1997-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

in planning and labor) in drainage/landscape improve- Report of the ments to their land (through which the fish ladder Conservation Commission runs). Realizing that the fish ladder reconstruction would necessarily disturb the area, it was agreed that the previously existing conditions, asphalt areas caus- 1997 was another busy year for the Commission. ing direct road run-off into the river, would be correct- The total number of permit applications was 212, ed. Asphalt was removed (thanks to the help of the slightly less than the previous year. More than 33% of Mashpee DPW) and areas stabilized with plantings these permit requests, however, came in the last quar- and erosion-control blankets. Commissioners Harry ter of the year. This markedly upward trend has con- Desrosiers, Bud Shaw and Chuck Green were most tinued into early 1998. Site visits increased from 773 helpful with planning the work, and we had two ses- to 798. The Commission averages over 26 incoming sions this past summer to do the actual landscaping telephone calls per day,most of them requiring follow- and planting.Thanks to volunteer help, we got it done. up inquiries.Though we take pride in being responsive We would like to thank our volunteers,especially Paul to the public, our basic permitting and enforcement Lumsden and Ed Baker who came a second time to duties must take precedent. Adding to our burdens are assist Bud Shaw and Conservation Agent Bob the responsibilities in-herent to being stewards of Sherman. Town-owned Conservation Land and the ever-grow- ing need to address not only the plumes emanating We will continue some minor modifications to that from the Massachusetts Military reservation, but also work next summer, but will embark on even more work on the south side of Route 130 near the Indian the plume treatment methodologies with their own ( impacts. Finally, with the newly expanded (200 foot) Museum). Again, we will hopefully (if volunteers and jurisdiction under the Riverfront protection provisions Town-meeting appropriated funds suffice) do signi- of the Massachusetts Wet-lands Protection Act, the ficantly more landscaping and planting (and remove Commission's staff is stretched to the limits. more asphalt) to remove as much as is possible of direct drainage into the River. The Commission's membership has stayed the same as the previous year, with the same officers-Jack Because of concerns about the damage caused by Fitzsimmons as Chairman, Elliot Rosenberg as Vice- high water-levels on Mashpee - Wakeby Pond, the Chairman and John Johansen as Clerk. John also Town appropriated$5,000 (matched by a$5,000 grant serves as Chairman of our cranberry bog subcommit- from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental r tee and does valuable (volunteer) work for us in Management) fora study. Since last spring, the f reviewing applications. Commission has worked closely with the consulting 1 firm of Horsley & Witten as they analyzed the situa- The Interpretive Tour Program continues to be a tion. Late in the year, Horsley & Witten developed a s great success under the direction of Renee Fudala. Off water-level management plan, which is to be integrat- 1 peak-season tours have grown in popularity, with 10- ed into state permit applications early in 1998. The 15 attendees the norm. Especially popular in the Commission provided funding for necessary, supple- Summer were the sunset/full moon tours and various mental studies and Commission staff have assisted s outings for families. We have received many compli- Horsley &Witten throughout the course of their stud- `s ments and "thank your", and some attendees have ies and formulation of the proposed water-level man- n become "regulars". agement plan. Throughout, we have coordinated with J Executive Secretary Robert Whritenour, who is over- The Commission would like to thank the seeing the contract with Horsley&Witten on behalf of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF),in the Selectmen. Hopefully, a workable and comprehen- particular, Fisheries Biologist Ken Reback and sive plan can at last be put in place, one that balances Construction Foreman Ron Marcella, for the excellent all interests and will work under all but the most s work they did in reconstructing (and improving) the unusual meteorological events. Mashpee River Fish Ladder adjacent to the Mill Pond and south of Route 130. Working closely with the The Commission's public education role was ful- filled this past year. We had a booth at Mashpee High Commission and Herring Warden Leigh Potter, the future of the Mashpee River Herring Fishery is con- School as part of the Mashpee Watershed year, an siderably brighter because of this joint State and local event sponsored by the Friends of the Mashpee effort! Wildlife Refuge. Video's were shown and materials were made available to educate our citizenry about The Commission would also like to thank Jim water quality protection. In cooperation with the Peters and the Peters family for their cooperation(both Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Mashpee Watershed Committee, the 147