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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIrrigation from Town Owned Pond towp aeq o a � ou m To� OP Soam V&Uaot 1540 SULLIVAN AVENUE®SOUTH WINDSOR, CT 06074.2786 soe•co AREA CODE 860/644-2511 FAX 860/644-3781 MATTHEW B. GALLIGAN Town Manager July 29, 2016 Mr. Donald and Joseph Dzen 187 Windsorville Road Ellington, CT 06029 Dear Messr. Dzen: RE: Irrigation from Town Owned Pond I am in receipt of your request letter dated July 27, 2016, regarding drafting water from the town owned pond (formerly on the Pudim Property) located on the westerly side of Barber Hill Road, southerly of Vintage Lane. Our understanding is that due to the drought conditions currently being experienced in Connecticut, you need to irrigate your pumpkin crop planted on the 25 +/- acres of farmland currently leased from the town. We have reviewed your proposal and will allow use of the pond for the 2016 growing season provided that you follow the procedure outlined in your letter. Additionally, you should contact Jeffrey Folger, Senior Environmental Planner at (860) 644-2511, ext. 229 to discuss required monitoring and/or mitigation measures that may be necessary as a result of this use. We wish you success in getting your crops through these severe conditions. Very truly yours, Matthew Galligan Town Manager Cc: Michele Lipe,Director of Planning Jeffrey Doolittle, Town Engineer Ray Favreau, Director of Parks and Recreation John Caldwell, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation ✓Jeffrey Folger, Senior Environmental Planner ;�a`tT�jP,✓ �al�ig4,, Gill Lo ar 17 5�P�i1 q[ywe G1�!` ry Cvp� jJL�th Gy - e Dzen egs - e tGw� o S Garden Ve- kovc aesel fr a ©�u Market �' eta crc h �Pelc I�e Gar 187 Windsorville Rd a`�d ��' 1"�'�<fG � D^�k(o{ �s e r Five Corners Ellington,CT 06029 �G�(P L'f/ �� "�c�y apt Tel(860)871-8183 i S �kIf `1a Fax(860)872-3677 t�l ✓e^ov e ado„ Farm(860)648-1355 � / �yM/ q"I) r ke A2c h tG'' �e /�voCPSS /� r t 5e 1 y eV t� '7�tl e 4/s pow/d eze J r • ! A TUESDAY,AUGUST 2:2016/JOORNAL1NQUtRER �§ r `I Z £ du ;f IIcy y y • ., sl' J s II A rf' Jared RamsdelF./Journal Inquirer 'r' 4 Industrial-sized sprinklers, left, keep the pumpkin crop at Dzen Farms in South Windsor well-watered.The town granted per- mission for the farm to use a pond on Barber Hill Road as a water surce because of drought conditions. Above, a propane- ` powered pump pulls water from the pond. .. Tovu�n .elps. SWindsor farmers with water for drought-stricken c.ro_ps co-owns the farm with his brother, "The plants were getting bigger, the other town staff and by the end is on land they lease from the town. By Anthony Branciforte Donald Jr. "This was really an they needed more moisture," Dzen of the day we had permission to be The land, was purchased by'the Journal inquirer extreme year." said,"and it was getting hotter,so it drafting water." town decades ago and is part of'a SOUTH-WINDSOR—The lush, Dzen said the intense heat and was.drying the soil out quickly." The irrigation system blasts pow- continuing initiative to preserve yezdant pumpkin crop.'maintained lack of significant rain throughout He continued, "You.always kind erful streams of water through the farmland. -.by Dzen.'Farm in'-South Windsor the months of June and July had of figure it's going to rain eventual- air .and onto the crop, providing "-They remember the,history of. was fledgling only days ago after a been unexpected, forcing some ly,but this year it never did:' about 1/2-inch of water per hour the town, :`that it was a farming nths-long drought. other farmers to abandon their The brothers, who are third-gen when in,use. community,"said Dzen,who point- ,,,-However;thanks to an emergency crops. eration farmers and also maintain The crop's recovery has been ed out that increased developments igntion systerri that was approved - "We've had years of drought Christmas tree and berry crops in rapid,according to Dzen. since the 1980s have-caused caused the y Ahe towp last:week'and.pumps before, but it came along much, East Windsor and Ellington,finally "I would say they've more than town to lose much of its-open water from a"nearby pond on town sooner this year," he said. "We reached out "to Town Manager doubled in size after a few days of space. property, the. once wilting, strug- don't see those conditions at least Matthew Galligan for help last watering," he said Monday after- "I think what-they're trying to do glig crops have been given new until mid July." week. noon. is preserve the rural character,"said e The vitality of the crops was "He told me to be in his office at While-Dzen and his brother own Dzen, crediting both Gilligan,and_ 'definitely would have lost increasingly threatened as time eight o'clock Thursday morning," the majority of the land they use for the Town Council; "because.when -crop;' said Joseph:Dzen, who went on. Dzen said: "He involved.some of farming,the 30-acre pumpkin crop it's gone,it's gone"