Zebra mussels found in Pontoosuc Lake
October 25, 2024
Recent eDNA testing has confirmed the presence of Zebra mussels in Pontoosuc Lake. The following is the bulletin released by the City of Pittsfield, which includes best practices to keep surrounding waterbodies like our own Richmond Pond safe.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (October 25, 2024) – Please be advised that zebra mussel eDNA has been detected at Pontoosuc Lake by the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). This discovery was made as part of regular monitoring of the lake for these types of invasive species. This detection only impacts boating operations at the lake and has no impact to other recreational uses of the lake.
Zebra mussels are invasive freshwater mollusks that present a variety of ecological, recreational, and economic concerns. In 2009, zebra mussels were detected in Laurel Lake and its outflow in the Housatonic River in Lee/Lenox. Since that time, the City of Pittsfield has actively worked with DCR to proactively monitor and bring awareness to proper boating care to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels from one waterbody to another. In August, zebra mussels were observed in Onota Lake by the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation and Recreation.
In the best interest of the health of Pontoosuc Lake and waterbodies in the surrounding area, the city asks for the public’s assistance with the following measures:
· All docks, moorings and buoys should be seasonally removed and inspected for the presence of zebra mussels.
· Inspect boat, trailer, and other recreational equipment that have been in contact with water.
· Wash all parts of your boat, paddles, and other equipment that have been in contact with water. Do not allow wash water to flow in any water body or storm sewer.
· Dry boats and trailers in sun for five days before launching into another body of water.
With your cooperation, we can reduce the likelihood of spreading zebra mussels to other water bodies. To learn more about zebra mussels and the impact to lake systems, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/learn-about-zebra-mussels.
The city of Pittsfield thanks you for your cooperation and will continue to provide updates as we learn more.
RPA Annual Meeting & Picnic 2024
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Another successful annual meeting and picnic this summer at Camp Russell. Thanks to Louise Brogan, Cam Stockton and all the volunteers and RPA members who made the event possible. Rain threatened but the weather held, allowing everyone to enjoy the evening.
All enjoyed the tacos by KJ Nosh and ice cream by Sweet Peas. There were informative presentations by various RPA members on a variety of issues regarding our beloved pond. We look forward to this event again next year. Richmond Pond history books were selling for just $10, and there are only a few left in the final printing. Enjoy the rest of the summer!
The eaglet was banded
Article Reprinted from the June 2024 Richmond Record
By Carl Foote and Kerry Hamilton
On Friday, May 31, a windy day, Jesse Caney, leading a team of five from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, climbed a swaying tree, dropping a few branches along the way to clear his path to an eagle's nest, as the eaglet's parents flew overhead. He found one male eaglet, retrieved him, bagged him and brought him down to the team.
Caney took extensive measurements and then banded the bird, so that its migration pattern and health can be monitored throughout its lifetime. The eaglet weighed 8.1 pounds and is estimated to be around nine weeks old.
Once the measurement process was completed, Caney climbed the tree a second time with the bird and a rope assist and returned the baby eagle to his nest with a fish as a reward. In all, the project took four hours.
In May, a team from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife visited Richmond Pond to ta
And the rain keeps coming
2023 Second Rainiest Summer in Masssachusetts History
Labor Day on Richmond Pond was a sunny respite from the rain, which has been steadily falling all summer. If you think we have experienced a lot of rain this summer, you would be right. According to records kept for Massachusetts since 1872, this will be the second rainiest summer since 1955 when a pair of hurricanes swamped New England. In 1955, there was 24.89" of rain which fell on Boston during July and August compared to 20.33" for 2023. And technically summer isn't over yet since summer doesn't end until September 21st. This is in stark contrast to last summer which had less than 4.5" of rainfall. I am sure we all look forward to a little less rain next summer, but even the rain and the storms on our Richmond Pond are beautiful in their own way.
RPA Annual Meeting & Picnic 2023
Tuesday, August 26, 4:30 to 7:30 pm
It was another successful RPA Picnic at Camp Arrow Wood this year. Thank you to Louise and all the RPA volunteers that helped make this such a great event. There were approximately 150 attendees from around the pond who were able to celebrate with us, enjoying the tacos from KJNosh, the ice cream from Sweet Pea's, and of course each other's company. The annual meeting proved informative as we set our sights on initiatives for the future. Looking forward to a lovely autumn.
