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Commission continues Forbes Pond aquatic-management hearing after water‑supply concerns
Summary
The commission continued an ecological restoration limited project for Forbes (Ice) Pond to March 12 after staff and commissioners requested additional input from Needham Water & Sewer and DEP about herbicide choices and possible effects on a nearby well field and perennial stream.
The Conservation Commission continued a hearing on Feb. 26 for an ecological restoration limited project at 636 Charles River Street (Forbes/Ice Pond) after staff raised questions about drinking-water protection, temporary impacts to land under water, and watershed-prevention measures.
Consultant Jackie Boyer of Beals & Thomas presented a preliminary multi-year management plan prepared with licensed applicator Water and Wetland. The plan targets Eurasian and variable water milfoil, water lilies and algae and relies chiefly on selective aquatic herbicide applications, spot treatments, monitoring throughout the growing season, annual reporting to abutters and hand-pulling for water chestnuts if they appear. Boyer said the plan is a framework to be refined based on commission feedback and order-of-condition terms.
Tim (conservation staff) and Commissioner Deb raised concerns because the pond abuts Needham’s water-supply lands and feeds a perennial stream that connects to the Charles River; they said Needham Water & Sewer and DEP were still reviewing the project. ‘‘I preliminarily identified that diquat and imazomox do have drinking-water concern in their bios,’’ Tim said, asking whether those two chemicals were required. Consultant Colin Goslin (Water and Wetland) said the applicator is considering ‘‘sonar (fluridone)’’ as a systemic, selective option that is approved for use in drinking-water reservoirs and that, with the recent signatures from abutters, the team would likely treat the entire pond to control milfoil.
Commissioners pressed for (1) water-quality testing results, (2) quantification of any temporary impacts to land under water in light of DEP comments, (3) a plan for best-management practices (BMPs) and shoreline planting to reduce nutrient loading, and (4) clear O&M and monitoring expectations. Staff noted year-end reports from earlier treatments (2018–2019) are on the commission website and that the current plan proposes three years for the initial order of conditions with extensions if necessary.
Given outstanding questions and pending comment from Needham Water & Sewer and DEP, the commission voted to continue the hearing to its March 12 meeting to allow time for follow-up and additional information to be provided to the commission.
