by Sandy Kilbride
Chandler Pond is the last remaining man-made urban pond in the city of Boston. But without caring and persevering residents, it may have dried up years ago.
In the 1990’s, conservationists and residents of Brighton had been voicing concerns to Boston Parks engineers about the condition of Chandler Pond. The health of the Pond was threatened by decades of sediment and algae buildup as a result of runoff from nearby development. The average depth of the pond should be 6 feet, but it was only 2 feet deep. If the buildup of sediment were to be allowed to continue unchecked, Chandler Pond would dry up. It was clear that dredging the pond was the only solution.
In 1996, Brighton residents, led by Genevieve Ferullo organized to create the ‘Chandler Pond Preservation Society’ to restore and preserve Chandler Pond. After years of navigating massive city, state and federal bureaucracy, the dredging was approved to begin in February 1999. Massachusetts State Rep. Kevin Honan helped the Chandler Pond Preservation Society obtain the bulk of the funds.
The project, which received approval from the Army Core of Engineers, was considered a major victory by environmental activists, who recognized the pond could die without intervention. Monthly community meetings were held, to give neighbors and the Parks Department regular opportunities to discuss the progress of the dredging plans, studies, and permits, and share concerns. These meetings were a true collaboration between the Parks Department and neighbors.
The dredging actually started in May, 1999. Crews prepared by erecting fences and lining wetlands with hay bales to prevent erosion The pond’s clay bottom forced trucks to load at the access road instead of the pond itself, because crews discovered 50% more yardage of silt than previously estimated. During it’s removal, the deep silt even swallowed up the D-9 bulldozer and some dam breaks, which needed to be recovered and repaired.
Crews began by pumping with a powerful (2,000 gal. per minute) diesel pump into the storm drain. After several weeks, when the water was gone, the bulldozer pushed the silt to an access ramp where excavators shoveled the material into trailer dump trucks at a rate of 1,000 yards per day. The sludge was piled in mounds while excess water drained out, then an estimated 22,000 yards of silt was transported to West Roxbury to cap the Gardner Street Landfill At one delivery about 3 yards of sloppy silt dumped onto Tremont St. when a truck slammed on the brakes.
During the dredging, many old and new bottles, along with other odd items were dug up: golf balls, and a sleigh runner, perhaps a piece of ice cutting equipment.
Finally the dredging was done as residents waited and watched as the water slowly seeped in. The pond was once again healthy.
Most of the wildlife had been removed prior to the dredging and slowly returned to their natural habitat.
Chandler Pond was saved.