WRAB-WWMPC
MINUTES OF 6/13/06 MEETING
2 P.M., TOWN HALL
Attending were: Co-Chair Whitmore, members Nugent, Lightfoot, Williams, Sullivan, Sandler and Bayne, Crowley, Lind, Eastham Pond Stewards samplers Ray and Roberta Carlson, Betty and Don Ouellette, Joe Bayne, Paul Higgins, Betsy Williamson, Andy Cederbaum, Milt Levy, and Martha Clark, and Bill Allan of Herring Rise Homeowners’Association.
Chair Whitmore explained that this meeting of the WRAB-WWMPC consists of the Eichner report and a discussion among interested parties regarding which six ponds will be studied more thoroughly by the CCC water quality (W.Q.) staff.
Pond study coordinator Bayne summarized the extent of the study and presented a large, high resolution aerial map of the 10 pond area of Eastham which had been prepared by Gail Fitzback of the Assessors Department. She then introduced Eichner, commenting that she had submitted about 6000 pieces of data to him.
Eichner presented the following information.
The study, funded by the Assembly of Delegates (AOD) and the CCC, consists of:
1.Collection and review of the data collected in years 2001-2005.
2. Development of recommendations for future monitoring.
3. Delineation of watersheds and water and phosphorus budgets for six ponds
4. Preparation of draft and final reports.
Additional money has been set aside from the current AOD budget for this project as well.
The quality of the Mass GIS aerials is so high that they may be used in future instead of Secchi measurements for clarity evaluations.
The study focuses on the data from 24 stations (10 ponds at 2 or 3 depths) taken during June through September 2001 through 2005. This included review of Secchi, dissolved oxygen (D.O.), temperature, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), ammonia, dissolved nutrients, and chlorophyll-a data. He explained that on Cape Cod ponds deeper than 9 meters stratify seasonally; those shallower usually do not because of the effect of the vigorous winds. Phosphorus is the key nutrient in fresh water, and it is a natural and necessary element in ponds; however, an excess of it overwhelms ponds and leads to an insufficient amount of D.O. to sustain life. Ponds, as wetlands, hold on to nutrients. Phosphorus is used by both rooted plants and algae.
His evaluations are based on CCC adopted standards for phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and nitrogen, and on State standards for clarity and dissolved oxygen. To define an unimpacted pond, Cape Cod uses a phosphorus standard of maximum 10 ppb, a nitrogen standard of .31 maximum ppm, and a chlorophyll-a standard of 1 ppb. To define swimming safety, the state requires 4 feet of visibility into a pond, thus the clarity standard of 4 feet. The state sets the D.O. standard of 4 ppm because less than that results in fish kills.
The results of these evaluations were displayed in tables showing averages of total phosphorus, total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi readings.
In each category, the vast majority of stations show impacted quality.
Twenty of 24 stations show impacted levels of phosphorus.
Eighteen of 24 stations show impacted levels of nitrogen.
Four ponds failed the clarity standard.
Eight of 24 stations failed the D.O. standard. Eichner is really troubled by the anoxic conditions of the shallow Minister and Schoolhouse. He is less troubled by the deep level anoxia in Herring, Great and Depot, because the deeper ponds stratify, leaving an isolated layer of water at the bottom. However, the low D.O. in Herring’s mid-level station is of concern.
He concluded with a chart in which he used his own system to weigh the results to rank the ponds’ water quality. In order of best to worst, they are:
Bridge
Moll’s
Jemima
Depot and Widow Harding
Minister
Schoolhouse
Muddy
Great
Herring
He then provided a summary of the next steps:
1. prepare monitoring recommendations for all ponds
2. choice of the six ponds on which he would do further detailed evaluation, which consists of:
review of all data
review of available USGS modeling for watersheds
3.Collection of info necessary to develop water and P budgets (current and historical land uses)
4. Develop water and P budgets and compare to W.Q. data.
5. Prepare draft and final reports.
Citizens were asked to submit relevant historic data on the 6 ponds, such as set back of leach fields, existence of phosphorus producing uses like dairy farms, piggeries, large scale development, former roads. Bayne stated that if interested persons call her, they can research BOH/building department files, and discuss historic uses with the Eastham Historical Society or Noel Beyle. Old pictures can be useful in this evaluation.
There were many questions:
How fast does P move through groundwater? How was the 300 foot set back of leach fields determined? P moves 300 feet in 90 years. Although N moves very quickly, P binds to soil particles.
Was the method used to evaluate water quality the same one used on other Cape ponds, and how do Eastham’s ponds compare to others?
It was the same one used by Eichner on other ponds, and although almost all Cape ponds are impacted, the anoxia situation in shallow Minister and Schoolhouse is unique in his work so far.
What ponds would he choose? On basis of water quality only, he would choose the 6 worst ponds.
What is alum treatment? It is an old and widely used treatment for water quality; it acts by binding P and dropping it to the sediments in the bottom of the pond.
Should interrelationship of ponds be considered in choosing the six? This could be a relevant factor, because it appears that as groundwater flows from north to south and toward Cape Cod bay, the more northerly ponds may shelter the more southerly and westerly ones from the effects of nutrients.
Do P and N and other parameters studied affect pond users? No. Bacteria is the relevant health parameter. Crowley mentioned that E-coli is the standard bacteria tested for on a weekly basis by the County at all public beaches; results are available on the County website.
Had Eichner considered the Seashore study which indicates N may be a more important factor than P in kettle ponds of outer Cape? He has discussed the findings with the author of the study, Steve Smith, and has told him of his concerns re the parameters of the study. He expects to stay in contact with Smith, who has funding for further work on the subject.
Are ponds fed by springs? No, they are fed below only by groundwater. The glacial deposits in which they rest are themselves stratified, course sand in one place, fine in another. The groundwater percolating through these varying materials moves much more quickly through the course soils, thus feeling like a spring.
Are there P removal systems? There are several on the market focused on the septic system, and they may work fairly well, but they leave a sludge which then has to be pumped, and may not be cost effective.
Does a title 5 system remove P better than a cesspool? Yes, it does, although not enough to solve the problem.
Has a Cape wide ban on fertilizer and pesticides been considered? It is being discussed in some circles, although not at town levels to his knowledge.
At the conclusion of the presentation and Q and A, the group decided to ask Eichner to do further study on these 6 ponds: Herring, Great, Depot, Muddy, Schoolhouse, and Minister. WRAB-WWMPC will send a letter to Eichner indicating that choice.
Next meeting of the WRAB-WWMPC will be on 7/11, 3 p.m., police station meeting room.
Submitted by Sandy Bayne, clerk
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