PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION HYDROLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND BERKSHIRE COUNTY ATLAS HA-281 (SHEET 1 OF 4)

PHYSICAL SETTING, CLIMATE, WATER BUDGET, AND WATER USE

73*15' INTRODUCTION Water inflowdl -Balances- ->- Water outflow! 0 I This report describes the water resources and water prob- lems of the upper Housatonic River basin, an area of about 530 square miles in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and a small part of Columbia County, New York (figure 1). tr\

J Precipitation Evapotran Water lost to man's use (Rain and snow) spiration 30' 200 billion gallons Water available for man's use: 220 billion gallons. Streamflow (Surface and Water currently used: ground-water runoff) 220 billion gallons 10 billion gallons. Balance available for future use: 210 billion gallons. (

HOUSATONIC 73 RIVER BASIN FIGURE 5.— Diagram illustrating annual water budget /

PRESENT WATER DEVELOPMENT fe ^ The water budget (figure 51 balances inflow and outflow 10 20 30 40 50 MILES 1 1 1 i in the basin, with allowances for changes in storage. Stated as an equation, it is simply: FIGURE 1.— Index map of Massachusetts showing location of the Inflow (I) = Outflow (01. Upper Housatonic River Basin The surface-water divides largely coincide with the ground-water divides depicted on the block diagram in fig- ure 2, hence all inflow is measured as precipitation. Outflow The present population of about 95,000 is concentrated along from the basin includes streamflow. evaporation, transpira- the Housatonic River, principally in the industrial city of tion, and subsurface flow (see figure 2). Changing items in Pittsfield and in the larger trade centers bordering the river. the budget, either plus or minus, include ground-water stor- The greater part of the water needs of population and indus- age, surface-water storage, soil moisture, and human con- try are presently supplied from reservoirs on tributaries of sumption. In an average annual budget the changing items the Housatonic River in hills bordering the main valley. Wa- excepting human consumption probably average out each ter for some industries and smaller settlements is obtained year and, thus, need not be considered. Water use by man, from wells in the glacial alluvium of the lowland and in the 42*15' .' exclusive of papermill use. amounts to about 2 percent of limestone, metamorphic, and igneous rocks beneath the valley the total precipitation. Papermills use a large but undeter- and adjoining hills. EXPLANATION mined amount of surface water. Most of this combined usage Present water systems are being taxed to capacity to meet returns to the streams and the ground, so it is not a signifi- cant part of the budget. Most of ilhe subsurface flow occurs industrial and population growth in the basin, and the drought Lines of average of the past few years has pointed out the inadequacies of in a relatively narrow strip of valley-fill sediments at the annual precipitation State line. These sediments generally are fine grained and some of the systems. In 1964 the public and private water Interval, 2 inches the hydraulic gradient at the State line is slight; therefore, systems produced about 26 mgd (million gallons per day I of ^^^^•— • • ^ ^ — ^ which about 9 mgd was from wells and springs. Basin boundary underflow out of the basin is negligible in relation to the Estimates based on regional plans forecast an increase in total volume of outflow. Therefore, the simplified average population of 40,000 by the year 2000. Based on this fore- annual budget, stated as an equation is: cast and on probable increase in industrial and irrigational Precipitation! 1') = Stream flow! SF) T Evapotranspiration(ET). use of water, water needs for the year 2(100 will increase at The first two elements of the above equation are measured; least 10 mgd, a 40 percent increase over present demands. the third element can be computed. The average annual In this study, the major water problems were found to be: budget for the basin is thus: 1. Inadequate storage of surface water, particularly in 420 billion gallons (Pi = 220 billion gallons (SF) + evapotranspiration (ETl, therefore ET= 200 billion gallons. dry years, and the lack of knowledge of the amount s of surface water available. The budget shows that there ' a tremendous volume of 2. Inadequate knowledge of sources of ground water in water moving through the basin annually; much more than the glacial alluvium of the valley. probably ever will be needed in this area. 3. Chemical quality. SCALE 1:250000 0 5MILES 4. Pollution. The results of the study show that (li the quality and vol- AVERAGE ANNUAL W\TER BUDGET Base by U.S. Geological 73*15' ume of streamflow in the many tributaries within the hills Survey, 1956 An average of about 26 million gallons of water was used bordering the valley would be suitable for impounding large daily in the basin in 1964. This includes water from munici- 3.—Map showing average annual precipitation quantities of water, and additional billions of gallons of wa- pal supplies and industrial ground-water sources. It does not ter could be made available from many of the lakes and include the large amount of water taken directly from The rugged topography of the basin (see figure 2) has a ponds in the area; (2) large supplies of ground water are The sum of these average figures is 10.86 inches for the streams and lakes for papermill use. Ground water from definite effect on the areal distribution of the precipitation; available at several places within the valley and this water growing period, 6.87 inches for the replenishment period, wells and springs makes up about 36 percent of the total use. however, the relief is not great enough to create rain shad- and 13.0 inches for the storage period. In contrast, the nor- is generally soft and of excellent quality for domestic and The areal distribution of the major water usage in the basin industrial use, though of greater hardness in limestone areas; ows in the area. The pattern of precipitation is shown on mal precipitation for the same periods is 16.94 inches for the figure 3. growing period, 11.66 inches for the replenishment period, is shown on the water use map. "able 1 lists the volumes of and (3) the largest stream and source of surface water with- selected reservoirs, lakes, and ponds in the basin. The com- Normal monthly precipitation at Pittsfield is illustrated in and 15.82 inches for the storage period. in the valley is highly polluted and not fit for human con- bined usable capacity of these reservoirs is about 6.!i billion figure 4 which shows a more or less even distribution sumption without treatment. gallons. From this seemingly large reservoir storage about throughout the year. This usually provides ample water for 6 billion gallons is pumped yearly lor municipal use. storage and for vegetation during the trowing season. A drought condition existed in the basin from 1961 to 1966. ! 1 Fortunately the basin has at least 13 billion additional gal- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Maximum 1948 lons of water in its larger lakes and ponds. This water Special thanks are due the well drillers, consulting engi- At Pittsfield Weather Bureau station precipitation was about 10 Normal 75, lit), 71, and 64 percent of normal during the years of Minimum might be used in extremely critical times but not without neers, public officials, owners and operators of public and 1948 some problems involving prior rights, public health consid- industrial water systems, and the many residents of the area 1961-64, respectively. To evaluate this drought according to 9 the seasonal distribution, monthly precipitation values have erations, and distribution problems. In dry years, these ad- who generously supplied much of the data used in this re- 1945 ditional sources also mav be low. port. The authors gratefully acknowledge these contribu- been averaged for the period 1961 -64 for the Pittsfield sta- in 8 1960 tion; they are: UJ tions. 1948 1955 I Storage period . I? 1945 1953 Municipal water supply 1950 Black circle denotes surface-water source of PRECIPITATION Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. - 6 supply; blue circle denotes ground-water 3.02 2.56 2.16 2.24 3.02 zf source of supply; blue part in black circle An average of about 46 inches of precipitation, amounting o 1951 I- 5 1953 denotes percentage of supply from ground- to an estimated 420 billion gallons of water, falls on the ba- Growing period < 1965 water sources (includes springs); average sin in a single year placing the basin in the humid class. M ay June July Aug. daily water use in gallons per day as Even so, the residents of the basin sometimes lack the 9.5 TABLE I.— Selected reservoirs, lakes, and ponds niinsured on scale below 2.10 2.82 3.04 o billion gallons that are needed yearly. Roughly 47 percent UJ Replenishment period Q- 3 (One million gallons or more usable capacity) of the precipitation is lost to evapotranspiration. The re- 1963 mainder runs off in the Housatonic River or collects in res- Use: I, Industrial; M, municipal; R, recreation Sept. Oct. Nov. 1962 1962 ervoirs, lakes, and ponds. Name of reservoir Total U sable storage 2.12 1.52 3.23 1946 volume capacity 1955 1957 1962 and selected Use 1964 1948 1958 lakes and ponds (millions (millions 1953 1963 of gallons) of gallons) 0 - Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Becket Greenwater Pond . 663 [ ~ R FIGURE 4.— Graph showing minimum, normal, ami maximum Dal ton 8 Industrial water supply precipitation at Pittsfield for the years 1944-65 (normal Egypt Brook. M Obtained from privately owned ground-water basal on period 1931-60) Windsor — 100 M sources Egremont Prospec* Lake ins R Great Barrington East Mountain . . . — 5 M Long Pond . . - 325 . . . M Mansfield Pond. . . .78. . . . . R Hinsdale Belmont 35 M Rain o r snow clouds Cleveland Brook 1500 M New Sackett' . - 147 M Plunkett 215 R Ashmere Lake . 480 R Lee PRECIPITATION Goose Pond . . 2130 I,R Lahey 240 . . .. . M Laurel Lake 1239 ... l.R Lenox Lower Root 65 M Upper Root 65 M Monterey 2 Benedict Pond 64 R 4 MILES Lake Buel 667. R Lake Garfield 1269 . . . R Base from U.S. Geological Survey 4 KILOMETERS 1:250,000, 1956 New Marlborough East Indies Pond. .115 ... R Harmon Pond. . . . % R MAP SHOWING AVERAGE DAILY WATER USE Otis Hayes Pond 136 . . . R REFERENCES of Massachusetts and Rhode Island: U.S. Geol. Survey Water Resources Commission Hydrol. Inv. Atlas, 1 map. Pittsfield Baldwin, Helene L., and McGuinness, C. L., 1963, A primer Bull. 597, 289 p. Norvitch, Ralph F.. and Lamb, Mary E. S., 1966, Records of Onota Lake3 4267 . . . 3215 M,R on ground water: Washington. U.S. Geol. Survey 26 p. Herz, Norman, 1958, Bedrock geology of the Cheshire Quad- selected wells, springs, test holes, materials tests, and Pontoosuc Lake. 2090 ..... R Benson. Manuel A., 1962, Factors influencing the occurrence rangle, Massachusetts: U.S. Geol. Survey Geol. Quad. chemical analyses of water in the Housatonic River basin, Richmond of floods in a humid region of diverse terrain: U.S. Geol. MapGQ-108. Massachusetts: U.S. Geol. Survey open-file report, 40 p. 1 Richmond Pond' 940 R Survey Water-Supply Paper 1580-B, 64 p. Hoyt, John C, 1938, Drought of 1936 with discussion on the Swenson, H. A., and Baldwin, H. L., 1965, A primer on r Stockbridge Cooper, H. H., Jr., and Jacob, C. E., 1946, A generalized significance of drought in relation to climate: U.S. Geol. water quality: Washington, U.S. Geol. Survey, 27 p. .119 M Technical Planning Assoc, Inc., 1959, The regional plan for Lake Mahkeenac. 3094 R graphical method for evaluating formation constants and Survey Water-Supply Paper 820, 62 p. summarizing well-field history: Am. Geophys. Union Jacob, C. E., 1946, Drawdown test to determine effective Berkshire County, Massachusetts: Report prepared for the Washington Trans., v. 27, no. 4, p. 526-534. radius of artesian well: Am. Soc. Civil Engineers Trans., Berkshire County Commissioners and the Massachusetts Ashley Lake! ...... 360 • M Farnham1 ... 420 M Dale, T. Nelson, 1923, The lime belt of Massachusetts and Paper 2321 (May), p. 1047-1070. Dept. of Commerce, 64 p. Sandwash . .348. M parts of eastern New York and western Connecticut: U.S. Knox, C. E., and Nordenson, T. J., 1955, Average annual Theis, C. V., 1935, The relation between the lowering of the West Stockbridge Geol. Survey Bull. 744, 71 p., 8 pi. runoff and precipitation in the New England-New York piezometric surface and the rate and duration of discharge Crane Lake R Durfor. C. N., and Becker, Edith, 1965, Public water supplies area: U.S. Geol. Survey Hydrol. Inv. Atlas HA-7. of a well using ground-water storage: Am. Geophys. Un- In Pittsfield watershed area of the 100 largest cities in the United States, 1962: U.S. Leopold, Luna B., and Langbein, Walter B., 1960, A primer ion Trans., p. 519-524. Half of pond in Great Barrington Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1812, p. 364. on water: Washington, U.S. Geol. Survey, 50 p. 1938, The significance and nature of the cone of Used as emergency water supply Emerson, B. K., 1899, The geology of eastern Berkshire New England-New York Inter-Agency Committee, 1955, depression in ground-water bodies: Econ. Geology, v. 33, FIGURE 2.- Block diagram showing the hydrotegic cycle and a gemralized 4 Half of pond in Pittsfield section of g round-irate,• occurrence County, Massachusetts: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 159, The resources of the New England-New York region, no. 8, p. 889-902. 139 p. pt. 2, chap. XXII Housatonic River basin. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1962, 1916, Preliminary geologic map of Massachusetts Norvitch, Ralph F., 1966, Ground-water favorability map of Public Health Service drinking water standards: Public and Rhode Island, pi. 10 in Emerson, B. K., 1917, Geology the Housatonic River basin, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Health Service Pub. 956, p. 7.

