Size: 13,720 hectares
Major Rivers: Indian Brook, Mallets
Creek
Lake Segment: Mallets Bay
ANR Coordinator: Karen Bates
Stage of Planning: Began Summer 2002
Major Issues of Concern to Community
Bacterial contamination of beaches on Mallets
Bay
Wastewater decisions – management of
decentralized systems; central sewer.
Landuse change over time (both historical and
future) as a result of development.
Non-monetary valuation of ecosystem
goods/services including aesthetics and recreation.
Implications of concentrated growth v. no
growth v. dispersed growth on water quality.
Nutrient pollution from stormwater,
agricultural runoff, and septic systems.
Research Questions:
How can appropriate wastewater treatment be
balanced with planning goals?
Wastewater Management
What is the current state of the watershed and
what are the potential pollution impacts from functional and failing septic
tanks?
Which areas of town should be targeted more
heavily than others for septic upgrade or cluster systems with use of the
revolving funds? (Optimizing water protection, development goals, and
property values).
What are the costs and benefits to water
quality and development of implementing a central sewer?
What are the costs and benefits of using
cluster systems in certain areas of town?
Planning and Zoning
What were the effects of past planning and
zoning decisions on water quality? Evaluation of future planning and zoning
options.
How can zoning help to encourage development
such that property values and water quality/natural resources are maximized?
What is the value of concentrating development
in an existing impaired watershed (Severence Corner) to protect less
impaired watersheds v. spreading out future development?
What are the long-term values and consequences
of concentrating growth in an existing impaired watershed (Severence Corner)
to protect less impaired watersheds? Economic cost-benefit includes land
value, commercial activity, etc., water quality and other environmental
costs and benefits.
How does water quality affect property values
and the attractiveness/character of Mallets Bay and the town in general?
What are the monetary and non-monetary benefits
of water quality and other ecosystem goods and services in the town? How can
they be incorporated into planning and zoning decisions?
Stakeholders
Bryan Osborne (Director of Public Works)
Brenda Green (Director of Planning and Zoning)
Sarah Hadd (Town Planner)
Tom Ray (Health Officer)
Genie Soboslai (Town Engineer)
Karen Bates (WQD, DEC)
Water Quality Committee – Town of Colchester
Ken Jones (Green Mountain Institute)
Carl Etnier (Stone Environmental – wrote
Strategic Water Plan)
Complimentary Projects/Funding
The town has received federal funding through
the NDWRCDP to complete a management plan for decentralized wastewater
treatment.
The ribotyping bacterial source tracking is
going to be repeated this year and the data made available to us if we want.
The Water Quality Committee for the town has
recently completed a Strategic Water Quality Plan. Primary goals are:
Learn more about existing septic systems and
contribution to bacterial contamination.
Establish a ww management system that will
highlight areas where special attention is needed and structure a mechanism
for homeowners to monitor the performance of their system and correct
deficiencies.
Master Plan identifies growth centers and
describes the infrastructure needs to support them. The Lakeshore Drive area
is not a growth center. The management of wastewater for the area can be
designed in such a way to address existing uses and encourage growth. The
primary purpose for considering wastewater solutions is to ensure that
current property owners are able to maintain the value of their property and
not degrade the town’s water quality resources.
Data Availability
Septic data for lots: 5-7 years to get the age
of septic tanks into a digital database
Water quality data: available for summers.
Good GIS coverages. Soil coming soon.