I listened to the pond committee [Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee] meeting via Zoom on Monday, June 8, and I first want to thank all of the members for their well-intentioned efforts to keep our pond in great shape.
However, I must disagree with their contention that the 6½-foot drawdown this year has had no effect on the current pond level. If the drawdown had been only 40 inches, which can be accomplished by removing the dam boards with no additional pumping, this would have taken the pond down to the ground water level or the original lake level prior to the dam installation. That extra 2 feet of water depth together with the paltry 10 inches of rainfall since January which Bruce Leicher claimed would add 40 inches to the pond would have brought it close to the top of the dam. There was mention of an ongoing requirement to release 1,000 gallons per hour from the dam to the wetlands. Over a period of the eight months from October to May this would have amounted to roughly 6 million gallons of water. Keeping the extra 2 feet of water in the pond is the equivalent of retaining just over 22 million gallons, so the 6 million of released water would have reduced the depth by about 6 inches.
I’m not arguing whether or not the drawdown is beneficial for weed or phosphorus control. I merely contend that the 6½-foot drawdown this year has adversely affected the current lake level.
Darrell Wickman
Willow Road
