February 1 As a new migratory season draws near, we are aware that there is still so much uncertainty. I am not talking about the weather. New Englanders are used to adapting to that cyclical change. Although the 2023 season ended on a high note, it was a difficult year. We can look back at it now as a story told, with a certain narrative arc, with its many challenges, disappointments, and slow progress. What have we learned? Can we write a new story for this year with a similar happy ending, building on the collaborative progress made, or will we be back to square one? We approach this season with the renewed sense of hope that spring always offers but also with the seasoned awareness that the matter is not yet settled.
It is worth remembering two things: first, that Curt Orvis, the engineer who designed the $1.2 million dollar restoration project to improve migratory fish passage, slated to begin this fall at the Brewster fish ladder (voted on and approved at the 2022 fall town meeting), refers to the "five headwater ponds of the Stony Brook Watershed" - not three ponds, Slough is one of the five; and secondly, that the Alewife Committee met in February of 2023 to vote on cutting off the Slough Pond passage, thereby reducing the herrings' habitat significantly, with untold consequences on the health of the herring population, the health of Slough Pond, and the entire ecosystem the alewife migration supports. Citizens opposed this vote and it was postponed for a year of "monitoring" the situation.
We have queried the Town about a public meeting, or preferably public hearing (which allows public comment), of the Alewife Committee this month so that citizens can be informed of its plans for the migratory season nearly upon us; the first alewife scouts arrived on March 17 at the ladder and a month later at Slough Pond. There were three AC meetings last year, one in February, one in June, and a joint meeting with the Natural Resources Advisory Commission last July.
Meanwhile, down at the passageway the water is deep and flowing, unobstructed. The level is about 2-3 inches toward Slough Pond, a bit shallower there due to the accumulating sand from the pond's current. The depth increases several yards down, toward the curve, to about 5-6 inches. By the time it arrives at its traditionally deepest section before the culvert it is over a foot deep; about 7-8 inches beyond the pipe as it flows toward Walker's. A tree that fell during a storm a couple weeks ago, blocking access to the road, was cut down by the DPW, who did some trimming by the passage as well. The sandbags are holding in both locations, on the path and at the mouth, though the erosion by the culvert itself is still considerable. Looking ahead, if the heavy precipitation keeps up for the next six to eight weeks the adult alewives should be able to navigate the channel, though it could use some maintenance.
February 3 Notwithstanding the cold and moody gray skies, which were unchanged, the fish passage today was slightly altered from my previous visit on Thursday. The water, though still deep, was not flowing as strongly. I had heard that a warden and natural resources staffer had paid a visit yesterday, moving sandbags.
On Thursday, I'd considered the depth and flow a good sign of things to come; if precipitation kept up as high as it's been, the herring would have an easy time entering the channel and making it to the pond (with a little channel maintenance). There was a risk of course with that "plan" in that the weather might not cooperate. In repositioning the sandbags yesterday, Plan B seems to be in effect. The passage is not blocked, nor is the outflow from the pond allowed to flow freely, rather, it has been controlled with a sort of weir effect. One of the sandbags has been positioned between the others, creating the opportunity to store or release water, by adjusting heights, for the duration of the fish migration- as long as it is closely monitored and adjusted that is. With this method, there might also be enough time to reduce the water level in the passage for some required maintenance. ie., digging out accumulated sand deposits that reduce the water depth.
This is a thoughtful approach and may be a precursor to a more permanent weir in the future. We can expect the herring to arrive anytime after March 20th and it is encouraging that attention is being paid early this year. The Town has committed to a two-year pond study, focused on herrings' spawning, nursery, and habitat issues, with a respected biologist from the MA Division of Marine Fisheries. The study begins this spring and this early attention may support that effort.
February 11 As of this writing, there has been no commitment on the public record to keep the Slough Pond passage open this year from the Alewife Committee. Does the Natural Resources Advisory Commission's commitment to the River Herring Spawning and Habitat Assessment Study by the DMF (mentioned above) mean there is an equal commitment on the part of the Alewife Committee? Are they participating in this study- we need that on the record.
I asked this question recently at the Natural Resources Advisory Commission public meeting on February 8- why there, because the study has been on their agenda since last September and there has been no Alewife Committee public meeting since last June, with none scheduled so far for the spring.
The Alewife Committee's plans for the 2024 migratory season should be a matter of public record. The habitat study was committed to by the Town in August. Has the Alewife Committee revised its plans? The last we heard, in June, it was the opinion of the head warden to close the Slough Pond passage down, but they would continue to monitor it again in 2024, adding, however, that a barrier might be erected to block its entrance from Walker's Pond. This sounds contradictory and not the most scientific and logical way of supporting the Habitat and Spawning study; one would assume the passage would be maintained in optimal condition.