INTERIOR—GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. WASHINGTON. D.C. —1968 — W6736' HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE HOUSATONIC RIVER BASIN, MASSACHUSETTS By Ralph F. Norvitch, Donald F. Farrell, • Felix H. Pauszek, and Richard G. Petersen

ZR.: 1968 For sale bv U. S. Geological Survey, price $2 00 per set PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION HYDROLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND BERKSHIRE COUNTY ATLAS HA-281 (SHEET 2 OF 4) UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SURFACE WATER

ioo GEOLOGY AND LOW FLOW Water users frequently require streamflow data for un­ The amount of water that becomes streami'h »%v depends STREAMFLOW CHARACTERISTICS The low-flow measurements for this report were made gaged sites. To estimate the amount of storage needed at upon where, when, and how the precipitation fall ­ Most of STREAMFLOW after six or more consecutive days of no precipitation. At' places where no gaging-station records are available requires the precipitation in the winter months accumulate >s Upon the Investigation of streamflow in the basin consisted of col­ this time streamflow is essentially ground-water runoff that an estimate he made of the median 7-day annual low land surface as snow. In the early spring air ti"" nM'eralures lecting and analyzing data from three stream-gaging stations (effluent). The geology of a basin has a profound effect on flow. To help meet this need in the basin, storage-required rise and the snow cover melts. After the grou TTI<1 becomes East Branch Houaatonic River Draft rate in (see map I, and from 47 low-flow partial-record sites. A low flow in streams; and, thus, at first glance, low-flow frequency data have been estimated at 27 of the low-flow per sq mi saturated, the snowmelt, together with the sprint £ rain, runs at Coltsville, Mass fourth stream-gaging station, on the North Branch Hoosic measurements may be considered as indicators of potential partial-record sites. These data are summarized in table 2. off and increases streamflow. Streamflow decrea -e s through Drainage area 57.1 sq. mi. River at North Adams. 17 miles north of the Coltsville sta­ Years of record 1936-65 aquifer (ground-water reservoir) yields. However, in the Regional draft-storage curves based on storage-required the spring as longer days and higher air temp* 'ratures in­ tion was used as the index station for correlation purposes Maximum discharge 6,400 cfs (1938) glaciated valleys of the basin, the surface sediments (valley frequency data from the four gaging stations, are shown in crease evaporation. Generally the amount of pre- cipitation is Minimum discharge 4. 4 cfs (1936) because the Coltsville station and the Great Barrington sta­ fill) adjacent to the stream channels may largely control the figure 6. about the same in the spring and summer, but a •— the grow­ Average discharge ion cfsi tion on the Housatonic River are regulated by mills up­ low flow in the streams. Fine grained lake sediments at the ing season progresses, the plants transpire mor «• and more Through use of these curves the amount of storage re­ stream. surface will result in low ground-water runoff, and coarse water. This transpiration process combined wittra the higher quired to provide selected rates of allowable draft (outflow For purposes of comparison and correlation, 30 years of sand and gravel sediments will result in high ground-water temperatures and evaporation rates of the surra mer season rate) can be estimated from the median 7-day annual low- record, ending in 1961, was used as the standard or base pe­ runoff. In the practical search for ground-water supplies, produce the lowest streamflow in the late siimnii-'i' and early flow and the size of the drainage area (table 2). riod. Records for this period at North Adams were used to however, the surficial lake sediments may be underlain at fall. During periods of no precipitation most of *"<-> flow in For example, in table 2. low-flow site no. 25, Smith Brook extend the records of the Green River gaging station near depth by sand and gravel deposits which are good water the streams is ground-water effluent. at West Street in Pittsfield, has an estimated median 7-day Great Barrington and the 47 low-flow sites to the base suppliers; whereas, the surficial sand and gravel sediments annual low flow of 0.115 mgd per sq mi. Using the curves period. may be thin, of little extent, and may constitute a small wa­ in figure 6, a storage of 6.9 mgd per sq mi would be required ter supply. Also, the hydraulic properties of the surficial at the 20-year recurrence interval to give an allowable draft deposits may completely obscure the water-yielding poten­ or outflow rate of 0.2 mgd per sq mi. tial of the underlying bedrock. In valleys where bedrock is The method used for obtaining storage requirements neg­ near or at the surface and surficial deposits are thin or ab­ lects losses due to evaporation and seepage from the reser­ FLOW DURATION sent, such as in the upper parts of some tributary stream voir. These losses depend on the characteristics at each spe­ RUNOFF T channels, all low flow may be coming out of the rock. How­ The flow-duration curve provides a convenien means for cific reservoir site and they must be determined for each An average of about 24 inches of surface-water runoff. ever, because of the hydraulic inhomogeneity of the bedrock, studying the flow characteristics of streams and for compar­ individual problem. Also, the method of estimating storage an estimated 21 it billion gallons of water, flows out of the most of the flow may be emitted through a few open frac­ ing one basin with another, and is used for i nvestigating requirements from low-flow frequency curves gives amounts basin each year. This amounts to about 52 percent of the tures that intercept the stream channel. average annual precipitation. Annual runoff, in inches, rep­ problems dealing with water supply, power lopments, of storage that are about 10 percent less than those given by resents the depth to which the basin would be covered if and dilution and disposal of sewage or industt rial waste's. Data available for this work were not sufficient to make a mass curves. Therefore, the storage-required figures would Flow -duration curves for the four gaging station ­ are shown Housatonic River near quantitative evaluation of the relationship between low flows have to be increased by about 10 percent before being used all the streamflow in one year uniformly covered the basin. Great Barrington, Mass. The pattern of average annual runoff is shown on the map. in figure 2. and aquifer yields. Some factors, other than geology, affect­ in a final design. The mean annual flow, in cfs per si) mi (cubic feet per Drainage area 280 sq. m. ing low flows are soil moisture conditions, stream bank stor­ Storage-draft relations can be used by water managers Years of record 1913-65 who are concerned with seeking new or additional sources second per square mile) and in mgd per sq mi (million gal­ Maximum discharge 12,200 cfs 11949) age, hydraulic gradient of the water table, periodicity of pre­ lons per day per square mile), for each low-flow partial- Minimum discharge 1.0 cfs (1914) cipitation, seasonal variations and trends in precipitation, of surface-water supply for municipal and industrial use, or record site is listed in table 1. The site locations are shown Average discharge 512 cfs evapotranspiration rates, hydraulic properties of the aquifers who arc appraising the potential water supply for regional on the map. The overall mean flow in the basin is 1.72 cfs las inferred above), and relative storage of water in the growth and development. 1.0 per sq mi or 1.11 mgd per si] mi. ground. The availability of streamflow for water supply and waste dilution, without low-flow augmentation or storage, is often 20-year recurrence 5-year recurrence 3000 , "1 f Despite not making a quantitative evaluation between low- interval a problem in summer and fall, especially in years of drought. interval Stations flows and aquifer yields, a qualitative evaluation can be 1 Housatonic River near Great made. To accomplish this the basin was divided into 47 sub- Knowledge of low streamflow and its frequency of occur­ 2000 Barrington rence is a necessity in the economic design of sewage dis­ 0.5 2 North Branch Hoosic R i ver at basins with each low-flow partial-record site as the outlet 0.07 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.07 0.1 0.2 North Adams for each individual subbasin, as shown on the map. The es­ posal systems to insure that our streams can dispose.' of 0.3 3 East Branch Housatoni cz: River MEDIAN 7-DAY ANNUAL MINIMUM FLOW, IN MILLION S OF TABLE 1.— Mean flow at low-flow partial-record sites at Coltsville timated lowest 7-day annual minimum flow for each sub- sewage plant effluent without creating offensive conditions. GALLONS PER DAY PER SQUARE MILE 4 Green River near Great B a *-rington basin was categorized into comparative values on the map, Mean flow FIGURE 6.—Regional draft-storage curves for 5-year and 20-year Drainage thus inferring the relative worth of each subbasin for ground­ Low-flow partial-record site area recurrence interval cfs mgd water yield. By considering the geologic environment and (sq mil mi sq mi by logically accounting for all other low-flow control factors, East Branch Houbatonic River neai 27.0 the map may be a useful aid for ground-water exploration. Dalton 1.72 1.11 Generally the individual comparative values shown on the 56 Town Brook at Lanesborough 11.5 w ^ TABLE 2.— Storage-required frequency at selected low-flow partial-record sites as estimated from the regional draft- 58 Secum Brook near Lanesborough ,'>.72 1.74 1.12 map reasonably reflect geohydrologic conditions in the re­ 52 Daniels Brook at Pittsfield 2.66 .81 1.17 storage curves (storage is uncorrected for reservoir seepage and evaporation) \ \ >• • spective subbasins. However, there are some exceptions. 53 Churchill Brook at Pittsfield 1.16 1.86 1.21 54 Parker Brook at Pittsfield .124 1.85 1.19 For example, geohydrologic data available for Town Brook Mt. Lebanon Brook near Lebanon ..">ti 1.74 1.12 Estimated 26 subbasin (no. 5(>) indicate an area of good ground-water yield; Storage required, in million Mountain Rd., at Shaker Village median gallons 1.75 1.12 however, the comparative value shows it to be poor. Know­ o Drainage Recurrence per sq North Branch Mt. Lebanon Brook at .4N Low-flow partial- 7-day annual mi for indicated draft rate , in Shaker Village ing this subbasin to be comparatively good for aquifer yields, record site area interval million gallons per day per SQ mi 1.14 c 28 Mt. Lebanon Brook at Berkshire 1.25 1.75 it is reasoned that streamflow here is affected by pumping in (downstream order) (sq mi) minimum (yrs) Downs. Shaker Village the municipal well belonging to the town of Lanesborough. CO Smith Brook near Briokhouse 1.05 1.78 1.14 flow 24 \ • V Green River near (mgd/sq mi) 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 Mountain Rd., at Pittsfield Great Barrington Mass. That is, the effects of pumping (about 0.3 mgd) induce water 0.6 Smith Brook at West St. at Pittsfield 2.48 1.81 1.17 25 from Town Brook into the adjacent well; thereby reducing — 50 Southwest Branch Housatonic River 20.3 1.80 1.16 Drainage area 51 sq. mi. streamflow. Secum Brook (no. 58), I'-1 miles to the west, 58 Secum Brook near 5.72 0.168 5 4.3 12.5 25.5 41.0 at Pittsfield Years of record 1951-65 Lanesborough, Mass. 20 2.7 10.5 22.5 39.5 59.0 Sykes Brook at Pittsfield .80 1.81 1.18 rr \ * Maximum discharge 2,120 cfs (1960) has similar geologic characteristics and is shown to have a 19 52 2.66 .219 5 — 2.1 8.6 20.5 35.5 17 Yokun Brook near Lenox 5.92 1.79 1.16 '-^ 3 ..