Tiverton Officials Say Stafford Pond In Danger of Contamination
Stafford Pond, one of Tiverton's drinking water resources, is under threat of pollution from hazardous activities allowed there by the state.
Stafford Pond, one of Tiverton's drinking water sources, could be in danger of contamination from fishing tournaments and seaplane landings that the state allows there, according to Tiverton officials.
On Wednesday night, the Tiverton Conservation Commission held a workshop on drinking water protection at Stafford Pond to determine threats and configure a plan to take action, the Providence Journal and The Newport Daily News report.
The commission's chairman, Thomas Ramotowski, is concerned that gasoline and oil from the state-sponsored fishing competitions could pollute the pond's waters. In a past Planning Board meeting, Ramotowski said gasoline and oil cannot be properly filtered during the purification process. Invasive species entering the pond as boats are introduced is another concern.
The state Department of Environmental Management stocks the pond with fish and allows activities like the fishing tournaments that are not allowed on other drinking water sources. According to Ramotowski, the pond is also a allocated as an official seaplane landing zone by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The hazardous activities Stafford Pond recently became of interest when Site-Ready Materials proposed constructing a potion of its expansion project within the protected watershed area of the pond.
Joe Sousa.
1:47 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
I can see banning gas engines on the pond. I don't think you need them anyway. You can row around the pond in half and hour. I can't see banning fishing . Or boats with electric motors. People who use the pond understand the ecology and ecosystem. Don't tell DEM to stop use of the pond on my behalf.
Bob Parent
12:03 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
Outboard motor size is limited by the state unless you reside on the pond, seaplane landings are far and few between. I do think we should eliminate the tournaments, they bring in too many boats with 200 some HP motors.
I have fished the pond for 30 years, in my opinion boats are not the issue, nutrients and contaminents that run into the pond is the issue.
bigmanny
9:32 am on Sunday, January 20, 2013
Bob no doubt those things are serious concerns. I fish Stafford on a regular basis and have been there on days with these tournaments going on. Most of the boats have 200 to 250 horse engines and fly from spot to spot. I have had close calls with these boats and have had trouble getting in and out of the ramp with the tournament crowds who are not very friendly to anyone not part of the club.
John Candelmo
12:54 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
The town should pass and ordanance like some others have done The use of gasonline outboards is prohibated. How would that work?
bigmanny
7:37 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
john the town already did something like that but DEM changed the regs. the town wanted 10 horse or less with the grandfather clasue for the residents, but now we got the big boats running in our pond and most are not from the town.
bigmanny
5:00 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
John why you did delete your comment about it being your pond. You said " it is our pond not your" or something like that. I think maybe the town has owenrship of the pond and the DEM owns the ramp. I would guess you maybe a tournament person which is fine but i have been there when the ramp was overcrowded with big boats and no one else could put a boat in. I have seen many boats on the water when no tournaments were happening. You could be doing everything right but some other do not do the same.It is the town drinking water and some of the house have been there for 70 years or more without any problems.
John Candelmo
5:27 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
I deleted my comment because I misread yours. But it is not just your pond it is our pond meaning everyone in the state of Rhode Island. I have said it on other posts let no one use an outboard.
No one! And you will not get the opposition that you are going to get with the attitude that just the home owners can but no one else.
I would also direct you to read this when DEM basically told the town that if they did restrict outboards for every one they would revisit the ramp issue.
http://www.dem.ri.gov/news/2002/pr/0405021.htm
I am sure that the upcoming meetings should be interesting to say the least.
Joe Sousa
7:53 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Funny how the liberals worked so hard to build the monster ? DEM. then can't live with the rules the board created. Go figure ? Try smaller government !
bigmanny
5:38 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
John the town and the people that live in it don't seem to mind the few outboards of the homeonwers at least not the people I have spoken to. How many are there anyway?Those homes like I said have been on the pond for 70 years or more it seems like no problems have happened in the past. Also what was the problem with the ten horse limit or allowing fishing tournaments for boats with trolling motors. It also seems like you are trying to make the pond residents the bad guys when most of the press is by the water board and town conservation commision. You said something before about two sets of rule but you don't seem to mind one set of rules for bass clubs and another for all the other fishermen who are not in clubs and don't fish tournaments like myself. I have fished the pond with my trolling motor and a 6 horse engine. If i was in a tournament i could use any size boat at all. I have question you may be able to answer can i hold a tournament at every DEM pond and use a large motor or are there some places with resrticed boats.
John Candelmo
6:09 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
any lake that the residents can use an outboard without a horse power restriction we can use our outboards when there is a permited tournament if the lake has a state ramp if there is a town restriction such as the use of outboard is restriced then we can not but no one can.
Are you aginest not allowing anyone to use out boards?
I will also say when I fish stafford I never start my outboard when I am in a tournament there I may start it and go to my next spot. out of an 8 hour day my outboard will not run more than 15 minutes.
Again until you use a real name I will not reply to another post of yours.
bigmanny
6:50 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013
John if you can fish at Stafford Pond without using your big motor then what is the big deal. Do you really need it just because you are in a tournament? From what I have read and heard around town the local people just want some rules and regulations since it is the town water I think that would seem reasonable. Sorry if my not using my real name offends you, but it is Manny and you have no need for my last name. It really has no impacts on my opinion