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Environmental Oversight Committee <br />Minutes <br />December 9, 2015 <br />Pond & Estuary Water Quality Monitoring: Update: (continued) <br />With regards to the declining population of the Sea Run Brook Trout in the Santuit River, it was <br />noted that a coalition in Newburyport, the Sea Run Brook Trout Association, has indicated <br />concern about the decline in this unique population of the native brook trout and may possibly <br />conduct testing and other studies regarding this. Mr. York noted that the pond testing done <br />through the PALS Program is providing valuable data in this effort to determine why the <br />population has declined. Environmental and anthropogenic factors possibly effecting the <br />deterioration include water temperature, nitrogen loading, competition with herring, the clearing <br />of vegetative habitat, and the use of pesticides. <br />In discussion, it was reported the Mashpee River estuary has the highest nitrogen levels in <br />Mashpee. With nitrogen loading, there has been a loss of eel grass, but no fish kills were <br />reported anywhere in Mashpee resulting in significant mortality. <br />The Mashpee River was sampled this week and there is presence of a thick algae bloom in the <br />river. With the warmth of the fall, and a higher than normal water temperature, the algae bloom <br />has been rapid. Algae bloom in the winter does not present a negative impact on fish because the <br />cold water holds more dissolved oxygen. Variations such as this are attributed to weather <br />patterns and are a possible effect of global warming. <br />Moonakis River gydrodynamic Stud by SMAST: Approval and Funding Update: <br />As an update, it was reported that the Town of Falmouth has voted to appropriate $10,500 for the <br />hydrodynamic study of the Quashnet/Moonakis River to be conducted by SMAST. Mashpee <br />will be contributing as well. The Cape Cod Water Quality Collaborative has also committed <br />$20,000 in grant funds. Additional contributions include $500 offered by the Mashpee <br />Environmental Coalition and $2,500 from the Citizens from the Protection of Waquoit Bay. The <br />project will be administered by the Massachusetts Estuaries Project and managed by the Town of <br />Falmouth. The total cost of the study is $43,000. <br />Pao A <br />