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What
will always be known as the Mother's Day Flood of 2006
devastated the Martins Pond neighborhood. Over a dozen
families had to be evacuated from their homes. Countless
others suffered tens of thousands of dollars in damage
to first floor living space, loss of boilers and hot
water heaters, and basement furnishings. No injuries
have been reported.
Burroughs Road was impassable, along with the intersection
of Lakeside Boulevard and Burroughs, and also the section
of Lakeside Boulevard at the Pumping Station. The emergency
access road to Route 125 was opened for the first time
since 2001. The North Reading Fire Department patrolled
the neighborhood in high water vehicles, helped residents
evacuate and shut off dangerous electric power lines
with Reading Light. DPW barricaded roadways and graded
the emergency access road.
FEMA and MEMA toured the neighborhood on 5/19/06 with
Fire Chief David Harlow, the Town Administrator and
Assessor. Water levels crested on 5/16 early morning
at 79.2 feet above sea level. This is a record flood.
Previous high water mark was 78.6 feet above sea level.
Readings for Martins Pond are done at the USGS gauge
attached to the Burroughs Road bridge. Previous flood
record was 78.6 feet which we believe was 1996 or 2001.
Water is receding slowly, about 4 inches per day due
in part to the major constriction of flow at the undersized
culvert under the Route 62 bridge in Wilmington. In
four days since the crest at 79.2, water in Martins
Pond has only dropped 1.12 feet. The crest of 79.2 feet
represents a flood of 4.7 feet over our normal pond
elevation of about 74.5.
The impact of this flood has brought attention to the
flow constrictions at the State level. Our DPW Director
Dave Hanlon, met with the Governor, FEMA and MEMA on
5/21/06 to discuss our problems and actions needed.
State Rep. Brad Jones has been also working on this
issue, meeting with representatives at the State to
further promote resolution.
There are many stories to share, many wonderful experiences
of neighbor helping neighbor, of our great town officials
and workers, and stories of heartache and loss. We look
forward to recovering and returning to enjoying the
usual pleasures of life at the Pond. Please look to
the blog for further updates. On behalf of the Martins
Pond Reclamation Study Committee, we will continue to
dedicate time and effort to improving the situation.
Sincerely,
Janet Nicosia
Co-Chair
Martins Pond Association
Martins Pond Reclamation Study Committee
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