Lake Warner (1677-2011) Where do we go from here ?

1. Lake Warner (1677-2011) Where do we go from here ? Develop and Implement a Management Plan that benefits the lake, surrounding wetlands and aquatic and wetland dependant species. Seek Grant Money and cooperation from citizens, local, state, federal government, local and regional watershed and conservation and planning groups. Move forward according to the recommendations of a steering committee.

2. Historical Significance • Just upstream of the first dam in the valley 1653,current location first built in 1677, site of the first corn mill. • Broom factory site, during 1800’s when Hadley was the #1 broom manufacturer in the U.S. • Portion of the valley where bottom of Lake Hitchcock post glacial outwash features that shaped the valleys sedimentary, and glacial deposits present today. • One of the oldest human altered lake ecosystems in the country, dammed in 1677 and rebuilt periodically until 1947 where it exists at its current height.

3. Warner Dam • Alters natural flow regime of the Mill River • Alters bed load and suspended sediment load to the Connecticut River • Prevents aquatic species from migrating to and from the Connecticut River • Increases Temperature • Reduces Dissolved Oxygen • Creates Habitat for Aquatic Invasive and Nusance Species

4. Lake Warner/Warner Dam • Provides recreational opportunities • Fishing productivity is above state average • Boating • Provide access to public/conservation land otherwise inaccessible to the public at this time. Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife, Trustees of the Reservation, Kestrel Trust/Valley Land Fund

5. History of Partnerships • Historical stocking records (1912-1962) • Private Pond Agreement between Division of Fish and Game and Arthur C. Howe, 1929. • Division of Fish and Game and Town of Hadley confirm that the boat ramp is a public right of way. • Between 1913-1951 over 200,000 fish were stocked into Lake Warner • In 1962 The Division of Fish and Game reclaims Lake Warner over 3.5 TONS of fish from Lake Warner and Factory Hollow Pond (Puffers Pond). The total estimated kill was over 6 TONS. Re-stocking of warm water fish in Lake Warner and cold water fish in Factory Hollow Brook commences until, 1981 when determined that fisheries were in balance and further stocking of Lake Warner was unwarranted.

6. Storm Water Management • Responsibility of municipalities where area is within source water protection area for a municipal water supplier. • Applies especially to water bodies on the 303d list of impared water bodies in the Commonwealth. Lake Warner has been on this list since 1985 • TMDL’s determined by DEP and NPDES Phase 1 and 2 programs • Funding assistance provided through 319 grants and 604b grants, a updating of the unfunded grants previously written by PVPA should be supported by the communities and watershed groups.

7. Cooperators • Towns of Hadley and Amherst • DEP • DCR • USFWS • Massachusetts Division of Fish and WIldlife • Kestrel Trust/Valley Land Fund • UMASS and Five Colleges • Pioneer Valley Planning Association

8. Non-Point Source Pollution • Essential for landowners to be aware of programs and benefits available through NRCS • Historic sediment basins should be maintained and if necessary redesigned using current methods. • Additional sediment basins, storm water detention basins, filter socks on catch basins

9. Agricultural BMP’s Best Management Practices • Buffer strips between fields and streams and wetlands, and streamside buffer zones, • Cover crops, and ground cover should be encouraged to prevent storm runoff from bare fields. • Wind breaks to reduce wind erosion. • Fencing streams and wetlands to control animal access, prevent streamside erosion.

10. Aquatic Plant Management • The town of Natick last year paid $37,500 for clearing 5+ acres of aquatic milfoil with a diver assisted suction dredge on Lake Cochituate. • Financial assistance from DCR, town, and local watershed groups. • Specifically focused on recreational areas of use. • Avoids the use of herbicides.

11. Invasive/Nuscience Species Present in Lake Warner and littoral zone • Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllumspicatum) • Water chestnut (Trapanatans) • Parrot Feather(Myriophyllumaquaticum) • Curley pondweed(Potamogeton spp.) • Duckweed(Lemnna spp.) • Phragmities (Phagmitiesaustralis) • Japanese Knotweed (Polygonumcuspidatum) • Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) • Asian Bittersweet (Celastrusorbiculatus)

12. Species Negatively Affected by Drawdown

13. Management of upland invasive plants • Physical removal • Mowing prior to seeding, covering with plastic • Cutting and swabbing with herbicide, ex. Asian bittersweet • Burning roots with fire (torch) i.e. Japanese barberry. • All methods are labor intensive, with mixed results and usually repetition for several growing seasons.

14. Dredging • Must have a 401 Water Quality Certification determined by DEP to be under federal jurisdiction • Cost to sample sediment cores, bathymetric mapping, and contour map of sedimentation and volume. Range of bids ($19,000-$27,000) • Depending on volume of material, (less or more than 5,000cy), and under (314CMR 4.00) public notice in Environmental Monitor, Conservation Commission, and DEP notification. 21 day review

15. Ecological Restoration Techniques To replicate for the benefit of ecological function the management of a human altered system (Dam and Lake) to simulate a natural system (River and Wetlands) Drawdown-In early fall, the gates would be opened to reduce the volume of the lake to expose plant beds to air and temperatures to reduce survival. The lake would be allowed to refill in order to provide as much aquatic habitat as possible for the species dependent on the aquatic ecosystem.

16. Provide educational opportunities to local schools, colleges, and Universities • Limnology Soil Studies • Fisheries Biology Agricultural BMP’s • Life Science Geology • Ecology Geomorphology • Botany Hydrology • Invertebrate Zoology Natural Resources • Wetlands Chemistry Planning / Education

17. Cost Estimations • Engineering work to assess existing conditions at Warner Dam, repair of slide gate etc. ($8,500) • Aquatic Plant Management (depends on acreage if 20 acres then aprox. $100,000) • Sediment sampling ($19,000-$27,000) • Dredging (would depend on quanity, the 31 acre Nashawannuck Pond in Easthampton was completed last year with 45,000cy removed at a cost of $2.3 million. $650,000 came from CPA funds.

18. Grants and funding amounts for similar projects • US Army Corps Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program, John Oliver earmarked $999,999 • State Funding Appropriation John Scibeck got appropriated $200,000 • Local Fundraising • CPA Funds • 319 Grants • 604b Grants • NAWCA Grants, $75,000

19. Other measures • Benthic barriers • Alum treatment