About the association

Chebacco Lake & Watershed Association

A volunteer-led nonprofit working to protect Chebacco Lake, strengthen watershed stewardship, and keep the community connected to one of the North Shore’s most valuable freshwater resources.

Who we are

A community built around protecting one lake

The Chebacco Lake & Watershed Association brings together residents, volunteers, scientists, municipal partners, and lake advocates who care about the long-term health of Chebacco Lake and its watershed. The Association supports education, monitoring, advocacy, and stewardship so the lake can remain healthy, accessible, and enjoyed by future generations.

Founded in 1985Volunteer ledWater qualityWatershed protectionCommunity educationLake stewardship

Why CLWA exists

Chebacco Lake is beautiful, public, shallow, and vulnerable

A public Great Pond

Chebacco Lake is a 209-acre Massachusetts Great Pond located in Essex and Hamilton. It supports boating, kayaking, fishing, swimming, wildlife observation, and year-round recreation.

A shallow lake system

Because Chebacco Lake is relatively shallow, nutrients and warming conditions can strongly affect water quality, plant growth, algae blooms, and habitat.

A connected watershed

The lake is part of a larger watershed that includes tributary ponds, wetlands, forested land, developed areas, and a natural outlet through Alewife Brook.

A shared responsibility

What happens across the watershed eventually affects the lake. Runoff, septic systems, lawn practices, road drainage, invasive plants, and development all matter.

The founding story

Founded in response to a real lake threat

The Chebacco Lake & Watershed Association was founded in 1985 after the arrival of Cabomba, an invasive aquatic plant that raised concern among residents about the future health of the lake.

That moment helped make clear that protecting Chebacco Lake would require organized community action, ongoing education, and a stronger connection between residents, scientists, municipalities, and state agencies.

Since then, CLWA has continued to focus on responsible lake use, watershed protection, water quality, and public awareness.

What CLWA does

The Association works across science, education, and action

Water quality monitoring

CLWA supports monitoring and education around the lake’s water quality, helping the community understand trends, concerns, and lake health indicators.

Watershed education

The Association helps residents understand how everyday choices around the watershed affect runoff, nutrients, invasive species, and lake health.

Stewardship and advocacy

CLWA works with local partners and agencies to encourage responsible lake use, sound environmental practices, and long-term watershed protection.

Community connection

Newsletters, meetings, updates, events, and outreach help keep residents informed and connected to the lake community.

The watershed matters

Most lake problems begin on land

Chebacco Lake is not isolated from the land around it. Stormwater runoff, lawn fertilizer, failing or aging septic systems, road drainage, shoreline disturbance, and development can all carry nutrients and pollutants toward the lake. CLWA encourages watershed residents to take practical steps that slow runoff, reduce phosphorus, protect natural buffers, and keep pollutants out of the water.

Reduce runoffProtect buffersMaintain septic systemsLimit phosphorusWatch for blooms

Why membership matters

Membership directly supports the work

CLWA depends on members, donors, and volunteers to fund and support its work. Membership helps make lake science, newsletters, education, community outreach, advocacy, and stewardship possible.

Every member strengthens the Association’s ability to represent the lake community and respond to emerging issues.

Whether you live on the lake, live elsewhere in the watershed, visit seasonally, fish, paddle, swim, or simply care about local freshwater resources, membership is one of the most direct ways to help.

“Chebacco Lake is a shared resource. Protecting it requires shared knowledge, shared responsibility, and a community willing to act.”