USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > Town annual report of the officers of Dedham, Massachusetts, and the town records 1894 > Part 5
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Wigwam Pond itself, as before stated, has an area of about 22775 acres water surface. Its entire shores and bot- tom are formed of a vast accumulation of vegetable silt or deposit, making an extremely soft mud or ooze. In the bottom of the pond this mud is of such a consistency as to present but little more resistance to pressure than the water itself, while it rises within a few feet of the surface in a number of points. The pond basin is thus essentially a bed of mud, in many places of considerable depth, the shallow body of water occupying the central portion. The meadow soil and swamp land surrounding the borders of the water surface form, as it were, a crust over this portion. of the mud bed.
Above Wigwam Pond a brook from the southerly enters, being the outlet of the Little Wigwam Pond swamp. This stream, from Wigwam Pond to the New York and New England Railroad, flows through a section of super-saturated
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and thickly overgrown swamp land. The channel is tortu- ous, and in many places the flow is impeded by overgrown vegetation. A somewhat peculiar state of affairs is found upon meeting the railroad. The brook channel ends ab- ruptly near a side ditch running along the railroad track for a considerable distance. It has no connection, by culvert or otherwise, with the swamp or pond on the other side of the track. This point is about six hundred feet easterly from the small telegraph station at Dedham Junction. West- erly from this telegraph station, about fifty feet, is a small culvert leading under the railroad track. The elevation of this culvert is such that for a considerable portion of the year no water passes through the same. Below this culvert, in the swamp leading towards Wigwam Pond, there is no regular channel, the water passing through this culvert must find its way as best it can through the swamp until it meets the old channel above described leading to Wigwam Pond.
Leading from the culvert above described is a ditch upon the upper or southerly side of the track. This ditch extends easterly to a point nearly opposite the point where the channel abruptly ends on the northerly side. At a point near the culvert this ditch runs through a gravelly ridge, at. which point it is extremely narrow and shallow, the bed being elevated above the surrounding swamp land, and being in places not over eighteen inches wide. From this ditch a winding and overgrown channel leads to Little Wigwam Pond. From information which has been gathered, the original outlet passed through the swamp and across the present line of railroad location at a point where the old channel from Wigwam brook meets the railroad bed. Upon the construction of the railroad, the ditch along the south- erly side, and small culvert crossing the tracks above the Junction, were constructed to pass the water.
The elevations of portions of this ditch and culvert, and their limited capacities, form a considerable barrier to the flow of water from Little Wigwam Pond to the swamp below
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the railroad. More particular mention of these precise elevations will be made later in this report.
Little Wigwam Pond is essentially of the same char- acter as that of Wigwam Pond. It is shallow, with soft mud bottom and sides, and the surrounding territory is a super-saturated cedar swamp. Several small streams make into Little Wigwam Pond and the surrounding swamp.
This somewhat minute description of the territory to be drained, its character and the present methods of drainage, has been deemed essential for a thorough understanding of the question and the remedy proposed.
In order to determine the steps which could be taken and the results obtainable, a survey with carefully taken elevations and levels has been made, and the results shown on the plans and profiles which are herewith submitted. At a number of salient points careful benches or elevation points have been established, from which, from time to time, the elevation of the water level at these points can be taken, and the rise and fall and effect of the various culverts and waterways easily determined.
The elevation of Charles River surface on December 15, 1893, was 78.83 feet above mean tide. This elevation is about one foot higher than the usual river level for eight months of the year; frequently the water level falls much lower than this last elevation. Extreme high water, as ob- served in February, 1886, was about five feet above the first- mentioned elevation. Upon the same day, December 15, the following elevations were observed :-
At the Washington street culvert, the water surface was 79.25, or five inches higher than the water in the river at the same time.
At the Williams street culvert, the water surface was 79.34, or six inches higher than the water in the river.
At the entrance to culvert above the railroad yard, the water surface was 79.68, or a little over ten inches higher than the water in Charles river.
