Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 131, § 48

A person shall not, except in case of emergency, drain any pond, reservoir or other body of water, except a body of water used for irrigation or insect control purposes, or for flooding cranberry bogs, or for public water supply, to an extent dangerous to fish life therein, unless such person, at least ten days prior to such draining, shall have notified in writing the director of his intention so to do and thereby enable the director to salvage the fish in such body of water prior to the draining thereof.