Notes from the Stockbridge Bowl Stewardship Commission (SBSC), February 18, Hybrid meeting

Present:

Jamie Minacci, Chair
Michael Nathan
Roxanne McCaffrey
Gary Kleinerman
John Liodice
Charles Kenny via Zoom

Minutes of December 3, 2021 meeting approved as written
Members of the SBSC represent other committees — there was no report from John Liodice, Water and Sewer
Michael Nathan, Stockbridge Bowl Association, reported that Commonwealth would like drawdown limited to 2.9 feet (specific to The Bowl due to depth of pipeline)
McCaffrey, SB, Town requested of Community Preservation Committee (CPC) money to complete work at Town Beach
1. Remove invasives
2. Move dock from river to lake
Gary Kleinerman Harbor Master — nothing new re: boat ramp
Charles Kenny, Board of Health, change in masking mandate (see Report from BOH in this issue). Kenny reported that Berkshire County leads the state in incidences of COVID-19.
Chair moved to Lake Management Plan
1. McCaffrey said GZA (consultant) would manage lake, SBSC is just communicating its priorities
2. McCaffrey wanted actions "for remediation" such as less salt on roads and fewer chemicals on lawns around lake
3. Kenny recommended three categories:
  - One-time actions such as dredging and herbicide treatment.
  - Ongoing actions such as water testing and harvesting
  - Incidence Response such as response to cyanobacteria bloom
Discussion moved to percentage of calcium in lake (quite high) and possible causes. The desire for thermal imaging to discover a cause, for example, underwater streams
SBSC members said that Mass Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) does not allow two functions at one time such as dredging and herbicide treatment for invasive species. Many preferred dredging over herbicide. Nathan reported that NHESP wanted unity between SBA and Town.
Kenny wanted profile of flora in lake to gauge increases and decreases. He wanted more data collection before planning actions

Meeting adjourned

Photo: Patrick White