"After" September 30, 2004
A beautiful Fall view. What a difference!
Continued from Page Two
...in managemenet decisions for Trunk River were able to attend. Attendees included: Dr. Brian Howes, of the Coastal Systems Group of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth who is an integreal part of the Pond Watcher Program and the Estuaries Project; John Ramsey of Applied Coastal Research and Engineering, designer of the weir; George Calise and Ray Young, from the Town of Falmouth Engineering Department, who are responsible for dredging projects in town; Chuck Martinsen, the herring warden; Margaret Emslie and Mark Kasprzyk from the Conservation Commission who are involded with any decisions impacting wetlands; Ahmed Mustafa, Chair of the Board of Selectmen; Katherine Taylor of Salt Pond Area Bird Sanctuaries as Salt Pond owns land on the lagoon; and members of OPET, Bill Kerfoot, Carl Breivogel, Barry Norris, John Dowling, and myself.
Bill Kerfoot explained the problem of the eelgrass from winter storms blocking the lagoon. Everyone recognized that the area needed to be dredged, but there was a problem - permitting. The Town Engineering Department had a permit from the Town Conservation Department for maintenance dredging of Trunk River from the outlet at the sea to the bend in the river and they had a permit from the Masschusetts Deparmtne ot Environmental Protection to dredge from the foot bridge to the edge of the lagoon. But they did not have a permit under the local bylaws to go beyond the bend in the river. We could pursue a permit from the Conservation Commission, but the process would take several weeks.
After much discussion, all the parties agreed to a short-term solution. Chuck Martinsen, the herring warden, would apply to the Conservation Commission for dredging under and emergency permit. Protecting herring and allowing their free passage is one of the oldest laws in Massachusetts.
Within a week, Chuck had secured help from the Barnstable County branch of Americorps, the national service program of young people that assist communities in a variety of tasks. For two days, during some of the hottest days in the summer, these young volunteers carted away buckets and buckets full of sand from the river.
Almost immediately a difference could be seen in the lagoon. The Cladophera began to break up and drain out to sea and within a few days the schools of herring near the weir safely migrated down the river. By the end of September, we could see the beautiful view we see in the second photograph (above).
We can thank all the Town of Falmouth officials and other interested parties for solving this problem. This solution worked in the short term, but we still must pursue long term solutions. Either a method must be found to prevent the eelgrass from enetering the lagoon in the first place or we must plan on annual maintenance dredging of Trunk River. This is something to consider for the future. Wendi Buessler
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