Natick Report

Since 2020: More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Mud bath anyone? South Natick dam removal continues

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dam removal

The release  of the pond water above the South Natick Dam has begun, sending memories and sediment down river and revealing mucky flood plains above.

The town, which decided in 2022 to ditch the dam and spillway rather than fix them, is counting on the river to restore itself in the years to come once the man-made structures are removed in the weeks ahead. There’s a move across the state and country to nix dams in the name of liability avoidance and ecological restoration.

According to the town, a temporary road will be carved into the river above the spillway (aka, former waterfall) and this will allow workers access to remove the spillway this month.

No one was working on the site when we swung by late Tuesday morning, but you can watch the action when it resumes from the Bacon Free Library side. The Grove Park side with trees and picnic benches is off limits to the public during the project.

Don’t think about walking across the bare spillway: Police take notice, according to a sign placed atop it. The thing we’ve taken notice of is an uptick in dam-related memes on local social media forums…

dam removal
We could swear we heard a heron at the foot of the spillway ask: What the hell?

 


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More: South Natick Dam removal ‘has passed the go/no go point’

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Despite all that rain, Natick’s drought status worsens; nonessential outdoor water use banned

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The state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has declared a Level 3 Critical Drought for the Northeast region, which includes Natick. That means no nonessential outdoor water use, such as automatic lawn sprinklers and oscillating sprinklers, washing driveways and sidewalks, washing cars at home, and filling or topping off swimming pools. You can hand water vegetable gardens.

Natick’s wells are licensed by the state, so the town needs to go along with what the EEA says on drought status even though it might seem from recent rainstorms that Natick is not parched. Natick is part of a large region, as shown in orange on the map below, that contains most of Essex, Middlesex, and Suffolk counties.

drought 3

On May 8, the Northeast region’s drought level status rose from 1 to 2, and Natick issued notice that it was  “required to implement a ban on all nonessential outdoor water uses, except that watering of ornamentals and flower gardens with drip irrigation, hand-held hoses or watering cans may be permitted.” At that point, the next update from the state was anticipated for June, but you know things are bad when the EEA jammed in another notice this month, on May 22.

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‘A Home for Future Generations’ art display now in front of Natick library

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house for future generations
Julia Csekö works on public art display (Photo by Rick Devereux)

“A Home for Future Generations,” a public art project that’s been in the work for months, is now located on the lawn outside of Morse Institute Library.

The display in front of the library is part of a larger project by artists Julia Csekö and Raquel Fornasaro funded through Mass Save and supported by the town of Natick and city of Framingham’s sustainability groups.

Scores of personal messages to future generations were hand painted on tiles by area residents and cover outside walls of the open air home. The goal is to educate more people about home sustainability options.

 

 

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Earth Day all around Natick

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Earth Day, NatickYou don’t have to travel the entire Earth to let it know you care. A host of Earth Day All Around Natick events are planned for May 2 and 3, with a focus on celebrating the local environment. Activities will appeal to kids and adults.

Saturday, May 2

Sunday, May 3

  • Repair Cafe at Community-Senior Center: Sunday May 3, 2 – 5 pm—Stop by for help with repairs on a little bit of everything: lamps, computer software, small electronics and appliances, small furniture, bikes, and more. Talented volunteers will do their best to repair them for free. Sponsored by Natick Rotary, in conjunction with the Council on Aging and Human Development.
  • Hike Pickerel Pond with terrific trail stewards, Claire and Doug. Fingers crossed we see a beaver!

Thank you to the many volunteers at EcoNatick and other organizations who make this happen every year!

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How should Natick prioritize climate resilience? Take the survey

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South Natick dam
South Natick dam

In collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Natick is updating its climate resilience plan (aka Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan).

As part of an MVP 2.0 grant, the Town is working with community members to identify priorities and turn them into actions. As part of the process, Natick received $50,000 to implement a Seed Project, which is a responsive action that can be completed in 9-10 months.

What you can do—take the survey

By taking the survey (3 minutes for a rush job, around 10 if you really get into it), you can help inform what Natick spends this funding on.

Survey topics include infrastructure and the environment, residents’ experiences with flooding, power outages, and internet access, and more.

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