Wayland water committee adds two pulling days as Heard Pond herbicide hits federal limits

WAYLAND — August 27, 2025 — Wayland's Surface Water Quality Committee adds $2,400 for hand-pulling after federal land blocks Heard Pond herbicide. Meeting Aug. 27 with three of five members present, the committee unanimously authorized two additional pulling days at $1,200 each on top of a $9,900 SOLitude Lake Management contract, after member Thomas J. Largy reported that applicators could not treat a 20-to-50-foot band of water chestnut closest to shore because roughly 95 percent of Heard Pond is surrounded by U.S. Fish and Wildlife land. "That's a serious issue," Largy said, noting untreated plants could drop "tens of thousands of seeds." Crews pulled about 5,700 plants over seven days in July and August. The panel also approved roughly $2,000 for fall Dudley Pond water chemistry testing and $2,400 to Aquatic Restoration Consulting, and heard that Dudley Pond's mechanical harvester has collected more than 101,000 pounds this season.