Commission hears concern about MBTA-owned Mill Pond dam and urges early engagement

A resident who said he previously worked for MBTA Real Estate and who consults on railroad and dam matters briefed the Southborough Conservation Commission about an MBTA-owned dam and Mill Pond adjacent to the Southborough commuter-rail parking lot and urged early town engagement if the MBTA plans maintenance or removal work.

The speaker said MBTA (and MassDOT Rail/Keolis operations depending on the line) control activities that affect the dam, and noted the dam had been classified as “poor” in a 2007 inspection. He described two structures that regulate water flow at the site and said a mechanical removal or demolition of the dam could quickly change pond levels. He urged the commission to seek notification from MBTA or Keolis and to coordinate with neighboring Hopkinton and with Sudbury Valley Trustees because the pond and its historic mill infrastructure adjoin Town and private lands.

Commission staff said the dam and pond are jurisdictional under the Wetlands Protection Act and that the state Office of Dam Safety (Department of Conservation and Recreation) has oversight for dam maintenance filings. Staff and commissioners expressed concern about “demolition by neglect” and the potential for an uncoordinated removal to cause downstream impacts; they welcomed the speaker’s offer to provide contact names and additional information. No formal action was taken, but staff will follow up to confirm agency filings and to request notice from the MBTA if work is planned. Sudbury Valley Trustees was noted as a nearby landowner and stakeholder for potential impacts near an historic bridge and adjacent wetland areas.