BBEMA and landowner working to restore fishing pond

BBEMA working with caretakers to restore historic pond

When Stephen Marchbank’s father and uncle died several years ago, he became the de facto steward of one of the few historic mill ponds on the Island: Marchbank’s Pond in Wilmot Valley.

“I was the self-appointed caretaker of the property, I guess you could say,” Marchbank said, laughing. “I decided to start cleaning it up, and it just kind of snowballed from there.”

That responsibility has meant organizing a certain amount of maintenance over the years, but recently Marchbank has set his sights on a loftier goal — a large-scale restoration project.

The pond’s dam previously washed out in the early 1940s and had to be rebuilt, and more recently it was built up after coming close to breaching in 2015 during the spring runoff.

Due to silt buildup from erosion and runoff from area farms passed down through the Wilmot River, the water level is now an estimated 18 to 24 inches lower than it should be.

“The pond tends to fill in fast,” said Marchbank. “It’s getting really shallow in areas and we want to be able to improve fish passage.”

Before parts of the pond can be excavated and deepened, the dam needs to be reinforced to allow for a higher water level.

That’s the project Marchbank and Bedeque Bay Environmental Management Association (BBEMA) executive director Tracy Brown are hoping to tackle this summer. Marchbank approached the association with plans after the group restored the Heritage Ice Pond in Summerside last year, and Brown was happy to jump on board.

“We wanted to see if there was something we could do for this pond because this is another historic and very popular fishing site,” said Brown.

HISTORIC SITE

The pond, owned by the Marchbank family, has a history tied to the first settlements in the area.

Island businessman and politician William Schurman first bought the land in the late 18th century. Schurman first dammed the pond in the early 1800s.

Around 1806, by Marchbank’s estimate, Schurman built a sawmill on the property. The mill was later bought by Marchbank’s grandfather in 1949 and operated until 1977.

Since then, it has become a popular area for fishing, hunting or anyone who wants to take in some of the natural scenery.

“It was always privately owned but never closed to the public, as far as I can tell,” said Marchbank. “The place has kind of turned into a bit of a park. People like to just go out and park their car, go to the dam, to the falls and just be immersed in nature a bit.”

The historical and environmental importance of the pond was what turned Brown on to the project.

“It’s an important historic site, and it’s important to preserve our natural areas and protect them,” she said. “This spot is popular for fishermen and also people who just come to walk around.”

FUTURE WORK

But for people to keep enjoying the area, Brown said the dam needs restoration soon to prevent a costly repair like the dam at Scales Pond, another historic mill site near Kinkora, needed after it washed away in a 2009 spring flood.

“We did not want to see what happened to Scales Pond happen here,” said Brown, noting the pond is in a protected watershed area and is spawning habitat for brook and rainbow trout.

The BBEMA has organized a GoFundMe page to collect donations for the dam project this summer, with a goal of $15,000. It is also overseeing the committee tasked with managing the pond restoration.

That committee is also exploring several follow-up projects once the necessary maintenance on the dam work is complete. It’s planned over several years and includes adding a bypass channel below the dam, adding a draw-down structure and even a possible nature trail, among other plans.

Marchbank hopes the improvements will mean even more people can get out and enjoy a quiet, healthy, natural area.

“When we’re all done, the pond will be really healthy.”