Authorities Are Filling Water To Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond

WORCESTER, MA—The Lake Quinsigamond Commission plans to raise the water level, or refill, Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond on or about Monday, March 5, the commission announced this week.

The Irish Dam in Grafton will be raised two or three inches a day until the water elevation in Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond is 24 to 30 inches back to normal. The purpose of the draw down was to expose the roots of nuisance aquatic vegetation proliferating in Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond to freezing temperatures and thereby reducing some of the heavy weed growth along the shoreline and in the shallow areas of the lake and pond.

This proposal has been subject to public hearings and is approved by the Conservation Commissions in Worcester, Grafton and Shrewsbury and the MA Department of Environmental Protection. This is your notice that the 2017-2018 draw down is about to end. Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond will be refilled by April 1, 2018.

And for the people living on the shores, the Conservation Commissions require the following statements:
a.) The exposed bank and bottom of the lake and pond are a protected resource under the Wetlands Protection Act and the filling or dredging of the lake and pond bottom is prohibited. Homeowners may remove trash and debris materials using non-mechanical methods. Disposal of the debris is the responsibility of the homeowner. Debris must be disposed offsite in accordance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
b.) All boats should be removed from the water a minimum of two days prior to the draw down date to prevent damage.
c.) Homeowner care should be given to docks and shoreline structures to prevent damage from flowing ice. Property owners may make repairs to structures or walls on the shoreline and remove debris from the exposed bottom during draw down. However, residents that plan to make repairs that require more than hand tools must file a Notice of Intent with their local Conservation Commission and obtain the necessary permits before making the repairs.

Patch file photo