March 1
"It was in March, in comparative ignorance of their lives and habits, that I started looking for the alewives." - John Hay, The Run. My memory has its own internal clock it seems and each year John's words narrate themselves with perennial warmth. I too start looking for the alewives this month as we all do across the Cape. Their return will be a welcome sight after this difficult winter. The first scouts will arrive down at the Paine's Creek estuary, and subsequently the fish ladder, around mid-March and make their way to Slough Pond about a month later. Let's hope their migration will be easier and more timely supported this spring at our passage.
"It was in March, in comparative ignorance of their lives and habits, that I started looking for the alewives." - John Hay, The Run. My memory has its own internal clock it seems and each year John's words narrate themselves with perennial warmth. I too start looking for the alewives this month as we all do across the Cape. Their return will be a welcome sight after this difficult winter. The first scouts will arrive down at the Paine's Creek estuary, and subsequently the fish ladder, around mid-March and make their way to Slough Pond about a month later. Let's hope their migration will be easier and more timely supported this spring at our passage.
An image of the scouts' arrival graces the March page of the lovely calendar, featuring some of my Brewster photographs, published this year by the estimable Robert Manz Studio.
March 3
Solitary Crow on the snow covered Slough Pond.
Solitary Crow on the snow covered Slough Pond.
March 9
There was enough of a thaw after three days of rain to head back down to the fishway. The photos below document the current state of affairs. We are two weeks away from the arrival of the spring herring migration, though it takes a little longer for the alewives to make it up to the Slough Pond passage. Heads up for the work that needs to be done now that all the crews are busy cleaning up tree limbs after our winter storms. Spring is settling in across the land and waters ... On the subject of water, the level in the entire passage is exceptionally high though not running due to debris buildup. Let's hope this year when the wardens "run it hard" down at the fish ladder it will not draw our water down as it has in the past few years.
There was enough of a thaw after three days of rain to head back down to the fishway. The photos below document the current state of affairs. We are two weeks away from the arrival of the spring herring migration, though it takes a little longer for the alewives to make it up to the Slough Pond passage. Heads up for the work that needs to be done now that all the crews are busy cleaning up tree limbs after our winter storms. Spring is settling in across the land and waters ... On the subject of water, the level in the entire passage is exceptionally high though not running due to debris buildup. Let's hope this year when the wardens "run it hard" down at the fish ladder it will not draw our water down as it has in the past few years.
As the month of March progresses we await news of the next Alewife Committee meeting, the status of their recruitment of two additional wardens, the delays at the fish ladder renovation, the plans for the Slough Pond passage, and of most note, the findings and recommendations of the Division of Marine Fisheries' two-year Habitat Study concluded in the fall of '25 under Brad Chase.
March 12
The Alewife Committee has posted a notice for a meeting on Monday, March 16 at 5pm at the Town Hall and virtually. Agenda link here.
Meeting Link here. By the book meetings should be posted a week prior so hopefully this short notice won't affect attendance. A link to the video presentation by DMF's Brad Chase recorded on 11/3/'25 was provided. This presentation was to the Alewife Committee and the Natural Resources Advisory Commission with the preliminary findings of his 2-year Habitat Study commissioned by the NRAC. A final draft of results and recommendations has since been provided to the Town but has not yet been made public. The study and all video recordings of meetings are available on our Resources page.
The Alewife Committee has posted a notice for a meeting on Monday, March 16 at 5pm at the Town Hall and virtually. Agenda link here.
Meeting Link here. By the book meetings should be posted a week prior so hopefully this short notice won't affect attendance. A link to the video presentation by DMF's Brad Chase recorded on 11/3/'25 was provided. This presentation was to the Alewife Committee and the Natural Resources Advisory Commission with the preliminary findings of his 2-year Habitat Study commissioned by the NRAC. A final draft of results and recommendations has since been provided to the Town but has not yet been made public. The study and all video recordings of meetings are available on our Resources page.
March 13
As things stand today, the pond is now fully thawed except for a scrim of lingering ice along the shore. The gauge reads 3.75" -close to our target number of 5" for adult herring migration. The excellent level of water along the passage reflects the water table, as nearly half of it is at the same elevation as the pond. For now its flow is blocked not only by debris but the sandbag weir at its head.
As things stand today, the pond is now fully thawed except for a scrim of lingering ice along the shore. The gauge reads 3.75" -close to our target number of 5" for adult herring migration. The excellent level of water along the passage reflects the water table, as nearly half of it is at the same elevation as the pond. For now its flow is blocked not only by debris but the sandbag weir at its head.