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Early goose hunting season
Starts September 2nd, 2022
Early goose hunting season throughout Massachusetts begins Friday, September 2nd through September 24th. The daily bag limit is 15, with a possession limit of 45.
The last visit by Wild Goose Chase, NE to Richmond Pond with their trained goose-herding border collies was the week of August 15th. As reported at our summer RPA meetings, this - the fourth year of the goose management plan - it has kept the resident goose population down considerably from what was experienced prior to starting the plan. As a result, the pond's beaches and the pond at large have been cleaner and healthier, although some beaches this year experienced more impact than in prior years, for a variety of reasons.
RPA anNual meeting @ the camp by bousquet
Was Held Tuesday, July 27, 2021
The 2021 Annual Meeting of the Richmond Pond Association was held in-person, on Tuesday, July 27, at The Camp by Bousquet (location of the former Lakeside Christian Camp). While the RPA had initially hoped to resume our all-town picnic format, last done in July 2019 at Camp Russell, many factors have impacted the RPA’s ability to plan and implement such an event this summer.
Instead, everyone was invited to arrive at The Camp by 5:00 pm, when tours of The Camp were conducted. Draft minutes of the meeting, attended by well over 100 people, are posted on this website at the Minutes (Recent) link.
This was a wonderful opportunity for all to tour the “camp across the pond.” learn their plans for The Camp and how Milltown’s multiple venues will benefit the local community as well as our many visitors to the Berkshires.
Richmond Town Beach closed for winter
RPA's last meeting of the 2020 season was October 27, by Zoom; draft minutes are already posted.
October Update - Effective at the start of October, the Richmond Town Beach was closed for the winter. While vehicle access is blocked off, pedestrian access remains, via the side pedestrian gate. Dogs remain prohibited from Town Beach all year. Winter draw-down will begin November 1st, reducing the lake level by no more that 2" per day until draw-down reaches approximately 2 feet. Refill will begin in spring, with the goal of reaching normal level by April 1st.
No information has yet been released by the listing realtor or by Converge Northeast about the outcome of the sale of Lakeside Christian Camp, though it is known that the bid submitted on behalf of the newly formed organization Lakeside4Christ was not chosen. Once an outcome is known, it will be posted here.
September Update - As of August 14, the town beach remained open its usual hours from 11 am to 5 pm, with lifeguards on duty Tuesday through Sunday. But there were no lifeguards the week before Labor Day and on Labor Day weekend. All vehicles must leave and the gate will be locked daily around dusk. Town beach remained open through the month of September, with limited hours & no lifeguards
Second weed treatment - Monday, August 24 - Pond was closed to swimming, boating & fishing this day only.
July 15 - The Board of Selectmen and Board of Health, at their July 15 joint meeting (by Zoom), discussed recent concerns regarding the town beach. A decision was made to keep the beach open, as long as beach users complied with stated expectations. As stated in the July 17 Town of Richmond weekly E-Newsletter (News from Town Hall), "Please follow the guidelines posted at the beach regarding social distancing, mask wearing, and cleaning up after yourselves after use of picnic tables so that we can keep the beach open."
The town beach is open with lifeguards from 11 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday. The beach is open on Mondays, but without lifeguards. Please cooperate with Town employees when they close the beach at dusk.
If you have relatives, friends or neighbors who use the beach, please stress to them the importance of full compliance as well.
The September 22 RPA Meeting was at 7:00 pm by Zoom. See Calendar page for the link to join the meeting. All are welcome.
Lakeside Christian camp to close permanently
The following announcement was posted on Lakeside's Facebook Page on March 28, 2020:
Due to the impact of COVID-19 on current and future planned camp operations in 2020, Lakeside Christian Camp & Retreat Center will cease operations permanently starting April 1, 2020. We are deeply saddened by this event and hold Lakeside, its 40-year history, and its support team and past attendees in the highest regard.
All future church bookings and Lakeside programming will be canceled and deposits refunded in April 2020.
