The town is looking for ways to address long-standing issues around invasive species and aquatic overgrowth at Lake Quonnipaug, starting with the creation of a comprehensive plan to keep the area accessible and the lake healthy.

The push comes at the same time as a likely replacement or rebuild of the Lake Quonnipaug dam as that structure has fallen into disrepair, according to town officials.

Environmental Planner Kevin Magee said the plan is to send out a request for proposals (RFP) for consultants who will seek to examine the underlying causes of these issues, particularly with overgrowth and spread of invasive plant species, which the town has been seeking to curb for at least seven years.

Magee told the Board of Selectmen (BOS) that there was no exact estimate for the cost to put together the plan He added there was money left over from previous years’ treatments, which sought to mitigate weed growth on a shorter-term basis.

The state has also begun offering grants for these types of projects, Magee said, which likely will come in initially between $15,000 and $20,000 if approved, and may be an annual source of funding based on allocation of money at the state level.

First Selectman Matt Hoey said there are plenty of unanswered questions around the lake and its issues, in which the whole community is invested.

“It certainly makes sense for us to assess long term,” Hoey said. “One of the challenges I have...not to be fatalistic, but are we fighting the environment’s natural progression?

“On the other hand this is a wonderful recreational facility for our community,” he added.

Magee told the Courier that likely one of the first things consultants would begin looking at is these underlying causes: whether there are upstream issues or whether property owners and boaters are following the correct procedures to prevent contamination of the water.

There is also a possibility that the town could contract with an environmental specialist to regularly test and observe the lake, according to Magee. This position would likely only be a couple hours a week, he said, but would allow officials to stay ahead of potential new problems or worsening weed growth.

Reaching out to abutting property owners will also be one of the first priorities after a consultant is hired, with Hoey saying he was aware of at least two neighborhood groups focused on the lake. Magee said consultants would hold public hearings and input sessions as part of drawing up any long-term plan.

A likely rebuild of the dam could present the opportunity to do some dredging in the south end of the lake where weed growth is worst, though town officials have said that will likely incur additional expenses for that project. Magee said he envisioned those two projects working somewhat loosely together, but there was opportunity for a new dam design to incorporate things to help with the lake’s health—something like a gate that could drain water as needed.

The BOS will still need to approve a contract for the consultants once the town receives and reviews proposals.