The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

health and science

Nature-related news acorns

acornTonight: film on extinct passenger pigeons

Join us on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) offices above the Lincoln Station post office for the first of four environmental films that the LLCT will be showing through the fall/winter months. From Billions to None: The Passenger Pigeon’s Flight to Extinction tells the incredible forgotten story of the passenger pigeon, its unlikely extinction, and its striking relevance to conservation challenges today. Almost 100 years ago on September 1, 1914, the last known passenger pigeon in existence died in the Cincinnati Zoo. A superabundant species of billions that darkened the entire sky disappeared in a matter of decades. What happened to the passenger pigeon? Follow naturalist and author Joel Greenberg on a journey to discover how and why this bird went extinct, and how today the story is more relevant than ever.

Drumlin Farm offers arts experience on Friday after Thanksgiving

Looking to start a new family tradition this holiday season? Come to Drumlin Farm on Friday, Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for “Giving Thanks for Nature and Our Senses,” an outdoor arts experience on the day after Thanksgiving. Follow our map on a nature walk through the sanctuary as local artists give trailside performances related to the “giving thanks” theme. Contribute your own expressions of thanks with family-friendly crafts and activities. Light refreshments will be served. Activities include:

  • Musical performances by the Bob Gadoury Trio and musicians of Lyrica Fest
  • Wildlife sketching with Gordon Morrison
  • Natural sculpture with William Turville
  • A puppet show by Deborah Costine
  • Storytelling with Ron McAdow

Cohosted by Mass Audubon and Musketaquid Arts & Environment. The program is free with admission of $8 for adults, $6 for children (free for Mass Audubon members and Lincoln residents). The event takes place rain or shine. To learn more about other programs, call 781-259-2200 or visit the Drumlin Farm website.

Speakers to explore nature education at deCordova

Nancy Fincke, director of the Lincoln Nursery School (LNS), and Julie Bernson, learning and engagement director at the deCordova Scultpure Park and Museum, will demonstrate the many facets of nature education on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 8:30 a.m. on the deCordova campus. We’ll begin in the LNS classrooms, where nature fluidly exists indoors and out as part of the children’s everyday experience and learning. We’ll then look at the work of several artists in the Museum exhibition who have inspired school, family, and adult programming that encourages personal and community experiences of nature. The deCordova and LNS initiatives work individually and together to bring children, parents, educators, and the general public into deeper understandings and appreciation of our shared environment, with the Walden, revisited exhibition fostering new collaborations with local organizations to expand and deepen this work in Lincoln and beyond.

Join the Sunday Walkers

Most Sundays throughout the year a group of (fairly intrepid) Lincolnites and others take a walk starting at 10 a.m. and then have a potluck lunch together. We typically walk for an hour and a half at a brisk but not strenuous pace, eat more than we probably should at lunch, and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a great way to stay connected with friends and see trails in town that you otherwise might not know about. Anyone interested in joining the email list and receiving the weekly announcements should contact Peter von Mertens at petervonmertens@gmail.com. All are welcome.

November activities hosted by the COA

bemisLincoln Academy with Ian Spencer—Forensic art: Blending creativity and crime-fighting
November 3 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Nov. 3 at 12:30 to hear Ian Spencer of the Lincoln Police Department discuss “Forensic Art: Blending Creativity and Crime-Fighting.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

Ole time traditional jazz concert
November 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Join in the fun on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 2:30 when our regular traditional jazz combo gathers around the Steinway Grand at Bemis Hall for an afternoon of spontaneous jamming. Share the joy as cornet, sax, clarinet, trombone, bass, drums and piano belt out good old foot stompers of the ’20s,’30s and ’40s. Tap your toes to old favorites such as Ain’t Misbehavin’, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Makin’ Whoopie, On the Sunny Side of The Street, Honeysuckle Rose, I Got Rhythm, etc., ending with a rousing all-in When The Saints Go Marchin’ In. Get up and dance around the room if you feel the urge. If you missed the last one, you definitely won’t want to miss this one. Just ask anyone who was there. Check them out. You might end up staying!

