Lake Nipmuc Newsletter The Lake Nipmuc Association Volume 5, Issue 1 Summer 2015 A Few Words From The President Welcome to the Summer edition of the newsletter. We bring you several news articles that we hope you will find informative. We remember Shirley Smith, our friend, founder and inspiration. We summarize the survey results on Weed control, Beavers, Resident Canadian Geese and water level. We have an article on water testing and how we can improve the quality of the water. And we have a personal perspective of the lake from a long time resident who s glad to be home. Thanks, Ted King, President, Remembering Shirley Smith: Our Friend, Our Founder, Our Inspiration By Mark Reil Remembering Shirley Smith On February 28 th 2015 the Lake Nipmuc Association and our community lost our friend, our founder, and our inspiration. Shirley Smith was the guiding force for the association and worked tirelessly to build up what she and others had started. With her vision to protect the lake, the association works to eliminate invasive plants and improve the quality of the water. Much of that vision has gone a long way with improved water quality and the reduction of invasive plants. Shirley was also a valued volunteer in the Town of Mendon, committing many hours to the town forest committee as well as various other boards and committees. For me personally, Shirley was one of the first people to introduce me to local government and got me involved with many different projects. She truly was an inspiration and friend not only to me, but also so many others especially her family. Shirley loved to spend time with her granddaughter Taylor, showing her and teaching her about nature. The Lake Nipmuc Association wishes to recognize Shirley for all she has done for her community. There is a great void in our hearts without her, but we know that her legacy will live on forever through the works of the association. To that, we say goodbye Shirley. Our friend, our founder, our inspiration. Inside this issue: Remembering Shirley Smith President Ted King Vice President Joan Caldarella Treasurer Ileen Matthews Secretary Mark Reil Lake Nipmuc Association PO Box 159 Mendon, MA 01756 1 Survey Results 2 Beware of Bittersweet How Clean is our Lake Water 3 4 Glad to be Home 5 LNA Sunset Paddle 5 Membership 6 Please NOTE: Meetings are held at 7 pm on the second Tuesday of the month (See web site for any change Website: www.lakenipmuc.org
Page 2 Lake Nipmuc Newsletter Survey Results The Lake Nipmuc Association conducted a mail-in survey late last year on several issues of interest to the membership. Thirty seven responses were received. The first question asked respondents to Please share your thoughts regarding the water level of Lake Nipmuc. Eleven percent of the responses indicated the water level was Too high. Twenty two percent indicated the water level was Too low. A majority of the responses or 59% indicated that the water level was About right. Eight percent of the responses selected Don t know. Some of the comments received in response to the first question: Need to raise in Spring and Lower like it is now in the Fall/Winter. There must be some way to control the level if a beaver dam makes it raise by 12 inches or more. Most of the time it seems just about right. We canoe and kayak on the whole lake, and have seldom observed problems. Sometimes the water level seems low in some places. The second question considered the trapping of beavers. The survey asked Please indicate if you favor or oppose trapping beavers. The majority of responses or 78% selected the first item which was Favor, if necessary. Sixteen percent selected the second item Oppose, not needed. Five percent of the responses selected Don t know. Some of the comments received in response to the second question: Beavers have rights! Leave them alone. We assume you mean trap and move. Trap and release however The third survey question asked Please indicate your level of satisfaction with the weed treatment of Lake Nipmuc. Thirty one percent of the respondents selected Very Satisfied. The majority of responses or 44% selected Somewhat satisfied. Six percent selected Not very satisfied. Nineteen percent selected Not at all satisfied. Some of the comments received in response to the third question: Weeds seemed better this year (in my cove). Seems to be getting worst pass two years; Need to notify lake front owners when treating the lake. Areas all around smaller island have invasive species. Entire channel has grown in blocking water flow. The fourth and last question regarded Canadian Geese. The survey asked If you own lake front property, what degree of difficulty do you have with the resident Canada Geese?. Twelve (Continued on page 3)
Volume 5, Issue 1 Page 3 Beware of Bittersweet Bittersweet is easily located all over New England and has grown wildly out of control. It can be seen engulfing trees, shrubs and abandoned buildings in some areas. A word of caution- when left unregulated, established vines will literally take over the landscape, smothering out native species of trees, scrubs and plantings. The tangled vines can also become so heavy that entire trees and plants may be uprooted once the bittersweet plant takes over. For this reason the US Dept. of Agriculture has the bittersweet plant listed as a national invasive species. SO BEWARE- keep our lake and surrounding residential areas free from this deceptive vine. (Continued from page 2) Survey Results percent of the respondents selected None. Twenty six percent selected Minor. Eighteen percent selected Moderate. A majority of the respondents or 44% selected Considerable. Some of the comments received in response to the fourth question: They are not afraid of anything and continue to visit the same lawns. I have no grass for them to eat. Not happy with the number of geese on the lake. I worry about the water quality for swimming. There are many humane ways to discourage Canada geese from properties. At times graze on grass/beach. Would not want to miss their flight practices this time of year. Droppings are bothersome! The flock has increased over the years. Geese will return to the same area. They are not afraid of anything and continue to visit the same lawns. We have experienced no problems with geese or any other waterfowl or wildlife. I enjoy them as part of the experience of lake living. The lake is their home also; I believe we should live in harmony with nature.
