Joint Committee on Sengekontacket

Committee Officers

CHAIR - Liz Durkee

VICE-CHAIR - Duncan Ross

SECRETARY - Dave Grunden

Member Contact List

Mission / Goals

Meetings - held bi-weekly

Minutes

Notes from Joint Committee on Sengekontacket – meeting 3/14/2008

Present:  Duncan Ross, Suzan Bellencampi, Paul Bagnall, Liz Durkee, Rick Karney, Bill Wilcox, Robert Culbert, and David Grunden

Robert Culbert represented the Felix Neck Trust (owner of Sarson’s Island). He reported that the cormorants started arriving in the mid-80’s and by the 1990s had drastically increased forcing the nesting herons and terns out (the terns now nest on the beach and in the upper marshes at Haystack Point). There are approximately 250 nesting pairs of cormorants that use Sarson’s annually. The MA Audubon shore bird monitors will get a count this coming season. There are control and harassment techniques that the US F&W can sanction and a federal permit under the migratory bird act must be obtained prior to initiating any form of harassment. Also there should be some consideration of where the cormorants may nest if they were driven from Sarson’s

By consensus it was agreed to establish sampling sites, times and parameters, though the sampling is dependent on funding from both towns at Town Meetings. We will be analyzing 8 samples every two weeks for fecal coliform levels beginning in May. The sites chosen correspond to many of the sites the DMF collect samples. The sites will be:

1.      Little Bridge

2.      North end near golf course

3.      Mouth of Major’s Cove

4.      Head of Major’s Cove

5.      Big Bridge

6.      Haystack point

7.      Off the Boulevard

8.      Brant Point

We will sample four sites (June July and August) for the microbial source identification analysis at the following locations:

1.      Northern end near golf course

2.      Head of Major’s Cove

3.      Big Bridge

4.      Off the Boulevard

Additionally we will also be looking at wrack algae washed up on the beach to determine the bacterial levels from that source as well as trying to collect storm water as it runs off into the pond. Other actions the joint committee agreed to are – conduct a sanitary survey of the shore line to identify all possible pollution sources, review all reports and information regarding the pond and ask the Friends of Sengekontacket to host any digital information on their web site, review any current DCPCs that effect the pond and consider if that direction should or can be feasible and request animal control officer’s to better enforce “pooper scooper” laws.

It was also suggested that we collect a ground water sample from a pit dug on Sarson’s Island to be analyzed for nutrient levels. Bill Wilcox agreed to ask Brian or Roland of the MA Estuaries Project to what extent if any they are taking the contribution of birds into their study.

Edgartown is continuing to obtain permits for dredging a navigational channel to the Boulevard boat landing and beach nourishment of the Edgartown Beach.

Duncan presented an idea proposed by Mr. Harshberger to place large single direction flow valves at the two bridges and to establish a third opening to the sound from Traps Pond. This suggestion would not allow for any boat navigation and require a large and expensive maintenance commitment from the towns. The proposal was not seriously considered.

Notes – Edgartown Oak Bluffs Joint meeting on Sengy – meeting of 2/29/08

Present at meeting: Liz Durkee, Duncan Ross, Jerry McCarthy, Donald Muckerhide, Bill Wilcox, Paul Bagnal, and David Grunden

The first item discussed was the proposals from Donald Muckerhide within the two handouts he passes out. The first was a possible method of removing the find silt building up on the bottom of the pond using aeration to re-suspend the silt on out going tides with a westerly wind. The second hand out was a 1994 report written by the University of Wisconsin’s Water Resource Institute. The report pointed out that the type(s) of septic systems that they looked at brought the nitrogen effluent concentration down to <10mg/l. The report does not identify the type of septic system that was studied and we should note that the nitrogen level for safe human consumption is 10 times the healthy level for estuarine and marine waters.

BBTF/FOS has been receiving a $30K annual grant to manage State Beach. 10K has been earmarked for shore bird monitoring. The monitors will attempt to get numbers and species of birds using Sarson’s Island.

FOS has received a grant from The Farm Neck Foundation for $2,500 for water quality monitoring for 2008

Edgartown Shellfish Dept has identified $5K for monitoring.

Oak Bluffs Shellfish is asking for $10K in the FY09 proposed budget. If approved at Town Meeting this funding will be available 7/1/08. After a short discussion it was agreed that an article requesting funding for water quality monitoring should be submitted for a special town meeting vote to have funds prior to July first.

Oak Bluffs shellfish is also requesting funds to purchase 2 In situ multiple parameter meters that can be set out to collect water quality data over time

We discussed other potential funding sources – primarily from the MV Land Bank and the County (directly or though grants)

A discussion about planning water quality monitoring for the coming season took place. All agreed we need to continue the water chemistry monitoring that has been conducted annually for many years (cost currently bourn by the towns). It was also agreed we must continue to the microbial source identification efforts. At the end of the discussion it was agreed to plan on establishing 4 sample sites (north west corner near golf course, head of Major’s Cove, near big bridge/Sarson’s Island, and off the Boulevard) and three rounds (June, July, August), also at the same time to collect up to 4 fecal source samples. The estimated cost for the microbial identification analysis is $16K.

Although the bacterial contamination is the primary issue for the committee to address; other monitoring and work was discussed. These include phytoplankton and macroalgae (seaweed), identify type and volume of fertilizer Farm Neck Golf Course uses, road run off, dredging, sand mining off shore for beach nourishing, push for longer dredge windows)

The need for reviewing what DCPCs have been enacted through the MVC and possibly nomination of a DRI

The draft MA Estuaries Report is expected to be out later this year (optimally in about 2 months). This report will not be addressing bacterial contamination, but is expected to identify nutrient levels and method to reduce the levels in the pond. The circulation patterns in the pond may identify internal circulation issues that may lead to better flushing and an improvement of water quality

By consensus it was agreed the any digital information about Sengekontacket should be in one place. It was suggested that FOS web site should that site.

The next meeting will be March 14, 2008 at 1:00 PM in the Oak Bluffs Shellfish Department’s office 247 County Road.