For Immediate Release: 10/7/2021 11:21 am
The City of Worcester Department of Sustainability and Resilience advises residents of the Indian Lake area that the lake will be slowly drawn down 3 feet during the winter of 2021-22, beginning in early November, with no plans for a drawdown the following year or for the foreseeable future.
Water level drawdowns are a lake management practice used to reduce the density of invasive aquatic plants, specifically Eurasian milfoil, by exposing them to the winter elements. While effective, they are not designed to be annual events, as they cause stress on the entire lake ecosystem. During the summer of 2021, an herbicide treatment was used on the milfoil that was highly effective and essentially eradicated this invasive plant, which eliminated the need for the drawdowns to continue.
Understanding that this is a transition for lake abutters who are used to the more severe drawdowns of up to 6 feet, Indian Lake will be drawn down 3 feet this winter to allow for a smoother transition and enough time for preparations to be made to docks and waterfronts to accommodate the future change, while incurring reduced stress to the lake. This will be the last planned drawdown for the lake.
To learn more, city staff will hold a meeting which will include a short presentation on drawdowns and the management of Indian Lake Tuesday, Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m. followed by Q&A. To access the meeting, click here. More access information and a recording of the meeting will also be available at www.worcesterma.gov/sustainability-resilience/recreational-waters.
Please feel free to reach out to DSR’s Lakes and Ponds Program for more information at GreenWorcester@worcesterma.gov.
