Lake Boon Commission meets August 27

The Lake Boon Commission will meet at 8 a.m. on Thursday, August 27. The early morning meeting is to meet deadlines for our new lake level Drawdown Permit.

The meeting will be held via Zoom with an option for participation via telephone. Public participation via calling in or using your computer is encouraged.

AGENDA

1.    Drawdown Permit – Finalize Submissions/Next Steps/Vote

2.    Date of Next Meeting

3.    Adjourn

For log-in information, visit the Lake Boon Commission page on the Stow town website. In the Agendas box on the lower right hand side of the page, click on the agenda for the August 27 meeting. Information on the meeting and the Zoom link will download automatically, and you can copy and paste the link into your browser.  Or you can get on the Lake Boon email list by contacting Dave Gray and get an email notice about LBC meetings complete with login links.

Found: Swamped green canoe

This swamped green canoe is currently tied up at 96 North Shore Drive. Owner, please retrieve it ASAP.

Found canoe

A swamped aluminum canoe has been reported washed up at 106 N. Shore Drive. The owner can retrieve it there.

Fox in the area

From Stow Animal Control:

There have been numerous sightings of a fox with some mange and a gash on his thigh in the area of Wildlife Woods, North Shore Road and Hale Road. It is not showing any signs of rabies at this time. The recommendation is that if it can get around to feed itself, leave it alone. If it can’t forage for food or if it starts showing signs of rabies, contact Animal Control via the Stow Police at 978-897-4545.

Phyllis Tower
Animal Control Officer

And a neighbor adds:
If this poor fox has mange, that means that its feces will carry the parasite that causes mange. Therefore it would be imperative that nobody lets their domestic pets have access to the area and have contact with any of the fecal matter.

Lake Boon Commission meets August 19

The Lake Boon Commission will meet on Wednesday, August 19 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

AGENDA
1. Public Comment
2. Stow Selectmen Liaison to LBC – Introductions/Discussion
3. Meeting Minutes – Review/Vote
4. Bills to Pay – Review/Vote
5. Amended Hudson FY21 LBC Budget – Discuss/Vote
6. Weed Treatment & Drawdown – Updates/Next Steps/Vote
7. Old Business/Follow-ups
8. New Business
9. Date of Next Meeting
10. Adjourn

For login information, see the meeting agenda, which is posted here and can be downloaded from the Lake Boon Commission section of the Stow town website.

Healthy Lake Boon update

A lot has been going on with lake water quality recently.

Brown algae
The proliferation of a brown algae in the last 2 weeks has raised concern. It appears to be mostly in the top foot of the water column and blows with the wind to different areas of the lake. Photos of it were sent to the Mass Dept of Public Health, Nashoba Boards of Health, and Solitude Lake Management, our weed treatment contractor. All responded that it doesn’t look like any kind of cyanobacteria. Solitude indicated that it appears to be dead fragments of filamentous algae that have broken off from the bottom or an actual brown algae that has nearly circular clumps. In either case it should be harmless though a nuisance. In recent days it seems to be declining.

Water clarity
Perhaps due to the agglomeration of these particles, water clarity has been exceptionally good recently. A 20 cm diameter Secchi disk is now visible down to 12 ft in the first basin–representing much better clarity than typical for this time of year. Get out your mask and snorkel and take a look at the fish or find your long lost anchor!

Stow Pine Bluffs Town Beach
Although the town beach is not officially permitted and has no lifeguards during this pandemic, the Board of Health is still having the usual weekly tests for eColi bacteria done and all results thus far have been acceptable. The LBA has agreed that if a positive result comes up there, it will have a test done in the second basin.

Healthy Lake Boon volunteer actions
In addition to water clarity, we have been recording level/flow over the dam, rainfall and evaporative data to develop hydrological modeling to help understand how phosphorus enters, accumulates and leaves the lake. We have also been measuring dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles in deep areas to understand the amount of stratification in the lake and its effect on sediment at the bottom. Samples for phosphorus analysis are also being taken.

We have not heard anything yet on our application for a Mass. Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant to fund more “in-depth” study of the lake and the effects on it anticipated with climate change in the future.

OARS Virtual Film Festival August 19

OARS, formerly the Organization for the Assabet River (of which Lake Boon is a tributary) has been doing great work for decades improving the quality of the Sudbury and Concord as well as the Assabet River. Here is a very enjoyable and exciting way to support their work—viewing a selection of 2020 award-winning films from the nation’s largest environmental film festival.

See http://oars3rivers.org/event/filmfestival to purchase tickets. The event with live comments is Wednesday, August 19 from 7 to 9:30 p.m., but your ticket registration enables you to stream the films for the next five days. Lay in a supply of popcorn!

Lost ramp, found mat

This 6 foot white plastic dog ramp was washed into the lake. If found, please notify Pat Sorn at 508-641-4369, or drop off at 174 Barton Road.

This 2 x 2 foot black foam mat section was found floating in the first basin and is now at the waterfront at 12 Pine Point Road. The owner can pick it up there or contact Dave Gray at 781-856-5158.

Water Carnival coming up this Labor Day weekend!

As of now the weather forecast looks outstanding! Time to pull together those boat parade ideas!

Friday, Sep 4 – Music Boat and Lighting of the Lake. We hope families can enjoy the music and views from shore or on the lake on well-lit boats. We do not want to encourage large shore parties. The music boat will not stop for them but will proceed more slowly around both basins. We also don’t want to encourage people to congregate at Pine Bluffs beach.

The music boat will begin in the narrows at 7:30 pm, going around the first (north) basin counter-clockwise and then into the second (south) basin about 9:15 pm going counter-clockwise. All are invited to sit by the shore or go out in a boat, canoe or kayak (all must have lights) as the Lake Boon music boat passes by, featuring Dave Ashman & Son, with easy rock and country cover music. Lake residents are encouraged to participate in “lighting of the lake” with small lights or luminaries (but no bright flood lights please) along the shoreline. In case of bad weather the music boat may be postponed to Saturday night—watch for an email or call 978.562.2203 after 6 pm for a recorded message.

Saturday, Sept 5 – Sailing Regatta. The usual field and beach events on Saturday are cancelled since they cannot be held safely. Instead, we plan to hold the informal sailing regatta beginning at 9:30 am at the Pine Point buoy in the first basin. The course will be determined based on the winds prevailing at that time. Other boaters are welcome to observe the excitement—we had a capsize last year—but please allow sailboats their right of way and clear air upwind.

Get creative!

Sunday, Sept 6 – Boat Parade. Families will decorate their boats to continue this century-long tradition or to watch from their waterfront. Again, we want to discourage large shore parties and no shore party prize will be given this year. We plan to have voting for the best decorated boat by texting so Boonies all around the lake will be able to participate. There will not be a party afterwards but prizes will be awarded, including the revered and coveted traveling Lake Boon Boat Parade Trophy!

The parade begins at the First Basin Narrows Buoy with registration on the water before 2:15 pm, and continues counter-clockwise around the first basin and then to the second basin. We want to thank past supporters including Main Street Pizza, Honey Pot Hill Orchard, Stow House of Pizza, Brothers Pizza, CJ’s of Hudson and Sudbury and the Lake Boone Ice Company.

Monday/Labor Day Sept 7 – will be reserved as a rain date for the sailing regatta or boat parade.

Found: paddle board

This paddle board ended up at 142 Barton Road after yesterday’s storm. The owner can call (484) 955-2839 to pick up there.