Lake Sabbatia
Encyclopedia
Lake Sabbatia is a freshwater lake in Taunton, Massachusetts
, near Watson Pond State Park
. The lake is where Mill River begins and the Snake River
ends. It is the largest lake in the city of Taunton and the most popularly used. There are several coves and an island within the lake. Parts of its coastline is populated with woods, streets, and residential homes. Lake Sabbatia is used for a variety of recreational activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, ice fishing, etc. There is a boat ramp off Bay Street
into the lake.
Various plants of the genus Sabbatia usually have pink cymose flowers and occur from acid bogs to brackish marshes. Sabbatia chloiroides grows in Plymouth county, on the margin of ponds; in July it has large, showy pink flowers. There is also a variety with white flowers.
On October 18, 2005, much of downtown Taunton was closed when the century-old wooden dam
began to collapse due to heavy rainfall; fears of floods up to 6 feet (1.8 m) deep caused mass evacuation.
Lake Sabbatia and Watson Pond are located entirely within the boundary of the state-designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern
, the Canoe River
Aquifer.
As of April 2007 the residents of the Lake Sabbatia area formed a civic organization devoted to rebuilding the Morey's Bridge Dam at Bay Street. Morey's Bridge is the dam that regulates Lake Sabbatia water levels. The owner of the dam, faced with an order from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to repair or breach the dam, reached out to the local citizens to raise the necessary funds to construct a new dam. The dam owner would have been within his legal rights to dismantle the dam, thereby reducing the lake to a swampy marsh land. He instead chose the path of good citizenry and with great generosity agreed to match dollar for dollar all funds raised by the citizens. Through their website helpsavethelake.com and their yahoo user group the citizens have raised over $20,000 toward the construction of the new dam. The project is presently in the engineering phase.
On July 7, 2007 the private owners in the community turned out in mass to construct a 120 feet (36.6 m) long block structure in front of the old dam, to save the lake and return the lake to normal water levels. The project took months of planning and permitting by private residents and was funded by private donations from homeowners and local businesses. Over 50 residents turned out to help build the dam. Local contractors donated heavy equipment, drivers, and materials. Local establishments donated food, residents fed the workers, and turned out at the site to watch as enormous concrete blocks were hoisted into place. The project started at 6:30 Saturday morning and continued late into the night. Volunteers returned on Sunday to wrap the edges with a protective rubber barrier. The spillway will allow the lake to self regulate its water level, protecting the upstream habitats from draining and allowing fish to flourish. Future plans are to repair the original dam structure and incorporate a fish ladder.
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
, near Watson Pond State Park
Watson Pond State Park
Watson Pond State Park is a small state park in Taunton, Massachusetts, USA. It comprises Watson Pond, an unofficially-designated dirt beach area, a parking lot off Bay Street, restroom facilities and a picnic area....
. The lake is where Mill River begins and the Snake River
Snake River (Massachusetts)
The Snake River is a small river in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows fromWinnecunnet Pond to Lake Sabbatia in the northern part of Taunton, Massachusetts....
ends. It is the largest lake in the city of Taunton and the most popularly used. There are several coves and an island within the lake. Parts of its coastline is populated with woods, streets, and residential homes. Lake Sabbatia is used for a variety of recreational activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, ice fishing, etc. There is a boat ramp off Bay Street
Bay Road (Bristol County, Massachusetts)
Bay Road is a 17+ mile north-south road in southeastern Massachusetts that begins at the town line of Canton and Sharon, Norfolk County just north of an intersection with Route 27 at Cobb Corner and ends in Taunton as Bay Street. The road heads south along the Sharon side of the Sharon/Stoughton...
into the lake.
Various plants of the genus Sabbatia usually have pink cymose flowers and occur from acid bogs to brackish marshes. Sabbatia chloiroides grows in Plymouth county, on the margin of ponds; in July it has large, showy pink flowers. There is also a variety with white flowers.
On October 18, 2005, much of downtown Taunton was closed when the century-old wooden dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
began to collapse due to heavy rainfall; fears of floods up to 6 feet (1.8 m) deep caused mass evacuation.
Lake Sabbatia and Watson Pond are located entirely within the boundary of the state-designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Area of Critical Environmental Concern (Massachusetts)
The Massachusetts Area of Critical Environmental Concern Program is a list of state-designated places within the Commonwealth that receive special attention due to their natural and cultural resources. The program was established in 1975 and includes a list of thirty ACECs covering over...
, the Canoe River
Canoe River
The Canoe River is a river in southeastern Massachusetts. It is long and part of the Taunton River watershed.The Canoe River arises from headwaters near Lake Massapoag in Sharon, and meanders generally southwards through the towns of Sharon, Foxborough, Mansfield, and Easton to empty into...
Aquifer.
As of April 2007 the residents of the Lake Sabbatia area formed a civic organization devoted to rebuilding the Morey's Bridge Dam at Bay Street. Morey's Bridge is the dam that regulates Lake Sabbatia water levels. The owner of the dam, faced with an order from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to repair or breach the dam, reached out to the local citizens to raise the necessary funds to construct a new dam. The dam owner would have been within his legal rights to dismantle the dam, thereby reducing the lake to a swampy marsh land. He instead chose the path of good citizenry and with great generosity agreed to match dollar for dollar all funds raised by the citizens. Through their website helpsavethelake.com and their yahoo user group the citizens have raised over $20,000 toward the construction of the new dam. The project is presently in the engineering phase.
On July 7, 2007 the private owners in the community turned out in mass to construct a 120 feet (36.6 m) long block structure in front of the old dam, to save the lake and return the lake to normal water levels. The project took months of planning and permitting by private residents and was funded by private donations from homeowners and local businesses. Over 50 residents turned out to help build the dam. Local contractors donated heavy equipment, drivers, and materials. Local establishments donated food, residents fed the workers, and turned out at the site to watch as enormous concrete blocks were hoisted into place. The project started at 6:30 Saturday morning and continued late into the night. Volunteers returned on Sunday to wrap the edges with a protective rubber barrier. The spillway will allow the lake to self regulate its water level, protecting the upstream habitats from draining and allowing fish to flourish. Future plans are to repair the original dam structure and incorporate a fish ladder.