5-21-08 Mins

Source page 1

Canton Conservation Commission 
Pequitside Farm — Tavern Room 
79 Pleasant Street 
Canton, Ma. 02021 
AGENDA 
May 21, 2008 
Public Hearing 
Attendance: Chairman — Robert Doe, Clerk — James Fitzpatrick, Robert MacDonald 
Kate Merrigan, Dave McLelland 
Conservation Agent: Robert Murphy 
Recording Secretary: Heather Cahill 
Chairman Robert Doe called hearing to order @ 7:00 P.M. 
Minutes May 8, 2008: 
Motion Made by Robert MacDonald to accept minutes of May 8, 2008. 
Seconded by Dave McLelland Vote: Yes —3 No —0 Abstention — 1 
7:05 P.M. 
Division of Conservation Ponkapoag Dam DEP# 124-1022 
Recreation 
Represented by Chad Cox of GZA Environmental, Don Crawshaw of DCR 
Rehabilitation of Ponkapoag Dam, Dam is in "POOR" condition. Replication area is located in 
wooded upland area downstream of the left (east) dam abutment and adjacent to and contiguous 
with, the altered wetlands. "POOR" condition means that Ponkapoag Brook poses a serious 
threat to down gradient structures and residential areas if a failure should occur. This poor 
condition also creates a serious ecological threat to the up gradient ACEC bog/pond ecosystem. 
The condition of the pond, bog, and brook would also cause a threat to the residential down 
gradient environment the integrity of the bog and Ponkapoag ACEC. 
Report submitted to ConCom outlines Existing Conditions, Proposed Work, Purpose & Need, 
Alternatives Analysis, Impact Assessment, Mitigation and Compliance with in regulations 
EXISTING CONDITIONS 
Ponkapoag Pond Dam is located on Ponkapoag Brook, situated next to the Ponkapoag Golf 
Course and within the Fowl Meadow and Ponkapoag Bog area of the Critical Environmental 
Concern (ACEC). Ponkapoag Pond and Dam are owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
and operated by the DCR in conjunction of the Ponkapoag Brook and is tributary to the Neponset 
River. Surface area of the pond is 213 acres, dam is 1,300 foot long earthen embankment with a 
maximum height of approximately 6 feet, and top of the embankment is between 7 to 8 feet in 
width. Ponkapoag Bog is 127 acres with an additional 165 acres of wetlands that surround the 
pond (ENSR, 1997). Average pond depth is 5 plus or minus feet and the pond is listed as a Great 
Pond by the Ma. DEP. 
Existing conditions continue to summarize Topography, Geology and Soils, Wetland Resources, 
Bordering Vegetated Wetlands, Isolated Vegetated Wetlands, Riverfront Area, Bank of 
Ponkapoag Brook, Land Under Water, Buffer Zone, ACEC, Rare Species Habitat and Wildlife 
Habitat. 
1 
First Draft 5/21/08 HC