AMHERST — Amherst officials are seeking the public’s input on a project to restore Puffer’s Pond and areas surrounding the North Amherst site, which could eventually lead to improvements to the beaches and trails, as well as possible installation of boardwalks and viewing platforms and the addition of a kayak and canoe slide.
With the town being awarded $250,000 from the state’s Dam and Seawall Repair Program to design repairs for the existing 1890s-era dam and dike, both considered high-hazard structures that keep the pond in place, a long-term plan is getting underway to promote water quality, aesthetics and flood resilience, and to provide better access to recreational opportunities.
Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek said last week that as part of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act process, the town is outlining potential phases of work that would likely depend on both state and federal funds to supplement any town money.
In the fall, as part of the initial design work, a consultant used underwater gear to examine the pond-side face of the 32-foot high dam, considered to be in fair condition, and to begin looking at the below-the-surface shoreline of the 4-foot earthen dike, which is in poor condition.
“Those two structures work together to hold back the normal flow from the Cushman Brook,” Ziomek said.
Puffer’s Pond, also known as Factory Hollow Pond, was built in the 1890s to provide power to mill operations and at one time was also a place where ice harvesting was done.
Now, as a recreation area with swimming and fishing, there is excess sediment in the pond, trails are deteriorating, beach access is steep and not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and State Street is often unsafe for pedestrians accessing the pond.
The first phase of restoration efforts will inform those that follow, with outreach and permitting related to the necessary work, then possibly dredging and improving the beaches and trails over a 5- to 10-year period.
“We’re putting out a vision for what Puffer’s could be in the future,” Ziomek said.
A spreadsheet for the Joint Capital Planning Committee shows $5.95 million in listed projects at Puffer’s Pond for fiscal years 2027 and 2028. These include $2 million for dredging and $1.5 million for beach repairs, $850,000 for dam and dike work, as well as $200,000 for restrooms and $200,000 for parking lot improvements.
None of those are guaranteed to be done and all would have to be approved by the Town Council at some point.
“We will be seeking state and federal funding every step of the way,” Ziomek said.
Samantha Giffen, who handles communications for the town, said the public will let the town know what the priorities should be.
The town announced on social media channels “exciting improvements in the works at Puffer’s Pond!” and directed people to the town’s website, where it explains in an overview that the “restoration project aims to restore, protect and enhance ecologically sensitive areas of the Puffer’s Pond, as well as make the site more accessible and safer for all to enjoy. These efforts will allow the town to support and expand the dedicated use of this regionally significant place while also achieving the conservation goals for the area. Ultimately, the project aims to ensure the long-term health and vitality of the pond as a vital community resource for generations to come.”
In recent years, with high E. coli readings that have shut down the pond, the town has been trying to identify the root cause, with a partial or full dredging possibly resolving this issue.
“We’re looking at whether increasing depths of sedimentation in ponds is contributing to the E. coli issues in the past four to five years,” Ziomek said. Typically, bodies of water that are shallower and warmer have this issue, he said.
Many people depend on the water, as well as the free parking and access to a conservation trail network.
“We call it a cooling center for the town,” Ziomek said.
For more information and to provide feedback, go to www.amherstma.gov/puffers-pondproject.
