JEWETT CITY, Conn. -- Residents of Ashland Pond in Jewett City told Eyewitness News that they woke on Wednesday morning to discover that the pond had shrunk overnight.

The pond was 5 to 6 feet lower on Wednesday than it was on Tuesday.

"I woke up at 5:30 and kind of saw my boat twisted to the side," said resident Josh McEwen.

First Selectman Philip Anthony said that a man claiming to be from the Department of Environmental Protection visited his office on Tuesday and said that the dam's flow gate was going to be repaired. Anthony said the representative said that the level of the water first had to be lowered by a couple of feet.

McEwen said residents didn't receive any warning from the DEP.

"My neighbor up the street had a boat and he actually found it dangling this morning, and whne you look at the dock, it's completely crooked," said Cristi Donahue.

The pond and dam were built in the 19th century as a water source to power the mills that once stood at the location.

With Memorial Day weekend quickly approaching, residents said they were hoping to enjoy the pond's water on the holiday.

DEP officials confirmed that the department planned to lower the pond about 1 foot in order to work on the dam down below called Slater Dam.

In order to make repairs, the DEP said it had to draw water out of the lake. Department officials said they did not intend for the water level to recede as much as it did.