Please direct all questions and messages to lakeside@lakesideonline.org
Thank you to all who have supported Lakeside over the last 40-years.
Converge Northeast”
RPA Responds:
The Richmond Pond Association executive board wishes to convey its sincerest condolences to the staff and patrons of Lakeside Christian Camp. We will miss the active presence of their campers, young and old, across the pond.
Lakeside has been a very active long-term partner with the Richmond Pond Association, the Town of Richmond and the City of Pittsfield in managing the health of the pond for its human and wildlife users.
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200 geese on richmond pond last summer (2018)
2019 Goose Management Plan has been evaluated & revised 2020 Plan is being finalized
The 2019 approved all-pond Goose Management Plan for Richmond Pond was implemented and has been evaluated. Details of last year's plan are summarized in the March 2019 issue of Richmond Record (reprinted with permission below) and on the RPA website’s Minutes page. But in short, with over 200 geese on the pond last summer (2018) and more expected in summer 2019, unless control measures had been taken, the health risks from their excrement would have rendered at least segments the pond unhealthy for swimming and other recreation. Initial evaluation of the plan appears to indicate that the resident goose population on the pond in 2019 was reduced to about half of the 2018 number.
The comprehensive goose management plan has several components – habitat modification (shoreline vegetative barriers, minimization of cut grass lawns, not feeding the geese, etc.), herd-chasing by trained border collies, nesting management during nesting period, and lake management.
Nesting - While the 2019 plan included egg addling permits and completion of Goose Nesting Location Reports, most geese nested out in the marshes, so this component of the plan was not effective, and will not be included in the 2020 plan. Addling is a one-time visit to the nest to coat eggs with Wesson oil, and can be done by Wild Goose Chase NE, or the landowner, but only after the permit is issued for that location, and following training. The oil coating deprives the embryo of the oxygen needed for further development, but since the egg is returned to the nest, the goose believes it is still developing. It is essential to mislead the goose, or it would begin laying again.
Herd-chasing by trained border collies - Prior to nesting season, the staff and trained border collies of Wild Goose Chase NE visit up to three times/week to herd-chase the geese off the lake - by land (off the grassy shores of the camps and beaches, only on those properties where owner permission has been granted), and by “sea” (with the collie and handler on a motorboat or kayak supplied by Lakeside Christian Camp). When the motorboat is used, it is not to come at the geese at high speed, but to transport the dog near the swimming geese where its menacing proximity causes the geese to take off. The motorboat also transports the dog to geese on land, where the dog jumps off & herds them off the land. Herd-chasing starts in the spring prior to the nesting season. The goal of herd-chasing is to help the geese learn that Richmond Pond is not a “safe, relaxing, goose-friendly environment” and to encourage most of them to go elsewhere, hopefully before they begin nesting.
Herd-chasing stops during the 6 to 8-week long adult wing-feather molt, when the geese nest and raise their goslings; the adults cannot fly during this period. It resumes once the adults and goslings can fly.
Feeding - Lastly, please do not feed the geese. Feeding them encourages them to hang around and would undercut the plan’s multiple efforts to encourage most of the geese to go elsewhere, thereby keeping Richmond Pond and its beaches a safe and healthy place to swim, boat, fish and enjoy.
Life Cycle of Canada Geese
The life cycle of Canada Geese and related management practices have been researched by Mass Wildlife. Click link below for more detailed about Canada Geese.
Also, further down on this page is more information about the management plan, plus summaries of the proposed book on the History of Richmond Pond, and Richmond Pond's hosting of the paddle segment of the Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon in 2018.
Summary - goose management plan
This summary was distributed at the April 23, 2019 RPA meeting
Chronology:
Summer 2018 – Camp Russell, Richmond Town Beach, Lakeside Christian Camp, & South Pond Farm beach areas all experienced issues with geese. South Pond Farm hired Wild Goose Chase NE dogs & also used volunteers to chase away the geese, but the geese just went elsewhere on the pond, returning later. Camp Russell and Lakeside Christian Camp lawns were inundated with goose excrement, creating health concerns. At Town Beach, the number of geese chased from the beach area on some days was nearly 80. The goose poop there has been excessive and needed to be cleaned daily; on some days, the cleaning took staff over an hour. Despite fencing and lifeguard and other staffing of the Town Beach, the weekly beach water sampling results for E-coli exceeded safe swimming levels twice during the summer and resulted in beach closings – once in July and once in August. Counts of geese on the pond, especially in late summer, numbered as many as 150 to 200.
