Although the unprecedented drought conditions delayed water level restoration for much of the summer, we are thrilled to see that recent precipitation has returned water levels to normal throughout the waterway.  We anticipate that the vegetation that grew during the drain of the pond will die as it is covered by water. We may post some final updates as construction wraps up at the dam. We encourage the public to follow us on facebook for updates and other information from the City of Springfield - Development Services Division. 

Gardner Construction continues to complete finish work at and around Watershops Dam. This includes pouring grout around the newly installed, dam structural components. The grout will protect these features from the water and elements they are frequently exposed to. The contractor has also finished necessary upgrades to the access roads to and from the dam, and installed safety guardrails and fencing.

We also want to note that the water levels in Watershops Pond/Lake Massasoit continue to rise. The unprecedented drought conditions impacting Western Mass this summer have slowed the refill of the pond. We, along with residents, are very anxious for the waterway to be completely restored to normal levels. Unfortunately, the refill of the waterway at this point is completely dependent upon increased precipitation in the area.

We will continue to post periodic updates until work has been completed and we thank residents for their engagement and patience with this process. 

Water levels are continuing to rise, we have seen an approximate 5 foot water level increase near the dam.  The more rain we get, the quicker the water levels will rise. 

The contractor is continuing finish work along the training walls leading up to the dam.  Work over the past week includes installation of re-bar to prep for concrete pouring, installation of guardrails along the training walls and installation of debris-guards to protect the water control gates from damage. 

The contractor continues to wrap up minor finish work at the dam, including pouring of concrete caps on retaining walls and some work in the control house.  In the meantime water levels continue rise.  With the rains from this week we saw water levels increase approximately 3 1/2 feet near the dam. 

We are seeing aquatic habitats become more visible and active as the water levels slowly increase.  Check back here or on our Facebook Page for more updates on the refill. 

Construction Update: The contractor has been making significant progress towards completed installation of the Sluice Gates. A "sluice gate" forms a type of lock that allows the management of the water flows and levels within the waterway. The Sluice Gates are a key component of the resilience upgrades to the dam.

We anticipate the contractor will spend the next couple of weeks working towards the penstock closure and hydraulic system installation, which will allow restored control of the waterway. 

We know everyone is anxious to know when the pond will be refilled.  At this point the project is still tracking for a late May refill!

Cleanup Update: All requests submitted to the City to date regarding bulk debris dumped around the waterway have been addressed by Charlie Arment Trucking, Inc. 

Gardner Construction continues to make cosntruction progress on the project.  The contractor conducted a dry-sweep test to ensure that the recently installed crest gate was operating properly before introduction of the hydraulic system.  The final blocks for the left-side retaining wall have been completely installed. The Sluice Gate components have been delivered to the site by Steel-Fab and preparations are underway for installation, including preparation of the barge and temporary debris and water control in front of the Sluice Gate openings.  

A MAJOR Project milestone has been completed. All five crest gates have been successfully installed!  To provide an understanding of the scale, these sections span one hundred and five feet (105') and a total weight of forty-nine thousand five hundred pounds (49,500 lbs.) Additionally, the final sub-grade areas of the left retaining wall area have been installed.  Despite some pretty significant COVID related delays in the gate manufacturing process, the project is tracking for a late spring re-fill of the pond.

Questions and comments regarding this project may continue to be emailed to Tina Quagliato Sullivan at tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com  

Construction Update: Work at the dam continues to progress in the new year. The contractor continues to make progress on expansion of the left retaining wall and making preparations and updates to the control room.  Materials have begun to be delivered to the site in preparation for delivery and installation of the Bascule and Sluice Gates.  Deliveries include the hydraulic power unit, accumulator tanks, etc. 

Cleanup Update: Arment Construction removed some additional bulk items from in and around the pond in response to public requests.  At this point cleanup of bulk items appears to be substantially complete. 

Construction Update:  We have seen our first winter conditions at the site with the season's first snow. The contractor is continuing to prepare for delivery and installation of the crest gate, and have been drilling hinge anchor bolts and fabricating hinge plate templates along the crest of the dam.  The manufacturer will begin delivering sections of the gate as painting and sealing is completed.  Steel-Fab has begun manufacturing of the sluice gate and it is anticipated to take approximately ten weeks. Construction of the expanded retainage wall continues. 