- -I Minimum discharge 2.7 cfs (19641 very good comparison value. Daniels Brook at 1.95 1.26 20 .9 5.8 16.0 32.5 51.0 17 Basin Pond Brook near East Lee 3.15 Average discharge 79.2 cfs The unpredictability of bedrock hydrology is demonstrated Pittsfield, Mass. ID Greenwater Brook at East Lee 7.65 1.97 1.28 53 Churchill Brook at 1.16 .095 5 5.5 14.5 26.5 39.0 5.5.0 6 Hop Brook near Tyringham 4.03 1.86 1.20 in Karner Brook (no. 37) and Sages Ravine Brook (no. 40) 1.84 1.18 Pittsfield, Mass. 20 10.5 24.5 40.0 55.0 73.0 7 Hop Brook tributary near Tyringham .76 subbasins. Both subbasins are underlain by schist with little 54 5 2.3 8.5 8 Hop Brook at Tyringham 14.0 1.90 1.23 Parker Brook at 3.24 .124 18.5 32.0 48.0 1.92 1.24 or no surficial cover. Schist is generally a poor water-yield­ 20 5.7 17.0 30.5 47.0 46 Hop Brook near South Lee 22.1 reenii Pittsfield, Mass. 66.0 West Brook near South Lee 4.12 LSI I 1.17 ing lock; however, the comparative value for Karner Brook 26 Mt. Lebanon Brook near .56 .093 5 6.0 15.5 27.0 40.0 56.0 13 Muddy Brook near Great Barrington 2.58 1.65 1.0 Pond\ subbasin is very good, whereas, the value for Sages Ravine 20 1.71 1.10 Lebanon Mountain Rd., 11.0 25.0 40.5 55.5 73.5 12 Stony Brook near Great Barrington 2.11 10 cfs or more can be ex­ Brook subbasin is good. Most of the other subbasins under­ 14 Konkapot River near Great Barrington 6.39 1.69 1.09 at Shaker Village, Mass. 1.56 1.01 L0 pected 90 percent of the- 31 Baldwin Brook near State Line 2.27 9 time lain by schist are rated poor to fair. Locally, the schist in 24 Smith Brook near 1.05 .092 5 6.2 15.5 27.5 40.0 56.0 32 Baldwin Brook at West Center Rd., 2.63 1.56 1.01 8 the Karner basin probably is jointed or fractured, facilitating Brickhouse Mountain Rd., 20 11.0 25.0 41.0 56.0 74.0 near State Line ' -^ HV Lowest 7-day annual 1.68 1.09 ground-water runoff, and the schist in the Sages Ravine ba­ at Pittsfield, Mass. 29 Cone Brook at Sleepy Hollow Rd., :?.% 6 minimum flow- near Richmond sin probably is jointed or fractured to a somewhat lesser 25 Smith Brook at West St., 2.48 .115 5 3.0 9.9 20.5 34.0 50.0 5 Flow in mgd per sq mi (million 30 Cone Brook near Swamp Rd., near 5.83 1.69 1.09 degree. at Pittsfield, Mass. 20 6.9 19.0 33.0 49.5 68.0 Richmond gallons per day per square mile) 50 20.3 .074 5 11.5 24.0 36.0 47.0 63.0 1.59 1.03 2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 98 99 The comparative values for two subbasins inos. 24 and 25) Southwest Branch Housatonic W Williams River near Great Barrington 42.6 Comparative values 20 17.0 32.0 49.5 H2.0 Green River above Austerlitz, N. Y. 3.22 1.55 1.00 TIME. IN PERCENT OF TOTAL PERIOD along Smith Brook conform with the geohydrologic environ­ River at Pittsfield, Mass. 79.0 33 49 .80 •r> 8.8 20.0 44.0 34 Green River below Austerlitz, N. Y. 8.60 1.54 .99 ment. The upper subbasin (no. 24) is underlain by schist Sykes Brook at .081 32.0 60.0 .99 RE 2. Flow duration curves for base p< I'm it- 35 Green River at Green River, N. Y. 11.7 1.54 FIGU Pittsfield, Mass. 20 14.0 29.0 46.0 59.5 77.0 l.ol with little or no surficial cover and the comparative value 36 Scribner Brook near Alford 1.96 1.56 for gaging stations 16 7.65 .142 5 6.3 15.5 28.5 1.53 is poor. The lower subbasin (no. 25) is underlain largely Greenwater Brook at 45.0 in Sages Ravine Brook near Taconic, 3.41 20 4.2 14.0 26.5 43.5 62.5 Conn. with limestone, generally the best of the water-yielding East Lee, Mass. 1.51 .98 Fair 6 Hop Brook near 4.03 .122 5 2.4 8.8 19.0 32.5 51.0 37 Karner Brook near Mt. Washington Rd. 1.7s rocks; and the stream channel fill is sand and gravel. The near South Egremont The duration curve, as compiled, shows the* long period Tyringham, Mass. 20 6.0 17.5 31.5 48.0 67.0 comparative flow for this subbasin, along the same brook, is 38 Karner Brook at .JUK End Rd., near 2.2(i distribution of flow without regard to the chronological se­ 8 Hop Brook at 14.0 .079 5 9.5 21.0 33.0 45.0 60.5 South Egremont good. Another conformance with the geohydrologic environ­ 15.0 30.0 47.0 60.0 39 Fenton Brook near South Egremont 2.9(1 1.54 1.00 quence of flow. The curve obscures the effects of years of Good Tyringham, Mass. 20 77.0 ; i ment is shown in Basin Pond Brook subbasin (no. 17) and in 13 Schenob Brook at Sheffield 50.0 Steadma \ 46 Hop Brook near 22.1 .076 5 10.5 22.5 34.5 46.5 62.0 1.61 1.04 high or low flow as well as seasonal variations within the Greenwater Brook subbasin (no. lti). Basin Pond Brook sub- II Ironworks Brook near Sheffield 8.30 h 20 16.0 31.0 48.5 61.0 78.0 1.59 1.03 year. South Lee, Mass. 9 Soda Creek at Fink Rd., near 1.59 I basin is underlain by gneiss, a poor water-yielding rock, with 13 Muddy Brook near 2.58 .155 5 5.2 14.0 27.0 43.0 Sheffield .13 to .11 Very good little or no surficial cover, and the comparative value is poor. 10 I [! Great Barrington, Mass. 20 3.3 12.0 24.5 41.0 60.0 Soda Creek at County Rd., near 2.59 Brook subbasin is underlain with Sheffield The adjacent Greenwatei 12 Stony Brook near 2.11 .073 5 12.0 24.5 36.5 47.5 63.5 59 Housatonic River at Ashley Kails 471. Il l limestone and I he valley I I is sand and gravel; the compara- Great Barrington, Mass. 20 17.5 32.5 50.0 62.5 79.5 i 1.83 1.19 Rawson Brook near Wallace Hall Rd., 2.:?7 Not determined tive value is good. 32 2.63 .098 5 5.1 14.0 25.5 38.5 54.5 near Monterey LOW STREAMI I OW Baldwin Brook at West l.si 1.17 Where applicable, the Rawson Brook near Monterey 8.25 low-flow evaluations on the map Center Rd., near 20 9.7 23.5 38.5 54.0 72.0 1.72 1.11 Low-flow frequency curves show the magnitude and fre­ 61 Konkapot River at Hartsville 22.6 were used as indicators in selecting favorable areas for 1.82 1.18 quency of minimum flows. They differ from flow duration State Line, Mass. 1 Umpachene Brook at Southfield 8.56 5.1 1.75 1.13 ground-water exploration as shown in a later section. 44 Williams River near 42.6 .098 5 14.0 25.5 38.5 54.5 12 Konkapot River at Ashley Falls 61.0 curves in that they give information on the chronological Stream-gaging station Great Barrington, Mass. 20 9.7 23.5 38.5 54:0 72.-0 sequence of flows. \ I IOODS i Regulated flow 34 Green River below 8.60 .078 5 9.8 21.5 33.5 45.5 61.0 •i Diversions for municipal water supply Frequency curves of lowest annual mean discharges for With few exceptions, floods generally have caused little 20 |r| / 'i S Austerlitz, N. Y. 15.5 30.5 47.5 60.5 77.5 •i Evapotranspiration exceeded runoff nine selected consecutive periods for each (?#K g station Low-flow partial-record site damage in the upper part of the Housatonic River basin. 11.7 .099 5 5.0 13.5 25.0 38.0 54.0 |1 35 Green River at cfs sq mi—cubic feet per second per square mile are shown on figure 3. The 7-day period used i the studies Number refer* tit subbnsin The most severe floods in recent times were those of No­ 20 9.5 23.0 38.0 53.5 72.0 mgd sq mi—million gallons per day per square mile (See tohle 1) Green River, N. Y. minimizes the effect of diurnal fluctuation an<' changes in vember 1927, March 1936, September 1938, January 1949, 36 Scribner Brook near 1.96 .079 5 9,5 21.0 33.0 45.0 60.5 storage. As the time periods increase, the average flow for A Regulated flow and August 1955. The greatest flood on record was the 1949 Alford, Mass. 20 15.0 30.0 47.0 60.0 77.5 the minimum period also increases. B Diversions for municipal water supply "Ne w Year's Flood." Althoug h th e flood of Augus t 1955 40 Sages Ravine Brook near 3.41 .136 5 6.9 16.5 30.0 43.0 Low-flow frequency curves, which represent the potential 0k (' Evapotranspiration exceeded runoff dur­ was outstanding in the lower Housatonic Basin in Connect­ 20 4.7 Taconic, Conn. 15.0 28.0 45.0 64.0 capability of various streams, are useful to munieipal water ing low-flow periods icut, the upper reaches in Massachusetts only had moder­ 37 Karner Brook near 1.78 .160 5 4.8 13.5 26.5 42.0 VARIABILITY OF STREAMFLOW v 1) Intermittent streams planners in the search for water supplies. The <- and 14­ 20 3.1 Streamflo w is variable from time to time an d place to E Suspected influence by pumping ately high Hows. A typical flood profile is shown in figure 4. Mt. Washington Rd., near 11.5 23.5 40.5 59.5 day curves represent the flow available with a small amount place. In a drainage basin, the topography, geology, an d From M. A. Benson's (1962) study of floods in New Eng­ South Egremont, Mass. of storage, such as provided by a dam in the '11;iin channel 3!) Fenton Brook near 2.96 .081 5 8.8 20.0 32.0 44.0 size ar e constan t factors; an d th e variation in flow is gener- -24 land, figures of discharge were used to plot flood-frequency 60.0 of a stream. Curves for periods of 30 days an d longer rep­ South Egremont, Mass. 20 14.0 29.0 46.0 59.5 77.0 ally dependen t upon precipitation , vegetation, an d tempera Lines of average curves. The curves are shown in figure 5. A knowledge of resent the flow that would be available if larger storage annual precipitation 4 Rawson Brook near 2.37 .076 5 10.5 22.5 34.5 46.5 62.0 hire . Figur e 1 show s the month to month variation s in the magnitude and frequency of floods that may be expected facilities were provided. The curves define the chance of Wallace Hall Rd., near 20 16.0 31.0 48.5 61.0 78.0 streamflo w at the Housatonic Rive r gagin g statio n nea r to occur is essential for the design of bridges, culverts, or occurrence of a flow less than that required to hold the bio­ Interval, 1 inchex Monterey, Mass. Grea t Harrington an d is typica l ol' al l the streams in the other structures that may be affected by floods, and for chemical oxygen demand of a stream below a mimn Him level, 5 Rawson Brook near 8.25 .082 5 8.5 19.5 31.5 43.5 59.5 basin. floodplain development. in studies for disposal of industrial wastes a111' municipal Subbasin boundary Monterey, Mass. 20 14.0 28.5 45.5 59.0 76.5 61 sewage into streams. In programs for attracting industry. STORAGE NEEDED TO AUGMENT LOW FLOWS Konkapot River at 22.6 .169 5 4.2 12.5 25.0 41.0 o r Hartsville, Mass. 2.6 10.5 the curves show how much water is available * projected Storage-required frequency curves are used to show the 20 22.5 39.0 58.0 Basin boundary 42 Konkapot River at .184 5 3.4 11.0 23.5 needs. frequency with which storage equal to or greater than se­ 61.0 39.0 Ashley Falls, Mass. 20 2.0 8.6 20.0 37.0 In planning the use of water today the probable minimum lected amounts would be required to maintain selected rates 55.5 Maximum and year of occurrence 7-day flow of a river or stream is important t (l know. This of regulated flow. Average flow usually occurs in late summer or early t ;i " when all Minimum and year of occurrence the streamflow is ground water effluent. The utilization of / / the streams in the basin depends largely on th>' amount of flow during this minimum 7-day period. Base from U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000, 1956 SCALE 1:125000 0 2 4 MILES The flood that may be expected, on the average, to be equaled 4 KILOMEIERS or exceeded once in 50 years is 9800 cfs

