Prepared for: Board of Public Works Natural Resources COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR Commission THE MANAGEMENT OF Recreation Commission MORSES POND Town of Wellesley, MA Prepared by: November 2005 11 Phelp’s Way P.O. Box 506 Willington, CT 06279 Document No. 10686-001-05 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................................1 Introduction................................................................................................................................1 Problem Statement....................................................................................................................1 Plan Development and Public Participation Process ................................................................2 Goals and Priorities for the Use of Morses Pond ......................................................................2 The No Additional Management Alternative and Its Consequences .........................................3 Evaluation of Management Options to Achieve Use Goals.......................................................3 Recommended Management Program .....................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................14 PROBLEM STATEMENT............................................................................................................19 Summary .................................................................................................................................20 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ..........................................................................................................21 GOALS AND PRIORITIES..........................................................................................................22 Top Level Priority ....................................................................................................................22 Drinking Water .....................................................................................................................22 Second Level Priorities............................................................................................................23 Contact Recreation ..............................................................................................................23 Flood Control .......................................................................................................................23 Third Level Priorities................................................................................................................23 Non-motorized Boating ........................................................................................................23 Environment and Wildlife Protection....................................................................................23 Fishing .................................................................................................................................23 Other Non-contact Uses ......................................................................................................24 Summary .................................................................................................................................24 WATER CLARITY AND PLANT BIOMASS OBJECTIVES TO SUPPORT USE GOALS...........25 Water Clarity............................................................................................................................25 Plant Biomass .........................................................................................................................27 Summary .................................................................................................................................30 CONSEQUENCES OF THE NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE.........................................................31 Summary .................................................................................................................................32 MANAGEMENT OPTIONS .........................................................................................................33 Management of Water Clarity..................................................................................................33 Source Controls ...................................................................................................................59 Pollutant Trapping................................................................................................................59 In-lake Options.....................................................................................................................60 Management of Rooted Aquatic Plants...................................................................................62 Summary .................................................................................................................................65 POTENTIAL FOR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT THROUGH LARGER DETENTION SYSTEMS...................................................................................................................................66 Summary .................................................................................................................................69 POTENTIAL FOR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT THROUGH SMALLER, SITE-SPECIFIC CONTROLS ................................................................................................................................70 Bioretention .............................................................................................................................73 Disconnecting Impervious Area...............................................................................................74 Flow Path Practices.................................................................................................................74 Green Roofs ............................................................................................................................74 Minimizing Disturbance Area...................................................................................................75 Minimizing Site Imperviousness ..............................................................................................75 Porous Pavement....................................................................................................................75 Preservation of Infiltratable Soils.............................................................................................75 Preserve Natural Depression Areas........................................................................................76 Rain Barrels/Cisterns ..............................................................................................................76 Rain Gardens ..........................................................................................................................76 Soil Amendment ......................................................................................................................76 Vegetation Preservation ..........................................................................................................77 Summary .................................................................................................................................77 POTENTIAL FOR STORM WATER TREATMENT ....................................................................78 Treatment in the Northern Basin .............................................................................................79 Summary .................................................................................................................................82 POTENTIAL FOR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT THROUGH ORDINANCES AND PROCEDURAL METHODS ........................................................................................................83 NPDES Phase II Storm Water Regulations.............................................................................83 Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act .................................................................................83 Massachusetts Rivers Protection Act......................................................................................84 Massachusetts Storm Water Policy.........................................................................................84 Wellesley Wetlands Bylaw ......................................................................................................84 Wellesley Municipal Stormwater Drainage System Rules and Regulations............................85 Wellesley Flood Plain or Watershed Protection District Zoning Bylaw....................................85 Wellesley Water Supply Protection District Zoning Bylaw.......................................................85 Relation to Needed Loading Reduction...................................................................................85 Summary .................................................................................................................................86 POTENTIAL FOR WATER CLARITY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH IN-LAKE MEASURES ......87 Lakewide Alum Treatment.......................................................................................................87 Mixing ......................................................................................................................................87 Algaecides...............................................................................................................................87