HomeMy Public PortalAboutM&FWQC 2018-10-15 I r�
V
Marine and Fresh Water Quality Committee (MFWQC) r; 1 ,Q
Minutes 1
October 15, 2018 U �C
Skaket Room, Orleans Town Hall, 1O a.m. L��`�
',ri ,rd��(i 1
°:47f`5
OR E Nc Tira,i r;i EPX
Committee Members Attending: Carolyn Kennedy(Chair),Mike Brink,Judith Bruce, Carol Etzold, Ed
Hafner,Betsy Furtney and Lara Slifka.
The meeting was called to order at 10:06 a.m. Carolyn handed out three documents (see below) and
asked to add three items to today's agenda.These were added without objection: (1)A note from Tom
Daley concerning our Lab in the annex; (2)An update from the Board of Selectmen meeting where
Carolyn presented the Management Plan for Uncle Harvey's Pond; (3) Carolyn's presentation
regarding the ongoing development of the Crystal Lake Management Plan to the Friends of Crystal
Lake at their last meeting.
1)Approval of Minutes
The August 13, 2018 minutes were approved after addition to Sarah's Pond updates section. (6-0-1).
The September 17,2018 minutes were approved after two additions/corrections (6-0-1). [Motions,
Judith,second by Carol]
2) Estuaries water quality sampling,summer 2018-charts
Carolyn passed out charts with this year's dissolved oxygen (DO)field measurement data from
sampling sites in Nauset Estuary/Cape Cod Bay and the Upper Pleasant Bay. Several of the sites had
readings below the minimum DO standard of 5.0 mg/L. Paw Wah Pond bottom had essentially zero
reading for dissolved oxygen for its three August samplings;the head of Town Cove site mirrored this
with readings of 0.33 ppm or less. Some of the sites had high DO levels at times,which is a sign of
potential algal blooms (i.e.,where oxygen is produced by photosynthesis). Lonnies Pond had low DO
readings at the bottom and somewhat high surface readings at times,again indicative of algal blooms.
No conclusions from the impact of the oyster aquaculture there are obvious. SMAST is to provide a
report about Lonnies water quality. There was discussion on how we could use the data to educate the
public (website?) about the necessity of clean-up efforts for our waters. Again,it was noted that while
Carolyn is doing all the work in gathering up the data,we would like to have a "Central Person"to do it
for the Town. See below for a discussion of the "job description"for this person.
3) Freshwater ponds:
*PALS
The EXCEL spreadsheet(see below,Documents)was briefly reviewed.The data is from last
fall's samplings of our ponds.A couple of outlier points were highlighted as requiring
"additional context,"including a high chlorophyll reading for Icehouse Pond and an average
looking,but perhaps historically high,total nitrogen reading for Shoal Pond.
* QAPP-Volunteer handbook-progress report(Lara)
Lara gave an update on the progress of developing a handbook and aids for volunteer pond
samplers. She wants to provide materials to help with the identification of invasive and native
1
plant species.Massachusetts and New Hampshire have booklets for this,we should get copies
to see if they fit our needs.Lara asked for help in requesting copies and Betsy volunteered.
A laminated instruction sheet for volunteers will be provided. Pond maps with contours are
also desirable,among other things. She will send around a draft of her efforts when ready. The
materials can be used to revise the QAPP in two years,when revision is possible.
4) Expenditures on freshwater pond projects
Carolyn discussed efforts to provide cost estimates for the various pond management projects. (Betsy
recused herself from this item,as it involved Uncle Harvey's Pond). Carolyn has a rough estimate at
this time. The general agreement was that George Meservey should be the one to provide more
accurate data. A motion was made by Ed and seconded by Judith to request this data from George in
time for our next meeting(Nov 11). It passed 7-0-0.
5) Center for Coastal Studies/SMAST re: Estuaries database report
Last month,we received a letter from Richard Delaney of the Center for Coastal Studies
(Provincetown) objecting to certain portions of the Estuaries Database Report that Ed Eichner of the
Coastal Studies Group (SMAST) presented to our Committee a couple of months ago. Part of SMAST's
agreement with the Town was that they would give a public presentation of their report,and we were
asked by George Meservey to be the public venue for this presentation. George has asked Mr.Delaney
for a written clarification of his concerns,and it was agreed by the Committee to wait for it before
deciding on what to do next,if anything.
