Save Dewey’s Pond!

Click me for Minutes from the Jan 13 2016 meeting

A group of concerned citizens have been meeting to discuss the need to “Save Dewey’s Pond”.  The group consists of representatives from the Town of Hartford, VINS, Quechee Lakes Landowners Association and local business people.  We meet on a monthly basis and explore ideas that might restore Dewey’s Pond to a “healthy” state for wildlife and fauna. However we will need the support of concerned residents and business owners to move forward.Please attend an informational meeting on January 13, at 6:30 p.m., 2016 in the Ottauquechee Elementary School cafeteria to learn about the condition and actions that could be taken regarding the Pond’s future.  It is important that you attend this meeting to understand the  potential actions and express your opinion.   Please pass this request onto anyone you know who has enjoyed the Pond and would be concerned about its future.

Directions to the Ottaquechee School 304 Dody Ln Quechee VT

We will provide more information as we move closer to the date of the informational meeting.  We thank you in advance for your future participation.

You may wonder what has caused the urgency to save the pond.  the following is a brief description of what has occurred in the past few years.

The aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene has been a deterioration of the ecosystem within and around the Pond.  The natural wildlife and fauna has either diminished severely or disappeared.  This is due to the increase in deposits of silt and soil, resulting in the decrease of the Pond’s depth,  causing higher water temperature.  In addition the invasive plant, Milfoil, is now rampant throughout the Pond.  Nothing has been done to date to correct these conditions.  If the Pond is to return to a healthy habitat for wildlife and natural fauna and be an enjoyable recreational spot, all the adverse conditions need to be addressed.  The “Save Dewey’s Pond” group is in discussions with the State of Vermont and the Pond’s owner, the Army Corp of Engineers, to determine appropriate actions to address all the issues.

There has been an attempt to control the increase of Milfoil within the pond  Currently, Gary Pelton and a dedicated group of students, manually pull Milfoil from the Pond during the summer months.  Unfortunately this does not eradicate the Milfoil, but trims it back.  In order to permanently reduce the Milfoil level the depth of the Pond must be increased.  In the interim, as we try to reduce the Milfoil level much assistance is needed.  A  “Milfoil Pulling Training” session happened last August 23 and we will schedule additional training events next summer.

2 thoughts on “Save Dewey’s Pond!”

  1. Thanks for the description that appears within this website to describe what has caused urgency to SAVE DEWEY’S POND.
    The description is clear cut, with an immediate message regarding the negative effects that have already been experienced by natural wildlife and fauna. It reminds me that what affects the ecosystem……affects us.
    It is rather scary to learn about Milfoil, an invasive plant, which has been basically ignored and left untreated.
    I hope that each one of us will encourage our caring friends to join this important group, SAVE DEWEY’S POND. Let’s put our heads together to start seeing more pro-active strategies to help save this pond.
    By 2017, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to point to some accomplishments in regards to this important goal?

  2. Good afternoon, Sheila. Margo Ott, a mutual acquaintance, directed me to you in hopes of answering a question that I had. Each May the Jr./Sr. High students, at Mid Vermont Christian School, have a community Service Day where we go out in small groups, with staff, to assist local organizations. This year’s event is scheduled for Monday May 9 (rain date May 10) and I was hoping we might be able to assist your organization.

    Although Spring is a long way off, I am already beginning to formulate a list of potential places for our students to serve. I would love to discuss this opportunity further with you, if you are interested. Please let me know your thoughts on this and when would be a convenient time to contact you by phone to discuss this in greater detail.

    Thank you for considering this opportunity.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Schwamb
    Director of Spiritual Formation

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