01/23/2020 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT COMMITTEE Minutes

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3 Community Preservation Committee Minutes January 23, 2020 APPOINTMENTS & HEARINGS Mashpee Conservation Department Andrew McManus Katelyn Cadoret; Application: Wetland Restoration of Abandoned Cranberry Bog in Santuit Pond Preserve: The goal of the Wetland Restoration of the Abandoned Cranberry Bog in the Santuit Pond Preserve would assist to improve the water quality in Santuit Pond and in Shoestring Bay by; reducing the amount of phosphorus in Santuit Pond through periodic flooding of the bog and removing portions of active blooms, and allowing the source of phosphorus being removed to be incorporated into the wetland plant growth. In Shoestring Bay nitrogen loading would be reduced through the incorporation into plant growth and the natural nitrogen cycle processes that occur in wetlands. Mr. York indicated the abandoned bog is comprised of 13.1 acres, and it is connected to Santuit Pond to the west by two culverts. To restore the site to wetlands would increase the habitat for a variety of wildlife and restore a diverse food source. The plan to improve the water quality of Santuit Pond by reducing the phosphorus involves draining 8-10% of the pond into the abandoned cranberry bog which would capture the algae and. nutrients. This is similar to a normal process to flood an active bog during the winter months and to drain to protect the bogs. Mr. York explained the summer cyanobacteria blooms die off in the winter. The diatom algae dies off in the spring and releases nutrients which fuel the summer cyanobacteria blooms. In theory if the summer blooms are removed, the phosphorus would thus be removed. If the pond was treated several times per year, the algae removal rate would increase. This is a minimal amount of work, and advantageous to conduct the process in the winter. The CPA funding request for $23,500 would allow for engineering to finalize the plan design, and existing conditions. The site would be flooded and herring would be protected. Undesirable vegetation would be removed and the site would be covered with an emergent wetland seed mix. Monitoring and harvesting of the algae is included and the culverts would be maintained in- house. Best management practices would be implemented to prevent any adverse impact to the river herring. Culverts would be screened to prohibit the herring from passing through the mesh. The restoration project is noted to be similar to the Childs and Quashnet River projects.