At this time,the additional agenda items Carolyn proposed at the start of the meeting were taken up:
(1) Tom Daley plans to move all of his operation to their new building this fall.Has space to store our
items that need to remain above freezing. The question remains,what happens to our Lab equipment
and functions?
(2) Carolyn attended a recent Board of Selectman meeting and gave them our recommendations for
the use of alum to treat Uncle Harvey's Pond. (Betsy recused herself from this item).There was no
discussion amongst the Selectmen;that comes later.We agreed to keep the item on our agenda until
progress can be reported.
(3) Carolyn gave a presentation to the Friends of Crystal Lake on the anticipated Management Plan for
Crystal Lake,describing the kinds of data that is being currently collected by SMAST.
[Some of the following items were taken out of order.]
7) Pilgrim Herring Run update
Judy Scanlon,audience member,at our request,gave an update of our Herring Run improvements and
count numbers. The improvements are taking more time than anticipated,so comparison of
automated counting with the visual random counts made by volunteers could not be made this season.
These latter efforts have given us data for 11 years. In the early years,very few fish (low hundreds)
were seen,but recently there have been big increases. Last year, 2,885 fish were counted; this
translates (using mathematical algorithms)into maybe 28,000 (+1- 14,000),or so,total fish for the
seasonal run. Disappointingly,the count for glass eels was way down this year,perhaps due to the four
severe storm events we experienced in March.
2
The improvements being done at the run in conjunction with the Dept of Marine Fisheries were
described in a recent Cape Cod Chronicle story. On October 18th,the annual meeting of the Cape Cod
herring run folks will take place to compare count numbers.
A discussion commenced again on the recurrent desire to have a staff person in charge of all matters
relating to Town water quality and related items.The idea is to proceed slowly and ask for a person to
carry out a job encompassing perhaps these four specific items:
1. Supervise and monitor efforts by volunteers to sample and record observations on the water
quality of our ponds and estuaries.
2. Coordinate with SMAST and others in gathering the lab test data regarding our waters.
3. Be a caretaker for the Lab equipment,maintaining and purchasing new equipment as needed.
4. Keep Town up-to-date and educated on state DEP regulatory requirements.
6) Committee officer elections
Betsy made a motion to approve Lara as our Clerk,which Judith seconded.Vote: 7-0-0.
Betsy nominated Carolyn to be our Chairperson,and Ed seconded the motion.Vote: 7-0-0.
Carolyn put forward Betsy to be Vice-Chairperson,and Mike seconded the motion.Vote: 7-0-0.
8) Future agenda items
Cedar Pond will be put on the agenda. Also,as stated earlier,Uncle Harvey's Pond regarding BOS
updates will be taken up. The response from Richard Delaney will be added when we receive it. The
volunteer handbook project will be added.
9) Public speak
Suzanne Moore said that the Cape Cod Commission policy report is available on their website. It
appears that efforts to improve freshwater ponds and lakes are being"de-emphasized." Public
meetings about this are coming up in Truro,Yarmouth and one other location.
Adjournment
Meeting unanimously adjourned (motion-Betsy;second-Judith) at 12:01 p.m. Vote: 7-0-0.
Future Meeting Dates
11/19, 12/17 (10 a.m.)
Submitted by Ed Hafner,MFWQC Clerk
Documents (available in Planning Department)
1- Chart,entitled Nauset Estuary/Cape Cod Bay Samples-draft worksheet- DO field measurements-
2018.
2- Chart,entitled Upper Pleasant Bay Samples-draft worksheet-DO field measurements -2018.
3 - EXCEL spreadsheet, entitled"Laboratory data provided without cost and in support of the Cape Cod
Pond and Lake Stewardship (PALS)program"by Coastal Systems Group,School for Marine Science and
Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
3
•
•
a
. .
.
•
. .
.
. .
,
.
.
.
•
•
.
.
. .
•
a
a
•