August News:
The Natural Resources Advisory Commission updated the public on its progress regarding the Slough Pond fish passage at its monthly meeting, Thursday, August 10 @ 6pm. It is our understanding they have taken the options presented by DMF's Brad Chase under consideration from the previous meeting held on July 13 and will continue to do so. (Video of Brad Chase's presentation to the Commission on July 13, LINK Here.)
Chairperson Kimberley Crocker-Pearson informed us that Brad Chase is unavailable to continue his discussions with the Commission until the first of October. In the meantime, the Commission Chair and Chris Miller, Director of the Natural Resources Department, will "corral data" (gather studies)* undertaken by the Town of Brewster over the years and by other organizations (many of which are ongoing) on the subject of the Stony Brook Watershed Assessment to bring to the table for their next meeting with Brad Chase in October. The next meeting will include a discussion on a River Herring Spawning and Nursery Habitat Assessment, as provided by DMF's Brad Chase, and plans for the spring herring migration of 2024.
Slough Pond and its connecting migratory herring run though not mentioned directly or specifically in the update, is and should be a critical component of the Stony Brook Watershed.
*I have added a preliminary compilation of pond studies under the "Fact Findings" page and added a number of related links under "Resources."
Lest we get lost in a sea of studies (as critical as they are for informed decisions), the central issues to keep in mind here are the threatened closure of an active herring run into Slough Pond, the loss of a pristine spawning habitat and nursery, the impact on the health of the herring population, as well as the local ecosystem of which they are a keystone species.
The Natural Resources Advisory Commission updated the public on its progress regarding the Slough Pond fish passage at its monthly meeting, Thursday, August 10 @ 6pm. It is our understanding they have taken the options presented by DMF's Brad Chase under consideration from the previous meeting held on July 13 and will continue to do so. (Video of Brad Chase's presentation to the Commission on July 13, LINK Here.)
Chairperson Kimberley Crocker-Pearson informed us that Brad Chase is unavailable to continue his discussions with the Commission until the first of October. In the meantime, the Commission Chair and Chris Miller, Director of the Natural Resources Department, will "corral data" (gather studies)* undertaken by the Town of Brewster over the years and by other organizations (many of which are ongoing) on the subject of the Stony Brook Watershed Assessment to bring to the table for their next meeting with Brad Chase in October. The next meeting will include a discussion on a River Herring Spawning and Nursery Habitat Assessment, as provided by DMF's Brad Chase, and plans for the spring herring migration of 2024.
Slough Pond and its connecting migratory herring run though not mentioned directly or specifically in the update, is and should be a critical component of the Stony Brook Watershed.
*I have added a preliminary compilation of pond studies under the "Fact Findings" page and added a number of related links under "Resources."
Lest we get lost in a sea of studies (as critical as they are for informed decisions), the central issues to keep in mind here are the threatened closure of an active herring run into Slough Pond, the loss of a pristine spawning habitat and nursery, the impact on the health of the herring population, as well as the local ecosystem of which they are a keystone species.
The Fish
-dedicated to the alewives of Slough Pond, 2023
The creak of lies in the world,
disturbing ripples,
echo down through the quiet
of sleepless nights.
There are shadows of flowers, of trees,
that are dark etchings strewn across the still waters
in colorless intricate patterns.
Arresting yet unreal. Like tracks of now invisible animals.
But then there is color, movement.
Angels have troubled the waters
and the ink black silhouettes dissolve
as if they never were.
What magic is this?
The motherless, the fatherless, have found each other,
have banded together.
They flash past in all their silver green blue gold water robes,
and it looks like joy
because it is.
There is no lie to this fellowship
that moves out from their primal home,
etched in every sinew of their beings forever,
out to the other waters of life.
-Janice Riley
August 1
A tour on this first day of August. There are no surprises. It does afford us a chance to have a closer look at the obstacles faced in the herring migration at the culvert itself. It is amazing any fish venture through that broken pipe and the enclosed space at its other end, after several feet within its dark tunnel (which we do not know the exact state of). This is not something generally favored in herring management structures today. The accumulation of sand along the passageway is clear to see as well and the eroded embankment. It would not take too much effort to restore this beautiful nearly hidden run, to the pristine headwaters of the showcase the public sees at the grist mill. Where there is a will, as the alewives themselves show us...this is the way.
