Linsky Secures 100K Earmark for Lake Cochiuate

Natick - The state will likely set aside $100,000 to deal with the weed problem in Lake Cochituate.

The money comes from a budget amendment sponsored by members of the House whose district includes Lake Cochituate, including both of Natick's representatives in the House, state Reps. David Linsky, D-Natick, and Alice Peisch, D-Wellesley.

The budget amendment still needs to make it through the budget conference committee and remain part of the state budget signed by the governor.

If approved, state and local officials must decide what method will be used to control the spread of the invasive weeds in Lake Cochituate, including Eurasian milfoil.

"We sought this earmark in the budget to ensure (the Department of Conservation and Recreation) has money available to begin a program of invasive weed eradication," Linsky said. "I am very concerned that the weed problem has been getting worse over recent years. Numerous constituents have reached out to me."

The next step is for DCR officials and the conservation commissions for the three towns in which the lake lies — Natick, Framingham and Wayland — to come up with a plan, Linsky said. This is not the first time the weeds have been tackled, and last time the use of chemicals was opposed by Natick's Conservation Commission because members were concerned the herbicide might migrate into the aquifer for much of the town's drinking water, which lies near the Lake Cochituate shoreline.

"I expect a fair amount of local controversy whether herbicides are used," Linsky said.

Matthew Gardner, chairman of the Natick Conservation Commission welcomed the money, but sees much work ahead.

"In a sense it's back to square one," Gardner said. "The funding was the limiting factor no matter what the solution. Hopefully a clear plan can be developed."

Another lake in town, Fiske Pond, has a different invasive plant, the water chestnut. This summer a harvester will come in and take out the plants, Gardner said.

That solution, however, will not work with the milfoil because cutting the plant only serves to spread the weeds. Discussions over what to do in Lake Cochituate have not begun, Gardner said, but he said he would not like to see chemicals.

"There is a fundamental disagreement about role of chemicals in removing milfoil," Gardner said. "My sense is chemicals are not an option right now. There are parties, groups and the (Conservation Commission) who are strongly against using them. We need to think about what alternatives are available."

During the first round of weed removal, state officials originally proposed a plan using chemicals, said Bob Boise, Natick's environmental compliance officer.

"The Conservation Commission denied the use of chemicals, and an abutter appealed it, but the (Department of Environmental Protection) confirmed the denial," Bois said.

Instead, the town used two water circulation devices that go by the brand name SolarBee and are supposed to kill off some of the milfoil and prevent its spread. The jury is out on how well they have performed, Gardner said.

"I hear people say (the SolarBees have not worked). I want to caution against people saying that," Gardner said. "The data is not conclusive. We do not have enough data to say definitively that they work or don't work.

"Anyone who tells you they did not work isn't understanding the scientific process. The same thing if someone it said definitely did work."

The machines are on loan from the company, and they will allow Natick to use it another year, Bois said.

Finding a solution that does not pose environmental risks and is not costly will be a challenge, Gardner said.

"The technology and options that are available are expensive," he said. "Hand pulling (the weeds) and vented matting are very labor intensive and cost a lot of money to deploy.

"The other option is to use chemicals, which is less expensive, but the environmental cost and impact on Natick's water supplies are unknown."