Zen cancer wisdom
November 7 at 10 a.m.
If you or a friend or family member has been touched by cancer, you know that having cancer is a journey involving the body, mind, heart, and soul. That journey can be made easier, however, by words of wisdom from those who have experienced it. All are invited to Bemis Hall on Friday, Nov.7 at 10 a.m. to hear Sue Stason discuss the newly released book Zen Cancer Wisdom: Tips for Making Each Day Better by Sue’s daughter-in-law, Daju Suzanne Friedman. Ms. Friedman, a scholar of Daoism, qigong master, Zen teacher and professor and doctor of Chinese medicine, was a cancer patient twice. Her book includes tips on and specific practices for managing the physical effects of cancer and its treatment, coping with stress, living fully with a cancer diagnosis, harnessing the mind and more.

Basic self-defense with the Lincoln Police
November 7 at 1 p.m.
Whether you’re at home in Lincoln or traveling to another place, you need to know how to prevent crime or, if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, know how to get away unharmed. Find out the best ways to secure your home and your vehicle as well as learn strikes, blocks, kicks, and patterns of movement to get you out of a situation in which you are being attacked when Ian Spencer of the Lincoln Police comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. The methods you learn will use minimal energy with the goal being escape. Those who attended the previous workshop will benefit from the refresher provided by this workshop.

Lincoln Academy with Holly Holleroth—The “naked truth” about aging
November 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Nov. 10 at 12:30 to hear Hugo “Holly” Holleroth discuss “The Naked Truth about Aging.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

Important Hanscom Air Force Base and MassPort update
November 12 at 10 a.m.
Hanscom Air Force Base and Massport are integral to Lincoln in many ways. Join part two of our conversation about what’s going on at Hanscom and Massport when Tim Higgins, Lincoln’s Town Administrator, comes to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. He will update the group and then answer questions and concerns. This presentation is part of Fireside Chat, a discussion of a current news topic using questions and answers led by Sharon Antia each second Wednesday of the month. All are welcome.

Veterans Day luncheon
November 12 at Noon
Veterans and their spouses are invited to a Veterans Day luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at noon at Bemis Hall. Come for soup/chowder and sandwiches. This will be a relaxing, fun time for veterans and their spouses to get together, chat, and enjoy some time together. Please sign up by Friday, Nov. 7 by calling the COA. A $5 donation is requested.

European river cruises and meet-up
November 14 at 9:30
The Danube, the Seine, the Rhine the Main—Europe’s rivers are romantic, beautiful and full of historic intrigue. Find out more about the rivers and cruises that can take you on them without the aggravation and uncertainty of planning the trip yourself when Peggy Dawson, travel advisor and accredited cruise counselor, comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. She’ll describe some popular tours, let you know how to choose a.m. ong them, and give the inside scoop on costs. Start the morning at 9:30 a.m. with a “meet-up” of people who would like to travel but need traveling companions or who just like to talk about traveling.

Observation status: are you an inpatient or outpatient?
November 14 at 1 p.m.
The difference between being admitted as a hospital inpatient vs. being under “observation status” as an outpatient is a costly problem for seniors and even more difficult to understand. Learn the difference between the two and how to advocate for yourself or a loved one when Lindsay Brennan, LSW, CMC, executive director of Life Care Directions of New England, comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. There will be time for questions and concerns. Refreshments will be provided by Right at Home.

Do you have something you need sewn?
November 17 at 10 a.m.
Do you have a seam that needs repairing or a hem to be taken up, or some other sewing need? Barbara Straus has volunteered to come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. to help you with your sewing needs! No need to sign up, just come on down!

Lincoln Academy with Walter Bossert—was Edith Wilson the de facto president?
November 17 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Nov. 17 at 12:30 p.m. to hear Walter Bossert discuss “Was Edith Wilson de Facto President of the United States During the Last 17 Months of Woodrow Wilson’s Presidency?” featuring live music of the era. Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

Senior dining
November 18 at 11:30 a.m.
Lincoln seniors are invited to a gourmet meal in an elegant setting at 11:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at St. Anne’s Church. You must reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 at least a week ahead even if you have previously attended. The cost of each meal is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let the COA know when you call if you need transportation or a seating partner. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, and St. Anne’s. And the volunteer serving staff consists of your Lincoln friends and neighbors. Except in extenuating circumstances, you must call to cancel at least a week ahead or the COA will need to charge you for the meal in order to cover costs.