MAP SHOWING AVERAGE ANNUAL RUNOFF, LOCATIONS AND DRAINAGE AREAS OF STREAM-GAGING STATIONS, LOW-FLOW PARTIAL-RECORD STATIONS, AND ESTIMATED LOWEST ANNUAL MINIMUM 7-DAY FLOWS 100

100

LOO 500 i i i i i u a

E Z 250

o w 1.5 2 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 20 30 40 50 100 RECURRENCE INTERVAL. IN YEARS

FIGURE 5.—Graph showing magnitude and frequency offloads Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept < on East Branch Housatonic River at Coltsville and Htiitsa­ ioo D D Z tonic River near Great Barrington FIGURE I.—Graph showing variation in mean monthly dis­ EAST BRANCH HOUSATONIC 2 HOUSATONIC RIVER NEAR GREEN RIVER NEAR NORTH BRANCH HOOSIC RIVER AT z 2 charge of Housatonic River near Great Barrington for z RIVER AT COLTSVILLE DA 57.1 SQ Ml GREAT BARRINGTON DA 280 SQ Ml GREAT BARRINGTON DA 51 SQ Ml z NORTH ADAMS DA 39.0 SQ Ml < < water years 1932-61 I I I 1 I 1 I I _L I I I I I I I 2.5 I I I I I 1 10 50 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 1 30 I?1- 120 1 15 110 105 i oo <* 90 85 5 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 30 3 4 5 6789 10 20 30 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ,?o 30 135 RECURRENCE INTERVAL. IN YEARS MILES ABOVE MOUTH RECURRENCE INTERVAL. IN YEARS RECURRENCE INTERVAL, IN YEARS RECURRENCE INTERVAL, IN YEARS FIGURE 3.— Frequency curves of annual lowflowsfor selected periods of consecutive days FIGURE 4.— Flood profile showing high-water elevations for the January 19^9 flood on the Housatonic River

INTERIOR —GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WASHINGTON, D.C.—Iq68 (VI HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE HOUSATONIC RIVER BASIN, MASSACHUSETTS O2.-£>OS'6 By Ralph F. Norvitch, Donald F. Farrell, Felix H. Pauszek, and Richard G. Petersen DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND BERKSHIRE COUNTY