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At Eastern avenue, the water surface was 80.47, or twenty inches higher than the water in the river.
At Wigwam Pond, the water surface was 81.57, or thirty- three inches higher than the water in Charles river.
At Little Wigwam Pond the water elevation was 86.4, or seven feet seven inches higher than the water in Charles River.
The bed of the culvert under the New York and New England Railroad tracks at Dedham Junction was 85.57, or over one foot higher than the water in Little Wigwam Pond, making it at a total elevation of 8 feet 9 inches above the river level on December 15th.
Survey lines and profiles have been run from Little Wigwam Pond easterly across East street, and through land of William Fales and others to Greenlodge street. This would provide for the drainage into the Neponset river of Little Wigwam Pond and vicinity, while a sufficient cutting would carry Large Wigwam Pond in the same direction.
Lines and profiles were also run from the pipe culvert under the railroad bridge, High street, through the low land north of High street, across Brookdale avenue to Mill Creek at Maverick street, as shown upon the accompanying plans. These alternate routes will be considered in proper order later in this report.
In any consideration of the drainage of Wigwam meadows, due regard must be had of the fact that any change of the present outlet will affect the present vested rights of the mill and land owners to a greater or less de- gree, and this fact should be fully considered in connection with the total cost to the town.
The primary object of this inquiry has been, first the lowering of Little Wigwam Pond water level and that of the surrounding swamp above the New York and New England Railroad. Considering the present method of draining this portion of the territory, it needs but a glance at the plan and the elevations previously given to show the main ob-
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struction to a free outlet in this direction. The New York and New England Railroad forms a barrier or dam, prevent- ing all flow of water across it, except through the small cul- vert at the Junction. This culvert is small, and at such an elevation as to prevent any passage of water through it for nearly nine months in the year. On December 15th, as previously noted, the bottom of this culvert was over one foot higher than the water above the railroad. The channel on the south side of the railroad leading to this culvert is choked up, narrow and insufficient, in one point being higher than the culvert bed and thus forming an additional ob- struction.
The location of this culvert is unfortunate, since instead of being on the line of natural outlet from Little Wigwam Pond it is nearly seven hundred feet southwest along the railroad from this point. This culvert, as before noted, dis- charges by a short ditch into the swamp below the railroad, having no regular channel from this ditch through to the- stream leading to Wigwam Pond. The effect of this absence" of channel produces a saturation of the swamp below the railroad, and adds materially to the fall required to convey the water through to Wigwam Pond.
The proper location of a culvert through the railroad embankment is at. the point where the old brook channel crossed. The diversion consequent to shifting the culvert so far to the westward and the necessary, cutting through the gravel ridge at the Junction, makes it all the more diffi_ cult to maintain a proper elevation of the drainage channel to and away from this culvert. A probable reason for locat- ing the culvert in its present position was the fact that the great depth of mud found at the old brook crossing required- a large amount of work to construct the culvert at this point. To avoid this, the culvert was placed in the solid gravel ridge- which crosses the track at the Junction.
Below the railroad to Wigwam Pond there is a very considerable amount of head lost on account of the tortuous and overgrown channel of the stream. The total fall through
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this swamp from the railroad to Wigwam Pond is nearly four feet. As before mentioned, Little Wigwam Pond is five feet, practically, higher than Wigwam Pond, and the culvert under the railroad is six feet higher. This five feet of extra elevation at Little Wigwam Pond can be easily reduced three or four feet by clearing a suitable channel through the swamp on both sides of the railroad, and pro- viding a suitable culvert at a proper elevation under the railroad. The construction of this culvert and the entire expense incident thereto should be borne by the New Eng- land Railroad, and its location, elevation, dimensions and construction made satisfactory to your Board.
