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Information on the Pond Project
Since the Mill Pond has a popular public beach and picnic
area, there is always concern about high bacteria levels and
the need to close the pond frequently during the summer for
health reasons. After a storm event the runoff flows into
the pond and the bacteria levels can rise and become too high
for safe swimming. The watershed project has some components
that help deal with this problem directly at the pond.
The beach/pond component of the watershed project involves
three actions.
Swan decoys in Mill Pond
The first part is a plan to keep wild Canada Geese from nesting
in the pond during the summer. Swan decoys have been installed
in the pond at three locations to discourage geese from nesting
and habitation. When geese nest on the pond they spend a lot
of time eating and subsequently leaving their waste in the
water and on the shore. This can be a direct major contribution
to high bacteria levels. The swans are there to make the geese
look for another location to nest, they don't want to stay
where swans live.
Please leave the swans where they are so they can do their
important work. They will be taken out of the pond in the
fall and spend their off-season in a nearby barn.
Beach area
A new sign will be installed at the beach to be used for educating
the public about the watershed project and for outreach on
watershed issues. The sign will explain the project components
and remind people what they can do to help keep the pond clean.
We will be doing outreach to all homeowners that border on
the water bodies and educate them about fertilizer use, septic
system health and other issues that can affect water quality.
Water testing
We have joined the Volunteer Lakes Assessment Program (VLAP)
run by the state and we will be doing periodic water testing
during the summer months. This water testing will be used
to monitor water quality and help track the progress made
through all the variuos efforts to make the pond cleaner.
If you see someone out in the middle of the pond doing tests
on the water give him a wave.
Check back here for more information as it becomes available.
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