Beaton’s, Inc. and the Buzzards Bay Coalition reached an agreement on December 15 regarding the future management of the Hathaway Pond Dam in Rochester.
The Coalition acquired the dam and the 10‐acre parcel that it sits on in May 2011 in order to protect and open the land for public use and to remove the dam to restore fish passage and the health of the Sippican River.
Beaton’s, Inc. uses Hathaway Pond as an agricultural water source to serve 55 acres of cranberry bogs and holds property rights to maintain the dam.
In the agreement, the two entities agreed to work together in the coming years to secure a sustainable water supply for Beaton’s, Inc.’s cranberry bogs and move forward with efforts to restore fish passage and natural resources in the Sippican River.
Under the agreement the following outcomes will be pursued:
• The Coalition will suspend its permitting of the removal of Hathaway Pond Dam and water will be returned to Hathaway Pond to a height sufficient to provide water for agricultural use at Beaton’s cranberry bogs.
• The Coalition will convey the dam parcel to Beaton’s, Inc. and a permanent conservation restriction will be recorded on the property, ensuring that the land remains undeveloped and open to the public for walking and horseback riding.
• A fish ladder will be designed and installed within the main sluiceway of the Dam, improving the conditions for the migration of river herring upstream for spawning.
• The Coalition and Beaton’s will collaborate on the construction of a new water supply reservoir system on Beaton’s property to provide a permanent and sustainable source of water for the bogs. Upon successful completion of a new reservoir system, which is anticipated to take more than a decade, the Coalition will have the option to re-acquire the dam from Beaton’s and reactivate its plans for removal.
Doug Beaton of Beaton’s, Inc. remarked, “I am pleased that Hathaway Pond will be restored while we evaluate options for a long‐term sustainable water source. Outside of the marketplace, the number one issue that will determine the future of the cranberry industry in Massachusetts is access to water.”
“This agreement is a win‐win for cranberry farming and the Sippican River,” commented Coalition President Mark Rasmussen. “It lays out a clear path for how the water source for Beaton’s bogs can be improved while at the same time advancing river restoration. We’re excited about moving this complex project forward in partnership with Beaton’s.”
Beatons and the Coalition were assisted in the development of the Agreement by Jeff Lafleur of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association.
From Buzzard’s Bay Coalition and Beaton’s Inc Joint Press Release