The Rochester Conservation Commission on Tuesday, August 4, approved hiring a company to draft a comprehensive management plan for removing water-choking invasive aquatic weeds in Snipatuit Pond.
For a cost of $1,000, Water & Wetland of Grafton, Massachusetts, will create a written attack plan for the town that will include treatment areas and an application methodology, a survey plan, a reporting plan, and a water quality plan, and will offer necessary management recommendations.
The vote came after new associate member Michelle Kirby reported on a recent effort in Acushnet to solve a similar problem. Kirby said local engineer Scott Daggett revealed in a subcommittee meeting on July 27 that he spearheaded an effort to use a wheat harvester on invasive weeds in the Lake Street water complex. She said the harvester treatment was applied recently. “And it’s been a success,” she said.
She noted the weeds have been eliminated, at least temporarily. She added, however, that Acushnet is looking to do more treatments but must find more funding first.
“They know they are just buying time,” ConCom Chair Christopher Gerrior said, before leading the board in approving the creation of a management plan first. “We need to have a whole plan.”
The action arose from an ongoing hearing on the Notice of Intent filed by the Town of Rochester to use a harvester to cut and remove the invasive Snipatuit Pond aquatic weeds. The commission then continued this hearing to August 18.
The board began the meeting Tuesday by approving a Certificate of Compliance for the successfully completed Order of Conditions to install a seasonal metal retractable deck in Snipatuit Pond and an access ramp to the dock from the bank of the pond at 485 Neck Road.
Next, the board addressed a request for a Determination of Applicability to wetlands protection regulations filed by the Town of Marion Water Division to install and furnish a new hydrant valve and accessory infrastructure for the water pumping station at 87 Marion Road. It issued a Negative Determination, meaning no Notice of Intent will need to be filed with the commission for this project.
In other action, the board continued to August 18 its Notice of Intent for work at 527 High St., specifically the construction of a garage, shed, stone retaining wall, fence and 12-foot-wide gravel driveway and gate near wetlands.
The board continued to August 18 the Notice of Intent hearing for High Street Solar, Site B, which proposes work within the 100-foot wetlands buffer zone for a massive ground-mounted solar array at lots close to Mayflower Lane.
The board continued to August 18 the Notice of Intent for Walnut Plain Solar, Walnut Plain Road.
The board continued to August 18 the Notice of Intent hearing for the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s seven-acre ecological restoration project of former cranberry bogs at 0 Wolf Island Road.
The next Conservation Commission meeting will be on August 18 at 7:00 pm at the Council on Aging Senior Center, Dexter Lane.
Rochester Conservation Commission
By Michael J. DeCicco