10/23/18 – Discussion of the goose problem at RPA meeting. With that many geese on the pond in 2018 and more expected next summer, unless pond-wide control measures are taken, it was concluded that health risks from their excrement would soon render the pond unhealthy for swimming and other recreation, ultimately also impacting property values. Health risks are the primary concern. Decision was made by the RPA to develop, as a winter project, an all-pond goose management plan for 2019; John Mead volunteered to lead plan development committee; minutes posted on website afterward.
2/26/19 – Special RPA meeting to review & discuss draft goose management plan; Wild Goose Chase NE director & dog attended. Decision made, unanimously, to approve the plan & proceed to implementation; minutes posted on RPA website afterward
March 2019 – Detailed article about the plan appeared in Richmond Record
April 2019 – Detailed article about the egg addling component appeared in Richmond Record
Canada Goose life cycle - Resident geese can live more than 20 years, returning each year to the same or nearby nesting area. Most geese begin breeding at 2-3 years old and nest every year for the rest of their lives. Laying an average of 5 eggs per nest, about half of which will hatch and become free-flying birds, a female goose may produce more than 50 young over her lifetime. Several times last summer, more than 200 geese were congregating on Richmond Pond. If only a quarter of this number hatch 2.5 surviving goslings, we could expect to see an additional 125 geese this coming season.
Components of the plan – 3 components & 3 phases - The comprehensive goose management plan has several components – habitat modification (shoreline vegetative barriers, minimization of cut grass lawns, not feeding the geese, etc.), nesting management during nesting period, and lake management.
The plan is implemented in 3 phases:
Prior to nesting season - The staff and border collies of Wild Goose Chase NE visit up to three times/week to herd-chase the geese off the lake - by land (off the grassy shores of the camps and beaches, only on those properties where owner permission has been granted), and by “sea” (with the collie and handler on a motorboat or kayak supplied by Lakeside Christian Camp). When the motorboat is used, it is not to come at the geese at high speed, but to transport the dog near the swimming geese where its menacing proximity causes the geese to take off. The motorboat also transports the dog to geese on land, where the dog jumps off & herds them off the land. Herd-chasing starts in the spring prior to the nesting season. The goal of herd-chasing is to help the geese learn that Richmond Pond is not a “safe, relaxing, goose-friendly environment” and to encourage most of them to go elsewhere, hopefully before they begin nesting. As stated on their website, “Working border collies … provide safe, humane and effective control of year-round problem geese. They have a classic predator appearance that geese take seriously.” Ducks and other wildlife will not be chased by the dogs.
Nesting season - Herd-chasing stops during the 6 to 8-week long adult wing feather molt, when the geese nest and raise their goslings; the adults cannot fly during this period. The nesting management phase involves RPA volunteers distributing egg addling permit applications to landowners where geese are known to have recently nested or where nesting is expected. Completed forms must be mailed to MassWildlife, which then issues a permit to the landowner to allow addling on that property only. The two camps, South Pond Farm and the Town are also in the process of or have completed these permit applications. Addling is a one-time visit to the nest to coat eggs with Wesson oil & return them to the nest, and can be done by Wild Goose Chase NE, RPA volunteers or the landowner, but only after the permit is issued & related training has occurred. Eggs are not to be shaken or broken. Addling will not proceed if the egg “float test” determines that the eggs have developed enough to become viable (embryo can breathe). Addling may not occur on properties where permits have not been approved. A post-season report on nests and eggs addled must be filed with MassWildlife.
After nesting season - Once both adults and goslings can fly, herd-chasing by Wild Goose Chase NE resumes, again to encourage most of the geese to go elsewhere. After the summer, hunting (with hunting license and waterfowl permit, well away from dwellings, during the early and late fall goose hunting seasons) could also help reduce numbers of resident geese.
