Open Space and Recreation Plan - Town of North Andover

T O W N O F N O R T H A N D O V E R
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have driven the town’s origin and development, hydropower in particular. Early in the town's history there was
"hardly a stream or brook of any size that was not put in requisition by the settlers as waterpower for grinding
or sawing" (Bailey, 1880).
Today, Lake Cochichewick is the sole source of public drinking water. An understanding of the vulnerability of
water resources has been learned the hard way - through the degradation of our public water supply. Pollutants
from a number of sources including: house construction, septic systems and urban stormwater degraded water
quality until 1986 when giardia was discovered in the Lake. A 'boil water order' followed. A filtration plant
was constructed, a three-year building moratorium was instituted throughout the watershed, and a
comprehensive watershed study was commissioned. A portion of this study's Diagnostic Conclusions provides
a picture of the threats to the water supply from increased growth and development:
Water quality of the inlet streams is degraded compared to water quality in-lake. Given the present
degraded quality of inflows, there is potential for in-lake water quality to deteriorate in the future
even without a corresponding degradation of inflows.
The watershed to the lake has residential and agricultural uses, which contribute to these periodic
water quality problems. Erosion of soils in areas of new construction and agricultural areas, and urban
storm water runoff appear to be the primary sources of elevated suspended solids, nutrients and
bacteria concentrations.
Over half of the watershed to the lake is presently forested, and is a prime site for future residential
development. Further development in the watershed will lead to increases in nutrient loading and
urban stormwater runoff. Lake development is experiencing low growth and is expected to continue
in that fashion.
(IEP, 1987)
As a result of the Lake Cochichewick Watershed Plan (in conjunction with the Balanced Growth Plan), a
number of steps were taken to protect the water supply. These included major revisions to the Zoning Bylaw,
Board of Health Rules and Regulations, Wetlands Regulations, land acquisition, increased street sweeping, and
an extension of sewer system. The level of success in protecting the water supply, particularly in promulgating
comprehensive recommendations has been greater than in many communities.
Watershed protection measures should manage all threats to the water supply. Updates to the Zoning Bylaw aid
this. In February 1999 the Zoning Bylaw implemented four (4) “No Disturbance” requirements to assist in
preserving the purity of groundwater, Lake Cochichewick, and its tributaries; to maintain the groundwater
table; and to maintain the filtration and purification functions of the land while preserving the natural
environment and protecting the public safely health and welfare. The Watershed District is divided into the
following zones:
General Zone:
All land located beyond 400-feet horizontally from the annual mean high
water mark of Lake Cochichewick and all wetland resources, (as defined in
M.G.L. c131, s.40, and the North Andover Wetlands Bylaw) located within
the watershed.
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