Meet with an aide to Congresswoman Clark
November 19 at 1 p.m.
You are invited to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. to meet with Natalie Kaufman, Constituent Service Representative for Congresswoman Katherine Clark. She will be available to assist residents with Social Security, Medicare, and MassHealth/Medicaid. You’re also welcome to discuss other matters with her that she may be able to help with.

Happy feet, happy life: foot massage you do yourself
November 21 at 10 a.m.
Your feet don’t just get you here and there—they have key pressure points. Keeping them in good shape is essential to our overall health and well being, including improving circulation, removing toxins, stress relief, and more. Find out how foot massage can become part of your wellness routine and how to do foot massage on yourself or someone else with Jai Kaur Annamaria San Antonio on Friday, Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. Jai Kuar Annamaria teaches the COA’s popular Easy Yoga course, among other yoga classes, and is a qualified massage therapist in private practice. Bring your feet and your questions!

Developing a job search action plan
November 21 at 1 p.m.
Join Tee Provost of Operation ABLE when she continues her series on successfully finding a job on Friday, Nov. 21 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Tee will focus on deciding between job options, setting goals, evaluating resources and obstacles to achieving goals, and developing an action plan with clear, obtainable steps. This program will be of benefit even if you have not come to previous sessions.

Lincoln Academy: Birches School teachers
November 24 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m. to hear Teachers from Birches School discuss “Birches School: Offering a Nature-based, Community-based STEAM Education” (STEAM = science/technology/engineering/arts/mathematics). Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

Reagle holiday gala
Revel in holiday joy as you experience over two hours of enchanting Christmas cheer at the Reagle Music Theater’s Holiday Gala on Sunday, Dec. 7. You’ll enjoy a breathtaking spectacle including a full orchestra and 150 talented performers featuring Yuletide songs and pageants of the Parade of Wooden Soldiers, Santa’s Workshop, a Victorian Christmas and more. The bus will leave the Mall at 3:15 p.m. on a Doherty’s bus and return about 7 p.m. The cost, including transportation, is $36 per person. Remember to bring some cash for ice cream and drinks that will be served at intermission. To reserve your place, send a check made out to FLCOA Trips to Claire Mount, 123 Tower Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 by November 19. Questions? Call Claire at 781-259-8695.

Save the date! Winter piano recital by Wanda Paik
Join Lincoln resident Wanda Paik for a solo piano performance on Friday, Dec. 5 at 2:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Admission is free and open to the public and will be followed by refreshments. Music by Chopin will be performed. Paik has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler and Erich Kunzel, the Boston Classical Orchestra with Harry Ellis Dickson and the Boston Civic Symphony with Max Hobart, among others. She has also performed at the National Gallery in Washington, the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, at numerous colleges and universities throughout the U.S., and in Brazil, Trinidad and South Korea. Paik has served as president of the New England Piano Teachers’ Association and a board member of the Concord Area Music School Association. She is a member of the music faculty at Regis College in Weston and has released two CDs: Piano Perennials and Romantic Classics.

DPW reports on environmentally friendly initiatives

greenBelow is an edited version of “Green Happenings,” a newsletter written by Chris Bibbo, superintendent of the Lincoln Department of Public Works.

Town departments such as Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and the Town Administrator’s Office to continue to work with the various town boards and committees on numerous environmentally friendly  projects, procedures and initiatives. Below are some recent developments.

Leaf Blower Study Group / “green” equipment

The town’s Leaf Blower Study Group, which has been working with the DPW and Parks and Recreation to reduce air and noise pollution caused by equipment such as leaf blowers, trimmers and mowers, now has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LincolnLBSC. The page is a great way to learn more about leaf blower issues and stay up to date with developments. It also provides a dynamic and collaborative place to communicate ideas among participants and others who have linked to the page. Materials and links on the page currently include the group’s Town Meeting presentation, a humorous New Yorker piece on leaf blowers, and a list of green contractors serving Lincoln, among others.

You can subscribe to the page by “liking” it (note that in Facebook jargon, “like” does not necessarily mean that you approve; it just means that you are following the topic.) Please suggest to any of your Facebook friends who might be interested to “like” our page as well. Also, please suggest any resources you think we should know about, and feel free to comment on any of the postings.

