07/16/2026
WATER DIVERSIONS, UPDATE 4---
Neighborsโget a coffee this is a long post!
The following is an update to my post on June 15 which purported a diversion of 12 million gallons of water from Furnace Pond by the Brockton Water Division, as authorized by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
When the Pembroke Watershed Association (PWA) became aware of the magnitude of this decision, we took immediate action to prevent further loss by:
1) Bringing it to our communityโs attention.
2) Coordinating in-depth with Select Board members Tracy Marino (the PWAโs government relations liaison) and Steve Cicciotti (a resident of Furnace Colony) to home in on the history of this matter locally, regionally, and at the state level.
3) Submitting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, requesting all correspondence related to the 2026 Furnace Pond water diversion.
4) Submitting a letter to Representative LaNatra and Representative Sweezey describing the diversion and its consequences to fish, wildlife, pond health and asking for a strategy to help pass their current bill H984 before the legislature to better monitor these diversions.
As a result of these actions, Representative Kathleen LaNatra, Representative Kenneth Sweezey, a member of Senator Dylan Fernandesโ office, and Tracy Marino met with the PWA Board of Directors on July 7th.
Representative LaNatra shared her 8-year history of attending to this longstanding and contentious issue, carrying forward the efforts of her predecessors which began in 2009. Her persistent sponsorship of House Bill H.984 follows an exhaustive review of the current legislation and its impact on all communities, and she is coordinating closely with Brockton City officials and State Departments to find a resolution in the face of environmental concerns. The work of Representative LaNatra and her co-sponsors Representative Sweezey and Representative Patrick Kearney, have brought Bill H.984 closer to passing than ever before.
The PWA Board shared that the 1964 Acts of Legislature state that the water level in Furnace Pond must be at an elevation of 56 feet (National Geodetic Vertical Datum, 1929) to be legally diverted and the license mandates periodic review, as well diversions must be stopped if there is โrisk of environmental degradationโ. PWA shared our 2025 data collected over an entire summer using validated in-dwelling sensors which clearly indicate Furnace Pond is a โstressedโ water body.
The PWA also shared the information received from the FOIA request which is the following very important pointsโ
1) According to records submitted only 6 million gallons of water were diverted from Furnace Pond to Silver Lake between May 1 and May 8.
2) Pembroke Town officials do not appear to have been included in any of the emails we received in MassDEPโs response.
3) Officials made no mention of the water levels at Furnace Pond in their emails coordinating the decision to divert the water in May, however correspondences provided in the FOIA indicate there was concern about the level of Furnace Pond relative to the business of the Division of Marine Fisheries, which appears to be in reference to the herring migration.
Actions which are being taken because of this meeting:
1) PWA has engaged the service of a land surveyor to document the current water level of Furnace Pond โ As of 9:00AM yesterday, Furnace Pond stands at 54.79โ +/- 0.03โ NGSD.
2) PWA will inquire to Central Plymouth County Water District Commission (CPCWDC)
regarding the placement of stream gauges between Oldham Pond and Furnace Pond to accurately measure water level before diversions take place.
3) PWA has requested to bring these findings before the Select Board in August to support advocacy on the local level.
4) PWA will meet with the Project Leader of Brockton Water Plant to discuss the outcomes of this yearโs diversions, to promote open dialogue for future decisions.
I want to be clear regarding the Pembroke Watershed Associationโs intentions. Our organization does not have interest in depriving our neighboring communities of water in the age of constant drought. Our mission here is to see that the diversion activities are advocated for on the local level, compliant under the current laws, and that the legislation be modernized to ensure the health of Pembrokeโs great ponds and their connected ecosystems.
So, for the Plymouth County Water District, we call upon decisionmakers to maintain an โopen dialogueโ with Pembroke under the standards set forth in Brocktonโs Comprehensive Water Management Plan. For Pembroke, we respectfully request that notices be provided out of courtesy to the following parties, which hold interest in these diversions before actions are taken: The Office of Pembrokeโs Town Manager, the Pembroke Department of Public Works, the Pembroke Water Department, the Pembroke Board of Health, the Pembroke Conservation Commission, the Pembroke Herring Fisheries Commission, and The Pembroke Watershed Association.
On a final note, the Pembroke Watershed Association is very grateful to Representative Kathleen LaNatra, Representative Kenneth Sweezey, and Representative Patrick Kearney, as well as Select Board members Tracy Marino, and Steve Ciciotti for their very fast and favorable response to this matter. We also thank Senator Dylan Fernandes for his attention to this matter, by way of his representation at our most recent meeting.
Jude George, PWA Water Quality Analyst
Nicolle Pelletier, PWA President
