In the summer of 2010, mill po... HOLLY, Michigan – Stiff’s mill pond has long been the focal point of Holly, but this year, residents say they are appalled by the weedy conditions that are impeding on recreational activities, and causing big odor problems.
Jim Clark, a Hadley Street resident spoke on the matter during the July 13 Village Council meeting.
“The mill pond is in very bad shape right now – we’re very close right now, I think, to having a significant fish kill there,” Clark said. “We could blame Mother Nature for part of it, but I clearly blame the village and the DPW for contributing significantly to the problem.”
Clark said mats of weeds occupy most of the pond’s surface. “I’ve only seen it worse than this one time,” he said. “When you see thousands of seagulls come in eating dead fish, you know that it’s bad. We’re not quite to that point, but I think we’re getting there.”
In speaking with many of his neighbors along the mill pond, Clark said everyone agreed – the current problem is a result of a botched chemical treatment.
“At the last chemical treatment that was done in May, the process for doing that is your lower the level of the pond, you put the chemicals in, and you close up the dam and contain the water for two or three days so that the chemicals can work effectively,” he said. “What happened was the dam was opened up immediately, and the chemicals just ran out.”
Clark questioned the DPW’s commitment to the mill pond. “What’s happened to both the dam and the culvert is a matter I think, of convenience – I don’t think the DPW cares a great deal,” he said. “They open up the gates and they let water through about 2 feet below the surface level.”
In the past, Clark said Waste Water Treatment Plant Supervisor Tim Stallcup successfully used the dam and the culvert to serve as “skimmers,” catching the weeds across the top, and sending staffers to periodically remove the debris to keep things moving. Clark said that was the first and only time in his 21 years of living on the mill pond that maintenance was up to snuff.
“I know the DPW doesn’t want to do that at the culvert because somebody has to rake the weeds off the grate which is next to the WaterWorks building periodically, and apparently, that’s too much trouble,” he said.
With another chemical treatment scheduled for July 22, Clark is concerned that the process may repeat itself.
“I’ve noticed the water level is coming up, so what are you going to do?” he asked. “Bring the water level up to the top, put the chemicals in, open the dam and let it all run out again?”
The mill pond dam is in adjace...
Adam Schmieder, who also lives along the mill pond, agreed with Clark, adding that the dam sits behind his house, and that the odor generated by decomposing plant material prevents his family from enjoying their pool, the pond or even their own backyard.
“There is stuff in the pond that I have never seen before,” Schmieder said. “There is stuff in the river that I’ve never seen before – it’s gray-black and the bottom of the river is so black right now, you can’t see the gravel because of the decomposing weed matter that is all coming downstream.”
Mill pond property owners say ...
Schmieder said aside from one small opening of clear water near the gates of the dam, the pond is a mass of weeds.
“It’s destroyed right now – it’s a swamp, and I’m appalled with it,” he said. “I agree with Jim – it’s negligence on the part of the DPW for having those gates open after that chemical went in.”
While a representative from the DPW was not in attendance at the meeting to address the accusations, Village President Pete Clemens said he had first learned of the issue Monday night. “In the future, if there is unnatural weed growth there, let us know in advance. If there is a problem like this, we’ll nip it in the bud before it gets out of control.”
“There’s nothing I can say,” DPW Supervisor Marv Swanson said on Wednesday. “The DPW hasn’t done anything differently as far as maintaining the mill pond than we’ve done in previous years,” he said. Swanson said Clark’s allegations that the gates were immediately opened following the May chemical treatment are not true.
Powers concurred with Swanson and said the mill pond was last treated on May 20, and the gates to the dam were not reopened until May 27, five days longer than the recommended two-day period.
On Thursday, Powers said a representative from Lake Pro, Inc. visited the mill pond and determined with little rain and high temperatures, the weeds have grown faster than normal. Additionally, Powers said the representative indicated that the lily pads are protected by the DNRE, and that removal of them is prohibited.
Powers said village DPW personnel have raked and removed algae from the grate area, and that Lake Pro, Inc. will be chemically treating the pond on Friday, July 16, weather permitting.
Powers said she will have the latest updates on the mill pond at the next village council meeting on July 27.
“I’ve spoken in glowing terms of the partnership between the (mill pond) special assessment district and the village in past years,” Clark said. “I certainly don’t pay the most, but my contribution is almost $500 a year, and that’s something that I take seriously, and I’d like it to be effective.”
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Comments
Diquat Dibromide - EPA rated as "highly toxic"
2,4-D - EPA rated as "slightly to moderately toxic"
Endothall - EPA rated as "no consensus value"
Fluridone - WHO rated as "not likely to be toxic"
Copper Sulfate - EPA rated as "moderately toxic"
Chelated Copper Algaecides - no result in database
Chelated Copper Herbicides - no result in database
Glyphosate - WHO rated as "unlikely to be hazardous"
Imazamox - EPA rated as "slightly toxic"
Triclpyr - WHO rated as "slightly hazardous"
So out of the ten chemicals used, half are known to be toxic or hazardous. Two are unlikely to be toxic or hazardous, one has no scientific consensus on whether or not it is safe, and the other two could not be found in the www.pesticideinfo.org/ database.
What is even more disturbing is Lake Pro Inc.'s safety recommendations for water use after chemical treatments. For all of their chemicals, they recommend waiting only twenty-four hours to use for swimming or bathing, however, some of those same chemicals have three, fourteen, thirty, or even one hundred twenty day waiting times to use for domestic purposes (such as drinking or washing), irrigation (ornamental or agricultural), or livestock watering. If the water still poses a threat to us to be consumed, put on our food, or our animals, then there is an obvious threat by swimming in it and using the water for recreational purposes after only twenty-four hours. The skin is a very porous organ, and toxins can easily be absorbed into the body and cause permanent and adverse health effects.
These chemicals will not just stay in the mill pond, they will seep into the ground water and contaminate residents' wells. They will be stored in the fat of fish, making them toxic for consumption, and any child that swims in a pond of chemicals will be at risk for serious long-term health problems. I just hope that people seriously consider and weigh the risks of damaging the environment and putting the health of a community at risk.
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