PROJECT PLAN: MAINTAINING WATER LEVELS (2021-2022)
Chair/Lead Persons: Mike Benoit, Rico Colaluca & his family, Art Searle
OBJECTIVES: (1) To maintain safe and appropriate water levels throughout the year; &
(2) To conduct an annual drawdown process to promote freezing as a strategy for destroying the invasive species, variable leaf milfoil, in shallower waters.
| DATE | ACTIVITY | WHO IS INVOLVED | $$ NEEDED | OTHER HELP NEEDED OR COMMENTS |
| Ongoing, with heightened activity during drawdown | Raise and lower dam gate as needed to support swimming & boating during summer months, prevent flooding, & achieve appropriate drawdown levels during October-April | Mike Benoit | Assistance to Mike as needed is done by his son,, Art Searle, Dan Morin, Rico & Aaron Colaluca | |
| Ongoing | Coordinate with Keech Pond re: opening & closing of their dam gates to support Annual Drawdown | Mike Benoit | Tom Chadwick is the Keech contact.Policy is that, annually, October 1st will be the start date for the drawdown. | |
| October-April | Take daily water measurements to ensure drawdown happens at about 2”/day & total does not exceed 54 inches; measurements taken daily through end of December, then weekly | Rico & his family; Art | Once drawdown level of 54 inches is reached, only weekly depth readings are necessary. | |
| Periodically during drawdown | Measure dissolved oxygen levels a few times during drawdown; weather is a factor & especially difficult in winter months. | Mike | Mike Benoit has the meter for taking measurements, a process started in approximately 2015. | |
| Ongoing | Maintain & update data on water levels as appropriate during the drawdown. | Art continues to keep the drawdown records publicly available at https://sites.google.com/site/sdradrawdown/. |
NOTE: Meetings with state officials to achieve approval for SDRA’s 54” drawdown included: DEM Freshwater Wetland chief(retired) Russ Chateneuf & Brian Moore (no longer serving in that capacity); Dam Safety Engineer Paul Gugliemo; from DEM Freshwater Fishing Katie De Goosh-DiMarzio 401-222-4700, x7211;RIDEM Office of Water Resources, Freshwater Wetlands Program, Program Supervisor Chuck Horbert, 401-222-4700, x7401; RIDEM Principal Freshwater Biologist Alan D. Libby.
Sand Dam Reservoir Association 