DID YOU KNOW
Reports identify problems in the Stockbridge Bowl caused “eutrophication,” which is the supply of excess nutrients.
The Stockbridge Bowl has a serious weed problem and a number of measures will
be needed to correct the lake’s deterioration:
-Harvest weeds to remove excess nutrients
-Strictly manage septic systems
-Use non-phosphate detergents
-Aerate
-Lower the lake’s level in winter to kill weeds.
Phosphorous is the critical nutrient which is in oversupply. 75 % of current phosphorous supply comes from erosion of developed land, 11% comes from septic systems, 10% comes from the atmosphere.
About Us
Case Statement:
Saving Stockbridge Bowl by Implementing the Lake Management Program
On August 30, 1946, the Stockbridge Bowl Association was formed to protect the natural beauty of the Stockbridge Bowl and its watershed, and set standards that my aid the general cause of conservation. —The Founders’ Mission Statement
The SBA Board of directors and its membership partner with the Town Selectmen toward fulfilling this mandate.
The Future of Stockbridge Bowl is at Stake
From the Stockbridge Annual Report—2004
Selectmen’s Report: “ … The Town
has been working for over a decade with the Stockbridge Bowl Association, the
DEP and Natural Heritage to get a plan in place which would allow for up to a
5 ½ foot drawdown of the lake (to kill off the weeds in winter),
and to get permission to dredge out the outlet channel which has silted over.
The future health of the lake is hanging in the balance. If we don’t address
these issues soon, the lake will decline and die.” Respectfully
submitted, J. Cristopher Irsfeld, Deborah S. McMenamy, George E. Shippey
Finally, after all these years, the Stockbridge Bowl Association (SBA) and the Town of Stockbridge are moving forward with the Town’s Lake Management Program. The purpose of the program is to restore the health of the lake. The first phase of the program is to insert a diversion drain beneath the Tenneco pipeline and the Town sewer lines that run across the outlet. These pipes are restricting the natural outflow of the lake and have caused an inordinate amount of silt to build up. This management program was designed by ENSR, an environmental consultant and engineering group, and adopted by the residents of Stockbridge in l996.
In the 12 ensuing years, the SBA and the Town have conducted many studies
mandated by various state agencies as well as the Stockbridge Conservation
Commission. The purpose of these studies was to satisfy all agencies with
regard to their valid concerns regarding the long-term effects the program
might have on the condition of the lake and its wildlife. The involved
agencies have now agreed that the Lake Management Program is sound, safe,
and satisfies all state and federal regulations. Further permits will be
required to implement the different components of the program.
What’s the Plan? The 3D Program
There are three components to the Save Stockbridge Bowl Lake Management
Program—diversion drain, dredge, drawdown.
The Approach—Diversion Drain
In order for the drawdown to occur, a diversion drain must be installed
in the outlet (south end) of the lake. This is necessary in order to allow
the water to flow naturally out of the lake. The Tenneco Gas pipeline and
the Town sewer lines run across the outlet and restrict the natural outflow
of water and silt. The diversion drain will be set beneath these obstructions.
The cost for permits and the physical work of installing the diversion
drain and some dredging is estimated at $750.000.
The Need for Dredging
Over many years, approximately 85,000 cubic yards of silt has accumulated
behind the Tenneco pipes and the Town sewer lines. To allow the free flow
of water, the silt needs to be dredged from the lake once the diversion
drain is installed. When the diversion drain is installed, this silt needs
to be dredged from the lake in order to allow the free flow of water and
to prevent silt from moving downstream to adjacent streams and rivers.
A Drawdown
The final phase of the program is to drawn the lake down up to 5 ½ feet
in the winter months. The drawdown will expose the non-native Eurasian
Milfoil weed to the winter frost. The Eurasian Milfoil inhibits swimming,
fishing, and all recreational activities on the lake. It is more than a
nuisance, it is a hazard. Studies have shown that a sustained frost condition
can kill this non-native weed.
The Cost
The Stockbridge Bowl Association is spearheading the funding to implement
the Lake Management Program. While up to now, the Town and the SBA
have jointly underwritten the costs of studies, the full Lake Management
Program requires significant financial resources. A special
committee—Save Stockbridge Bowl— has been
set up to raise the necessary finances. Our goal is to raise two to three
million dollars, over a three-year period.
Financial Sources
To achieve the needed funds, the Committee plans to approach many different
resources, including Federal and State agencies, the Town of Stockbridge,
institutions around the lake, local businesses, homeowner associations,
second homeowners, Stockbridge citizens, and Berkshire County residents.
Why Care? / Who Cares? /
Stockbridge Bowl is one of the major tourist attractions of the Berkshires. Tanglewood
has prominently featured a photograph of the lake on the cover of its Boston
Symphony Orchestra summer schedule, and The Berkshires 2007-2008 Official
Visitors’ Four Seasons Guide has a scene of the Bowl taken from Seranak.
The lake is an essential part of the economy of the Berkshires.
Everyone who loves this jewel of a lake needs to care.
Please Help Us Save Stockbridge Bowl.
Respectfully submitted,
The Committee to Save Stockbridge Bowl
Gary Kleinerman, SBA President
Bernard Ackerman
Shirley Blanchard
Phyllis (Patti) Klein
Joan Kopperl
Matthew Mandel
Michael Nathan
Cris Raymond
Peggy Reiser
Jerome Sugar
Eileen Taft