The access points to South Dolloff Pond in Sutton have received a makeover to help reduce erosion and improve water quality.
The Dolloff Ponds are small, shallow ponds located in the Willoughby State Forest within the Town of Sutton and managed by the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, & Recreation. The ponds are interconnected with a 69-acre wetland in the headwaters of the West Branch Passumpsic River Watershed. The NorthWoods Stewardship Center Watershed Crew completed the project on July 4th, partnering with the VT Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation and the Town of Sutton, with funding from the VT DEC Ecosystem Restoration Program Grant.
“Before this project was completed, the pond had two vehicle-accessible gravel access trails leading straight from the road down to the water. Both showed signs of significant erosion, insufficient drainage, and overuse by vehicles.” says project coordinator Meghann Carter.
During rainfall, water flowed directly down the gravel trails and into the pond and its outlet stream, contaminating them with sediment, phosphorus, and chemicals associated with vehicle use and road maintenance.
Members of the Watershed youth crew planted native trees and shrubs at the previous location of Access 2, creating a natural biofiltration system between the road and the pond surface water. To maintain continued human use of the pond, a parking area and walking path were built and improved at Access 1, allowing visitors to gain access to the water while new Best Management Practices (BMPs) features such as boulders, berms, stone edging, and tree plantings were put in place to help revegetate the area, discourage off-path walking, and reduce erosion. The parking area, which used to hold standing water, was drained and upgraded thanks to a delivery of new surface material from the Town of Sutton.
“We hope this redesign will improve the water quality of the Dolloff ponds and surrounding ecosystems, while ensuring continued access for pond visitors.” says Carter.
The Watershed Crew is one of 3 local youth conservation crews the NorthWoods Stewardship Center is operating this summer season in the Northeast Kingdom, with another 6 located at US Fish & Wildlife Refuges throughout New England including Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire.