What’s next?
Action items for a healthy bay & watershed
Document all of the direct, untreated road runoff into Waquoit Bay and its tributaries and present a “to do” list to the towns. Road runoff after rainfall events is a major source of nitrogen and toxic chemicals that can lead to fish kills. The towns can do much more to eliminate these direct discharges.
Purchase and locate dog bag dispensers at various popular hiking and walking places in the watershed. Consider financing a bag holder that people could attach to the dog leash. If you like shellfish and clean water to swim in you will understand our efforts to eliminate this source of pollution from the watershed.
Publish a flyer that educates people who live around the Bay, its sub-estuaries and on its fresh water tributaries, ponds and rivers, about reducing or eliminating lawn fertilizers and run-off from non-permeable surfaces such as driveways and rooftops. Distribute door to door to homeowners.
Collaborate with other organizations to research and publish a booklet that explains the feasibility of various new alternative septic systems that are permitted or in the process of being tested and permitted, that will reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in the ground water. Distribute to permitting municipal boards.
Organize community effort and support to begin the restoration of Red Brook in partnership with WBNERR. Red Brook is the third major fresh water tributary to Waquoit Bay that has long been abused and forgotten like the Quashnet and Childs Rivers had been. Both the Quashnet and Childs are undergoing restoration efforts by the Cape Cod Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Falmouth Rod and Gun Club respectively. A similar effort must be initiated on Red Brook. It is currently an abandoned cranberry bog overflowing its banks and devoid of its historic contribution to Waquoit Bay’s fisheries of herring, eels and sea run Brook Trout.
