Water Safety — Pillings Pond Foundation

Know the Pond Before You Launch

Pillings Pond looks wide open from shore, but much of it is far shallower than it appears. If you are new to the pond, whether in a motorboat, pontoon, jet ski, kayak, or paddleboard, please take two minutes with this page before you head out.

The short version: the east half of the pond is deep and the west half is very shallow. A sandbar and a partly exposed rock wall divide the two at mid-pond. Do not cut across the middle.

Hazards and Depths Map

Known hazards and approximate depths as of 2026. Tap the map to open it full size.

Map of Pillings Pond showing the mid-pond sandbar and rock wall, rocks, the submerged gas line, the high erosion area, the boat launch, and approximate depths

Map for general awareness only. Not for navigational purposes. Depths are approximate.

Why the Pond Is Tricky

Pillings Pond is man-made. According to Town records, it was created sometime between 1831 and 1846, when Bates Brook was dammed to power a water mill. The pond flooded low-lying marshland, and old rock walls remain buried on the bottom, some just below the surface.

In the 1990s the pond was dredged from the east end toward the west. The work was halted for federal permitting reasons when it reached the rock wall near the middle of the pond, and it never resumed. The result is two very different ponds:

East of the rock wall

15 to 20 feet

The dredged east end.

West of the rock wall

3 to 5 feet

Never dredged. As little as 2 feet at the West End.

Known Hazards

Each of these is shown on the map above.

1

The rock wall and sandbar

This is the most serious hazard on the pond. Where the dredging stopped, a dangerously shallow sandbar and a partly exposed rock wall remain, and the depth changes abruptly. Do not cut across the middle. You can cross safely at either end of the sandbar by staying about 15 to 20 feet off the shoreline, at idle speed.

Mid-pond

2

The West End and Bellevue Island

Roughly 2 feet deep and very shallow throughout. The shoreline here is also eroding, so please go slow and leave no wake.

Northwest corner

3

Submerged gas line

A gas line runs from Ryan Road to Bellevue Island only 18 to 24 inches below the surface, in a very shallow area. It is not safe for boats or motors. Keep motorized craft out, and never anchor here.

Ryan Road to Bellevue Island

4

Rocks

Two along the north shore beside the lily pads (one is marked with a red bullseye on the map), more in the north cove off Oak Ridge Terrace, and one in the south cove east of Rotary Park.

North shore and both coves

5

Lily pads and weeds

Thick growth in the northwest can foul propellers and jet intakes.

Northwest

6

Boat launch channel and no-wake buoys

The shoreline near the boat launch is a high erosion zone, and it is the pond's no-wake zone. No-wake buoys, approved by the Town in 2021, mark it. Slow to idle and leave no wake whenever you pass them. The launch channel is also narrow and shallow, so keep to idle speed in and out.

Near the boat launch

Before You Head Out

✔Run at idle until you know the water, and trim your motor up in the west half.

✔Wear a life jacket.

✔Depths on the map are approximate, and they drop in late summer and dry spells.

✔Not every hazard is known or marked. If you cannot see the bottom, assume it is close.

✔Going slow in the shallows protects the pond too. The Town's 2024 dredge study found that boats stir up bottom sediment in the shallow areas, which clouds the water and may release nutrients.

✔In an emergency, call 911.

Town Permits

Two Town of Lynnfield permits apply to Pillings Pond. Both applications are on the Town's Licenses & Permits page.

⛵

Boat sticker

The Town of Lynnfield requires a boat sticker for every motor-powered craft on Pillings Pond. Kayaks, canoes, and other craft without a motor do not need one. Stickers are issued at Town Hall. The application is listed on the Town's page as "Motorized Craft License on Pillings Pond."

Town Licenses & Permits →

⚓

Dock permit

All pond abutters must have a Town permit for their dock. The application is listed on the Town's page as "Application for Dock License." Town rules also limit a dock's size, height, spacing, and lighting. See Chapter 184 below for the details.

Town Licenses & Permits →

Lynnfield Town Hall, 55 Summer Street, Lynnfield, MA 01940 | 781-334-9400

Town Rules for Pillings Pond

The Town of Lynnfield regulates activity on the pond under Chapter 184 of the Town Code. The key boating rules:

Registration. Every motor-powered boat must be registered with the Town. See the boat sticker above.

Capacity. No more people on board than the boat has seats.

Keep your distance. Motorized craft may not pass within 50 feet of another craft, circle other boats, or run between moored rafts or floats and the shore.

Speed. Never operate at a speed that endangers people or property.

After dark. From one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, the limit is 10 mph and an all-around white stern light is required.

Towing. Tow lines may not exceed 50 feet.

Passing. Meeting head-on, each boat keeps to the right. Overtake on the left.

Noise. Powerboats need a proper muffler or underwater exhaust.

Alcohol. Not permitted on the pond.

Swimming. Public swimming ends at 8:00 p.m.

This is a summary only. The Town Code is the official text, and all Massachusetts boating laws also apply.

More Information

Chapter 184 Article I – Rules and Regulations for Pillings PondCode of the Town of Lynnfield. The full text of the current pond rules.
Pillings Pond Dredge Feasibility Analysis – Final Report, February 2024 (TRC)The Town's study of pond depth, sediment, and dredging options.
Town of Lynnfield – Licenses & PermitsBoat sticker and dock permit applications.
Town of Lynnfield – Pillings Pond LinksConservation Commission resources for the pond.

What We Are Doing About It

The Pillings Pond Foundation is working with the Town of Lynnfield to properly mark these known hazards and prevent a serious accident. Until markers are in place, please use the map as your guide and share it with anyone you bring out on the water.

This page and map are provided for general awareness only and are not for navigational purposes. Boat operators are responsible for their own safe operation.