While the location best adapted is on the line of the original brook channel, there would be no strong objection towards placing such culvert so as to avoid a treacherous mud bottom, which probably exists at this point, provided that an ample and suitable channel was furnished on either side of the railroad sufficient to give a full and unobstructed flow of water at all times. This culvert should be a box stone culvert, with stone caps, with an opening at least four feet square, the bottom to be at grade 82, or 3} feet lower than at the present culvert. A channel leading from the pond to this culvert and from the culvert to Wigwam Pond would be excavated to a suitable width and depth, and the expense of such channel would be properly chargeable to the owners through whose property the improvements were made.
This method of lowering the water level in Little Wig- wam Pond and the surrounding swamp, is by far the most satisfactory and economical one. It entails no damages which might be attendant on diversion of water from its original channel, or from crossing lands not hitherto having the stream naturally flowing through them. It is the shortest and most direct route of so disposing of the drainage from this locality. It entails on the town practically no expense, as the abutting land owners and the Railroad Company are, under the Statutes, required to pay such expense if your
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Board consider that this work is necessary as regards the public health. Even should the town be called upon to bear the whole expense, it would be the most economical to carry out this plan in preference to all others.
Several other plans for disposing of the water collected over the Little Wigwam Pond watershed have been examined and studied into.
The most feasible of these alternate plans, at first sight, was the diversion of the water from this territory in a south- erly direction across East street, and through lands of Wil- liam Fales and others, to and across Greenlodge street, and thence into the Neponset River. A natural depression exists along this route, and a survey line and profile was carried through for the purpose of determining the feasibility of this plan. It would require in some places a cut of from eighteen to twenty feet, and for a considerable distance. The mate- rial seems to be a hardpan more or less filled with boulders, and might be quite difficult to handle. The length of this diversion trench would be about 4,650 feet through the greatest cut, with a clear channel to Neponset River formed below. This distance and the excessive cutting which would be necessary, would entail a very large expense. An esti- mate of this had been made at about $26,275.37. The plan and profile of this route, showing the cuts and line to be fol- lowed in detail, is submitted with this report.
It has also been suggested that the flow of Little Wig- wam Pond be diverted over into what is known as South Brook, which passes across East street and into Neponset River, in the Islington District.
While this plan has not been as extensively studied as that across Greenlodge street, it would involve a consider- able amount of cutting and the diversion of the water from its original course, thus entailing damages and expenses to a much greater amount than the plan for clearing the old channel.
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The next question for consideration would be the drain- age and the permanent lowering of water level in Wigwam Pond and the surrounding meadows. As previously stated, the ordinary level of Charles river, for a period of eight months, is at elevation 77.5. During the four wettest months of the year, from December 1st to April 1st, the average elevation is about 80 feet above mean tide or 23 feet higher. During the time of freshet the water stands at various levels, having reached in 1886 an elevation of about 84. It should be borne in mind that where any use is made of the meadows for purposes of raising grass, cranberries or like uses, it would be of no practical value to have the water remain off at all times of the year. During the wet winter months there would seem to be no objection to having the meadows wholly or partially flowed, provided that some means were found to allow the water to subside on these meadows to the level of the water in the river, or as near as might be during the dryer season. There would also seem to be no objection to having the meadows flowed during the four months previously mentioned, so far as the sanitary conditions of the town would be affected.
There is also another fact to be considered in relation to any lowering of the water level in Wigwam Pond to a sufficient depth to expose any great portion of its sides and bottom. Their character, as has been before stated, is of liquid mud, reaching to a great depth over a large portion of the pond. A lowering of the water surface sufficient to expose this mud would, in my opinion, be de- trimental to the public health, until such time as the mud . had dried sufficiently so as not to give off gases and vapors, which it would be sure to do if exposed to the sun in its present condition.
