Willett Pond
Meet Willett and Pettee’s Ponds
Willett Pond and its little sister, Pettee’s Pond, together make a 220-acre waterbody. The ponds were created from a stream in 1913 when Hawes Brook was dammed at what is now Brook / Bullard Street near the boundary of Norwood and Walpole.
The Ponds hold up to about 800 million gallons of water. Because its 4.8 square mile drainage area is relatively lightly developed, streams entering Willett are comparatively free of fertilizers, road salts, or other contaminants, and the pond is one of the cleanest water bodies in the Neponset River Watershed.
Water exiting Willett Pond flows through a spillway in the 900-ft-long dam under Brook/Bullard Street and passes through Guild Pond and Ellis Pond on its way to the Neponset Mainstem near Morse Street in Norwood.
Like many lakes and ponds in Massachusetts, Willett Pond is increasingly affected by phosphorus pollution, which is worsened by heavy rainfall runoff and warmer water temperatures caused by a changing climate.
Excess phosphorus pollution can trigger harmful algal blooms, including cyanobacteria, which can limit recreation and pose risks to dogs and other wildlife.
Learn more about polluted runoff and how you can help keep Willett Pond and nearby streams healthy.
Public Access to Willett Pond
Although Willett Pond is private property, NepRWA owns a public access and flow easement covering much of the Willett Pond property.
The easement ensures the public’s right to use the pond for passive, non-motorized recreational use, in accordance with the pond use rules.
Beach Access: The public can access the small beach off Brook Street in Walpole, near the intersection of Pettee’s Pond Lane. From here, visitors can enjoy a range of activities, and should note the following:
- Launch canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, and other small, non-motorized boats.
- Picnic or fish (catch-and-release only).
- Access is from dawn to dusk.
- Swimming is not allowed.
- Use the 10-minute parking spot to load/unload hand-carried boats.
- No boat-trailer access.
- On-street parking along Pettee’s Pond Lane or at Adams Farm.
- Do not park in the North Walpole Fish and Game Club lot.
Peninsula Access: The public can also access the pond from the peninsula on the west side of the pond from the adjoining Town of Walpole-owned parcel on North Street.
There are two parallel parking spaces on North Street near the trailhead, or you can park at Adams Farm.
A trail and boardwalk lead from the Adams Farm barn to the peninsula and make a lovely walk and view of the Pond, though it’s not a good spot for launching boats.
Please adhere to the following public use rules:
- No swimming.
- Fires and after-dark use are strictly prohibited.
- Land access is only allowed at the beach and peninsula as described above.
- Boaters must stay at least 50 feet from the shore and private docks.
- A permit is required for groups of 6 or more (email your request to willett@neponset.org).
- Notify staff@neponset.org if anyone attempts to block appropriate public use as described here.
Ownership and Management
Willett was originally constructed by the Winslow Brothers and Smith Company of Norwood in order to provide water year-round for a tannery downstream on Davis Avenue in Norwood, at the site now known as the Norwood Commerce Center.
Today, Willett and Pettee’s Ponds and a surrounding strip of dry land are owned by the non-profit Neponset River Landholding Association and are managed for wildlife habitat and recreation.
The Land Holding Association was once a subsidiary of the Neponset Watershed Association, but the two organizations have separated, and the Watershed Association no longer has any role in managing the Ponds or the Land Holding Association. About 85 residential abutters pay annual fees that help support the maintenance of the ponds and the dam.
Flow Easement
The Watershed Association also retains a flow easement that allows us to release water stored in the pond during the dry summer months to help augment stream flows in Hawes Brook and the Neponset River downstream.
Ensuring adequate seasonal flows downstream is important for protecting fish and wildlife and river recreation.
For questions or concerns about Willett Pond, please contact NepRWA Executive Director Ian Cooke at 781-575-0354 x 305 or cooke@neponset.org
