The Shawme Ponds Watershed Association is taking a careful, scientific approach to identify the causes of excessive plant growth in the frequently photographed scenic ponds, located in the heart of town. With the help of area students, it is gathering data on what nutrients go in and out of the ponds and contribute to the plant growth. And it is tallying grants that eventually could lead to a solution.
Organizers say it sure beats taking a rash approach, which the town has done in the past.
You really need to look at the big picture so we can be well-informed when we do make recommendations. Currently, thick sediment sits on the floor of the Upper and Lower Shawme ponds, and tangled webs of weeds clog the waters. From the sediment grow various weeds that eventually float to the surface. When they die, they sink to the bottom and add to the sediment. Two years ago, town officials approved a herbicide treatment to address the problem.