QUALITY OF WATER 210 QUALITY OF WATER the surface and ground waters in the basin, it would be dif- CHEMICAL QUALITY OF STREAMS The chemical quality of water in the Housatonic River var- lability, shown in table 2 and figure 4. reflects the geology of TIME-OF-TRAVEL STUDY CHEMICAL QUALITY OF PRECIPITATION ficult to determine how much of the calcium, magnesium, EXPLANATION About 400 tons of dissolved mineral matter daily is carried ies with streamflow. This effect is apparent from a compar- the drainage area. The East Branch of the Housatonic drains A time-of-travel study was conducted on the Housatonic Three precipitation stations for collecting water samples and bicarbonate in these waters was carried over. Most wa­ out of the State by the Housatonic River. Each of the major ison of the dissolved solids and discharge data listed in table 2. an area of only slightly soluble crystalline rocks in its head- River during the low-flow period of October 1964. The reach (table li were operated for about S months. Variations in ters in the basin obtain these constituents from earth-surface and minor tributaries to the Housatonic River adds its load The comparison also is shown graphically in figure 3 for the waters in Hinsdale and an area of relatively highly soluble selected was from the U.S. Geological Survey gaging station V quality were wide from station to station and from rainfall materials (soil and rock I, more so than from precipitation. Injection point to the main stem. The East Branch of the Housatonic River samples collected from the river near Great Barrington. Dur- carbonate rocks farther downstream in Dalton and Pittsfield. at Coltsville, Massachusetts to the last bridge before the Con- to rainfall < figures 1 and 2). To segregate the contribution from either source would be at Coltsville contributes about 40 tons per day from a drain­ ing low-flow periods a large percent of the water in the stream Although the upper reaches of the Green River traverses an necticut State line, a distance of 51.7 river miles as shown on The quality of surface and subsurface waters is the end difficult. age area of 57 square miles. At Nan Deusenville, from a originated as ground water which normally is more highly area of Berkshire Schist, most of its drainage area is under- the pollution classification and time-of-travel map. The reach, A product of their environment. Similarly, the quality of pre- Sampling point Elapsed time after injection to first arrival Sulfate in precipitation carried over into surface and ground drainage area of 280 square miles, the mineral load totals mineralized than surface water. lain by carbonate rocks. The Housatonic River at Great Bar- which contains 10 reservoirs, falls 353 feet at a very irregu- cipitation is fashioned by its environment. In the basin, lime- Elapsed time after injection to peak concentration water is another matter. In all these waters the concentra- about 200 tons per day. A short distance downstream inflow As stream flow increases, the dilution effect of greater rington drains an area of about 280 square miles bringing in lar gradient. stone is the predominant rock. Weathering and quarrying of tions of sulfate are in about the same range: therefore, other from the Green River adds about another 30 tons. Other trib­ amounts of surface water decreases the dissolved-solids con- water of low mineral content from the steep hills of crystal- Discharge remained fairly constant throughout the study Short-term sampling station limestone creates minute dust particles rich in calcium and sources of sulfates not excluded, the contribution from precip- utaries contribute their share. This section discusses the centration. This dilution continues until the dissolved-solids line rocks to the east and from ridges of schist tothe west. with an average flow of 22 cfs (cubic feet per second) at the at stream-gaging station bicarbonate which are carried into the atmosphere, and later itation is believed to be substantial. significance of this mineralization, and its relative inconsis­ content of the river water approaches that of the diluting However, the more soluble carbonate rocks predominate Coltsville gage and 130 cfs at the gage near Great Barring- A—East Branch Housatonic River at Coltsville washed out by falling precipitation. At times the concentra- In the highlands along the east and west margins of the tencies in time and place. surface water. This is shown in figure 3 where the dissolved- throughout the basin. ton. To expedite the study the reach was divided into four B—Housatonic River near Great Barrington tions of sulfate are greater than those of calcium; this results C— Green River near Great Barrington basin, where noncarbonate hard rock crops out. only small To obtain the necessary flow and water chemistry data, solids curve becomes asymptotic. Although the dissolved- As it would be expected, the principal mineral constituents subreaches, and dye (Rhodamine Bl was injected at upstream from contamination of air with soot, coal dust, and gaseous amounts of mineral matter are dissolved by surface-water three short-term sampling stations were operated in the basin. solids concentration of the water decrease's with increased in the water at all3 sampling points (see table 2) were cal- end of each subreach. Pollution classification materials from combustion. The presence of sulfate is com- runoff and ground-water percolation because of the relative They were located at the permanent stream-gaging stations. streamflow, the total amount of dissolved minerals in the cium and bicarbonate, the major components of carbonate The total travel time of the peak concentration for the 51.7 (see table 6) mon; how much is washed out varies with the intensity and u j insolubility of the rocks. The mineral contribution from pre- O 301 18 Water samples were collected monthly at these stations from water will, of course, increase. Figure 3 illustrates this with rocks. Also, as shown in table 2 and figure 4, the range in miles from Coltsville to Ashley Falls was 284.5 hours, or period of precipitation. The end result is that the chemical cipitation adds materially to the chemistry of the water in UJ || Stockbridge \,/ 0. II station -^ Pittsfield station' April through September 1964. The water samples were ana- a straight-line plot of the dissolved minerals, in tons per day, concentration of these constituents is quite similar. The var- roughly 12 days. For easy comparison with all the subreaches, quality of precipitation is very erratic from place to place and these areas. CO 10 J- 1 lyzed for their chemical content; the analyses, which appear that flow past Great Barrington. iability of iron in these samples probably is most striking. At a condensed summary of results is listed in table 5. from time to time. '\ p l May June July in table 2, include some made from samples which were col- The chemical quality of water in the Housatonic River also the Houstonic River sampling site at Great Barrington the The travel time in the first subreach was longer than re­ Although precipitation contributes some mineralization to 1964 lected previous to the time of this study. iron content of the samples ranges from 0.05 to 0.35 ppm. quired in any other of the subreaches and was attributed to FIGURE i.__ Graph showing specific conductance and varies from place to place within the basin. Some of this var- The occurrence of the higher concentrations of iron at this a significant decrease in velocity of the dye cloud as it moved estimated dissolved solid* of rainfall samples TABLE 1.- Range and average of concentrations of selected constituents and hardness, and range anil median of pH in point is erratic and apparently unrelated to streamflow or through Woods Pond, above the first reservoir. The dye rainfall samples, Apr.-Nor. 196], seasonal variations. It most likely is a result of industrial TABLK 2.— Chemical analyses of water samples collected periodically at three stream- gaging stations cloud also had the broadest peak here with the lowest con- pollution. Iron canbe a troublesome constituent in water; Parts per million Micromhos at 25° C (Parts per million) centration of dye as a result of complete mixing as illustrated Station Number i Dissolved Hat dness Specific as little as 0.3 ppm will precipitate and form a brown discol- on the pollution classification and time-of-travel map. and of Range of Average Range of Average Range of Median 1 Range of Average solids (res- as( "aCO conduct- oration. location samples bicarbon- bicarbon- Range of Average Range of Average specific specific pH Po- Bicar- Chlo- ;! The travel time of the peak concentration in the second sub­ calcium calcium sulfate conduct- pH Date of Mean Cal- Mag- Fluo- Ni- idue on a n c e Tur­ ate ate sulfate hardness hardness conduct- discharge Silica ron Sodium Sulfate Color Sodium, at times, also is higher in this part of the river reach was rapid in comparison to the time required in the ance ance collection cium lesium .assium jonate ride ride .rate evapora- Ca, •Joncar- micro- pH bidity ABS It I ', S. Egremont station Si(X) Fe) (Na) (SO4)' (cfs) (Ca) (Mg) (K) HCO.,) (CD (F) NO:i) tio n at Mg lonate mhos than might be expected under normal conditions. Concur- other subreaches. considering that this subreach contained the 180° C) u :!."> r rently, chloride and sulfate concentrations are high and they greatest number of reservoirs. The velocity through the first East contribute to the noncarbonate hardness in the water. dam was very slow but it picked up considerably through the Pittsfield 27 2.8-24 14.0 Branch Housatonic R ver at Coltsville, Mass. Lat. 46°26' 31 2.0-14 5.5 Sept. in. 19W 2 3.5 0.16 24 9.7 9.7 1.5 112 _i 20 H.] 0.2 142 100 8 261 6.8 9 remaining dams resulting in the second highest average ve­ Long. 73° 18' 32 ? ... 4-54 17 4-42 16 27-156 81 5.76-6.9 6.5 Dec. 3, 19631 6.3 4.0 l.d 56 20 5.2 66 20 157 locity of the peak concentrations in the four subreaches. Apr. 6, 1964 17v 3.7 .11 4.4 4.4 In 14 8.0 1 .9 72 48 L5 125 6.7 7 The peak concentration in the third subreach took 44 hours May 4, 1964 61 .19 18 7.1 4.9 .7 WJ 16 7.0 .2 2.6 lull 17 175 7.2 8 to pass through the first 3 reservoirs and 23 hours to pass 3.2 .26 11 11) 2.". .2 4.6 i.v; 22 June 9, 1964 27 28 11 1.5 13 11". 6.9 0.5 through the final reservoir. July 20, 1964 37 2.6 6.2 4.1 1.0 91 11 6.0 .1 2.1 io:s 83 187 6.9 2 .7 0.0 In comparison with length, the travel time of the peak con- July 29, 1964 11 .12 13 6.4 146 15 9.(1 2.7 130 10 27:. 7.4 .4 .1 A us:. IS. l:> » . .5 1.1 119 14 .0 137 108 in 7 2 11 .8 (13) absence of reservoirs accounted for this increased velocity. 36 Long. 73° 18' 5.2-7.5 6.1 This time-of-travel study was made under one set of flow 37 2-35 9 2-~54 11 10-132 Housatonic River lear Great Barrington, Mass. 47 conditions and the travel rates should not be used if the dis- Dec. 17, 1956 803 4.0 .1

650 u 3.0 .21 30 12 T.ii 1.6 129 21 8.0 .! 2.4 ^ 125 19 27:'. 6.8 7 of investigation was made. Mills on the Housatonic River do Nov. 10, 1958 728 4.2 .19 24 i. i 1.7 96 14 1.3 12ii 92 13 206 7.0 7 cause diurnal fluctuation but it is thought that the flow was

