by Julie Gowel ·
Friday, June 19, 2026
Boaters, swimmers, and Park and Recreation staff are feeling the effects of unusually low water levels at Bare Hill Pond in the nearly four weeks since the beach officially opened.
According to Bruce Leicher, chair of the Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee, the pond is currently 17 inches below its typical level. The nearly 1½-foot deficit has been blamed by some residents for the three recent minor boating accidents that occurred in which two motorboats and one sailboat hit rocks, one near Blueberry Island, one near Spectacle Island, and one near the town beach, according to Harbormaster Ben Baron.
The low water is also impacting the town’s boat slip program. Two boat slips at the docks closest to the shore, as well as two of the closest moorings, had to be moved further out because water near the shoreline is too shallow for some vessels to safely access.
The reduced depth also has Park and Rec Director Anne McWaters monitoring the forecast and hoping for rain. If the water level doesn’t rise, swim buoys will need to be moved to accommodate lessons in deeper water.
Boaters face some of the most immediate challenges. Areas that are typically navigable now contain exposed or near-surface rocks capable of damaging watercraft. Baron said two of the three rocks boaters have collided with have already been marked, with the third marker to be installed by the weekend.
Harm can range from damaged rudders on sailboats to bent skegs and broken propellers on motorized vessels. “Stay in the known safe areas,” Baron advised, saying that the deepest and safest water generally remains in the center of the pond.
The impacts vary around the shoreline. At Clinton Shores, where the pond bottom slopes gradually, water that is normally about 2 feet deep has become noticeably shallower. On Minister’s Island, the residents can still approach from the front side of the island but have reported difficulty accessing the rear shoreline.
While the low water has altered some recreational uses, it has not disrupted all events. In 2025, the Harvard Henley Regatta, a rowing competition held annually on the pond in April, had to be altered to accommodate low spring water levels. Baron said this year the race was able to proceed on its traditional course.
As residents speculate about the cause of the low water, members of the Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee say one factor stands out above all others: a lack of rainfall.
During the committee’s June 8 meeting, Leicher reported that the region has received approximately 10 inches of precipitation through the end of May, less than half the historical average of 22.4 inches for the period between January and June. Committee records dating back to 1990 show no comparable year.
“We’ve never had anything like that,” Leicher said while presenting rainfall data to committee members.
According to Leicher, the pond’s spring-fed refill during late winter and early spring occurred at essentially the same rate as previous years, suggesting the water table continues to function normally. The major difference this year has been the lack of sustained rainfall needed to raise water levels beyond that groundwater contribution.
Committee members discussed how under normal conditions, 1 inch of rainfall can raise the pond by roughly 3 to 4 inches. However, the exceptionally dry conditions this spring mean much of the recent rainfall has been absorbed by parched soil before reaching the pond.
McWaters hopes conditions will improve before the town’s boating and swimming programs begin on June 29. “If not, we’ll make things work to the best of our abilities,” she said.