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Johnson's Pond weed buildup spurs debate over costly fixes and possible consultant study
Summary
Committee members discussed recurring weed growth at Johnson's Pond—previous hydro-raking was expensive, chemicals have drawbacks, and members weighed buying equipment, hiring a consultant, or forming a study subcommittee to seek multi-town solutions.
Several committee members raised concern about heavy vegetation and lily-pad growth at Johnson’s Pond and explored a range of options to address the issue. Committee discussion noted two prior hydro-raking efforts that proved expensive and recurring; one speaker said neighbors now see the pond filling up again on multiple sides. Members discussed dredging to deepen shallow areas but said that would be costly and present permitting hurdles.
"The chemical one — it kills the stuff, but then all the vegetation falls to the bottom, and there's problems with that one. It's like there's really no good answer," a staff member said, summing the practical limits of available approaches. Members suggested asking neighboring towns that share ownership or oversight (Haverhill, Oxford, Boxford) to contribute, hiring a consultant to scope permanent fixes, or forming a select-board‑led study group to develop coordinated solutions.
