To dredge or not to dredge? That is the question currently being bandied about in West Tisbury.
A specially-appointed research committee has split over whether to dredge Mill Pond, the historic man-made pond that graces the entrance to town on the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road adjacent to the police station. Two of the committee members, Bob Woodruff and Craig Saunders, believe that dredging is necessary to prevent the pond from drying up and disappearing forever.
Nessie is her name. A new dredge for the Edgartown Great Pond was launched on Wednesday afternoon before a crowd of 50 friends and riparian owners around the pond. Nessie will begin her work in November by dredging the bottom and helping to improve circulation in the pond. The first project will involve removing a sandbar that has built up in the pond near the site where it is opened to the sea. Dredging the area is expected to make future openings to the sea stay open for longer periods of time. Other dredging projects will follow.
The Oak Bluffs conservation commission this week received a waiver from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act that is expected to fast-track plans to dredge Sengekontacket Pond. The dredge project is intended to improve tidal circulation and reduce bacteria levels.
Bacteria counts recorded in 2007 by the Division of Marine Fisheries during an annual spot check showed high levels of coliform bacteria, automatically triggering a three-year closure for shellfishing from June though September. This is the third year for the closure.
Landowners around Edgartown Great Pond are looking at buying a half-million-dollar dredge to improve the water quality of their pond, and potentially that of other fresh and salt water ponds on the Island.
As a first step, they will put up between $50,000 and $100,000 to lease the small, easily transported machine to conduct test dredging of the pond this fall. If all goes well, the plan is to buy it and take pressure off the increasingly-overtaxed town dredge.
Moving Sand
Dredge and excavation equipment seen from the pond.
Dredge and excavation equipment seen from the pond.
Peter Jackson provides transportation on the pond.
Peter Jackson provides transportation on the pond.
Trucks take sand from dredge site toward South Beach.
Trucks take sand from dredge site toward South Beach.
Large pile of sand from dredge lies on the barrier beach.
Large pile of sand from dredge lies on the barrier beach.
Greg Bettencourt (in the bulldozer) moves sand on the beach.
Greg Bettencourt (in the bulldozer) moves sand on the beach.
Donnie Benefit explains the inner workings of the dredge operation.
Donnie Benefit explains the inner workings of the dredge operation.
Donnie Benefit explains the inner workings of the dredge operation.
Donnie Benefit explains the inner workings of the dredge operation.
Dredge snout extending into the water.
Dredge snout extending into the water.
Dredge pipe stretching across the barrier beach.
Dredge pipe stretching across the barrier beach.
Large piles of sand dredged from the bottom of Edgartown Great Pond.
Large piles of sand dredged from the bottom of Edgartown Great Pond.
Slurry pours out of dredge pipe.
Slurry pours out of dredge pipe.
Excavator digs up sand from dredge.
Excavator digs up sand from dredge.
Excavator digs up sand from dredge.
Excavator digs up sand from dredge.
Greg Bettencourt waiting in the bulldozer.
Greg Bettencourt waiting in the bulldozer.
Truck returning from South Beach to pick up more sand.
Truck returning from South Beach to pick up more sand.
Another load of sand fro South beach.
Another load of sand fro South beach.
Heading down the beach with a fresh load of sand.
Heading down the beach with a fresh load of sand.
Dredge in Edgartown Great Pond.
Dredge in Edgartown Great Pond.
Donnie Benefit and Greg Bettencourt lead dredging efforts in Edgartown Great Pond.