Friends of Forge Pond

One of the primary projects the Friends of Forge Pond undertakes is an annual drawdown of the lake level over the winter months to help combat invasive plants.  Such a drawdown was made possible after 1992 when an auxiliary controls structure was built at the Abbot Mill dam lake outlet to allow for lowering the lake level below the dam height.  Drawdowns started soon after that but were soon hampered by nearby homeowners shallow wells running dry.   This stopped drawdowns for several years.  

The initiative was revived in 2005 by the Lake Matawanakee Association, with a plan in place to help affected homeowners improve their wells if necessary. In 2006, efforts were able to achieve a 4ft reduction in the lake level, exposing about 15 acres of lake bottom to frost. Four residential wells were affected, and the drawdown was halted while the wells were deepened.  

In the meantime some studies were undertaken to determine how to improve drawdowns.  A detailed drawdown report was done int 2007-2008.  The results have been used to undertake other projects for improving drawdowns. Drawdowns now proceed every year with varying levels of success based on the weather (precipitation amounts and temperatures).