Spring 2001: Sandy Williams, Senior Scientist and head of the Laboratory of Coastal and Ocean Fluid Dynamics at WHOI, developed an instrument placed at the weir for measuring water flow rate, direction of flow and depth. With a data logger coupled to this instrument, he and his student Jason Hyatt monitored these parameters over a few months. Combined with OPETs pond salinity measurements, the information will aid us in finding the optimal weir settings for varying conditions.
Dr. Williams has a special and personal interest in Oyster Pond: his mother used to live on its shores and, after having introduced her one day to his recently-widowed WHOI colleague K.O.Emery, the pioneer of Oyster Pond studies, soon found himself to be his colleague's stepson. Sandy thrives on the challenge of developing instruments for tricky measurements and passes the challenge and enthusiasm on to his WHO students.
OPET will purchase the sensors and underwater cables, the data logger will be a gift to OPET from Onset Computer Company, and Sandy and his students built, tested and calibrated the instrument to do the initial data collection. Results of Hyatt's project will be posted in student projects Fall 2001.
Trunk River: An Article was submitted by OPET for the 1999 Spring Town Warrant, asking the town for funds to draw up plans for the repair of the Trunk River jetties. The article passed. OPET’s Board met with Brian Howes, the originator of the weir plan, George Calise, Town Engineer, John Ramsey of Applied Coastal Engineering, and Paul Montague, Shellfish and Herring Constable, to discuss the design. It was decided that the DPW would submit the plans for permitting to the Conservation Commission and would sponsor an article at the Fall Town Meeting (Article 66) asking the town for funds for the repair cost. Getting a permit to eliminate the silt ledge in the Trunk River Lagoon and Trunk River is part of the repair project. It is this ledge and not the weir that currently controls pond level and saltwater inflow. The Town Meeting article passed, thanks to OPET's Barry Norris taking the stand at Town Meeting!