Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Mount Auburn: Pathways of Connections | Page 5

Planning and Sustainability:
Connecting Resources
By Candace Currie, Director of Planning & Sustainability
“The water courses in Mount Auburn consisted, originally,
of a series of small ponds, apparently stagnant, but com-
municating with each other by filtration through the
sand or gravel.” —Jacob Bigelow, 1861 1
In 1861, Jacob Bigelow was talking about an aquifer (an
underground layer of permeable glacial deposits). The term
“aquifer” wasn’t coined until circa 1900, but Mount Auburn
was then, and continues to be today, part of a landmass
bridge over a section of an aquifer that extends from north
of Fresh Pond in Cambridge beneath Mount Auburn to
the Charles River to North Brighton and beyond. 2 Today,
Mount Auburn taps into the aquifer from April to November
for its irrigation needs with a 53’ well near the north basin
of Auburn Lake. In total, only about 25% of the landscape
is irrigated while the remaining 75% is dependent upon
Mother Nature.
These comparative images of an 1831 map prepared by
Alexander Wadsworth (see portrait on page 13) with the
water bodies emphasized in light blue and a current map
of the Cemetery with today’s highlighted water bodies
demonstrates the magnitude of surficial water changes
made in the landscape since Mount Auburn was founded.
These water bodies are now closely regulated by the
Watertown Conservation Commission, but in the 1800s
changes to the landscape reducing the amount of seem-
ingly stagnant water where mosquitoes bred, allowing for the
creation of additional cemetery lots, were not regulated at all.
Today Mount Auburn improves all habitats by enhancing
the natural landscape around ponds and the vernal pool at
Consecration Dell, creating lush gardens like the Wildflower
Meadow around Washington Tower, and maintaining
healthy water quality with enough oxygen to support fish
in the ponds - especially during times of drought.
Since Mount Auburn was established not only as a rural
cemetery but as a horticultural institution, watering plants,
supplying water to the ponds, and dealing with droughts
have been constant issues. Consultants have advised Mount
Auburn on water issues and use ever since 1860. Most
recently in 2002, Emery Garrett Groundwater, Inc. (EGGI)
submitted a Water Conservation and Drought Management
Plan to the state Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) regarding Mount Auburn’s use of water from the
aquifer. The aquifer doesn’t belong to Mount Auburn; it is a
state resource. Mount Auburn borrows from it, and repays
its debt almost 12 times over. In fact, EGGI calculated
aquifer recharge of approximately 92 million gallons per
year based on the permeable surface throughout the 178 acres.
Based on Mount Auburn’s actual yearly metered reports,
less than 8.3 million gallons per year over each of the last
seven years has been used. The DEP no longer requires
Mount Auburn hold a permit for using water from the
aquifer because of this prudent use.
Additionally, Mount Auburn has been capturing water
that falls on the impermeable surfaces. This collected water
is used at outside gardens. Inside the greenhouses, municipal
water (supplied by the Massachusetts Water Resources Au-
thority) that travels all the way from the Quabbin Reservoir
is used for irrigating the floral crops. Unfortunately, Mount
Auburn’s well water pumped from the aquifer is not available
in the winter when it is most needed in the greenhouse
due to the freezing temperatures that would cause breaks in
the more than 100-year-old, underground water system.
Comparable views of the
Cemetery then (Wadsworth’s
1831 view showing original
acreage) and now (the current
map of the Cemetery
including Willow Pond in
the southern half) demon-
strate the changes to Mount
Auburn’s landscape over the
past 180 years.
Mount Auburn’s future use of
this very precious resource will
become much more sustainable. To ensure that potable water
is not used for irrigation, our plans for new greenhouses
will include a 30,000 gallon, below-ground cistern for
storing rainwater collected from the roofs. Not only is rain-
water better for the plants, but this change ensures potable
water is used for its intended purpose—drinking. Mount
Auburn is making a bolder commitment to all sustainable
practices, but our prudent use of water is imperative. Whether
we enjoy the serenity of Halcyon Lake, the soothing sound
of the falling water at Birch Gardens, or a refreshing drink
from the tap, Mount Auburn continues to share water—just
one of its precious resources—with the larger community.
Because we have this lush landscape and its many resources, the
public can use it for their edification and enjoyment. As an educational
tool, natural refuge, and wildlife sanctuary, one of our main priorities
is to connect today’s children to the natural world through vital
experiences that will hopefully last a lifetime.
Spring/Summer 2011 | 3