Milford’s Hartshorn Pond drained for dam repair

One of Milford’s most visible ponds isn’t looking too good at the moment, because the town has drained it to work on its dam. Hartshorn Pond on Route 13 in north Milford was drained earlier this week to allow Milford Public Works access to the sluices and gates so they could be cleaned and repaired, and vegetation removed. The gate, which backs up water from Hartshorn Brook, was opened for the first time in well over a decade. By Thursday the pond was beginning to slowly refill. The work was required by the state’s Dam Bureau as part of routine maintenance. The pond is large in area, about 6 acres, but very shallow, with an average depth of just three feet.