered, you can do so the day of the race!
All proceeds do benefit the Manchaug Pond Foundation and our work to preserve the water level and dam.
Race begins at 9:30 am. Water station at
Holbrook's Campground. Restroom facilities at start, water station and finish.
Finish line this year is past the dam around the corner to the crosswalk at 19 Holt Road in front of King's Campground store. Refreshments, music and more.
See you there!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
! WIN ! ~ PATRIOTS RAFFLE ~ ! WIN !
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!
WIN 4 TICKETS ~ $20/chance
Seating just 8 rows behind Coach Belichick on the Patriots' 50 yard line.
NE Patriots Vs. Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, December 4, 2011 @ 8 pm.