Financing the plan - The RPA board committed to pay 50% of the “not to exceed” $12,460 cost of the contract with Wild Goose Chase NE, requesting that each of the five PIPOs (primary impacted property owners) support a 10% share of the cost – Lakeside Christian Camp, Camp Russell, South Pond Farm Condominiums, Richmond Shores Civic Association, and the Town of Richmond (with its Town Beach and public boat launch). Pending reimbursement to the RPA from the PIPOs, the RPA also committed, if needed, to “front” the other 50% so that billings from the vendor can be paid in a timely fashion.
Vegetative Buffers deter geese
The following is excerpted from the Massachusetts Buffer Manual (Using Vegetative Buffers to Protect our Lakes and Rivers), prepared by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission for the Department of Environmental Protection - 2003
DETER NUISANCE GEESE AND DEER - In some locations in Massachusetts, Canada geese and white-tailed deer are considered pests. Planting buffers along the shoreline helps to restore the landscape back to a more natural condition and will deter Canada Geese from visiting your lawn. Geese love succulent green grass, but will not travel through tall grasses or dense vegetation to get to it. This is especially true when parents have goslings that cannot yet fly. Geese are most comfortable in open areas that provide unobstructed views around them and easy access to the water, which is their safe haven from predators. Planting a mix of shrubs and trees, or even allowing grasses and ferns to grow tall, will act as a barrier between the water and your lawn. Removing waterfront lawns means removing a ready source of food, which ultimately helps to maintain goose populations at more natural levels.
Richmond Pond Hosts The Josh
Richmond Pond hosted the paddle leg of Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon on Sunday, September 16, 2018
Because of the closure of Stockbridge Bowl to swimming & other activities related to the toxic algae bloom there, the planning committee for the Josh RunAground requested and received approval from the chair of the Richmond Board of Selectmen, in response to a recommendation from the Richmond Pond Harbormaster (the Richmond Town Administrator), to relocate the canoe/kayak/SUP component of the Sunday, September 16th Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon to Richmond Pond. The Richmond Pond Association executive board was consulted & enthusiastically endorsed this action.
The decision to use Richmond Pond was publicly released (see article in 9/10/18 Berkshire Eagle, front page of Sports section). Details of the re-routing of the 3-part race were finalized by the race committee in close coordination with Town of Richmond officials, volunteers from the Richmond Pond Association and many others.
The race director has asked me to share her own and the race committee's thanks to the Richmond Pond community for allowing the Josh to use their roads, public boat ramp, Town Beach and Camp Russell for the 42nd Josh Billings Triathlon. Cooperation from Richmond Town officials, volunteers from the Richmond Pond Association & others was extremely helpful in "saving" the paddle portion of the race when Stockbridge Bowl became unavailable. This was an exciting event, introducing many from the Berkshires to Richmond Pond while many of those around the pond had a ring-side seat!
Ken Kelly, President
Richmond Pond Association
Race details:
Bike Leg
Bikes started in Great Barrington at the Price Chopper parking lot as usual. The bikers rode up to West Stockbridge on the usual route, however once they arrive in West Stockbridge they turned left and went up 41. They proceeded up 41 to a right turn onto Summit Road. Summit Road was closed to traffic. At the end of Summit, the bikers turned left onto Swamp Road and then left onto Boys Club Road. The bikers proceeded down the road and turned left onto a gravel road (Beech Road/Town Beach Road) which took them all the way to the Richmond Boat Ramp where the transition area was for all paddlers and the iron/tin racers. The bike leg is 23.8 miles.
Paddle Leg
The paddlers took the hand-off at the Boat Ramp and then ran/jogged/walked 1/3 mile to the Richmond Town Beach where the paddling leg began. Iron/tin racers had their transition at the Boat Ramp and then headed to the Town Beach to begin paddling. The paddle was 2½ times around the lake counter-clockwise, ending at Camp Russell. The runners waited for the paddlers at the camp and the iron/tin transition area was also at the camp. The paddle is ~5 miles.
Run Leg
The runners took the hand-off at the Camp Russell beach and ran up to Swamp Road. They turned right on Swamp Road, took a left down East Road, came down to a left on Lenox Road and then proceeded up and over the mountain to the finish at Tanglewood. Lenox Mountain Road was closed to traffic. The run course is 6.5 miles.
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