There’s also a wealth of information about leaf blowers on the Leaf Blower Study Group’s page on the town website, including numerous research links and videos on the noise and air pollution that this equipment causes and how it can be mitigated. In addition to loud noise, this equipment can produce more than its share of air pollution, both through the inefficient burning of fuel and the particulates that become airborne.

The DPW has recently purchased a noise-reduced backpack blower and will soon be purchasing an electric mower as a trial prototype. Other innovations such as solar charging stations are also being considered. The group is also actively investigating the possibility of noise and usage policies or regulations to help mitigate the impact of this equipment. Regulations and experiences from some surrounding communities are being reviewed for possible introduction in Lincoln.

The DPW, located at 30 Lewis Street, maintains a supply of free lawn rakes for residents. Using a rake instead of a gas-powered blower provides good exercise and is less harmful to the environment.

Cemetery

The Lincoln Cemetery Commission and Town Clerk along with the DPW recently held a preliminary conceptual meeting to discuss the possible construction of a storage shed for cemetery maintenance equipment at the Lexington Road Cemetery. The group will be working on the design and siting of the new shed, which will incorporate many green features including a possible solar array and will house green equipment such as electric mowers and trimmers. Minuteman Technical High School students may participate in construction.

Leaching catch basins

The DPW has installed the remainder of the leaching catch basins on Laurel Drive and Moccasin Hill Road. These catch basins are designed with a sump that allows for the periodical cleaning of sand, dirt and other debris from the basin. The drain runoff from rain and snow enters the basins and then percolates into the surrounding soil. This percolation is a more normal, environmentally friendly process for drain runoff management. The process avoids a direct and concentrated discharge of runoff into the surrounding environment.

Transfer station/Recycling Committee

The transfer station continues to see healthy recycling rates, although I believe we could do better. Currently, over 39 percent of material that’s brought to the station is recycled. Please remember to recycle and encourage your neighbors and friends to do the same. In the past decade or so, recycling technology has advanced. Fully 100 percent of what is put into the recycling bins gets recycled. From reports I have seen, recycling vendors would like more supply. There are informational kiosks at the various recycling stations; please pick up a copy to see how the materials get recycled.

Also, please remember to be courteous to the transfer station attendants on duty. They are simply doing their job by checking for access stickers and banned materials. All the solid waste generated from Lincoln gets hauled to a tipping floor. Once on the tipping floor, banned material can be identified. Lincoln could be fined or have its solid waste permit revoked if quantities of banned materials are found in the waste stream. Examples of banned materials include:

  • Building and construction debris
  • Tires
  • Hazardous materials
  • Organic material
  • Explosives

For a full listing of banned materials or for any other transfer station related matters, please call the DPW office at 781-259-8999. For more information, visit the Recycling Committee web page.

Snow and ice control

The DPW is in the process of purchasing a brine pre-treatment system for roadway snow and ice control. The equipment will be used to apply a salt solution to the major roads in town shortly before to a storm event. The goal is to prevent ice and snow buildup and reduce the amount of both sand and salt put into the environment. For more information, see the DPW’s winter safety tips and its snow and ice removal policy.

LED streetlights

The process of converting the town’s incandescent, sodium and mercury lights to LED lights is on track and should get underway shortly. The Town Administrator’s Office and the DPW are in the process of reviewing contract terms with a lighting innovation firm for the conversion.

Converting the streetlights to LEDs will save considerably on power usage and cost. These lights will also provide a better quality light and the light output can be designed so that more light is directed to the road. This will be consistent with the desired “Dark Skies” goals. The LED streetlights will also be equipped with light deflectors that will redirect light so it won’t shine back into residences.

News acorns – 9/30/14

Important town-wide forums this month

The Community Center Study Committee will hold a charrette to seek input on ideas for a possible Lincoln Community Center on Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 6-9 p.m. in Hartwell Pod B (see the Lincoln Squirrel, Sept. 15, 2014).

On Thursday, Oct. 16 from 7-9 p.m. in the Reed Gym, the School Building Advisory Committee will hold the second of four public forums to present and discuss repair options for the Lincoln School (see the Lincoln Squirrel, Sept. 17, 2014).

Kids’ programs at the library

bookworm

The Lincoln Public Library will host the Lego Club for kids age 4 and up every Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. starting Wednesday, Oct. 1. Drop-in; the library provides the Legos. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers are invited to Singalong with Ed Morgan on Friday, Oct. 3 at at 3:30 p.m. No signup necessary.

