Pond Treated for Blue-Green Algae
The Main Pond (the largest basin in Foster's Pond) and the Outlet Cove (waters between the Dam and the Channel) were treated for blue-green algae on August 2. For more details and a picture, click here.
Blue-green algae can cause gastrointestinal illness in kids and prove fatal to pets. In higher concentrations, adults, too, may experience skin irritations and even more serious health effects. If you encounter blue-green scum (which tends to accumulate along shorelines), steer clear of it and keep your pets away. We haven't observed much blue-green algae scum so far this year, but that can change, even after a treatment.
FPC Annual Picnic Draws a Crowd
About 65 people turned out for the 18th Annual Foster's Pond Corporation picnic on August 5. The Pond-side potluck is always a festive occasion, drawing not only nearby residents but also Pond-lovers from elsewhere in Andover and Wilmington. Under sunny skies, kids splashed in the Pond while adults feasted on grilled burgers and hotdogs and an array of salads and sweets. More details and a couple of pictures, click here.
Over 8 Days, Divers Remove Nearly 2 Tons of Fanwort
Over the course of eight days, divers removed an astounding two tons of fanwort from the Pond, reducing the need to rely solely on chemicals to control the invasive weed. Divers spent two days at the end of July hand-pulling fanwort mostly in the Main Pond, following six days in June working various other locations around the Pond. They paid their first three-day visit on June 19, just as hydro-raking was winding down, finished their second three-day tour on June 30, and returned for two days on July 27. Wearing wet suits and snorkel gear, the divers plunged down to the murky bottom to pluck out the plants by the roots. They collected nearly two tons of fanwort in. For more details and pictures, click here.
Like Clockwork, the Waterfall Came Back
Exactly one month after the start of the process of refilling the Pond from its winter drawdown, water began cascading over the spillway of the Foster's Pond Dam in picture-postcard splendor, restoring the Dam's most iconic feature. Thus ended the 2022-23 annual winter drawdown, right on schedule. For more details and a picture, click here.
The Wandering Bear Who Visited Foster's Pond: An Obituary
A young black bear ambled through a half dozen nearby communities over the course of two months last summer, turning up in Andover at the end of September. The first bear in living memory to be seen here, he spent four days around Foster's Pond. He then headed to Middleton, where he was shot and killed. For more, including pictures and a short video, click here.
Donate Today, and Make Sure Your Name Is on Our Honor Roll
We can't protect Foster's Pond and our historic dam without your help. We rely on your donation. Check out our Honor Roll of Foster's Pond supporters who have contributed in 2023. Contribute now, so that we can add your name! Earn the coveted 
, identifying you as an especially generous donor! Go to our donation page right now and give on-line or by mail. Your contribution is tax-deductible. Thank you!
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Get the latest news about Foster's Pond. Want to be alerted when the Pond will be closed for a weed treatment? Or that an algae bloom has been detected? Or if there's an upcoming event? Then sign up to get Foster's Pond e-mail Updates. Updates are sent out about once a month. They will keep you informed without cluttering your in-box. And we don't share your e-mail address with anyone. Click here to subscribe.
In an Emergency . . .
It's hard to imagine that the 165-year-old Foster's Pond Dam could ever fail, but that's not a matter to be left to the imagination. The Foster's Pond Corporation has developed an Emergency Action Plan, just in case. The plan, approved by State regulators in 2019 and distributed to Andover's emergency response officials, identifies the worst-case scenario for downstream flooding and specifies who needs to be notified and what steps need to be taken. While no homes would be inundated, some roads could be under a couple of feet of water, temporarily cutting access to two cul-de-sacs off Woburn Street and four off River Street until the water subsides. For more details and a map showing what areas would be inundated and what roads might be flooded, click here.
Wilmington Community TV Program on Foster's Pond
WCTV, Wilmington's non-profit community television station, has produced a 22-minute program devoted to Foster's Pond and the FPC. The "Where's Wilmington" show, hosted by Lisa Kapala, includes a tour of the Goldsmith Woodlands by long-time Pond resident Joan Ellis, interviews with FPC President Steve Cotton and Board Member David Adilman, and footage of the Pond, the Dam, and Goldsmith. To view the program, click here.
Watershed Study Looks to Control Algae By Curbing Nutrients Flowing Into the Pond
We routinely treat Foster's Pond for toxic algae. Can anything be done to prevent algae blooms? To find out, we commissioned a state-of-the-art study of the Foster's Pond watershed, using the latest computer modeling, on-line databases, and newly-assembled information. Our consultants delivered a Watershed-Based Plan for reducing the primary "limiting nutrient" that triggers algae growth. The first step is to give citizens of the watershed the information you need on how to protect the Pond. Start here.
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