HomeMy Public PortalAboutM&FWQTF 2017-03-20 Marine and Fresh Water Quality Task Force
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Skaket Room,Orleans Town Hall 0/,�� e
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March 20,2017 10 AM l/�/ �(//i
Task Force Members Attending: Carolyn Kennedy(chair), Mike Brink, Carol Etzold, Betsy Furtney(temp
clerk), Ken Scott. Also attending Charles Harris(Eastham)
Meeting called to order 10 AM. 17 APR 24 11:35F
Minutes of December,2016 and February 21,2017 meetings were both approved, 5-0-0.
ORLEANS TUN CLEW:
Task Force Charge: On March 1, 2017 Carolyn and Carol attended the BOS meeting and the proposed
revisions to the Task Force's charge were discussed and approved with one minor change by Mr.
Dunford. John Kelly will add an explanation to allow the BOS to make minor modifications in the future
without requiring that it be submitted to Town Meeting.
Preparation for Freshwater Sampling Season: Carolyn distributed the list of the 15 ponds to be
monitored in between April 15 and May 15 in 2017. She is recruiting volunteers for the upcoming
season and will conduct a joint training session with Eastham samplers. Supplies have been ordered.
The spring samples are frozen and consolidated for a single trip to the Center for Coastal Studies lab.
Aug/Sept PALS samples are larger and must be delivered the same day as collected to the Cape Cod
Commission. Eastham and Orleans consolidate samples for transport each sampling day.
Preparation for Summer Estuary Sampling Season: Estuarine sampling is done on the same days within
a 3—hour window for all 26 stations.This requires recruiting approximately 65 samplers.Task Force
members are asked to recruit new volunteers and boaters for this effort. Carol Ridley will get an article
into the local newspapers soliciting additional volunteers.Technical Advisor to Pleasant Bay Alliance Bob
Duncanson has published the five dates for sample collection as determined by the tides. All samples are
consolidated and delivered to the SMAST lab on the same day as collected.
Fresh Water Working Group Progress: Uncle Harvey's Pond has been selected as the first pond to be
studied for a comprehensive management plan to improve its water quality. Carolyn distributed Ed
Eichner's draft Technical Support of the Town of Orleans report for the pond.The Fresh Water Ponds
Working Group met Tues March 14th to review the memo and provide input.The working group will
meet again on April 11th @ 1 PM.
Aquaculture Season End Reports: Carolyn updated the task force on the two reports released on
Lonnie's Pond: one by ScienceWares on the growth of the oysters and another by Dr. Howes of SMAST
on the water quality and denitrification portion of the study. A peer review of Howes' study was
completed by the Virginia Institute for Marine Science. The options the town has for removing three-
year old oysters from Lonnie's Pond was discussed.Orleans' request to the State Division of Marine
Fisheries to place oysters at Kent's Point was denied as it is considered productive bottom already
inhabited by quahogs. It remains uncertain if the DEP will accept the denitrification calculations for the
oysters for the Town's TMDL. Other options such as horizontal barriers continue to be researched.
Issues need to be resolved to provide time to include budget requests for wastewater options in the
May Town Meeting agenda.
The meeting was adjourned @ 11:16 AM.
The next meeting is Monday April 17th @ 10 AM,Skaket Room,Orleans Town Hall. (Revised to April 24th
due to Patriot's Day.)
Respectfully submitted by Betsy Furtney
Estuary Sampling Dates: Early mornings of July 13,July 27,Aug 10,Aug 24 and Sept 11.