A tour on this first day of August. There are no surprises. It does afford us a chance to have a closer look at the obstacles faced in the herring migration at the culvert itself. It is amazing any fish venture through that broken pipe and the enclosed space at its other end, after several feet within its dark tunnel (which we do not know the exact state of). This is not something generally favored in herring management structures today. The accumulation of sand along the passageway is clear to see as well and the eroded embankment. It would not take too much effort to restore this beautiful nearly hidden run, to the pristine headwaters of the showcase the public sees at the grist mill. Where there is a will, as the alewives themselves show us...this is the way.
Meanwhile, in Slough Pond itself today, alewife fry circle. We witnessed other schools in mid and late June, with hundreds departing at that time. It is more typical for them to summer over and depart in the fall. We hope, with enough rainfall, these fingerlings will have that opportunity.
August 6
At dusk, Canada Geese gather in the pond. Their numbers increase every evening. The families, those without young still unable to fully fly, reunite as they prepare for their fall migration (this will change by month's end when the goslings appear alongside the adults). Some geese do winter over but large numbers migrate south with the oldest, most experienced geese as their guide. They rest and chatter together every evening now, depart at dawn, in a rush of wing beats and calls and scattered feathers, to return on the following twilight. Some flocks will leave by the end of August, some in September. Slough Pond is their sanctuary as it is for a wide diversity of wildlife, including our revered alewives.
At dusk, Canada Geese gather in the pond. Their numbers increase every evening. The families, those without young still unable to fully fly, reunite as they prepare for their fall migration (this will change by month's end when the goslings appear alongside the adults). Some geese do winter over but large numbers migrate south with the oldest, most experienced geese as their guide. They rest and chatter together every evening now, depart at dawn, in a rush of wing beats and calls and scattered feathers, to return on the following twilight. Some flocks will leave by the end of August, some in September. Slough Pond is their sanctuary as it is for a wide diversity of wildlife, including our revered alewives.
August 8
There was quite a change in the passage since the rainfall this morning- not just rainfall but a torrential downpour that included a tornado watch, with 3.55" of rain measured. The gauge at the landing today read 0.4; a week ago when the passage was dry (July 31st) it read 0.2. The sand bags held back a considerable amount of runoff but not all. The water depth ranged from 1-3" at the Walker's end of passage, 7" at the 200 foot area past the culvert pipe (the pipe runs for another 30 feet underground), to 1-2" at the Slough end. This is almost enough for the fry to pass through but not for any adults. There are several areas of sand accumulation, even with all this water, creating shoals, hindering the current, and minimizing the water depth along much of the passageway, not having been dug down in recent years. Still, as we know from experience, it is amazing what one good rainfall can do.
There was quite a change in the passage since the rainfall this morning- not just rainfall but a torrential downpour that included a tornado watch, with 3.55" of rain measured. The gauge at the landing today read 0.4; a week ago when the passage was dry (July 31st) it read 0.2. The sand bags held back a considerable amount of runoff but not all. The water depth ranged from 1-3" at the Walker's end of passage, 7" at the 200 foot area past the culvert pipe (the pipe runs for another 30 feet underground), to 1-2" at the Slough end. This is almost enough for the fry to pass through but not for any adults. There are several areas of sand accumulation, even with all this water, creating shoals, hindering the current, and minimizing the water depth along much of the passageway, not having been dug down in recent years. Still, as we know from experience, it is amazing what one good rainfall can do.
August 9
Meanwhile, out on the pond... we have a beautiful stand of Tupelo trees along our shoreline, whose branches skirt the water and create a sanctuary on warm summer days. Today we find some Mallards resting in the dappled light, occasionally chasing the circling alewife fry, who are gaining in strength and size, feeding on plankton.
Meanwhile, out on the pond... we have a beautiful stand of Tupelo trees along our shoreline, whose branches skirt the water and create a sanctuary on warm summer days. Today we find some Mallards resting in the dappled light, occasionally chasing the circling alewife fry, who are gaining in strength and size, feeding on plankton.