180 ample s Dec. 9, 1958 507 1,1 .12 2 10 4.6 1.2 103 17 7.5 .1 2.0 128 mi; 22 216 7.1 jmbe r A_J z " indicative of the normal flow for the range of discharge. An Apr. 6, 1959 1.910 3.0 16 4.9 2.7 1.0 58 4.2 1.9 84 60 132 10 South Egremont (8) additional time-of-travel run at a higher discharge would 95 .14 34 19 14 14 Lat. 42°09' 24 3.6-44 15.0 'Sept. 10, 1963 3.2 12 2.7 152 32 .1 .8 212 135 10 369 6.9 permit an extension of results to cover a wider range of 442 22 7.", 19S Hardness as Long. 73° 25' 30 1.8-19 6.9 6-44 18 6-56 20 28-197 82 Dec. 3, 1963 .26 7.3 5.2 1.3 21 8.0 85 27 6.7 60 5.8-7.2 6.6 CaCO3 flow conditions. Apr. 6, 1964 923 3.0 .15 21 6.2 5.3 74 16 102 78 18 is.", 7.2 Ant May June July May 4, 1964 437 1.2 ,40 30 10 8.6 116 21 11 1.2 149 116 21 264 7.1 a. Time-of-travel studies dealing with soluble contaminants 1964 (15) 1 [June 9, 1964 183 2.(\ .34 35 12 17 16 .) 198 L37 is 7.0 19 .4 (7) are becoming more and more in demand today. Information Stations operated 1w the U.S Weather 140 Bureau. FIGURE 2.— Graph shmving hardness of rainfall samples Uuly 20, 1964 163 3.3 .07 32 12 11 1.9 128 26 14 .0 5.8 17.". 130 24 304 7.0 7 .8 .1 ft is needed in connection with pollution control and abatement (0 [10) JAug. 6, 1964 96 .17 J58 11 16 138 44 16 29 347 7.4 Q­ 5 (8) •a measures to determine dilution rates of industrial and domes­ LAtig. 18, 1964 102 3.1 .16 12 21 2.6 142 39 18 .0 2.7 212 20 360 14 .6 .1 Z

Ha i tic wastes, both treated and untreated. Civil Defense plan­ 112 3.3 .14 18 207 141 2 0 354 120 Sept. 14. 1964 35 J3__ 2.5 148 , 36 16 .1 3.1 L z - - o ning would require studies of this type so that arrival and Green Siver near Great Barrington, Mass. r- passage time of a harmful contaminant in concentrations EXPLANATION Sept. 10, 1963 4.1 I 4.2 .00 33 8.8 2.3 .7 126 14 3.8 .1 1.2 119 15 238 7.2 3 X above a critical level could be predicted. V­ i 01 4 2 Apr. 6, 1964 12S 3.6 .03 u 4 5 •J.:: .1 62 13 4.0 .0 .9 80 66 15 143 7.7 3 z A graphical presentation of the time-distance curves, river O / UJ May 4, 1964 19 3.2 23 5.5 2.4 .1 79 13 .9 80 16 n;s o Well z profile, and discharge profile is shown in figure 5. oderatel y 9, 1964 68 4.9 ^02 29 7.g 2.5 13 .0 1.1 104 20 204 7.9 1 .0 ar d wate r From which sample icas collected for chem­ c 5 £ July 20, 1964 4.8 5.2 .02 9.4 2A 126 14 5.0 .0 1.7 135 124 7.7 CJ B ical analysis; number, preceded by name 8 0 C of town, refers to text; color is coded to rock- 3.9 .22 i 3 9.1 2.5 129 14 5.3 120 14 7.7 .3 type of aquifer, as shown below Aug. 18, 1964 3.9 5.6 .02 .7 130 14 5.0 .0 1.3 140 126 20 244 .8 .0 A Sept. 14, 1964 3.6 • 4.4 .in 2.4 .8 132 14 5.1 .0 1.5 1 lo 127 18 247 7.7 .6 .0 Dissolved a: - C - 3 solids ra B •- 0" / (

1 Bedrock outcrop &- - A From icliicli sample was collected for rock 220 40 analysis; number corresponds to same A East Branch Housatonic River at Coltsville number in table J,; color is coded to rock B Housatonic River near Great Barrington type as shown below C Green River near Great Barrington A Sand and gravel deposit From which so tuple teas collected for

pebble count •>.o 9.0 Acidity and Iron Color code for rock types o alkalinity as p H (15) Sand and gravel 0.4 8.0 — (8) _ K en > LU UJ c 0 . LL (10) (15) .*J en = n 7.0 ­ C (10) X >, "D B

A Z ° 2 6 0 o

0 1— A 2 5.0 - — UJ CJ z o 0.0 ° 4.0 FIGURE 4.— Graphs showing range of dissolved solids, hardness, iron, and pH at three stream-gaging stations 20 30 5 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 14001500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 RIVER MILEAGE DAILY MEAN DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND FIGURE 5.- Graphical presentation of time-distance curves, FIGURE 3.— Graph shoeing variation of dissolved solids and hardness with discharge, Housatonic River near river profile, and discharge profile Great Barrington., 1963-64

TABLK 5.— Summary of results, time-of-travel study ANALYSIS 01 GROUND WATER GEOCH1 MICAl DISTRIBLH ION OF GROUND WATER Approximate Tlio ground-water-quaiity map shows the generalized areal Average Amount Travel time Travel time During this investigation water samples were collected discharge at of dye of leading o f |>

< V, (SO, ) is density currents. Because waters of different density re- iNa i E increase the turbidity and also reduce the dissolved-oxygen settleable solids. Others are using the existing municipal E 1?" X (Fe ) characteristic Range No. of Range No. of Range No. of Range No. of Range No. of Range No. of < 1 ' S X

iource and location temper ­ content. Pesticides and herbicides are recent additions to the facilities for disposal of their wastes. sist mixing, a stream may flow into and through a lake in tj — Dat e ll 1 C (ppm) samples (ppm) (ppm) samples ippm) samples (ppm) Turbidit y samples (ppm) samples samples w *» $1 rt at e Ii N Iro n Fluorid e X Nitrat e Sulfat e Chlorid e Sodiu m atur e s 7

one mass density current without mixing with the water in carbon ­ Silica iSiO.) 3.4 12 12 11 family of pollutants that can create problems. The end result WATER QUALITY IN LAKES. PONDS. AND RESERVOIRS 3.6 3.5 15 7.9 - 11 8.8 - 15 1 6 Wate r may bea water of poor quality and limited utility. The chemical composition of surface-water bodies (lakes, the lake. Iron i 1-V| .01 I.I 16 .04 .07 i .00 .10 L6 .00- .03 ,03 .99 .ill 10 Ajjawam Lake 158 15 7.8 ­ 148 18 296 7 2 ­ - ) Pollution is oneof the major water-quality problems in the ponds, and reservoirs) tends to be an "averaging" of the Table 7 gives the chemical analyses for 18 selected lakes, 1.8 mi, southwest of 9/3/64 (ill - 08 35 15 2.8 - Manganese (Mn) .00 .22 12 .00 .10 j 1 .00- .06 15 .00 :; .00 .07 5 .01 .46 s '-.- composition of the streams that flow into them. Assuming ponds, and reservoirs in the basin. They are located on the Stockbridge U Calcium (Ca) 6.4 68 18 1!) 7 2:! 9.6 13 26 5 16 40 7 basin, particularly in the main stem andits larger tributaries. 5 28 3 Anthony Brook Reservoir thorough mixing in the smaller and shallower bodies, the water use map shown on sheet 1. The samples for analysis - 31 12 1; 38 6.5 - MagiK'sium I MR) .9 36 is 5.5 26 7 HM 36 2:: 2.2 3 13 5 l.d 16 ii Some of the towns in the basin discharge raw sewage into 2.2 mi north of 9 15/64 52 - 03 2.5 1.4 •< - 8 8.0 0.7 - o o chemical composition is fairly uniform. However, in the lar- were taken at the surface of the various water bodies and Dalton Sodium I Na) 1.1 8.5 12 9.5 5 1.3 12 3.7 3 1.7 3.6 1 1(1 (i the rivers; other towns have limited (inadequate) facilities Ashley Reservoir 7 0.7 c for treating wastes prior to discharge into the river. Indus- ger and deeper bodies, distinct stratified layers of water may are representative of the average quality of the smaller bod- 6.2 2.8 .8 (l.li 23 9.0 1.0 O.I) 1.2 36 27 s 81 6.8 1 .0 500 Potassium i K i i 3.8 12 1 4 3.0 .!) 4.4 : 1.0 1 1.4 (i 3.8 mi southeast of "1/5/64 53 1.8 10 tries, principally paper and textile, also are heavy contribu- occur having different chemical and physical qualities. Strat- ies, but may not include the effects of stratification in the Pittsfield V Bicarbonate (HC03) 12 22 34 302 s 112 340 29 164 6 59 158 41 169 10 tors to the pollution load. Stretches of the main stem of the ification occurs when there are differences in water density larger ones. Aspinwall Reservoir Sulfate |S(), i 11 - 29 12 12 - 27 5 9.0 28 17 4.4 19 3 17 1 0 6 .0 - 61 11 136 7.0 ­ • .5 § 400 resulting from differences in temperature, suspended mat- 2.1 mi. northwest of /3/64 62 - .24 21 2.1 1.5 - 61 15 - - Chloride (Cl) 21 1 river and some of the tributaries are unsatisfactory for use Lenox in = 6 22 12 1.0 13 4 1.1 s.o 1.0 6 as water-supply sources or for recreational purposes. ter, or dissolved salts. Belmont Reservoir Fluoride 11 1 .o - :i 12 .0 - .1 15 i .2 .0 .1 1 .0 6 0 7 37 5.1 2 .5 .0 .1 3 .13 2.6 6 1.2 .9 8.1 .2 1 -2 » = 0 300 Because of these conditions, the Housatonic River was There is a tendency for lakes to stratify in accordance 1.2 mi. southwest of 2/19/65 - 3.7 Nitrate INO.I .0 6.8 12 .2 - 20 6 .1 19 17 .9 4 .0 3.7 4 ii 6 Hinsdale with temperature layers, because the density (weight) of wa­ i/i in 141 308 11 50 -222 :; 71 132 4 59 176 6 classified in 1957 by the New England Interstate Wafer Pol- Berkshire Hjrts. Reservoir Dissolved solids li!) -278 12 99 245 4 21 14 243 8.2 - - ­ lution Control Commission. The pollution classification and ter increases with a decrease in temperature until it reaches 0.7 mi. west of Great 9/S/64 66 - .03 32 111 1.1 - 130 14 1 1 -­ - CJ g. 200 I residue on evapo- Barrintrton ration at ISO' C) time of travel map shows the stretches of streams and their 39.2°F, then the density decreases to the 32°F mark. This Dissolved oxygen at: 30 ft—8.4 ppm C eveland Brook Reservoir 7.5 .4 .0 layering effect caused by thermal differences in LakeOnota 0/5/64 49 7.0 .11) 17 4.5 .Tfi 1.2 62 12 K.8 .0 83 61 0 136 classification. Table 6 shows the criteria used as the basis 35 ft—6.7 ppm 7.1 mi. northeast of 1 100 Hardness as CaCO3: Pittsfield for classification. is shown in figure 6. 38 ft—2.6 ppm Calcium, magnesium 20 -270 22 74 -302 8 106 -356 29 44 -143 8 4-4 143 10 32 -17.")

