Now that the alum treatment is done…..
DearFriends of Lake Attitash:
Now that the alum treatment is done, we must continue to thinkof ways we can do more to protect our beautiful lake.
Having a “natural” shoreline with native plants andstones is probably the best thing you can do. The Conservation Commissions stronglydiscourage walls, preferring more natural slopes filled with stone and nativeplants. There are good reasons for this.
Shoreline plants function to filter storm waterrunoff, capture pollutants before they reach the lake, and provide wildlifehabitat for turtles and birds and prevent soil erosion.
Storm water run-off is the single largest contributor towater quality degradation in Massachusetts. It contains fertilizer, pet poop, pesticides, sand, soil, salt, oil andantifreeze.
Shoreline plants…even just a few ….will helpkeep Lake Attitash clean.
Our lake management company, Solitude Lake Management, wrotethe following in a recent newsletter:
“Maintainingdense beneficial vegetation around your lake or pond is extremely important forimproving water quality, preventing erosion andcontrolling nuisance geese. Establishing buffer zones takes minimal effort andrequires little maintenance. In the long run, it will also reduce thelikelihood of excessive lake algae and other water quality issues thatcome from nutrient loading, thereby reducing the need for constant herbicidetreatments, and lowering your long-term costs associated with managing yourwaterbody.
You will also benefit from proper buffer management by attractinginsects, like dragonflies, that feed on mosquito larvae, thus helping to control mosquito populations in andaround your lake. In addition, flowering native plants and beautiful sedgegrasses can be a very pleasing sight that will undoubtedly increase the valueof your property.”
So… let’s do something good for the lake!
When thinking about adding native plants along our shoreline we all want to protect our access to the lake, our view and we want plantsthat are easy to maintain. Here are sevenlow-growing native perennial plants that have been recommended by Solitude LakeManagement Company for planting either in shallow water or on the water’s edge.
7Recommended Vegetation Species to Plant along your waterfront
Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)
Pickerelweed is a swallowfreshwater aquatic plant that grows three to four feet tall, but typically you onlysee one to two feet since about half of the plant is underground. This lowgrowing perennial plant is ideal when low borders or water views are the goal.It has creeping underwater rhizomes with heart-shaped leaves and violet-bluespikes extending about the water. Its beautiful flowers attract bees andbutterflies, as well as dragonflies, which consume mosquito larvae.Pickerelweed blooms from June through November and provides good cover forbirds, fish and amphibians.
Blueflag Iris (Iris versicolor)
This clumping plant has several violet-blue flowers withyellow-based sepals that emerge on sturdy stalks among tall sword-like leaves.Their height is anywhere from 2 to 3 feet and they flower from May to August.They grow in swamps, marshes, and on wet shores and are often found in standingwater. They have limited wildlife value, so they are resistant to beingeaten by waterfowl and other animals.
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Another plant that not only looks pretty, but attractsbutterflies and even hummingbirds with its nectar supply is the cardinalflower. This plant has many brilliant red, tubular flowers in an elongatedcluster on an erect stalk. It grows from 2 to 5 feet in damp sites, especiallyalong streams, and flowers from July to October. It grows in damp sites,especially along streams.
Native sedges and rushes
There are many grass-like aquatic sedges and rushes suchas bulrush and soft rush. Sedges have triangular stems and grow in shallowwater, while rushes have cylindrical stems and grow in clumps. These plants canbe expected to spread, but are not aggressive. Their shallow spreading surfaceroots hold shoreline soil and reduce erosion. You will find that they only needcontrolling once per year or less. You will also probably find that theseplants will reduce problems with more aggressive and invasive aquatic plants. Rushes and sedges are greathabitat for wading birds and your shoreline will look more natural andattractive, too.
Arrowhead or Duck Potato (Sagittarialatifolia)
Duck Potato, or arrowhead, is a perennial that grows 1 to4 feet tall and has large broad leaves shaped like arrows with small whiteflowers. It grows in wet sites or shallow water along lake and stream margins,marshes and swamps. The plant has strong roots and can survive through widevariations of the water level and displays an affinity for high levels ofphosphates and hard waters. The underground tuber (duck potato) is preferred byat least 15 species of ducks, including canvasbacks, but many times the tubersare buried too deep for them to reach.
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
This plant has slender leaves and deep pink flowersclustered at the top of a tall, branching stem. It grows to be 2 to 6 feet highwith flowers from June to August. Milkweed grows in swamps, thickets and alongwet shorelines and the flowers attract and provide food for butterflies,especially monarchs.
Rhododendron Groenlandicum
It is alow shrub growingto 20 in tall with evergreen leaves. The leaves are wrinkled on top, denselyhairy white to red-brown underneath, and have a leathery texture, curling atthe edges. The tiny white flowers grow in part shade, sun; wetlands, lake and stream shores.The flower clusters are very fragrant andsticky.
You can buy these plants from most large garden centers.Lake Street Garden Center in Salem carries all but the sedge grasses. There aremany more beneficial native plants besides the ones recommended here. Justbeware of certain undesirable or invasive plants such as cattails, phragmites,purple loosestrife, alligatorweed and smartweed as many of these have anexplosive ability to spread and require extensive effort to manage.
Conservation Commission information:
For Merrimac Residents: The Merrimac Conservation Commission has no issue withresidents planting native plants around the lake shore or in shallow water providedthey are indeed native plants and no mulch or other material is placed aroundthe plants.
For Amesbury residents: The Amesbury Conservation Commission offers alist of suggested plants on their website. For details please visit https://www.amesburyma.gov/sites/amesburyma/files/pages/suggested_list_of_plants.pdf.
In addition, based onstate and local wetlands laws, any proposed projects that involve regulatedactivities within 100 feet of Lake Attitash are subject to the wetlandspermitting process. Examples of regulated activities include work thatwould alter grading or work on the lakeshore bank includingstabilization. Section 3.0 of the Amesbury Wetlands Regulations providesa detailed inventory of what constitutes a regulated activity. Thepermitting process is intended to ensure that any activities within proximityto the lake do not result in an adverse impact on the lake. Pleaserefer to the regulations if you are in doubt. The regulations areavailable on the Amesbury Conservation Commission website at https://www.amesburyma.gov/sites/amesburyma/files/file/file/amesbury_wetland_regulations_as_voted_june_20_2012.pdf.
This project has been partiallyfunded with Federal Funds from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to theMassachusetts Department of Environmental Protection under an s. 319competitive grant.