Chris Miller of the NRD stated on February 8 that the AC acts independently and does not have to take recommendations. He also stated, as we know, they are appointed by the Select Board (one assumes after an application process, vetting, and assessment of expertise) and do not act under the supervision of the NRD. One of the three warden's terms is up in June. (We believe 5 wardens, or at least 2 alternates, would be more reasonable for this committee with all of the challenges it faces in the 21st century; it originally had seven members; Harwich has 6, Barnstable 4-6.)
Marine Fisheries Biologist and Diadromous Fisheries Project Leader, Brad Chase, of the MA Division of Marine Fisheries will initiate his habitat study next month for the next two migratory seasons. The question is will it be with the full collaboration and support of the Alewife Committee? That should be a matter of public record.
February 12 State of the World's Migratory Species Report released today. A United Nations initiative. This is an important study and is about everything we have been discussing here for the past year.
February 15 As we await the parameters and intent of the DMF's River Herring Spawning and Habitat Assessment Study due to begin next month, and await word on the scheduling of an Alewife Committee public hearing on this subject, as well as their plan for the season, we ponder some issues. It was interesting to re-read the Stream Maintenance Plan (link to entire set of documents, see Resource page for video) revised and signed in 2023 between the DMF, the Town of Brewster, The Conservation Commission, and the Department of Natural Resources in light of the meeting I attended last week. As I mentioned above, during questioning at last week's meeting of the NRAC, Chris Miller, of the NRD, pointed out that the AC does not act under their supervision, although the various departments "work well together." Some clarification of their respective roles might be helpful for public understanding.
Under the revised and adopted plan, written by Chris Miller, and approved in 2023, it is unclear whether the plan still requires a three year review and renewal, as customary in the past, or not; nevertheless, any changes would prompt and require filing a Notice of Intent with a review process (under the Wetlands Protection Act, Conservation Commission, and Town Bylaws). It is of interest to note this timeline: warden of 40 years Dana Condit died in January of 2020 , was still active through 2018, at least, with new wardens appointed in 2019. The pandemic began in 2020. This plan was enacted in 2020. Little if any maintenance was done at the Slough Pond passage. The drought occurred in 2022. Fish screens were added to the plan in 2023.
The plan includes the following terminology:
"This project will have no impact on the resource area." Permanently removing the Slough Pond habitat from the herrings' annual migration would.
"The two periods of the year that management (removal of impediments to flow) will occur are (October - mid-December) to identify and address early blockages and (February- early March) to conclude any work prior to the arrival of fish in the spring." Is spring management- as agreed upon- pending? This was not the case last spring.
""Fish screens"" may be used to control/limit the movement of fish when drops in pond height may make some fish-ways impassable." Can this be accurately determined in February and early March or September for outmigration? No mention is made of the use of a bucket to obstruct flow in the culvert, as used in 2023.
"The Brewster Natural Resources Department is the primary Town Department to (sp.) annual stream maintenance." NRD is primary, not Alewife Committee?
"5) Inspect channel from Walker's Pond to Slough Pond to remove debris jams from culvert and channel. Consideration should be made in low flow years to screen off entrance to channel to prevent adult herring from spawning in Slough Pond with subsequent poor juvenile herring survival. If temporary screen is installed is (sp.) will require weekly inspection during spring and removal by July 15." How would a low flow year be determined in Feb/March? If temporary screening becomes a common practice isn't this effectively closing the passage? Any permanent closing off of passage would require a Notice of Intent with the DMF & ConCom for a new Determination of Applicability. Public Appeals can also be made.
"Approval of this plan by the Brewster Conservation Commission allows the Town of Brewster staff, led by the Natural Resources Department, and appointed volunteers, to conduct stream channel maintenance in the Stony Brook Watershed." Led by NRD. The Alewife Committee is never mentioned in this document. Are the wardens, appointed by the Select Board, considered strictly "volunteers" led (supervised) by the NRD, and not independent as stated?
Spring maintenance will include clearing numerous branches like these which were downed during and after the storm and now obstruct the passage.
February 18
Please check out the newly created '23 Slide Show for a brief visual summary, with captions, of the 2023 migratory season, from March through December, on Slough Pond.
February 21 Good news today from the Natural Resources Advisory Commission regarding the Alewife Committee's plan for the Slough Pond passage for 2024. The passage will not be closed for the two-year duration of the Division of Marine Fisheries' River Herring Spawning and Nursery Habitat Study. Water management will be in effect when necessary.
In other news, as you will see from the photos below (with two abstracts for good measure), maintenance is required to open the passageway for the herrings' arrival, which we can expect anytime after March 20. There is no water flow from the pond but the water level is pretty good. The channel is otherwise clear, notwithstanding the broken limbs from last week's storm, proof once again of the excellent work of the AmeriCorps crew in December. Chainsaws will be necessary for this clearing though.