I'll 6.6 - 8.2 22 6.9 8.4 • 7.1 8.3 29 7.1 6 7.;, 9.0 6.7 s.l 10 1 39 7.0 ­ Goodale Brook Reservoir. ------­ 34 - 4.5 ------Color 1 - 4 12 1 1 1 1 3 15 1 3 1 1 0 (i 6 CLASS A CLASS B CLASS D Egremont '1 urbidity .5 2 - .1 1 - - .7 1 Suitability for use- (,oose Pond i.O 1.4 1.2 - 20 8.2 - -- ­ 21 i 55 7.11 - - ­ Temperature i !•'1 36 22 38 - 54 1 45 59 29 46 6 43 56 9 3.3 mi. southeast of /2/64 72 - .03 Suitable for any water Suitable for bathing and Suitable for recreational Suitable for transporta- Lee recreation, irrigation boating, irrigation of tion of sewage and use. Character uni- Lake Averic industrial wastes with- 8.0 .11 Wl 7 111 7.5 - - ­ formly excellent. and agricultural uses; crops not used for 0.5 mi. west of 1/2/64 75 - 13 4.7 1.3 - 55 - good fish habitat; consumption without out nuisance, and for Interlaken good aesthetic value. cooking; habitat for power, navigation and Lake Buel Acceptable for public wildlife and common certain industrial uses. .) 2 .28 7 260 7.6 - - ­ 4.9 mi. southeast of 9/3/64 70 - .Ill 15 MN 8.8 4.4 ­ water supply with food and game fishes Great Harrington filtration and dis- indigenous to the TABLE 4.— Chemical constituents, in percent, in the major types of rock' Lake Garfield infection. region; industrial cool- 1O.N 7.0 - - ­ 1.7 mi. north of 9/3/64 71) - .(IX 9.4 4.5 2... 45 6.8 3.8 - 42 ing and most indus- Monterey

i trial process uses.

. Lonp Pond Sample Rock §1 - 81 7 163 7.4 - - M tu o Standards of quality 1" mi northwest of 9/3/64 72 - - 20 7.5 1. ­ 90 8.4 .1 - - no. name p -c -• Great Barrington (SiO. ) dioxid e (A1.. O (FeO ) (CaO ) (CO, ) oxid e (MgO ) (Cl ) (Na,0 ) oxid e (MnO ) dioxid e oxid e oxid e

oxid e (TiO, ) Present at all times oxid e

(K,O ) Not less than 5 p.p.m.

SCALE 1:125 000 dioxid e Not less than 75% sat. oxid e -S'Sffi "£ I x Dissolved oxygen Not less than 75% sat. Lower Root Reservoir Silico n Aluminu m Ferrou s Magnesiu m Carbo n Calciu m Manganes e Chlorid e Sodiu m Fluorid e 72 g 147 7.5 - ­ Potassiu m 1 P~ Titaniu m Not objectionable Not objectionable 2.3 mi. northwest of 9/3/64 7l> - .114 21 4.7 1.3 - 7.S 9.6 - ­ 0 2 4 MILES X Oil and grease None No appreciable amount _1 x ~ Lenox Berkshire r Not objectionable H-1 69.55 14.2. > 0.07 Odor, scum, floating solids, None None None Mill Brook Reservoir 0.65 5.22 1.80 0.54 0.58 2.S1 2.96 0.01 0.66 0.10 0.15 0.50 0.01 0.5 34 20 12 47 6.5 24 7 .0 4 KILOMETERS Schist or debris 4.2 mi. southeast of 10/5/64 57 2.3 .48 4.8 1.8 0.9 10 9.4 0.8 Base from U.S. Geological Survey t'ittsfiehl 1:250,000, 1956 Hinsdale Sludge deposits None None None Not objectionable 73° 15' H-2 73.39 13.88 .47 M .07 Onota Lake Gneiss 1.52 1.10 5.87 2.00 .41 .03 .43 .10 .02 .00 .02 - 101 91 » 1(11 7.4 - Color and turbiditv None Not objectionable Not objectionable Not objectionable 2.7 mi. northwest of 9/14/6 1 63 - .1)4 23 8.1 2.6 - 102 8.11 - - Pittsfield Cheshire Phenols or other taste None None None H-3 94.69 2.58 .09 .11 .06 .00 .11 .01 .19 .02 .00 .01 .01 ,i , I'tjntoosuc Lake Quartzite 1.66 .21 producing substances .7 7.S 106 90 14 199 7.4 14 MAP SHOWING LOCATIONS OF SELECTED WELLS, SITES AT WHICH LITHOLOGIC SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED 2.9 mi. north of 9/14/6 1 66 1.0 .01 26 6.2 4.0 '.14 11 .0 1.1 1 •" Stockbridge Substances potentially toxic None None Not in toxic concentrations Not in toxic concentrations Pittsfield AND BAR GRAPHS REPRESENTING QUALITY OF WATER DATA H-4 2.17 .21 .27 .18 20.51 .01 .00 .02 45.SO .02 .01 or combinations or combinations Richmond Pond Formation 30.01 .10 .31 .01 .02 106 83 19 1S9 8.0 4.1} mi. southwest of 9/14/64 62 - .( 8 211 8.0 5.0 - 78 14 11 - - - - Free acids or alkalies None None None Not in objectionable amounts Pittsfield H-6 do. .38 .11 .04 .02 .51 55.00 .08 .08 .03 .mi .01 .00 .00 43.71 .01 .00 ] Sackett Brook Reservoir 56 46 6 99 6 .0 4.9 mi. southeast of 10/5/6 4 53 3.2 .(17 in 5.U 1.2 48 9.0 1.8 .11 .3 7 2 .4 Radioactivity Within limits approved by the appropriate State agency with consideration of possible adverse Pittsfield effects in downstream waters from discharge of radioactive wastes; limits in a particular water­ H-7 do. 2.56 .71 .02 .44 17.53 32.83 .12 .34 .01 .00 .31 .02 .01 44.76 .01 .01 1 Stockbrid(re Bowl Lake shed to be resolved when necessary after consultation between States involved. 104 - - - 1.4 mi. north of 9/2/6 1 71 - ill 26 9.5 3.4 - 109 13 - - - 14 22L CHEMICAL QUALITY OF GROUND WATER MINERALOGY OF AQUIFERS rock. That is, quartzitic and gneissic pebbles are abundant in Berkshire Coliform bacteria Within limits approved Bacterial content of Interlaken H-8 58.52 21.94 1.78 1.74 .01 .08 The chemical quality of ground water is dependent upon There are four major groups of rocks in the basin. They the surficial deposits in the eastern part of the basin where Schist 5.87 .47 2.76 1.07 3.63 .04 1.03 .16 .15 .18 by State Department bathing waters shall Lahey Reservoir .9 20 10 7 32 5.9 its geologic and hydrologic environment. Precipitation is are the carbonate, quartzitic, gneissic, and schistose rocks. of Health for uses meet limits approved 1.5 mi. northeast of 9/15/ i4 64 - .16 2 7 .8 - 4 8.6 .4 - these rock types crop Out; and schistose pebbles are abundant Lee somewhat mineralized and, therefore, is the initial source of involved. * by State Department To help determine the sources of mineralization in ground in the western part of the basin where this rock type crops H-10 do. 56.30 21.80 .93 6.93 2.35 1.02 4.35 1.07 2.95 .03 .MS .10 .11 .07 .on .10 of Health and accept­ Washington Mountain

mineralization in ground water. That part of the precipita­ Reservoir • ) 53 24 62 6.7 - - water 10 rock samples were collected from the major rock out. Carbonate pebbles are interspersed with the above men­ ability will depend on 9/15/ 54 51 - .56 3.1 4.(1 1.2 - 22 5.8 - - - Becket 2.4 mi. northeast of tion which becomes ground water takes additional minerals types in the basin and chemical analyses made. The locations tioned rock types, largely in the deposits in the central val­ sanitary survey. Lee H-ll Gneiss 73.96 12.28 1.22 2.59 .43 .69 2.51 5.42 .48 .05 .22 .01 .03 .04 .01 .04 into solution as it percolates through soils and rocks contain­ of the sampling sites are shown on the ground-water-quality leys where carbonate i ock crops out. The distribution of 'Sen icnters used for tic inking of market shellfish shall not have a median colifo •m content in excess of 70 per m5 36 .06 15 14 2.H TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES FAHRENHEIT Lenox of time of contact. Because the chemical and physical prop­ posits in several of the stream valleys. The locations of these 'New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission FIGURE 6.— Graph showing temperature gradient and dis- 'Averageof a analyses for year i9«v erties of the rocks are not the same throughout the basin, sample sites are also shown on the quality of water map sol red-oxygen concentrations, Onota Lake, Pittsfield, Mass, the quality of the ground water varies appreciably from place above. The distribution of pebbles in the surficial deposits I k to place. 5:45 PM, Sept. 3, 195J, Health. show a general relationship to the occurrence of local bed­ (Data furnished by the Massachusetts Division of Fish* ties and Game)