March 16
As we enter the spring migration season I have some thoughts to share... I sometimes try to imagine how things were in the early 17th century before the colonists arrived. What was it like for the herring coming in from the sea, through the valley and into our ponds? I imagine it was beautiful indeed in all its natural wonder and the Natives and all the wildlife celebrated the bounty of spring on the backs of these silvery fish.
Needless to say, we cannot go back in time. At Stony Brook, since the grist mill, and the road, the homes, and the ladder we have changed their habitat irreversibly, as we have all across the Cape. When did they make their way into Slough Pond and how- was it 175 years ago, or farther back in time? They sought out a more expansive habitat for their young. And it is our responsibility now to help them, to protect and preserve their instinct to survive, and by helping them we maintain a balance for the entire ecosystem, including ourselves. Dare I say, we have to love them enough. (Illustration David Grose, with my own pastel embellishment.)
Needless to say, we cannot go back in time. At Stony Brook, since the grist mill, and the road, the homes, and the ladder we have changed their habitat irreversibly, as we have all across the Cape. When did they make their way into Slough Pond and how- was it 175 years ago, or farther back in time? They sought out a more expansive habitat for their young. And it is our responsibility now to help them, to protect and preserve their instinct to survive, and by helping them we maintain a balance for the entire ecosystem, including ourselves. Dare I say, we have to love them enough. (Illustration David Grose, with my own pastel embellishment.)
March 17
The first Alewife Committee meeting of the year was held last night (link below). Some highlights; It was low-key yet quite productive. A highly anticipated though brief presentation was given by the DMF's Brad Chase on the results (link below) of his two-year Habitat Study commissioned by the Town. His mandate was to find answers and evidence, work he has done assiduously. His conviction is that restoration of the Slough Pond passage is the right path and by designating it as an official fishway, with the installation of a modest water control structure, will offer it more protection with teamwork from the State. His plan offers the Town and the DMF a partnership, along with the landowners, on its restoration and preservation. June 30th is the deadline for submission of required documentation. An Alewife Committee meeting will be scheduled just previous to that date. A decision has not been made on whether the plan will actually be accepted and come to pass; whether it does or not determines the fate of Slough Pond's continuance as a nursery and habitat for migrating river herring. There is reason for hope but the process may take time. Brad believes it could be accomplished this year but agrees, with Chris Miller, it may take two or three considering the processes involved and the will and commitment of the stakeholders. For more, see below.
The first Alewife Committee meeting of the year was held last night (link below). Some highlights; It was low-key yet quite productive. A highly anticipated though brief presentation was given by the DMF's Brad Chase on the results (link below) of his two-year Habitat Study commissioned by the Town. His mandate was to find answers and evidence, work he has done assiduously. His conviction is that restoration of the Slough Pond passage is the right path and by designating it as an official fishway, with the installation of a modest water control structure, will offer it more protection with teamwork from the State. His plan offers the Town and the DMF a partnership, along with the landowners, on its restoration and preservation. June 30th is the deadline for submission of required documentation. An Alewife Committee meeting will be scheduled just previous to that date. A decision has not been made on whether the plan will actually be accepted and come to pass; whether it does or not determines the fate of Slough Pond's continuance as a nursery and habitat for migrating river herring. There is reason for hope but the process may take time. Brad believes it could be accomplished this year but agrees, with Chris Miller, it may take two or three considering the processes involved and the will and commitment of the stakeholders. For more, see below.
In other news, alternate warden Scott Leonhardt has become an official warden (voting and working) and there is an opening for an additional warden and an alternate to be filled- critical positions. This will allow the committee to be comprised of five wardens, over three, with two alternate members, one of whom, Owen Nichols, will remain. Scott and warden Doug Erickson also serve together as millers on the Stony Brook Grist Mill Committee, as did the now retired warden William LeMaitre; Erickson is its Chair.
According to Chris Miller, NRD, construction is finished at the fish ladder and Brad offered to install the fish counter as early as this week in anticipation of the herring migration. Erickson has begun to run the water at the headboard testing the new weirs. For the record, he mentioned two issues of concern, one requiring some fact checking- although the DMF last year dismissed his idea to install a screen at the mouth of the passage at Walker's Pond to block entrance for the herring (in low water years) he went ahead and built one and encouraged its use. There was some discussion and a vote was taken against its use. Hopefully this vote will hold in the field. (We recall his installation of a bucket blocking the culvert pipe on his own initiative one season resulting in the death of many adult herring.)
He also mentioned finding eleven dead alewife fry from the 18th- 20th of December in the dry passage- or ditch as he calls it- with only 1/4" water level there. He did not say whether this was in any particular area, perhaps of shoaled sand, but wherever he may have seen them this was a surprise to hear. The water level remained extremely high throughout December and the entire winter as evidenced in my posts from that time and we never witnessed any mortality of fry. In fact, we did not see any fry departing which is not to say that they didn't. They had the opportunity and the right conditions; there were schools in the pond before December and none during that month. What we did see in the passage in early December was a lone pickerel and hundreds of White Perch (see photos below). Snow and ice settled in on Slough as early as December 7th.