Page 4 Lake Nipmuc Newsletter How Clean is Our Lake Water? A few years after our lake association began, we instituted a program for testing our lake water. This process takes place in June, July, and August of every year. The testing is carried out by lake association volunteers working with Water Quality Monitoring Program of Blackstone River Coalition (Susan L. Thomas, coordinator). We monitor 10 locations around the lake for Phosphate, nitrate and e.coli levels. The majority of these areas test fair to good, with the exception of two areas. We will work to improve these areas. Phosphorus is an important plant nutrient and occurs in many forms in the environment, much like nitrogen. Unlike nitrogen, phosphorus cycles through the environment much slower. High concentrations of phosphorus is an indication of pollution problems in the lake. Nitrogen is used in building proteins and is an essential nutrient for plant and animal growth. When we over fertilize our waters with nitrogen, we can cause heavy plant growth. Bacteria, nutrients such as phosphorus & nitrates, sediment (toxic substances, oil or grease), trash & invasive plants do great harm to the ecosystems of our lakes. You can prevent or control pollution of our lake by paying attention to the following: Follow guidelines for septic tank maintenance. Use non phosphate detergents Seed and mulch bare soil within one week of clearing the land. Put hay bales down slope of cleared areas Leave or plant vegetated areas (buffer strips), and leave/place rocks along the lake shore, stream beds. Preserve natural topography Use organic materials (compost) in your landscape Use fertilizer sparingly Prevent runoff from driveways, roofs, lawns, etc. from going directly into the lake/ streams. Use chemicals as last resort. Seek the least hazardous product to do the job. Pick up pet wastes and dispose of them in the garbage or toilet. When boating, bring back what you take out. Repair, paint & maintain boats in dry dock. Discard all live aquatic bait in suitable containers. When leaving a lake remove any visible aquatic vegetation. If you move your boat from lake to lake, dry out for at least two days or wash down hull with tap water.
Volume 5, Issue 1 Page 5 Glad To Be Home My wife and I are among the newest members of the Lake Association. We moved into my parents house at 45 Kinsley Lane last May. But I have grown up on this lake all my life. My grandfather owned the wooded section on the west side of the lake and called it the Woodlot. My extended family spent every weekend there on the spot where one of the Nipmuc tribes also spent time. It was always a great time of outdoor play, swimming, boating, fishing and every outside activity you could think of. I loved that spot and I loved that time. My parents purchased two summer cottages in 1967. In 1976 they decided to build a permanent home there and constructed it and finished it in 1977.My daughters and grandchildren have enjoyed this spot also. I lived in Upton for 37 years but was at the lake just about every weekend. After the death of my parents we decided to make their home our home. We did major restorations and upgrades and moved into our new home in May of 2014. It was coming home. I have loved this lake all my life and now enjoy it on a permanent basis. Lake Nipmuc is a great resource and I joined the Association to help protect and preserve it and hopefully we can all work to ensure that Lake Nipmuc stays a beautiful spot for generations to come. In this article, I d just like to go back in time to some of the wonderful Memories I have of the lake. Perhaps some of you will have memories of your own that you d like to share. If you ever visited the lake in the evening, you d definitely smell the aroma of onion rings coming from Milly Mitchells. People still say to this day that Millys had the best clams ever. I d have to agree but it has nothing to do with the fact that my wife is Milly s granddaughter. What a special place. Did you know that there is a stone wall that crosses the floor of the lake? The island, Christmas Island once had four cottages on it. The now town beach was once a privately owned beach called Whites. Many people still refer to it as that. Lakeview Park was once one of the hottest spots in the area. Complete with amusement rides, boat rentals, Sloopy the whaleboat and sandy beaches, many people made their way there for family fun. Now The Imperial Ballroom, the face of this park has now changed. We have viewed this park from the water and it is a sight to behold. Tina Turner once did an outside concert there. I could go on and on but I ve written enough. I have started a postcard collection of all the sights and sounds of the lake and would love showing this to anyone interested. Again, We are so glad to be home. This is a Great Lake and hopefully we can preserve it for years to come. Wayne Phipps LNA Sunset Paddle Sat. Sept.5,2015 @ 6 PM Rain date Sun. Sept.6th @ 6PM Kayaks, canoes, paddle boards welcome, line up at the Town Beach Life vest a must, flashlights a plus! A leader will lead the group in a single file around the entire lake. A pontoon boat will bring up the rear in case of emergency. Come for the fun and sociability!
The Lake Nipmuc Association PO Box 159 Mendon, MA 01756 Dedicated to Protecting and Preserving Lake Nipmuc. We re on the Web! www.lakenipmuc.org Lake Nipmuc Association - Membership Form The Lake Nipmuc Association is a volunteer organization. We rely on grants, donations and membership dues to support our programs. Student $ 10.00 Individual $ 20.00 Family $ 25.00 Business $ 60.00 Patron $100.00 Benefactor $200.00 Steward $500.00 Please make check payable to: The Lake Nipmuc Association PO Box 159, Mendon, MA 01756 Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Phone: Email: Yearly Dues Are Due Jan 1,2016 Membership Renewal Why Join the Lake Nipmuc Association? Water Quality Monitoring- The LNA monitors conditions, identifies areas of concern and engages local citizens in the protection and enjoyment of Mendon s most valuable natural resource. Educational Forums- The LNA provides public workshops to increase public understanding and community stewardship of Lake Nipmuc. Newsletter- The LNA publishes two newsletters a year in the fall and spring, plus email alerts.