Charlton panel orders pipe work, asks owners to address beaver dams after runoff complaints

The Town of Charlton Conservation Commission voted to require changes to a private drainage pipe and to send letters to two property owners after a resident complained that runoff and raised pond levels are flooding his land.

Rosa, a town staff member, told the commission she conducted a site inspection May 1 and met with the property owner, whom she identified as Mr. Gauthier. "I conducted that site inspection on May 1. I met with mister, Gauthier," Rosa said, describing a pipe that runs "from the pond at the rear of his property" down to the road, where a swale channels water onto Old Spencer Road.

The action followed a complaint from the owner of land behind 77 Old Spencer Road and a subsequent inspection that also identified apparent runoff from other parcels along the Spencer line. Rosa said she located additional pipe and swampy areas near 62 Old Spencer Road and 138 East Charlton Road, and that she had arranged a meeting with Spencer DPW and Charlton DPW to pinpoint where runoff originates.

Why it matters: Commission members were presented with evidence that stormwater currently discharged onto the public roadway and into a culvert, and that the pond behind Mr. Gauthier’s property has a higher water level that he attributes both to upstream runoff and to beaver dams on private parcels. The commission moved first to reduce direct road discharge and then to notify private owners about beaver dams that may be elevating pond levels.

Key findings and next steps

- On the pipe: Rosa described roughly "over a hundred feet of pipe" from the pond to the bank near the road. She said the pipe currently discharges through a swale that routes water onto the road and that Mr. Gauthier agreed to extend or redirect the pipe upslope onto his own land so water can dissipate on his parcel rather than run directly onto the roadway.

- On upstream sources: Rosa reported she spoke with Spencer contacts and that Peter Borja (identified in the transcript as a Spencer town staff member) met with a nearby owner; that owner said he does not operate a sump pump. Rosa said she scheduled a joint site visit with Spencer DPW and Charlton DPW to verify where the water is originating.

- On beaver dams: Rosa reported two beaver dams on parcels behind the pond, one on land identified as LFP USA Inc. (referred to in the meeting as associated with a local farm) and another on land she referred to as owned by "Blair." She told the commission she believes the dams are increasing pond levels more than other discharges and recommended asking the private owners to consider dam removal, trapping, or installing a beaver deceiver (a flow device) so the water level would drop.

Commission actions and directions

- Motion: The commission voted to request that Mr. Gauthier extend and redirect the pipe and to fill the swale so runoff is not discharged onto the public road. The motion was made, seconded and approved by voice vote ("the ayes have it"); individual vote counts were not stated on the record.

- Motion: The commission voted to issue letters to the private property owners where the beaver dams are located, asking whether they would work with Mr. Bennick (a town staff member referenced in the meeting) to pursue dam removal, trapping, or installation of a beaver deceiver. That motion was also made, seconded and approved by voice vote; individual vote counts were not recorded in the transcript.

- Follow-up meeting: Rosa said a meeting is scheduled next week with Spencer DPW and Charlton DPW to determine exactly where the increased runoff is coming from and to identify remediation options.

What officials said

Rosa summarized the inspection and recommendations, noting the pipe had previously discharged to the property but now routes water toward the road through a swale. Mr. Gauthier, the property owner who spoke at the hearing, said: "I just want my 2 plus acres of land behind my house. . . . I want my land back. I own it. I'm paying taxes on it. I would like to use it." He also told the commission he has seen dozens of trees die on the affected land.

Limitations and authority

Commission members repeatedly cautioned that beaver dams and removal activities are on private property; the commission does not own the parcels and said it lacks authority to perform work on private land without the owners' permission. Rosa emphasized the town's authority over the pipe that discharges onto the public roadway and framed the letters to private owners as a voluntary outreach step to encourage remediation.

Background and context

Rosa said the pond behind the property was created by the owner and is not an engineered infiltration basin; it had held up until more recent, higher-volume storms increased runoff beyond the pond's capacity. The transcript includes repeated references to Stony Brook as an upstream contributor; Rosa said she had asked the planning board to pull historic subdivision plans to determine whether stormwater management had been required or accepted when those developments were approved.

What to expect

The commission directed staff to pursue the pipe remediation with Mr. Gauthier and to send letters to the private owners where beaver dams are located. The scheduled joint inspection with Spencer and Charlton public works is intended to clarify upstream sources and what additional actions might be appropriate. No engineered project or allocation of town funds for beaver removal was authorized at the meeting.

Ending note

The commission emphasized that further work to address watershed-level runoff — including any engineered remediation of Stony Brook flows or planning-board-directed fixes — will require additional study and interagency coordination.