If you’ve seen the new signs in town advocating “No Deep Drawdown,” you might be wondering, what’s all the fuss about? I’ve been observing the battle from our waterfront window on Willow Road for many years now. Let me tell you, this conflict is more than just a neighborly feud between motor boaters and swimmers.
Unfortunately, the natural evolution of a pond such as ours is eutrophication, a process by which a shallow pond reverts to marshland. No one wants that. So, what to do?
Drawdowns, herbicides, mechanical weed harvesters, manual removal have all been tried in the past. Since at least 1956, Harvard has been grappling with how to keep our valuable shared resource healthy; we already have 70 years of history available. You can view this chronology on our town website: www.harvard-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/382/Chronology-of-pond-management-from-early-1800s-to-2000-pdf. This document gives perspective to present concerns.
Some of those who are dissatisfied with the drawdown propose using herbicides. Application of herbicides was voted down in Town Meeting in 1983, and again in 2000 due to environmental concerns. Additionally, the Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee’s investigation suggests that using herbicides today will cost the town between $175,000 and $750,000 per year. Other drawdown critics propose pausing the drawdown, or limiting the depth of the drawdown. While there are pros and cons for all the methods we’ve tried since the 1950s, the simple truth is that the current drawdown alone works. Water quality this year is the best it’s been in 25 years, and the phosphorus level is excellent.
In the early 1980s a pond study committee concluded that consistent yearly drawdowns were necessary for success. If we pause, we are likely to see what we have already observed in the recent past when the pump broke. For those of you who don’t remember, those were ugly days with opaque water, beach closures, and weeds clawing at our knees and grasping our swimsuits. We need to continue the deep drawdown as our volunteer experts and consultants recommend.
I appreciate the heroic efforts of the pond committee, doing excellent work with no pay, little thanks and these days, regrettably, much unjustified criticism.
Patty Ruze
Willow Road
