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Residents cite overnight 12–13-inch drop in Minihong Lake; engineer calls it a 'catastrophic water event'
Summary
At a Mount Vernon Select Board meeting, residents described an abrupt 12–13-inch overnight drop in Minihong Lake and said a senior environmental engineer identified the cause as pond-board control practices; the town and watershed stakeholders have scheduled a July 15 meeting to coordinate responses and review instream-flow rules (chapter 587).
Jennifer Dubbie Ponro told the Mount Vernon Select Board that between June 6 and June 9 the water level at Minihong Lake fell about 12–13 inches "literally overnight," and that she had asked the town to note the event and improve communication. According to Jennifer, Rob Mohler, a senior environmental engineer who inspected the lake and nearby sites, described what he observed as a "catastrophic water event." Jennifer said Mohler told her the installation of a five-inch board at the Flying Pond dam had effectively cut off flow and produced the rapid drawdown.
"He called it a catastrophic water event," Jennifer said, describing Mohler's field observations of wet rocks and recent flow that indicated a sudden change. She warned that the rapid drop killed fish and vegetation in shallow areas during a heat wave and could increase public-health risks such as mosquito-borne disease where water became shallow and warm.
Board members and residents discussed options to avoid similarly rapid drawdowns in future years. The chair noted that state instream-flow protections — "the flow rule," chapter 587 — require maintenance of certain flows and that community managers can adopt more incremental measures (for example using wedges or half-boards during drought conditions) and strengthen communications among pond owners and watershed groups.
Jennifer said a collaborative meeting with the Flying Pond managers, watershed groups and the GMLA (30 Mile River watershed representatives) is scheduled for July 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. She urged broader participation so that seasonal board adjustments are coordinated and protective of downstream habitat. The board asked staff to publicize the meeting and indicated it would monitor Rob Mohler's ongoing file for follow-up work.
