Frog Pond water likened to cloudy ale ? Local News ...

NEWBURYPORT ? City officials and high school science students combined forces last night in a continuing effort to plan for the revitalization of the increasingly unclean Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall.

Students from Newburyport High School presented a preliminary report on water quality there to members of the Bartlet Mall Commission, which is developing an action plan for improvement.

And their science teacher, George Masterson, emphasized the students? points about poor water quality by comparing beakers from the Frog Pond and from the Artichoke Reservoir: The difference in color was like comparing a cloudy ale to a dry martini.

?The results you are providing is very valuable,? said Walt Thompson, chair of the Mall commission. ?As we move forward to seek funding and make changes, this data will be important.?

Students, who included Chris Cole, Alex Salah and Alex Silva, said that their studies found that there is a ?persistent proliferation of blue-green algae? that indicates high nutrient levels in the water.

The presence of E. coli has been detected. And the pond is constricting, though this could be a seasonal development.

The pond is normally 2.2 acres; it currently covers 1.8 acres, they said.

Masterson said that a key reason for poor water quality is the presence of fecal matter from pets and birds.

?The pond is part of a concave bowl,? he said. ?When it rains, the run-off includes what comes down from the roof (of the nearby courthouse) and from the walkways.

?There is a lot of litter that ends up affecting the pond.?

Because of such adverse circumstances, there are no frogs and few fish, if any, in the Frog Pond.

Masterson said he has discovered one snapping turtle. ?That must be a very tough turtle,? he said.

Thompson said the mall and the Frog Pond ?represent a jewel in the crown of Newburyport? and that his commission is determined to improve the area so it can be attractive to passers-by and livable for aquatic life.

?Improving the grounds around the pond might involve a culture change,? said Thompson. ?People might have to stop feeding the birds, or walking their pets? without cleaning up afterward.

Thompson said the commission will soon start raising money to provide equipment that could lead to improvements, such as aerators that can insert oxygen into the stagnant water.

Source: http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x1684127998/Frog-Pond-water-likened-to-cloudy-ale

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