Water Quality Report Update:  In accordance with the water quality monitoring plan due to the change in weather and temperatures, the next monitoring of water quality will take place in December.  That report will be posted on the website once it is complete. 

City officials along with representatives of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., and Gardner Construction recently conducted a site visit at Steel-Fab in Fitchburg, MA to observe a functional test of the new Bascule Crest Gate being built for the Watershops Dam.  We cannot wait for installation in Springfield! 

Construction Update:  The contractor has spent the last few weeks repointing and making repairs to the existing retaining wall and preparing for installation of the expanded retaining wall along the left side of the dam.  Installation of the expanded retaining wall has begun within the last week.  The contractor has been working on making concrete repairs and patches to the existing dam structure, and has removed the top rows of bricks. The contractor continues to make necessary preparations for delivery and installation of the gates for the dam. 

Cleanup Update:  Residents may have noticed a large crane last week on General Edwards bridge.  The crane was set up by Arment Construction, Inc., to assist in the removal of large items of bulk debris from the pond and that cleanup work has been completed. 

Construction Update: Work at the dam is continuing.  The contractor has been focused on repointing one of the existing retaining walls and prepping the site for construction of the other retaining wall that will be expanded to allow for modern access to the dam control box. We are anticipating delivery of the new hydraulic system, Crest Gate and Sluice Gate in the month of November, so the contractor has also been busy prepping the dam and the site for delivery and installation of the new gates and hydraulics. 

Cleanup Update:  The City's contractor is working on scheduling a crane to set up from the public street for the purposes of removing some of the larger debris items from the waterway. We will provide updates once the crane has been scheduled and that debris removal begins. 

Construction Update:  The contractor has spent a significant amount of time making mortar repairs to the downstream training walls and preparing for installation of scaffolding.  There is now a crane on-site to assist with placement of sandbags, which are required to allow the contractor to make necessary wall repairs. 

Cleanup Update: Arment Trucking has removed 110 contractor bags of debris from the area around the waterway and has hauled away 1,500 pounds of abandoned metal.  The contractor has begun stacking larger bulk debris items near the General Edwards Bridge in preparation for a crane to be set up in the public way to remove the larger debris that is too difficult for them to remove by hand up the inclines surrounding the pond. Residents can continue to email the locations of bulk debris in and around the waterway to tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com 

Construction Update: Construction at the dam is progressing on schedule.  This past week the contractor has been preparing for installation of the new access-way for the control panel, and continuing preparations for installation of the new Bascule Gate. 

Bulk Cleanup Update:  Cleanup in and around the water by Charlie Arment Construction, Inc., continues.  They have removed a significant amount of bulk debris from the perimeter of the waterway and that cleanup will continue in coming weeks.  Residents that are aware of bulk debris (i.e. tires, metal debris, auto parts, etc.) should continue to email locations of debris to tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com 

Community Cleanup Day: The City of Springfield has partnered with Keep Springfield Beautiful, the East Forest Park Civic Association, City Councilor Tim Allen and neighborhood residents on a Community Cleanup Day.  The Community Cleanup Day is scheduled for Satuday, September 18 at 9:00 a.m. 

All members of the public are invited to participate.  Participants will meet in the parking lot of Nathan Bill’s Restaurant at 110 Island Pond Road for registration and coffee. Participants will then head to 2-3 designated sites around the perimeter of the pond for cleanup. Keep Springfield Beautiful and the City of Springfield will provide gloves, trash bags, hand sanitizer and face masks for participants. General information about the event can be obtained by joining the Facebook event set up by neighborhood residents at https://fb.me/e/1ctwCHg49 All participants are encouraged to register in advance at: Lake Massasoit Community Cleanup Registration (google.com)

Residents that plan to participate in the Community Cleanup day are requested to wear appropriate footwear that includes socks and sturdy shoes or boots (not sandals) and to wear long pants, and long sleeves. Participants should apply sunscreen and insect repellent, as appropriate. PLEASE NOTE: It is important to stay within the designated sites and not venture off into the pond as even though the water has been drawn down it still possess as a safety hazard where you can get stuck in the mud.

The City is also encouraging abutters to clean tree debris (i.e. sticks, branches, leaves, etc.) from sandy shorelines behind their rear yards. This debris can be disposed through the normal yard waste disposal process (NOTE: The City strongly discourages residents from going into muddy areas of the drained areas of the pond for any reason, doing so can present a hazard to residents). All yard waste must meet standard DPW requirements for pickup. Yard waste disposal requirements can be found on the City’s website here: https://www.springfield-ma.gov/dpw/index.php?id=yard_waste

In the event of severe weather this event may be rescheduled. If rescheduling is necessary, relevant information will be posted on the City website and social media pages.

