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Bartlett Conservation Area
Wekepeke Brook Restoration
Lancaster, MAOverview
The Challenge
Though the ecological benefits of removing the dam were phenomenal, for many longtime residents of Lancaster, the removal of the historic pond was a loss.
The Solution
In conjunction with the dam removal, Traverse Landscape Architects worked to conceptualize a park and trail system that would accentuate the beauty of the restored wetland and celebrate its rich history. Working closely with the Lancaster Historic and Conservation Commission, Traverse developed a plan that would do both. The original turbine was restored and reinserted into the landscape alongside a new trail system, shaded overlook, picnic tables and benches. New educational signs were also added. In the summer of 2014, the Bartlett Pond dam removal marked the completion of the first project awarded funding under the EEA Dam and Seawall Repair and Rehabilitation Fund.
3 Years Later
Following the dam removal in 2014, Bartlett Pond returned to a cold water riverine ecosystem for the first time since 1840. The Wekepeke Brook now runs through the site as a tributary of the Nashua River. The dam removal opened up 18 miles of mainstream and tributary habitat, resulting in increased oxygen levels, cooler water temperatures, and habitat connectivity. Native plant communities are flourishing and animal species such as brook trout, spring salamander, wood turtle, American bullfrog and blue-winged teal are thriving in the rehabilitated brook.
