Jan.
5, 2003
Eastham Water Resources Advisory Board
Minutes of 12/10/03 Meeting
Attending:
Members Karl Weiss, Marcel Boelitz, Bruce Whitmore, Bill Nugent, and Sandy Bayne; Peter Whitlock, Selectman, Jane Crowley, Health Agent, Henry Lind, Natural Resources Director.
The minutes of 11/10/03 were unanimously accepted as written.
Whitmore announced that well driller Ron Peterson will attend the January meeting of the WRAB.
Crowley reported that 2069 water sample vials were sent out to homeowners in 2003, completing the offering to central Eastham. So far, 768 have been returned, a 37% response. She will continue to elicit responses in the spring.
Chair Weiss introduced water quality concerns about Minister Pond which have been raised by the Eastham Pond Stewards as a result of their sampling activities. The tables which were distributed indicate lesser water quality in that pond when dissolved oxygen, clarity (for 2002 and 2003) nitrogen, and phosphorus measurements (for 2002) are considered. The board had invited Lind to help understand these findings and to put them in context of his knowledge. Crowley commented that her records from monitoring wells at the landfill and on sites abutting it show no levels of phosphorus or nitrogen exceeding state standards. In her opinion, the testing done by the town’s consultants at the landfill has been thorough and careful; the state has been especially stringent with Eastham, she feels, perhaps because of our lack of
public wells. Lind stated that it is clear the pond is showing signs of aging, especially as indicated by dissolved oxygen (DO) and clarity (Secchi) readings. He commented that perhaps it is not necessary to know the source of the aging when determining remediation.
He suggested the following course of action:
Wait for the 2003 data on nitrogen and phosphorus.
Using that and previously gathered data, do a statistical analysis of the difference in the water quality of Minister as opposed to other ponds: Is the water quality there statistically different to a 95 % confidence level?
In order to know what % of water is anoxic (not just at what level, as the DO readings show), bathymetry needs to be done. The only ponds for which bathymetry exists are Great and Herring.
An evaluation is necessary of the biota in the pond (fish, plants, insects, amphibians), and around the pond (same factors), and hydrography (rate and direction of water flow.)
Last, determine remediation if it is advisable.
Boelitz asked if the landfill testing has been sufficient to determine if the level of tested factors is low enough to prevent problems in the pond.
Lind reported that various remediation treatments have been used, some on Cape Cod. Alum, which has been used on the Cape, can solve a phosphorus problem temporarily; it does not correct the source of the problem. Boelitz commented that because ponds are extremely complex, we will probably need to know more before we can act.
Weiss asked why anything at all should be done.
Lind replied that there are two reasons:
1. generally, overall water quality is influenced by ponds
2. specifically, Minister Pond is home to some rare species of plants and insects which depend on clean water.
Weiss asked if it is clear to Lind that Minister water quality is the worst. Lind replied that it seems to be; it is clearly distressed.
Weiss asked if Minister’s problems are generic enough that we can learn about other ponds by studying this one. Lind replied that we can, especially for ponds of similar size and depth, such as Depot.
Further comments by Lind include the following:
It would be useful for volunteers to take Secchi and DO readings twice per day on a bi-weekly basis from early June through late August; the timing would be early as possible to find night time readings, and late in day to find day time readings.
It would be useful to compare the data gathered about 15 years ago at Herring and Great with the current data for those ponds.
Chlorophyll measurements help determine why water clarity is not better than it is: that is, is poor clarity caused by re-suspended sediment or by plant growth? If clarity is very poor and there is very little chlorophyll, then there must be suspended sediment. If clarity is very poor and there is lots of chlorophyll, it may be primarily poor because of plant growth. However, the situation must be extreme for this measurement to help.
It was agreed that the board would wait for the 2003 nitrogen and phosphorus data and then approach the Selectmen with our concerns, asking that the Selectmen request the help of the Cape Cod Commission water specialists in analyzing the data.
The board discussed the joint meeting with the Orleans Water Board which is scheduled to occur in January, possibly on the 21st.
Crowley reported that George Meservey, Orleans Town Planner, is the coordinator of the Orleans estuary project, and would like to discuss issues of common concern.
Issues the board would like to discuss with Orleans include:
Nitrate loading in Nauset Marsh
Nitrate load from the Stop and Shop center to Eastham portion of town cove
Tri-town septage treatment plant management.
The board agreed to continue in 2004 to meet at 3 pm, first Monday of each month, in the Police Department conference room. Next meeting will occur Jan. 5, 2004.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:25.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandy Bayne, clerk
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