The rise and fall of the river must necessarily affect Wigwam Pond and the surrounding meadows, unless a means is provided for shutting out the waters of the Charles river, when they rise to too high an elevation, and also providing
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for some other outlet to Wigwam Pond at a lower elevation than that of Charles River. With such a rise and fall, the banks and exposed portions of the pond bed would necessa- rily be saturated during a portion of the year; and, if too low a drainage was provided, the result would be unpleasant, if not harmful, for a considerable time each year.
A study of the depth at which it would be advisable to draw off Wigwam Pond and the surrounding meadows, has been made with this in view. Under the existing conditions, and with the elevations which we have in the river, Wigwam Pond can be safely lowered three feet from its usual height during the greater portion of the year. This would produce no ill effects, as before intimated, as it will expose only a very inconsiderable portion of the bottom. It will drain out the swampy land and meadows surrounding so as to render them capable of being used. It will allow during the four months from December 1st to April 1st a backing up of the water from Charles River sufficient to flow these meadows, and in this way will not interfere with any uses to which Wigwam Pond may be put for securing ice. In order to accomplish this result, it is necessary to provide a free and unobstructed passage between Wigwam Pond and Charles River. On the present line of the brook leading between these points comes the long culvert under the railroad yard at the Dedham Station. This culvert has been already described and its defects noted.
The chief difficulty now existing which prevents the free flow from Wigwam Pond to Charles River is the double pipe culvert crossing High Street under the bridge. These pipes, as before noted, are laid in a somewhat irregular man- ner and are considerably higher than any other portion of the culvert under the railroad. It would be impossible to drain off the Wigwam meadows to a much lower elevation unless these pipes are lowered, which should be done. The channel below this culvert to the river should also be cleaned
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and put in suitable condition, as it is now somewhat choked by debris.
The culvert under the railroad should be carefully re- paired and cleaned out ; in its present condition it is danger- ous, not only to the railroad itself, but should a sudden col- lapse occur, it would produce a large pond on the Wigwam meadows, whose waters must rise to a very considerable height before they can overflow at any other point and find relief. The culvert should also be cleaned out, as the bottom has received quite a deposit of gravel, cinders and other ma- terials, and its upper end should be extended beyond the bank to such a point as will prevent the running in of ma- terial from above, and thus choking the mouth of the culvert. There should also be placed at this upper end a coarse iron grating sufficiently secured so as to prevent the entering of all floating matter which would tend to choke this culvert. There should also be constructed immediately above this en- trance a sand pit or catcher, so that all sediment can be re- moved at this point without allowing it to pass into the cul- vert and be there deposited.
These repairs and alterations to the culvert and pipes under High street belong to the Railroad Company to do. The work of all such repairs and alterations should be done by the Railroad Company, and should be performed in a manner satisfactory to the Town authorities, and so as to ac- complish the purpose of draining the meadows.
The ditch leading from Wigwam Pond to the culvert under the railroad needs but little attention except that it must be deepened in certain places in order to allow for the greater fall of water.
There seems to be no necessity of maintaining the plank dams controlling the outlets of Wigwam Pond, es- pecially during the summer season, when it is not necessary to maintain the pond level for the cutting of ice. These dams can be arranged so that on December first they can be replaced and the water level carried up if desired ; but after
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the first of April they should be removed so as to allow a free flow from the pond to the river. Maintaining these dams will keep the meadows below in a constant state of satura- tion, and thus defeat the object in view.