Water levels around the dam rose approximately 4' as a result of rainfall from Tropical Storm Henri.  The contractor spent the last week doing debris cleanup, removing rust debris from previous demolition activity at the dam and excavating and refilling a test pit being utilized to determine the footing depth for the new access to the dam controls.  It is anticipated that over the next weeks the contractor will continue to work towards construction of the updated accessway to the dam controls. 

The City continues to encourage abutters to email locations of any bulk debris in and around the pond to Tina Quagliato Sullivan at tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com. 

Officials from several City Departments met virtually with some neighborhood residents on August 17, 2021. City officials present included:

• Peter Garvey, Director of Capital Asset Construction
• Patrick Sullivan, Director of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management
• Chris Cignoli, Director of the Department of Public Works
• Tina Quagliato Sullivan, Director of Disaster Recovery
• Kevin Chaffee, Natural Resources Manager
• William Cahillane, Project Manager, Capital Asset Construction

The meeting was also attended by Tom Jenkins of GZA, who is serving as the project designer and environmental consultant. 

Residents and the City agreed to work together on a community cleanup day for designated areas of sandy shoreline around Lake Massasoit.  This cleanup is tenatively set for Saturday, September 18.  Residents can obtain more information by following the event page on facebook and as we get closer to the cleanup event the City will post information on this page. The City provided construction updates and there was discussion about long-term health of the pond and actions residents and the City can take to contribute. 

The City has hired Arment Construction to begin bulk cleanup around the pond and encourages residents to submit locations of bulk debris that they notice in and around the waterway to tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com. Otherwise the City continues to urge people to stay out of muddy areas of the pond, as one could quickly sink into deep mud which has a quick-sand like quality. 

Residents should continue to monitor this page for regular construction and project updates. 

Construction Update: The City is happy to share that construction at the dam is now underway!  The contractor has spent the past week clearing debris that was washed towards the dam during the recent heavy rains.  The contractor has spent time clearing debris from the waterway near and around the dam, setting up safety equipment and protocols.  Additionally, preparation for removal of sliuce gate has begun. 

Cleanup Update:  The City intends to utilize a price agreement with Arment Construction to complete bulk debris cleanup from the General Edwards bridge south to the dam.  This will include shoreline cleanup, and the contractor has both the expertise and equipment to navigate the muddy shoreline and to appropriately dispose of debris. The City anticipates this cleanup beginning within the next 30 days.  

Public Meeting: City officials from several departments will be meeting with neighborhood representatives virtually on August 17, 2021 @ 6:30 pm. The City will provide construction updates, give a demonstration of drone footage and continue working with the neighborhood on a neighborhood volunteer cleanup day.  Anybody interested in attending should email tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com in order to obtain the zoom link. 

Construction Update: The City recieved bids for Resilience Upgrades to Watershops Pond on June 22, 2021.  The contract has been awarded to the lowest, responsible bidder, Gardner Construction & Industrial Srevices, Inc., located in Chicopee, MA. The City is working with the Contractor to finalize contract documents and schedule, but anticipates work to begin on-site in August. 

Cleanup Update: The City continues to recieve requests from the public and neighborhood organizations around cleanup of the pond.  City officials have scheduled a virtual meeting with neighborhood representatives to discuss possible cleanup plans for August 17, 2021 @ 6:30pm.  Residents interested in attending may contact tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com to obtain the virtual link.  The City continues to urge the public to stay out of the pond bed to avoid any accidents. 

Water Health Update: The City has heard from several residents with questions regarding vegetative growth in the pond and if there are plans to address growth. The plant growth within the drained basin of Watershops Pond has relied upon the nutrients already present within the pond-bottom sediments to fuel their growth.  When the water level is returned to normal, the herbaceous plants will die and decay, and the nutrients will return to the sediments.  The decaying vegetation may represent a temporary biological oxygen demand; however, refilling in the springtime months will occur when dissolved oxygen levels in the water are relatively high. 

To address any oxygen demands during the period of operational drawdown, the City has proactively installed an aerator device within the residual pool which is running 24 hours per day to infuse oxygen into the water.

