M & F WQTF Minutes
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Marine and Fresh Water Quality Task Force I Skaket Room, Orleans Town Hall January 9, 2017 10:00 AM t7 v Task Force Members attending: Carolyn Kennedy( chair), Judy Scanlon ( vice- chair), Mike Brink, Carol Etzold, Betsy Furtney( temp clerk). Also Charles Harris (Eastham) and Ed Maroney( Cape Cod Chronicle). ORLEANS Tuwk CLCRk Meeting called to order at 10: 15 AM 1 F B 21 : 11:P Minutes of December 19, 2016 were reviewed and final changes will be added for review and approval. e-4)) kat Proposed Revision of Charge: Proposal was reviewed, additional suggestions were provided. The Chair will revise the document and send out via email. She also provided a draft memo to BOS for transmittal of the proposal. Fresh Water Pond Data: Carolyn and Judy used Excel spreadsheets to input and display pond data from 16 ponds. These are being sent to Ed Eichner, Water Scientist, for his work with the Freshwater Ponds Management Planning Work Group. He will combine this data with the results of the chemical analyses done by SMAST and other labs to give an analysis of the health of each pond. This data will be used to prioritize ponds for future individual management plans. Carolyn led a discussion of the unusual factors that can affect individual ponds which included large populations of gulls and ducks being attracted to Crystal lake in the past, very cold groundwater in Boland Pond, and the growth of plants within ponds. Carol remarked that she had seen a Glacier Bay Presentation with excellent graphics that she thought might be useful for the display of pond data. She will follow up with the Center for Coastal Studies to learn more about the graphics in their presentation. We briefly covered the criteria that could be used in selecting which ponds should have the first management plans developed for them. These included presence of fish runs, types of algae present( cyanobacteria), town landings or other public access, rare plant species, citizen interest, aesthetics, contact recreational opportunities. An article from the N. Y. Times entitled " What the Muck of Walden Pond Tells Us About Our Planet" was distributed to increase our understanding of the role of phosphorus in sediments that can be rereleased into the water column similar to what happened at Cliff Pond in Nickerson State Park and happens in Orleans ponds. Aquaculture update: The Lonnie' s Pond oysters have officially been put to bed by lowering them into the pond above the muck level for the winter. A survey will be sent to Town Cove abutters asking for their opinion of future aquaculture equipment within their viewshed. Quahog population surveys will be done in Town Cove in the spring. A tally of the results of the Pleasant Bay growers survey is expected to be released soon. OWQAP Update: PRB at Nauset Middle School is up and running, quahog population survey as noted above, further assessment of potential disposal sites for wastewater effluent which will include cost comparisons of potential sites is ongoing. A brief discussion of the USGS data on the environmental conditions in the Namskaket Marsh ensued. Cedar Pond Update: The resolution with Eversource on cormorant wire relocation remains in court and BOS executive sessions to reach resolution. Other business: Carolyn became aware of a Nitrate App for the iPhone to give real-time measurements for pond water. She will investigate this potential application further. Adjournment at 11: 32 AM Respectfully submitted, Betsy Furtney.