historical photo Martins Pond of yesterday

Old timers have been telling us for years that the pond used to be much lower, that they once had a beach which is now gone, and that they did not flood in the old days.

 

This 1930’s skating party photo at the Kittredge’s house on Batchelder seems to support the claim.

 

Notice water levels here in the 2007 color photo.  Water levels in Martins Pond were were about 74.5 feet above sea level.  If you compare the cracks in the rock shown it looks like a conservative estimate of 3 feet difference from the 1930’s photo.  That would put pond levels at 71.6, which we have never seen since we’ve been monitoring.  The lowest we saw during the August 2005 (?) drought was about 73.5.  (fyi-that’s in USGS feet above sea level)

 

The alterations to Benevento’s Sand and Gravel in the 40’s and 50’s we are told by some old timers now passed on, turned the cranberry bog behind Town Hall to Burroughs (over 100 acres) , into a permanent wetland surrounding Martins Brook.  Many times Fran Mitchell told us he used to play football out there in the summer.  Many elderly people have told me the same story.

 

Tons of sediment has been filling in the pond and the channel for 80 years since this photo.  Malcolm Pirnie estimated that over 10 tons of sediment per year from outfalls on Batchelder and Poplar alone.  Under our current grant we expect to cut that number by at least half with the new hydrodynamic separator on Batchelder, and porous pavement, and improvements to Poplar.

 

This is why we must be so diligent about curbing sedimentation of the pond and up in the Skug River which also pours in sediment from road runoff in the watershed constantly.  Roadways must be swept more often. We also have to be sympathetic to  low lying homes who flood now all too often and do everything we can to try to keep water levels low.

 

The bridge at Route 62 stops up water during floods, and hopefully will finally get funded to be opened up this year.  Unfortunately it is extremely unlikely that all the sediment that has poured into the pond for 80 years will ever be removed.  Dredging of the pond would not fix that problem, as dredging to bring back the 1930’s conditions would require doing it all the way from the pond down to at least Route 62.  Not feasible.

 

So we continue our work at improving the quality and reducing the sediment contained in stormwater runoff that reaches Martins Pond and the Ipswich River.  The Town of North Reading, Merrimack, and the Martins Pond Committee are partnering on our 3^rd project to continue to put rainwater in the ground in North Reading, instead of letting the storms transport more pollution to our waterways.  It is a long and arduous process, and it involves all of us.  We hope to inform everyone that handling your own rainwater on your own property may not seem like a lot of runoff stopped, but if every private property infiltrated its own runoff, especially that containing fertilizer, and kept buffers along rivers, streams and ponds healthy, we could all combined take a bite out of stormwater pollution.

 

The Town will soon be directed to improve it’s roadway stormwater through new tougher regulations, as will large commercial properties like WalMart, but the small private homeowner and business are not yet regulated.  We are hoping with our new programs to solicit volunteer runoff reduction.

 

On this memorial day, remember the old days, and work towards a better future.  Thank you for all you have done already!

 

 

Thank you,

Janet Nicosia, Co-Chair

Martins Pond Association

Martins Pond Reclamation Study Committee

www.martinspond.org

978-664-1776

 

 

Painting Day a Big Success

Go to our Martins Pond group on Flickr to see more pictures from Clarke Park and Martins Pond.

Paint the Park! Sat May 16, 9AM to 1PM

Hi,

 

We could use more volunteers for painting day in order to get it all done.  We have about a dozen so far but have a lot to do. We could use double that.

We hope to paint the train, plane, rocket ship, pirate ship, pavilion, and stain all the picnic tables, tot swings, sign and shelters.  THAT’S A LOT!!!

 

And we need to paint the insides to cover all the graffiti of the rocket ship, plane and pirate ship.

 

If you have teens or ‘tweens? Pry them off the computer and send them down! 

 

Little kids? bring them!  Anyone can help. Let the little ones feel ownership of the tot area.

 

Saturday May 16^th 9AM to 1PM then free pizza lunch if you participated.

 

Wear your grubs and if you have an old brush, bring it.  We will be getting brushes and rollers as well.  If you have any old coffee cans, that will really help us spread the paint out among volunteers.

 

Specific questions?  Email lori at loribruin@hotmail.com

 

 

Thanks,

Janet

 

Updates!

Hi Everyone!

 

·         As you catch the breeze and smell the fine spring air, please don’t get carried away whizzing down the street.  Drive slow! Children are out and the roadways are still covered in sand, leaving kids to ride further in the street.  A girl was hit by a car on Hillside Road this weekend but is OK.   Speed of the car, and sand in the road were a factor in the accident.  She was wearing her helmet, which took the blow receiving a dent in it from the collision of her head with the car. PLEASE have your children wear helmets on bikes.  Her helmet could have saved her life!!!

 

·         The pond is beautiful but the water is still very cold.  State Environmental Police advise that legally all boaters must wear lifejackets until May 15^th.    Children under 12 must wear then at all times.  See environmental police boating rules on this website under recreation.

 

·         Mark your calendars for the Children’s Fishing Derby July 11^th. 8-11AM.

 

·         There was an incident of graffiti  at the park this weekend and the offenders were caught.  Thankfully Park & Rec painted over as best they could and right away.  Unfortunately there is graffiti and swears throughout the park equipment and we will be planning a painting day soon.  I am trying to coordinate repair of the Pavillion first so we can paint both the Pavillion and the park equipment in the same day.  We are also working on prices to extend the dock.  Stay tuned.

 

·         EARTH DAY – Every year we encourage all of us to do an Earth Day good deed by picking up the trash in the road and in the woods near our houses.  If we all do a little we’ll get the whole neighborhood cleaned up.  Help the pond association by turning in the cans and bottles you find to New England Beverage & Redemption and credit the Martins Pond Account.

 

·         Our Town Officials are working diligently to take advantage of the Stimulus package to move forward replacement of the Route 62 bridge.  Mike(Town Engineer) was contacted by MEMA about possible funding from our old wait-listed application from 2 years ago. Wilmington has finally adopted their All Hazards Plan, which listed Route 62 as a hazard.  Unfortunately we have received no commitment thus far for monetary cooperation on bridge replacement from Wilmington, so we must move forward ourselves. Supplemental monies may be needed to make this happen and if it comes together, there will be a warrant article at this June’s Town Meeting.  This would be the most critical vote for flooding relief for us EVER.  We will keep you informed.

 

·         Grants – we are also working on grants for water quality improvements in the watershed, the area of land that drains to Martin’s Pond.  The main focus of these grants will be infiltration, or putting water into the ground.  The fast movement of rains over roads to the pond increases flash flooding, and degrades water quality.  If rains soak in, they take a much longer time to reach the waterbody, and are much cleaner when they arrive.  Rainwater soaking in is called groundwater recharge, and the lack of recharge is often blamed for dry rivers in summer when that recharge would have traveled through the ground to the river.  We will be finishing up the current grant this summer with several more properties around the pond being restored.  Look for the new vegetation around the pond this summer.

 

·         Dogs must be restrained in North Reading.  Most dog owners have been great at keeping dogs restrained, but still some loose dogs have been a problem.  Please keep dogs contained or restrained and remind your children of the same.  Cars are not used to dogs in the street these days and people need to be able to walk around without fear.

 

That’s all for now.

 

Janet Nicosia

 

 

 

Local Hero: Martins Pond Rescue