A Brief History
The Lake Singletary Watershed Association (LSWA), founded in
1982, is a volunteer organization consisting primarily of lakeshore property
owners and recreational users. For over 20 years the Association has been
actively working towards the management, restoration, and protection of the
lake. The organization’s main goal is to protect the water quality of Lake
Singletary in order to maintain the aesthetic and recreational values.
In the mid-1980’s LSWA obtained state funding under the
Massachusetts Clean Lakes Program to begin a water quality study. Under this
program, lake associations could apply for grants to complete water quality
improvement projects. The program required performing a Diagnostic / Feasibility
Study to identify problems and a Lake Management Plan to propose solutions.
We were fortunate that in 1984 State agencies had begun
collecting water quality data for the Lake Singletary watershed. Because data
was already available, we would save both time and money to complete the study.
This was critical at the time, since obtaining funds under the program was
competitive.
Unfortunately, Clean Lakes Program funding was eliminated in
1988, and work on the study stopped. Members of the Association felt that it was
important to complete the study and raised the necessary funds from our
membership. It took two years to accomplish this goal. LSWA contracted with IEP,
Inc. to complete the Diagnostic Study of Singletary Lake, completed in January
1991. The most important aspects of the study were identifying the primary
sources of nutrients for Lake Singletary and proposing objectives for a
subsequent Lake Management Plan to provide a long-term strategy to protect Lake
Singletary’s water quality.
In 1995 LSWA contracted with Fugro East, Inc. to complete the
Singletary Lake Management Plan. Under the DEM Small Lakes and Ponds Grant
Program, LSWA raised the funds to complete the Management Plan. This study
identified management needs, analyzed management alternatives, and recommended a
long-term management program. Management objectives were defined as maintaining
water clarity, preventing the spread of non-native aquatic plant species,
maintaining fish habitat, and preventing bacterial contamination. In order to
slow down eutrophication it was determined that phosphorus loading to the lake
needed to be reduced. Management options proposed included implementing a
wastewater management program to reduce nutrient loading from septic systems.
Another recommendation was to improve storm water management to reduce
sedimentation and nutrient loading.
In the short term, LSWA has been addressing the symptoms of
eutrophication with in-lake management techniques. Since 1985, in-lake
management has focused on controlling Eurasian water milfoil growth by the
annual application of herbicides and
a draw down program. The lake has experienced severe algae blooms and has been
treated with algaecide. It is evident that in order to achieve long-term results
the underlying problems need to be addressed at the watershed level.
With that goal in mind, recent efforts have focused on the
watershed. In 1999, under another DEM grant, LSWA contracted with Beta
Engineering to complete a Wastewater Facilities Plan. The purpose of this study
was to develop an integrated wastewater management plan for the Lake Singletary
watershed. The plan will be used by Millbury and Sutton during the planning
process for investigating the feasibility of expanding town sewers. According to
the 1991 Diagnostic Study, septic systems account for about 35% of phosphorus
inputs into the lake.
In 2001, using funds obtained with another DEM grant, LSWA
contracted with ACT to investigate the impact of the Merrill pond system on Lake
Singletary’s water quality. According to the 1991Diagnostic Study, tributary
inflow accounts for about 19% of phosphorus inputs into the lake. The Merrill
Pond study found that phosphorus inputs from the upstream ponds were very low,
and recommended that the Association focus its efforts on improving storm water
quality.
In 2003 the Town of Millbury and LSWA were awarded a grant
under the 319 Nonpoint Source Competitive Grants Program. The objective of the
project, titled Lake Singletary Storm Drain Retrofit Program, is to improve
water quality through improved storm water management. According to the
1991Diagnostic Study, direct runoff accounts for about 31% of phosphorus inputs
into the lake. Reduction in phosphorus and sediment loading will be accomplished
by upgrading approximately 20 existing storm drain structures with storm water
BMP (Best Management Practices) structures. The project is expected to be
completed by early 2005.