Sometime the morning of the 9th, some of the sand that had accumulated after Tuesday's storm behind the Town's line of sandbags was dug away. As we noted earlier, the bags did prevent a good deal of stormwater sand and debris runoff from the road from going into the passageway, but not all. Runoff also occurs from the other direction, downhill from the camp, and both feed directly into the low culvert area, piling up the sand and debris there. as well as from the embankment which it erodes. One can only imagine, though sometimes witness, how much stormwater runoff has made its way, unimpeded, into the passageway over the years, especially the last few when no digging out of the channel has occurred. Not only has this impeded the herring migration but it has had a negative impact on water quality and the ecosystem in general and all that it sustains. Stormwater runoff is a serious issue effecting ponds in Brewster. This is not the only area where it occurs on Slough Pond. Work is being done, especially by the Brewster Ponds Coalition, to address the problem in partnership with the Town. This does not mean that the passageway is better off being shut down, only managed properly. Nevertheless, the sandbags are a positive step in the right direction.
August 18
The fish passage today is holding its own. After several rain storms the water is running at a good clip, though having to navigate around the sandbars that have collected from the stormwater runoff and erosion by the culvert. It is not deep enough for the alewives to emigrate but there is time for that in the weeks ahead. The schools of alewives continue to circle and prosper in the pond.
The sandbags, installed by the Town July 18, have continued to be effective holding back a lot of sediment flowing down from the dirt road, which would have otherwise made it into the passage, as it has in the past. The good news is that August has been a good month for rainfall! It has been a rainy season, more than usual, but not completely atypical, vastly different from last summer's drought, which frightened some.
The gauge* at the Slough Pond landing today, as pictured below, continues to hold at 0.4. We did have that 3.55" of rainfall on the 9th, which followed the dry period of late July, then .5" on the 11th and 15th, and .45" today. So it has been a good month so far with every rainfall bringing a renewed flow of water in the channel.
*It should be noted that the gauge number is a reflection of many contributing factors. Its baseline measurement was not installed with the aid of a surveyor, simply planted in the sandy bottom of the pond. The units therefore may be considered as inches but should not be considered as entirely scientific. (See May 13 for a record of the gauge through the spring.)
The fish passage today is holding its own. After several rain storms the water is running at a good clip, though having to navigate around the sandbars that have collected from the stormwater runoff and erosion by the culvert. It is not deep enough for the alewives to emigrate but there is time for that in the weeks ahead. The schools of alewives continue to circle and prosper in the pond.
The sandbags, installed by the Town July 18, have continued to be effective holding back a lot of sediment flowing down from the dirt road, which would have otherwise made it into the passage, as it has in the past. The good news is that August has been a good month for rainfall! It has been a rainy season, more than usual, but not completely atypical, vastly different from last summer's drought, which frightened some.
The gauge* at the Slough Pond landing today, as pictured below, continues to hold at 0.4. We did have that 3.55" of rainfall on the 9th, which followed the dry period of late July, then .5" on the 11th and 15th, and .45" today. So it has been a good month so far with every rainfall bringing a renewed flow of water in the channel.
*It should be noted that the gauge number is a reflection of many contributing factors. Its baseline measurement was not installed with the aid of a surveyor, simply planted in the sandy bottom of the pond. The units therefore may be considered as inches but should not be considered as entirely scientific. (See May 13 for a record of the gauge through the spring.)
August 19 - 31
August has been such a complicated month which required diligent observation down at the passageway. I held off posting the final two weeks in order to discern its rhythm and pattern, and also to assure the alewives' protection as they navigated the fluctuating weather and passageway challenges. This is an important part of the record or story this year, perhaps the most important part of all, and it is far from over.
It rained again on the 17th, 18th, and 25th, which aided the departure of some fry. The passageway was not entirely dry, with some areas holding deep enough water for their movement (3-5" for fry), as long as they avoided the sand accumulations. In the periods between rain storms, the water level became too low once again.