One other way of disposing of the water from Wigwam Pond and the meadows has been quite carefully considered in obedience to your request; that is, to carry the water through the low lands lying easterly of High Street and across Brookdale Avenue to Mother Brook at Maverick street. There is about sixteen inches fall in the brook from Charles River to the pond above Maverick street, which would give so much additional fall to any conduit which might be carried to this point. If arranged to waste below the dam, there would be an additional fall of five feet eight inches over that obtainable at Charles River. This would allow of draining the meadows to a much lower level than could ever be obtained by direct drainage into the Charles River. It would, however, necessitate the following work :-
A culvert under the railroad would have to be provided at a lower elevation than now exists. A new culvert would be necessary because the lowering of the bed of the present culvert would be impracticable, owing to the insecure con- dition of its side walls and the great weight of embankment above. It would probably be more economical to build a new culvert than to attempt to lower the old one. The pipe culvert under High street would be discontinued, and the brook channel below ; the new culvert would occupy a dif- ferent location than the old, practically as shown upon the accompanying plan, and a channel provided leading from this culvert along the route before indicated to a point below the dam at Maverick street. This culvert would necessarily be covered, as it would be at too great a depth to stand open. It would follow the route indicated on the plan, passing across Brookdale avenue and along the cemetery. At a point near the latter location, as indicated upon the plan, the culvert would be merged into a tight closed pipe capable of resisting
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outward pressure; this would be essential in carrying the waters below the Maverick street dam, as otherwise the water from the pond above might have opportunity to pass off in the same channel. An overflow would be provided so that in case of severe freshets there would be no difficulty in pas- sing off surplus water.
This method would divert from Charles river a portion of the water now naturally flowing in it, and might raise a protest from the mill owners on the stream below. It has beed suggested that this difficulty could be remedied by hav- ing the sill in Mill Creek so adjusted as to give a slight in- crease of water to the Charles River mill owners in compens- ation for the diversion. It would be a somewhat difficult matter to make this adjustment, and there would be a prob- ability of more or less difference of opinion and trouble in making this adjustment satisfactory to mill owners.
Should a plan of this nature be adopted. it would seem proper that the Railroad Company should assume the ex- pense of all work on their land and under their tracks. But the Town would be obliged to construct and pay for such portion of the culvert and channel as extended from the railroad land across High Street and over the route above indicated to Maverick Street. Careful estimates of this cost have been made, showing a total expense of $56,273.75, of which $47.398.75 would be borne by the Town. It does not seem advisable to recommend this plan to your Board, as the cost seems greater than the benefits to be derived would warrant.
I therefore recommend to you the following steps which have been embodied in this report: -
1. The straightening and clearing of a suitable water channel from Wigwam Pond to Little Wigwam Pond, mak- ing this channel of such dimensions and of sufficient depth, so as to drain at least three feet more from the surface of Little Wigwam Pond than can now be obtained. The ex- pense of this channel to be borne by the land owners through
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whose property it may pass, or by the town alone if it should be considered advisable.
2. The notifying of the New York & New England Rail- road Company in relation to their present culvert, and re- questing them to replace the same in the manner and under the restrictions which have been previously noted in this report.
3. The removal of all dams and the deepening and clearing of the ditch directly from Wigwam Pond to the railroad culvert, in such a manner as to allow the free pas- sage of water, as before specified. No dams to be maintained from April 1st to December 1st, and at no greater height during the other months of the year than those at present in use.
4. The notifying of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company of the present condition of their culvert under the railroad, and the request that the same be cleaned and repaired, and reconstructed so as to give a free and unobstructed flow of water. That a suitable grating and catch basin, with extension of culvert be provided at the upper end, and that the pipe culvert under the bridge on High street be lowered in accordance with the plans herein presented-all work on this culvert to be done at their expense.
5. That the brook channel and culverts leading from this pipe culvert to the river be cleaned and straightened, the expense of such work on private land to be borne by the owners or paid by the town, as the town shall determine.
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The cost of such improvements may be estimated as follows :
Estimate for clearing and deepening the Channel of Wigwam Brook, from Charles River to Wigwam Pond, and from Wigwam Pond to Little Wigwam Pond.
Length of section.
Location.
Cu.yds. Excavation meadow soil.
Other Work.
Estimated cost.
1008 ft. Charles River to 604 Washington street.
$151 00
74 ft. Across Washing- ton street.
Deepening culvert. 126 00
500 ft. Washington street 374 to Williams street.
93 50
696 ft. Williams street through to mead- ows above railroad.
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