There are also several children’s book groups and story times this fall:

  • Books and Bites — for kids in grades 4-6; meets on Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. on October 9, October 23, November 6, December 4 and December 18. Books are available at the Children’s Desk two weeks prior to the meeting. The book for the Oct. 9 meeting will be Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff.
  • Book Share — for seventh- and eighth-graders; meets on the third Wednesday of the month from 7-8 p.m. The first meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 15. This is an opportunity to share what you’re reading and discover new books based on other kids’ recommendations.
  • Lapsit Storytime — a story/activity program for infants up to to 24 months. A six-week session begins Thursday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. Registration is now taking place; please call 781-259-8465 or email jflanders@minlib.net.
  • Terrific Twos — a story/activity program for two-year-olds. A six-week session begins Friday, Oct. 17 at 10:30 a.m. Please register by calling 781-259-8465 or emailing jflanders@minlib.net.
  • Preschool Stories — an open story program for ages 3-5 every Tuesday at 11 a.m. starting Tuesday, Oct. 7.
Scarecrow Classic 5K on Oct. 19

Run, walk or volunteer at the second annual Scarecrow Classic 5K road and trail race starting at the Mall at Lincoln Station on Saturday, Oct. 19 starting at 9:30 a.m. All proceeds go to support the work of the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. Register at www.scarecrowclassic5k.com or call the LLCT at 781-259-9251 for more information.

October activities sponsored by COA

Here are the October activities sponsored by the Lincoln Council on Aging.

Enjoy old-time jazz with the Lincoln Trad Jazz Jammers
October 2 at 2:30 p.m.
If you ain’t been to one of these yet, find out what you’ve been missin’! Come celebrate the joy of jazz at Bemis Hall on Thursday, October 2 at 2:30 p.m. when the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Jammers will share with you their love of this hot and cool music in a delightfully spontaneous jam! If you find you just can’t sit still, go ahead and tap your toes or get up and dance as they belt out favorites we all know and love, like Ain’t Misbehavin’, Makin’ Whoopie and others. The musicians are mostly retirees, amateurs who give life to the music of the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s at the Trad Jazz Jams at Bemis Hall, the library, and the Colonial Inn on Wednesdays.

Chaplin meets Beethoven
October 3 at 1 p.m.
Mark your calendars for Friday, October 3 at 1 p.m., at Bemis Hall when the COA will show The Immigrant, a silent film by Charlie Chaplin, accompanied by a live string group, Con Affeto, which includes Lincoln residents Laura Bossert and Terry King and others. Con Affeto will play music by Beethoven, Mozart, Kreisler and more. They have performed on New York music station WQXR and elsewhere in the region. This event is supported by the Friends of the Lincoln COA. [Read more…] about October activities sponsored by COA

Keeping Lincoln’s water flowing for 140 years

Greg Woods, Lincoln Water Department superintendent, with one of the membrane filter used to treat clean the town's water. See below for more photos.

Greg Woods, Lincoln Water Department superintendent, with one of the membrane filters used to treat clean the town’s water. See below for more photos.  —Photos by Alice Waugh

By Alice Waugh

You don’t have to think about it — just turn on your tap and clean water flows. For most Lincoln households, that water starts its journey in Flint’s Pond and navigates a surprisingly intricate route on its way to your shower, sink or lawn — a journey that once involved wooden water mains and a coal-fired pump.

All but about 400 Lincoln residents (mostly on Old County Road and Conant Road) get town water, which is pumped from Flint’s Pond via a pump house next to the pond, explained Lincoln Water Department Superintendent Greg Woods. From there, it travels north across Sandy Pond Road to a nondescript one-story building where an automated system adds sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH, sodium fluoride to help prevent tooth decay, and zinc orthophosphate to reduce corrosion in the water pipes.

Then all the water — anywhere from 450,000 to 900,000 gallons a day — passes through a membrane filtration system before heading to a 20-foot-tall holding tank at the top of a hill on Bedford Road. (The 1.2-million-gallon tank won’t offend anyone’s aesthetic sensibilities, however; all but two feet of it are buried underground.) From there, the treated and filtered water flows through Lincoln’s 57 miles of water mains to residents’ faucets.