In closing, he mentioned that he and Scott removed some sticks from the passage in the past few days but not the heavier tree limbs. Warden Gary Kaser offered to help.
NRD's Chris Miller mentioned that the Town had been discussing Brad's draft restoration proposal since receiving it in December and that there were many steps to follow including rigorous agreements between the Town, the DMF, and the landowners. He mentioned four although to my knowledge there is only one primary landowner on record for the area under consideration for restoration. A second landowner owns the section at the mouth at Walker's with two other abutters, one to the south and one being the BCT on the dirt road: the survey will record these with precision.
NRD's Ryan Burch gave an update on his work managing the passage last year (see photo below), including partnerships and transparency initiatives, and said he would be continuing that work this year with the committee's vote to support, which he received. Having a single point-person and signatory for the management plan will lead to more efficiency. The staggered sand bag weirs are labor-intensive and require oversight; they are not a sustainable practice long-term though served their purpose well temporarily. Readers may recall that their installation came as a solution last year to the issues raised by the ConCom about sand removal in the stream and its side-casting in the wetland, typical herring run management allowed in the Town's agreement with the DMF. In closing, Ryan brought up the distinction between surface and ground water levels as a concern as we may be faced with another drought year. A worthy subject for investigation and a concern of many on the Cape including the Brewster Ponds Coalition.
Here is a link to the video recording of the meeting.
Here is a link to the DMF's Proposal.
March 19
An abandoned boat drifting along the eastern shore of the pond since the fall has been released from the winter's ice and come to rest just shy of the opening to the passage. This, along with the fallen branches, means more work lies ahead for the NRD and Alewife Wardens. There is water flowing over the sandbag weir but it is blocked from moving too far downstream in the channel by lodged tree limbs, a good thing. The herring usually arrive here in mid to late April so the water level needs to be safeguarded.
March 24
According to the gauge reading today the pond has reached its optimal level for herring migration.
According to the gauge reading today the pond has reached its optimal level for herring migration.
March 28
As we close out the month of March, some serious work was accomplished at the passage this week by the NRD and AC. We are now in a better position than we were last year to welcome the herring, who should arrive soon. Careful attention will no doubt be paid to removing the sandbag weir and positioning staggered sandbags, if necessary, as the season progresses.
As we close out the month of March, some serious work was accomplished at the passage this week by the NRD and AC. We are now in a better position than we were last year to welcome the herring, who should arrive soon. Careful attention will no doubt be paid to removing the sandbag weir and positioning staggered sandbags, if necessary, as the season progresses.
A good level of water has been maintained in the entire passage, now free of accumulated sand (note the filled sandbags to address side-casting), removal of an enormous felled tree limb, and various twigs and branches that blocked the stream. The sandbag weir at the mouth of Slough seems quite massive but is perhaps required to hold back the pond water, especially as water is being drawn down at the fish ladder, now open to the public again. The abandoned and half-submerged boat still lurks by the entrance at an area favored for spawning. Alewives are resilient creatures and may find a way to make use of it for their own purposes. It will be two or three weeks before they are expected in our passage: April 25 in '25, April 24 in '24, and April 16 in '23.
Attention has continued to be paid to problematic road run-off from the dirt road into the culvert as well. Sandbags also hold off water spilling into the wetland though this will need the attention of the Mosquito Control Project as the season evolves; according to the NRD, the Town will be coordinating with them . As things stands, all things considered, we have made good progress from last year and are in a far better position for 2026.
The orange sandbags are picturesque in their own way, and essential to this management strategy, but how lovely the passage did look in its natural state not too long ago...
Attention has continued to be paid to problematic road run-off from the dirt road into the culvert as well. Sandbags also hold off water spilling into the wetland though this will need the attention of the Mosquito Control Project as the season evolves; according to the NRD, the Town will be coordinating with them . As things stands, all things considered, we have made good progress from last year and are in a far better position for 2026.
The orange sandbags are picturesque in their own way, and essential to this management strategy, but how lovely the passage did look in its natural state not too long ago...
March 30
Check out this wonderful presentation from March 20th at the APCC's Koppel Center with Restoration Ecologist Mike Palmer entitled, Counting on a Comeback, River Herring Monitoring on Cape Cod (video link).
Check out this wonderful presentation from March 20th at the APCC's Koppel Center with Restoration Ecologist Mike Palmer entitled, Counting on a Comeback, River Herring Monitoring on Cape Cod (video link).