The public is encouraged to continue monitoring this website for project updates.  Questions and concerns may be directed to Tina Quagliato Sullivan at tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com 

The pond water levels have drained to the levels they are expected to remain at for the duration of construction.  You may have read on social media about turtles leaving the pond and attempting to cross Wilbraham Road.  The City's Environmental Specialist has teamed up with Mass Wildlife and the T.J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center to catch the turtles leaving the pond before they reach the road, and they are being relocated to an appropriate new home at Mill Pond. The City and T.J.O'Connor continue to monitor the site multiple times per day, to ensure the turtles are being caught before they enter the roadway. To date approximately 60 turtles have been relocated, with the majority being painted turtles.  In addition, one Red Eared Slider and one large Common Snapping turtle have also been relocated. 

The City performed an environmental impact report prior to the commencement of the project, that is available for public review here.  The City intentionally began the drawdown after temperatures dropped significantly during a normally colder part of the year, in part to reduce impact to area wildlife. However, while temperatures were quite cold when the City began the drawdown, environmental experts have advised that the recent unseasonably warm weather have caused the turtles to relocate more rapidly than anticipated.  The City has also explored building a silt barrier to keep the turtles contained to the existing area, but have determined in consultation with the environmental experts that it would likely not achieve the desired outcome, as the turtles would dig under it or move around the barrier to reach their desired location.

The T.J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center have posted the location with their contact information, and we are urging the public to use caution when driving in this area of Wilbraham Road. If the public sees turtles attempting to cross the road please contact T.J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center at 413-781-1484.  

Water levels throughout Watershops Pond continue to drop.  The City anticipates water levels will continue decreasing through this weekend, at which time the levels will stabilize to the amount they will remain throughout the duration of the temporary drawdown while construction work happens at the dam.  There has been some media coverage about vehicles in the pond, this was anticipated.  The City conducted sonar scanning prior to the drawdown that identified approximately 6-7 vehicles within the pond, the police department has begun to tow these vehicles and will check them against incident reports.  We encourage everyone to continue to check back here for project updates. 

Questions and comments should be directed to tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com

Mayor Sarno, Congressman Neal and other City officials held a press announcement at the Watershops Dam today to announce the beginning of the temporary drawdown and the construction schedule. The bottom of the pond is deeper than the low-level outlets at the dam; thus, a residual pool will remain in the deepest portions of the pond basin. The schedule for drawdown is as follows:

Target Date to Commence Drawdown: October 26, 2020

Target Date to Attain Full Drawdown: November 7, 2020

Normal Water Surface Elevation of Watershops Pond: 154.3± feet above sea level (NAVD88)

Normal Area of Watershops Pond: 192.6± acres

Water Surface Elevation of Residual Pool during Drawdown: 140.5± feet above sea level (NAVD88)

Area of Residual Pool during Drawdown: 20± acres

Deepest Point Within Watershops Pond: 135.8± feet above sea level (NAVD88)

Target Date to Commence Refilling of Watershops Pond: April 1, 2022

Target Date to Complete Refilling of Watershops Pond: April 22, 2022

Should the dam repairs be completed sooner than anticipated by the Project schedule, the City may refill the pond in the fall of 2021, if weather events provide sufficient rainfall to do so. Please note that the target dates are approximate and actual times to complete the drawdown or refilling of the pond will be dependent on weather conditions during the operations.

Questions or comments should be directed to tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com 

The City of Springfield has issued a Notice of Temporary Drawdown of Watershops Pond (Lake Massasoit) to begin on October 23, 2020. Full schedule of activity:

Target Date to Commence Drawdown:                                    October 23, 2020

Target Date to Attain Full Drawdown:                                          November 1, 2020

• Normal Water Surface Elevation of Watershops Pond:               154.3± feet above sea level (NAVD88)
• Normal Area of Watershops Pond:                                              192.6± acres
• Water Surface Elevation of Residual Pool during Drawdown:     140.5± feet above sea level (NAVD88)
• Area of Residual Pool during Drawdown:                                     20± acres
• Deepest Point Within Watershops Pond:                                     135.8± feet above sea level (NAVD88)

Target Date to Commence Refilling of Watershops Pond:     April 1, 2022

Target Date to Complete Refilling of Watershops Pond:              April 22, 2022

All questions or comments should be directed to tquagliato@springfieldcityhall.com.