By Holly Bedard
Editor

Jen Drociak is passionate about the environment. The Manchester resident devotes much of her waking hours to evaluating local bodies of water and making sure they are clean and protected.

Drociak is the volunteer river assessment program coordinator for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services in Concord. In addition, she volunteers part time to coordinate the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program, where she organizes water quality sampling, assists with planning, puts together outreach and education events and runs twice-yearly cleanups.

Manchester is lucky to have someone so closely looking after its interests. And it doesn’t look like Drociak will be going anywhere soon.

“Manchester has a variety of opportunities with respect to downtown revitalization and environmental conservation. I find the city very beautiful, especially the Millyard abutting the Merrimack River,” she said. “Mostly, I stay in Manchester due to a ‘sense of place.’ It is ‘home.’ ”

For information on the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program, contact Drociak at 647-1826 or urbanponds@gmail.com.

Volunteer clean-up events

• Saturday, Oct. 7, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Maxwell Pond (Front Street)

• Saturday, Oct. 14, 9 to 11 a.m. at Stevens Pond (Bridge Street Extension)

• Saturday, Oct. 21, 9 to 11 a.m. at Nutts Pond (Precourt Park/Driving Park Road)

­ Holly Bedard, Editor

What is the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program?

From 2000-05, the program was part of the Supplemental Environmental Projects Plan that was part of an agreement between the City of Manchester, the N.H. Department of Environmental Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address combined sewers in the city. Seven water bodies in Manchester have been evaluated and monitored for restoration potential. Specific restoration projects have also been identified, funded and completed through this project. Until 2005, the Manchester Conservation Commission had overseen the program. The program then became part of the Planning Department.

The primary goals of the program are to return the ponds to their historic use (such as fishing, boating or swimming), promote public awareness, improve water quality, maintain biological diversity and provide improved recreational uses.

Where are the urban ponds are in the city?

We have seven water bodies in Manchester: Crystal Lake, Dorrs Pond, Maxwell Pond, McQuesten Pond, Pine Island Pond, Nutts Pond and Stevens Pond. The “watershed” of each affects the quality in the water body itself, thus everything that happens on land within the watershed ultimately affects the water.

What makes the biggest impact on these areas?

Urban storm water runoff. It not only can include sand, grit, brake dust, oils, etc., from vehicles, but also pesticide and fertilizer runoff from lawns and gardens, as well as pet waste.

There is also a lot of trash that gets left behind by visitors or blows in. We’ve cleaned the trash around the ponds twice a year, in the spring and fall, since 2000.

Is there any body that needs more help than another?

I’m unsure one water body needs more help than another. Each one is faced with its own issues with respect to water quality, surrounding land use and recreational opportunities. In 2002, members of the Manchester Conservation Commission met with the Urban Ponds Restoration Coordinator to discuss pond project “prioritization” within the city. The result is a clearly defined set of goals and prioritized projects within each category.

Though an attempt will be made to implement the most important projects, not all projects will be implemented due to limited resources. Stormwater retrofits have been installed at Crystal Lake and Dorrs Pond, and there are some in the planning stages for Nutts Pond.

What happens at the urban pond cleanups?

Cleanups involve skirting the edge of the pond and collecting trash. Typically we find plastic bottles, aluminum cans, glass bottles ­ recyclable things. Larger items have included car tires, shopping carts and furniture. We’ve had great support from city departments. At the end of the morning, all the bags are counted and placed in a pile for the Manchester Highway Department to collect. The Manchester Parks & Recreation Department also has always lent us a trailer with plastic trash bags, gloves, rakes and other tools to use. Volunteers need only bring themselves, a friend and a sense of community.

What kind of response do you get for these events?

The response at these clean-up events varies. Sometimes I get kids in high school or younger as part of an environmental club at school. Other times families or retirees. If we can get a good handful of volunteers at each pond at each event, I call that a success. Similarly, if all the trash is removed from the areas twice a year ­ whether it’s by two people or by 10 ­ I also consider that a success.

Why is it important for people to get involved?

It’s important to involve people in their community whether they’re 6 or 60. Many people have never visited any of the ponds, especially if they’re new to the city. Some people have, but it was long ago and the surroundings have changed. They remember being able to swim in the ponds 50 to 60 years ago before much of the urban development. At each of the pond cleanups, I try to give a brief overview of some of the issues of the pond.