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Southwick, MA.
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  Citizens Restoring Congamond,  September 2010

Linda Champagney - Press Secretary

Our August meeting had Jeff Duquette explaining the makeup of the water in the lakes, and what was causing the algae problem.  In limited space, I can only touch on it, but he says “Oxygen is the answer!” and he is advocating use of aerators to pump oxygen into the bottom (dead) layer of the lake to cause what’s lying there to decompose.  One can buy such a thing, but it’s cheaper to make one.  Please note that this is NOT the same thing as a bubbler, which thins the ice in the winter.  Come to our next meeting and find out how to make one.  Basically, it’s a compressor, a length of PVC pipe, and something at the end, such as a showerhead, to make the bubbles small.

  
 
 

The Town of Southwick approved a copper sulphate treatment, which was administered on August 9th in South and Middle Ponds.  It isn’t a permanent fix, but it did improve the situation visibly.  Of course, the answer is not to keep pouring chemicals into the lake, but to fix the underlying problem.  Remember, algae are at the bottom of the food chain and it is a natural process.  If we eliminate the algae by use of chemicals, we’re eliminating the food for the creatures that feed on it. 

The Babb’s Concert Series continues.  As of this writing, we’ve had three concerts with another one today.  We had quite a crowd for the Changes In Latitudes concert, and it resulted in an outpouring of donations for the Babb’s Renovation Project.  If you’ve driven by the rink lately, you will have noticed the architecturally significant upper windows have been going in and the siding has been painted around them.  Progress continues to be made, and work days commence beginning September 11th weekend.  Donations from the concerts fund materials for the rink, so we’ll be making more progress as the year progresses.  Also, we’re having a Craft Fair on September 18th – Crafters Wanted!  Contact me at www.babbsrink.org.

We’d like to mention the passing of one of our Babb’s volunteers.  Marilyn Johnson left us recently.  She and her husband Roy (“Archie”) Johnson volunteered regularly on Babb’s work days.  She will be missed.

We’d also like to thank Tim Tkacz and Chet’s Landscaping for cleaning up the beach in time for the concert series.  It did my heart good to see people sitting on the beach again, enjoying the concert. 

This year’s winter vacation is at the Rio Palace on the Riviera Maya, south of Cancun.  $2,149 includes EVERYTHING for 9 nights and 10 days.  The first deposit is due October 15th. 

Our next meeting is September 14th at Crabby Joe’s and our speaker will be Mark Ballard from Aquatic Control Technologies, the company that treats the lake each year, with an update.  Please join us at 7:30 pm.

 

Citizens Restoring Congamond is a duly recognized, volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of the Congamond Lakes. We can be reached at www.congamond.org, or P.O. Box 651, Southwick, MA 01077.

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