There are several safety and backup systems in place to keep the water flowing in case of emergency. The pump house has an emergency backup generator that runs on natural gas in case of a power outage. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, it kept the water flowing for three full days, Woods said. There’s also a well on Tower Road that serves as a secondary water source when the main facility requires maintenance. And the system’s water is sampled every two weeks at various locations in town and tested to make sure the chemistry is correct and that there are no harmful pathogens present.

More than a century of service

Lincoln has had a water department since 1874. In the old days, water was drawn from the pond, screened in the small house at the water’s edge and pumped directly to homes via a coal-fired facility that was torn down in 1900, Woods said. Today, the larger building houses the modern pumping facility and generator as well as repair equipment and an assortment of old water meters and gate boxes — the metal tubes set into roadway and sidewalks with caps that workers can remove to access each gate, or valve, to shut off water between two points.

The state Department of Environmental Protection eventually began requiring towns to disinfect surface water that’s piped to homes (water from public and private wells below a certain depth doesn’t have this requirement), so Lincoln built the disinfection facility in 1993 and added the membrane filtration system in 2003. The disused screening building next to the pond is still there, although it started sliding off its foundation about 15 years ago and a resident paid to have it filled with cement to anchor it in place.

The pond itself is closed to all recreational use including swimming, fishing, skating and even picnicking by the shore. “I don’t want to be a Nazi and shoo people away because it really is a beautiful sight, but it is our main water supply,” Woods said.

Owing to the lack of human predators, “there are some really big fish in there,” said Woods. The pond is about 35 feet at its deepest, and one can see down about 15 feet from the surface. “It’s a very, very clear pond,” he said. Canada geese visit now and then, but he chases them off in a boat to minimize bacteriological contamination from bird poop.

Conservation measures

Not surprisingly, residents use a lot more water in the summer, when lawns and gardens get their share. In fact, the time of day with the highest demand is at about 3 a.m., because many homeowners have their sprinkler systems hooked up to timers that are set to soak the plants in the middle of the night, which is better for them than getting water in the heat of the day. There’s also a morning and evening rush, when residents are taking showers, using toilets, cooking meals and doing the dishes.

At first glance, Massachusetts doesn’t seem to resemble the Southwest in terms of water supply, but, “there are some very stressed water basins in the state,” Woods said. By state law, residents are supposed to limit themselves to 65 gallons of water per person per day, and Lincoln “has been hanging out in the upper 60s,” he said. Over the course of a year, Lincoln uses 200 million gallons of town water, but the town is supposed to reduce its usage to 182 million gallons to comply with current regulations.

Although there are no specific penalties at the moment, towns must show they have plans in place for conservation and leak detection and are making progress. In Lincoln, sandwich boards appear around town during the growing season to remind residents that they may use outside water only twice a week. Some residents get around the limit by using a private well for outdoor irrigation and town water just for indoor use, Woods noted.

Another state-mandated water conservation rule says that no more than 10 percent of pumped water may be lost to leaks somewhere in the system. Lincoln loses somewhere between 10 and 20 percent each year, “so we need to find some leaks,” Woods said. The town must repair leaks up to each owner’s property line, but homeowners are responsible for fixing pipes on their property.

If townwide water usage town suddenly spikes, workers will look for an underground leak by listening from surface points between hydrants with headphones to try to pin down the location of the suspected leak (though sometimes it remains a mystery — see the Lincoln Squirrel, Aug. 17, 2013). Water escaping from a crack in a pipe agitates the surrounding sediment, which causes vibrations that can be picked up on sophisticated detection systems. A contractor also inspects the entire system using this method once a year and identifies, on average, about a dozen locations annually (including faulty hydrants) that are leaking more than one gallon a minute, Woods said.

Leaks are a never-ending issue because many of the water mains are quite old, but it’s prohibitively expensive to replace them before they actually fail. The original water mains were made of wood strips held together with metal bands, because cast iron was very expensive back in the day. The town eventually moved to cast iron pipes and, more recently, longer-lasting ductile iron.

“We have pipe in the ground that’s more than 100 years old,” said Woods, pointing to an ancient pipe segment that had become drastically narrowed from the inside by iron and manganese deposits. Nowadays, water mains are flushed once a year by opening hydrants. This creates an artificial leak that causes the system to pump water at higher pressure to compensate, and the temporary rush of water scours the deposits the inside the pipes.

