ROCHESTER — The stillness of Snows Pond creates a welcome tableau of silence, even amid a pandemic. 

But to ensure the pond remains a healthy source of serenity the Snows Pond Association, is making noise.

“Protecting Snows Pond, as well as every lake, pond, reservoir, stream, brook and coastal pond in our community, starts with citizens’ awareness,” said Michelle Kirby, president of the Snows Pond Association. “These bodies of water have no voice to speak up, so we need to represent them.”

The association was formed in 2018 and includes 14 of the 16 property owners around the pond.

“Presenting a united front of concerned abutters willing to work together to preserve the integrity of Snows Pond was key to successfully moving forward,” she said.

Since its founding, association members have worked to learn about the dangers that the pond faces, and how to combat them. 

Last summer, the association attended a workshop by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation on identifying aquatic plants and understanding the hazards of invasive species, Kirby said.

Invasive aquatic plants are non-native species that can spread rapidly, including by boats that travel on different waterways. They can threaten the ecological balance of lakes and ponds.

This is a concern for Snows Pond and most New England waterways, Kirby said. “If you fish in a pond that is full of exotic Fanwort,” an aquatic plant, named for its fan-shaped leaves that can withstand a range of habitats, “and then bring that boat or gear to Snows Pond, you could be cross-contaminating.”

This can have dire consequences, she said. Without preventive steps, “these formerly beautiful bodies of water will become swamps, so choked with weeds that you can't paddle a boat, let alone swim,” she said. “Property values will plummet and fish and wildlife will lose precious habitat.”

Fortunately for the association, a study last summer by professional lake assessment company, Northeast Aquatic Research, showed no invasive plants in the pond.

But that doesn’t eliminate all concern for invasive species there. Fanwort has been identified in both Black Pond and Snipatuit Pond. “These ponds are less than a mile apart as the birds fly,” she said. “We can be vigilant with boats and floats, but how can we control the birds” that could carry the plants from one pond to another, she asked.

And, even without invasive species, native pond weeds can be troublesome if left unchecked, she said.

“They belong there, but they have grown to become invasive because they are being overfed by nutrients,” from fertilizers, outdated septic systems, farm run-off, and land development, she said.

The research company is scheduled to return to the pond at a later time to collect more water quality data. A year’s worth of data is the minimum baseline needed before any type of management plan can be considered. 

Several association members are also planning to attend future training to learn about pond ecology and how to collect samples that will provide information on the health of the pond. 

“Training our own team to collect this necessary data and information will save thousands of dollars,” Kirby said.

Armed with this training, the association hopes to start a weed watchers’ program this summer, she said. Residents will be assigned areas of the pond to monitor and ensure that no new species appear, she said.

These efforts are vital, she said, in part because Snows Pond is the highest water body in Rochester. “It is a true indicator of the water table,” the organization’s leader said.

This means the pond, like all waterways, requires protection, she said. “Like the Lorax, I speak for the ponds,” Kirby said.