SHARON — A recent study found that Mudge Pond remains hydrilla-free, but it’s not all good news.
Other invasive plant species in the 211-acre lake are plentiful and water quality is at risk. The study recommends prompt action on both fronts to maintain the recreational and ecological value of the lake, and the recently re-formed, and 501(c)(3) certified, Mudge Pond Association is ready to act toward that goal.
“Thank god there’s nothing in the lake yet,” said the Association’s Chair Andrew Cahill about hydrilla, the tenuous and damaging invasive waterweed that has colonized many regional lakes, ponds and rivers. Cahill theorized that the label “pond” may keep outsider boat traffic down, limiting the spread of the plant, but emphasized that the threat of hydrilla is serious and defense against the waterweed will be a top priority as the newly-invigorated Association picks up steam.
Selectman Lynn Kearcher, who was a member of a previous iteration of the Mudge Pond Association, pointed to Salisbury as proof of hydrilla’s threat.
“We see what’s happening at Twin Lakes,” she said. “Somehow we have to get some monitoring in place at the boat launch.”
In the meantime, the report, which was completed by local ecology consultant group Northeast Aquatic Research LLC, highlights the need for action elsewhere.
Kearcher presented the study, conducted between April and December of 2024, to Sharon’s Board of Selectmen at its March 11 regular meeting. She relayed that five invasive plant species had been detected, with eurasian milfoil, fanwort and curly-leaf pondweed being the most abundant. Smaller populations of water chestnut and brittle naiad were also found.
The study suggested that water chestnut be addressed swiftly, as it becomes very difficult to deal with when more established. Cahill agreed: “It’s manageable now,” he said, and it offers an uncontroversial first project for the Association as the weeds can be removed by hand-pulling without the use of herbicides.
The other invasives would require a cocktail of herbicides administered at different times throughout the year, which is not only more complicated but proves a more controversial issue among stakeholders of the lake.
Cahill said that recruiting more members and contributors to the Association is paramount in crystallizing its mission as it responds to the recent study: “I think the more hands we get, the more people we get involved in town, the clearer it will become what our priorities are and how we want to use the Association.”
While the group has yet to draft a formal mission statement, Cahill said the overarching goal of the Association will be making sure the lake “stays healthy for generations.”
Water quality is another important aspect of sustained lake health, as an imbalance of nutrients can alter the ecology significantly. The report states that Mudge Pond should remain in the oligo-mesotrophic range, a designation for lakes with clear water and relatively low biological activity. Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection classifies lakes based on water clarity and the concentrations of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column
Water clarity fluctuated but generally remained good over the study period, with a maximum of 5.7 meters — approximately 19 feet — while nutrient concentrations also mostly remained within thresholds. One cause for concern, however, was an oxygen-depleted layer that formed on the bottom of the lake throughout summer, allowing nitrogen in the lake bed to leach into the water column.
The study reports that this makes Mudge Pond “an excellent candidate for aeration,” a measure which Cahill said took him by surprise, and that surprise, he was learning, was part of the job. He said he knows that discussions surrounding strategies like adding bubblers to the lake are sure to ruffle some feathers, but that ultimately putting diverse minds together will be the strength of the newly formed association.
Cahill said he looks forward to putting the heads of Sharon’s lake-lovers together to find the right path forward for Mudge Pond.