Though it’s safe to drink, the water that day might be a bit discolored, so notices are posted about when hydrant flushing will take place. “You don’t want to launder your silk curtains that day,” Woods said.

Click on an image below to see larger versions and captions.
Photos by Alice Waugh

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”106″ gal_title=”Water works”]

Conservation events scheduled

LLCTThe Lincoln Land Conservation Trust has scheduled the following events in September and October.

Fall Plant Walk
Thursday, September 18 at 10 a.m.
As a follow-up to her spring plant walk, local botany enthusiast Ellen Meadors will lead a walk to observe and talk about the wonderful native flowers that bloom as fall approaches. Dress for the weather. Please park and meet at the horse riding ring off of Weston Road near the intersection of Silver Hill Road and Weston Road. This is a free program.

Early Fall Foliage Ramble: Stonehedge Road to Weston Town Forest
Saturday, October 4 from 10 a.m. to noon (meet near the mailbox at 49 Stonehedge Road)
Join Michele Grzenda, local naturalist and Weston’s Conservation Agent, on an early fall foliage walk through Lincoln and Weston conservation land. Participants should be prepared to walk approximately 3 miles over uneven terrain and dress for the weather. Due to limited parking, group size is limited to 20. RSVP required; please click here to sign up or visit lincolnconservation.org.

Living with Black Bears
Monday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m., Bemis Hall
Presenter: Laura (Hajduk) Conlee, Black Bear Project Leader, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Spend an evening with MassWildife expert Laura Conlee to learn about black bears. Find out where bears are common, get advice on the best actions to take when you see a bear, and take away some valuable tips on how to be a good neigh-bear!

Scarecrow Classic 5K Walk/Run
Sunday, Oct. 19 at 9:30 a.m.
Run, walk or volunteer at the second annual Scarecrow Classic 5K road and trail race starting at the Mall at Lincoln Station. All proceeds go to support the work of the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. Register at www.scarecrowclassic5k.com or call the LLCT at 781-259-9251 for more information.

News acorns

acorn

Free pops concert with Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra on Saturday

The Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra (LSCO) will open its 2014-15 season with a free pops concert as a part of the Sudbury375 Field Day Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. LSCO Executive Director Sudbury resident William Nicholson will conduct the LSCO, which includes regular members from Sudbury, Lincoln, Concord, Waltham, Lexington, Hudson, Andover, and Stow. This concert will also include musicians from the Concord Orchestra, Wellesley Symphony, Rivers Symphony Orchestra (Weston), Symphony Pro Musica (Hudson), and the Boston Philharmonic.

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July/August activities offered by Council on Aging

bemisHere are the Lincoln Council on Aging activities for July and August.

Easy yoga
Wednesdays beginning July 2 at 9 a.m.
Would you like to try yoga but are worried it may be too rigorous for you? Try the Council on Aging’s new Easy Yoga class with experienced instructor Jai Kaur Annamaria San Antonio! The class will be held on nine Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. beginning on July 2 at a cost of $45 for the course. You may do the class on the floor or in a chair and the instructor will help you adapt the poses to your special needs. You may try one class for free! You may also sign up for the fall classes which will begin on Wednesday, September 24 at 9 a.m. and run for eight weeks at a cost of $40. Please sign up in advance by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. This class is subsidized by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Make earrings or a pendant
July 2 at 1 p.m.
Join Hilary Taylor of Merlin’s Silver Star Studio on Wednesday, July 2 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. to make a pendant or pair of earrings using clay embedded with fine silver. After firing, the clay burns off, leaving your piece in silver. Bring items with texture (bits of nature, lace fabric, a piece of metal with a texture) to use in your piece. No experience is needed and you will surely enjoy your finished piece! You’ll receive your piece 10 days later. The workshop is part of a series of crafts workshops offered by the Old Town Hall Exchange and the Council on Aging at Bemis Hall featuring artists associated with the Exchange! The workshop is intergenerational, so bring along grandchildren or other friends or relatives middle school age or older. The workshop costs $15 per person. Sign up is required. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. This workshop is supported in part by a grant from the Lincoln Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. [Read more…] about July/August activities offered by Council on Aging