by Chuck Katuska
3/7/2013

                                               (Houghtons Pond dam)

Many of Massachusetts’ dams no longer serve their industrial purposes and, in some cases, have been abandoned to the care and custody of the town in which they lie.  In times of budgetary stress, many towns struggle with costs of maintaining the flood control and riparian values provided by these inherited dams.  Because tree roots can penetrate earthen dams, leading to potential leakage, and trees can be blown down, damaging the structure itself, proper dam maintenance requires embankments to be kept clear of trees and shrubs.  

Holliston’s Dam Safety Officer, working with the Tree Warden and the Conservation Commission, has developed a plan for tree removal work at five town-owned dams: Houghton’s Pond, Factory Pond, Weston Pond, Linden Pond and the Lake Winthrop dam.  Starting in March, the Holliston Highway Department will be removing trees from these town-owned dam embankments.  

If you have any questions about the work to be done or the properties involved, please email the Conservation Commission at conservation@holliston.k12.ma.us or call 508-429-0607.

In 2008, HollistonReporter.com published a series of articles on Holliston Dams:

 http://www.hollistonreporter.com/article/1203/The-Dams-of-Holliston.html

 http://www.hollistonreporter.com/article/1217/The-Dams-Of-Holliston-Part-2.html

http://www.hollistonreporter.com/article/1239/The-Dams-Of-Holliston-Part-3.html

http://www.hollistonreporter.com/article/1291/The-Dams-of-Holliston-Part-4.html