The two triptychs below were taken on 8/ 22, 8/23, and 8/25. In that brief three day period, there were thousands of alewife fry circling in Slough Pond at the entrance to the passageway. They were ready to leave, following their instinct to go out to sea. Intelligent creatures, resilient and adaptable, some ventured into the passageway then turned back immediately when they discerned the water level was not deep enough and the sandbars were too numerous for their safe passage. My observations obviously do not constitute the entirety of their movement only a general record.
August has been such a complicated month which required diligent observation down at the passageway. I held off posting the final two weeks in order to discern its rhythm and pattern, and also to assure the alewives' protection as they navigated the fluctuating weather and passageway challenges. This is an important part of the record or story this year, perhaps the most important part of all, and it is far from over.
It rained again on the 17th, 18th, and 25th, which aided the departure of some fry. The passageway was not entirely dry, with some areas holding deep enough water for their movement (3-5" for fry), as long as they avoided the sand accumulations. In the periods between rain storms, the water level became too low once again.
The two triptychs below were taken on 8/ 22, 8/23, and 8/25. In that brief three day period, there were thousands of alewife fry circling in Slough Pond at the entrance to the passageway. They were ready to leave, following their instinct to go out to sea. Intelligent creatures, resilient and adaptable, some ventured into the passageway then turned back immediately when they discerned the water level was not deep enough and the sandbars were too numerous for their safe passage. My observations obviously do not constitute the entirety of their movement only a general record.
The alewives' attempt at departure, as pictured below... scroll down for video.
On August 22nd I noticed that a small school of about 50 alewife fry were caught in the consistently deepest part of the passage just ahead of the culvert pipe, see images below. This is the very same section where 12 adult alewives were trapped and perished in early summer (between May 1st and 13th, when the culvert was blocked by the Alewife Committee). Somehow, between rain storms, this group of 50 had made it this far out of Slough Pond but by this time (the 22nd) the passageway was now too shallow for them to return to Slough. They were unable to go back (to Slough) or ahead (to Walker's). Once again they did not seem to want to enter the pipe and their passage after the pipe was not assured, if some had ventured through, due to the heavy sand accumulations beyond.
However, just beyond the pipe a single fry had ventured through and was stranding in those sandy shoals. These, you may recall, are caused by erosion on the banks and sand and debris runoff from the road. The sandbags installed by the Town on July 18 may help alleviate stormwater runoff now but not all and do nothing to address the past accumulations in this section. Recall as well that the passageway was not dug out this year, nor perhaps in any recent year; work which is normal annual maintenance for herring migration runs across the Cape.
There were narrow rivulets that the single fry kept attempting to traverse. In my first act of intervention, I carved a deeper channel for him with a small stick having noted that a few yards beyond this sandy area the water was deep enough for his passage to Walker's. He struggled in and out, back and forth, unsure of himself, but finally reached the deeper water. I do not know if he made it. The stranded school of 50 were no longer there by the 26th. I do not know if they made it out but it is possible since there was rain on the 25th (the gauge reading 4.2"). There was no further activity in the passageway after that date.
However, just beyond the pipe a single fry had ventured through and was stranding in those sandy shoals. These, you may recall, are caused by erosion on the banks and sand and debris runoff from the road. The sandbags installed by the Town on July 18 may help alleviate stormwater runoff now but not all and do nothing to address the past accumulations in this section. Recall as well that the passageway was not dug out this year, nor perhaps in any recent year; work which is normal annual maintenance for herring migration runs across the Cape.
There were narrow rivulets that the single fry kept attempting to traverse. In my first act of intervention, I carved a deeper channel for him with a small stick having noted that a few yards beyond this sandy area the water was deep enough for his passage to Walker's. He struggled in and out, back and forth, unsure of himself, but finally reached the deeper water. I do not know if he made it. The stranded school of 50 were no longer there by the 26th. I do not know if they made it out but it is possible since there was rain on the 25th (the gauge reading 4.2"). There was no further activity in the passageway after that date.
Video of alewives' attempt at departure from Slough Pond in late August.
Video: 50 fry stuck in culvert channel.
Video: No safety in numbers for this (brave) small fry.
Thousands of fry born this spring and summer in Slough Pond can't get out on this date.