SDMS DocID 000219192 INTERIOR—GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

•-•4^o:dsCc:i: HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE HOUSATONIC RIVER BASIN, MASSACHUSETTS By Ralph F. Norvitch, Donald F. Farrell, PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HYDROLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION ATLAS HA-281 (SHEET 4 OF 4) UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND BERKSHIRE COUNTY GEOLOGY AND GROUND WATER

GEOLOGY AND GROUND WATER J 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1—z _ ™i The geologic units included in this report are separated 4 Pumping well on at 10:30 a.m. - 6013 gpm Recovery curve — into two broad categories; they are: (1) surficial deposits, 6 and (2) bedrock. The surficial deposits, excluding swamps and Recent alluvium, are glacial in origin. The bedrock is B largely paleomarine and igneous in origin. 1 n

The surficial deposits (surficial geologic and ground-wa­ 12 i ter-availability map) are composed of rock particles ranging Observation well 2 14 in size from clay to boulders. They are classified, according Pumping well 16 Dra wdown curve •——_____^ Observat on well 2 to mode of deposition, as stratified deposits (glaciofluvial Pumping well of a 10:30 am i and glaciolacustrine) and nonstratified (till) deposits. 18 Observation well 4 i Bedrock in the basin consists of sandstone, limestone, and c a. 0 20 40 60 FEET Observation well 5 dolomite; and marble, quartzite, schist, and gneiss (bedrock o Q . , . _. — • z geologic map). These rocks have been deformed by tilting, 2 — cr folding, and faulting to such a degree during various periods D . of geologic history that their overall formation attitudes can CO •1 be determined only by detailed geologic mapping. The defor­ 6 mational processes have caused parting along joints and frac- S o tures which now constitute the major water-bearing openings • Observation well 4 UJ 10 • •— 1 in the rocks. m 12

u - 2 . — 4 Mi l

6 ­

8 ­ HYDROLOGY V 10 In order to evaluate an aquifer for a possible large-scale Observat on well 5 water supply, it is necessary to determine its hydraulic char- 12 — acteristics. These may be found by field pumping tests. 1 1 1 i I Data collected from these tests are used to compute trans- 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 JANUARY 1965 missibility (T) and storage coefficient (S) values that, in DECEMBER 1964 turn, may be used to predict practical aquifer performance. FIGURE 1.— Hydrographs showing water levels in wells 2, 4, and 5 during Lanesborough pumping test A pumping test was made in the aquifer underlying the valley of Town Brook in Lanesborough, about half a mile northeast of Pontoosuc Lake. Figure 1 is an arithmetic graph of the drawdown and recovery curves of the water 0 { levels in the observation wells during the test. The rise in i 1 r 1 ! 1 the trend measurements made in observation wells 2 and 5 the night before the start of the test was due to a torrential 1 rainfall that ended that evening. _— 2 . v Values for T and S were determined from the data gained . • • *,—• from the pumping test. An average T value of 65,000 gpd 3 — — i per ft and an S value of 0.0004 were used to compute theo- Ui 4 retical curves for the relation of drawdown to distance for a ' . •. ' constant well discharge of 500 gpm (figure 2). _—— In practical application, the curves may be used to predict 5 well interference. That is, should another well be placed in 6 •"""** ' the same aquifer 2,600 ft away from a well pumping 500 gpm, b — • '

the drawdown in the one well caused by pumping in the other o , < / _ s—• • • would be about 1.8 ft after one day, 3.8 ft after 10 days, and a: 7 ­ a ——If * ' 5.8 ft after 100 days of pumping in the interfering well. Be­ / _-—— Reservoir B / Pumping rate (Q) = 500 gpm cause the drawdowns caused by interference are additive, > Coefficient of transmissibility (T) = 65,000 gpd per ft this means that if the drawdown in one well caused by its _J 9 _ ' / own pumping was 10 ft, then the total drawdown in that / -""^ Coefficient of storage (S) = 0.0004

well would be about 15.8 ft, due to the interference caused 10 f = Time. in days, since pumping began by continuously pumping the well which is 2,600 ft away for r = Distance. in feet, from pumped well to observa­ 100 days. Similarly, the drawdown at the midpoint (1,300 ft) 11 tion point EXPLANATION of the above two wells after both were pumped at 500 gpm / A "Points referred to in text continuously for 100 days would be about 14 ft (2 times 7 ft, 12 on the graph). Boundary conditions were not considered in the predicted 13 7 drawdown graph shown in figure 2; both recharge and dis­ Gneissic rocks 1 I 1 1 1 charge boundaries may be expected if pumping is continued 14 i i —i i Mostly granite biotite gneiss with some mica­ 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 ceous schist and quartzite. Includes rocks for long periods. of the Hinsdale Gneiss, Becket Granite DISTANCE (r), IN FEET Gneiss, and Washington Gneiss of Pre- cambrian age, and some Lee Quartz Diorite, also of Precambrian age. Yields from wells FIGURE 2.—Drawdown versus distance graph in the aquifer underlying the Town Brook Valley at Lanesborough in this rock type range from about J, to 150 gpm (gallons per minute) and hare a median yield of about la gpm

Schistose rocks Mostly quartz-mica schist with some garnet- EXPLANATION iferous schist. Includes the Berkshire Schist of Ordovician age and perhaps some undiffe'rentiated schists of Cambrian or PITTSFIELD 51 Precambrian age. Yieldsfrom wells in this LANESBOROUGH 29 60 Ice-contact rock type range from about 1 to 30 gpm and Stratified surficial deposits have a median yield of about 5 gpm Mostly silt, sand, gravel, and boulders with some clay in well to poorly sorted deposits; Steadman occurs as valley bottom fill, terrace fill, Pond kame, kame terraces, kame deltas and ice- channel fillings; largely glaciofluvial and Quartzitic rocks glaciolacustrine deposits of Pleistocene age Mostly quartzite, quartzite conglomerate, and some swamp, stream, and lake deposits feldspathic quartzite. and some mica schist; of Recent age. Known range in thickness, some surface outcrops appear as a friable II to Jit) feet. Well yields may range locally sandstone. Includes rocks of the Dalton from less than 1 gpm (gallon per minute) Formation of Early Cambrian (?) age,rocks to about 91)0 gpm of the Cheshire Quartzite of Early Cam­ brian age, and micaceous quartzites within the Stockbridge Grotip of Cambrian and Ordovician age. Yields from wells in GREAT BARRINGTON 11 2 — this rock type range from about 1 to 100 Till jjjini and ilill:e II Illf-itUl)! l/il'ltl Of fllttltll Jll mixture of silt, sand, gravel, gpm OIK/ boulders with minor clay. Known range in thickness, " to 90feet. Occur* us a Outwash discontinuous month- over bedrock hills and OK o thicker deposit in drumlins (glacially Carbonate rocks molded elongate hills). May occur locally overlying glaciofluvial deposits, particularly Mostly limestone, dolomite, anil marble. In- adjacent to steep valley walls. Also in- cludes rocks of the Stockbridge Group of cluded under this symbol are areas where Cambrian and Ordovician age and rocks bedrock is at or near the land surface. Not of the Coles Brook Limestone of Precam­ considered a good aquifer; however, where brian age (thin segments in the eastern saturated, low yields suitable for most part of the basin). Yieldsfrom wells in domestic needs may lie obtained from large this rock type range from less than I gpm diameter dug or bored wells to about l.iOOgpm. but hare a median yield of only about 9 gpm

Geologic contact Hachures denote areas most favorable for 18 Dotted where unknown ground-water exploration, based on either one or a combination of the following: ? geologic position, well data, auger borings, 1963 1964 1965 Fault and base-flow data Approximately located, queried where in­ ferred. Wells in fault zones yield con­ siderably more water than in other areas

I MLOUNT Basin boundary •*WASfill NG Fault c; Inferred from aeromagnetic survey CONNECTICUT CONNECTICUT Basin boundary Base from U.S. Geological Survey Geology adapted from mapping done Base from U.S. Geological Survey Bedrock geology adapted from maps by B. K. 1:250,000. 1956 by G. William Holmes, John Atherton, 1:250,000, 1956 Emerson, 1916; T. Nelson Dale, 1923: and Joseph H. Hartshorn, and Ralph F. Norman Herz. 1958 Norvitch, U.S. Geological Survey SCALE 1:125 000 SCALE 1:125000 0 4 MILES 2 4 MILES 1 4 KILOMETERS 2 0 4 KILOMETERS MAP SHOWING GENERALIZED BEDROCK GEOLOGY MAP SHOWING GENERALIZED EXTENT OF STRATIFIED SURFICIAL DEPOSITS AND REATfBARRIIjKitnN Fond" AREAS MOST FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF GROUND-WATER SUPPLIES If? Lake ,

AVAILABILITY OF GROUND WATER The valley of Town Brook in Lanesborough contains at the basin, coarse sand and gravel layers here may grade lat- 1963 1964 1965 Although the total amount of water stored in natural sub- least 150 feet of stratified deposits in places. The Town of erally and vertically into finer sediments in very short dis- EXPLANATION GREAT BARRINGTON 59 surface reservoirs is many times greater than that stored in Lanesborough has two producing wells in these sediments. tances, thus reducing the water-bearing potential. This is 2 • Till both natural and man-made surface reservoirs, only 1.2 per- The valley deposits of Unkamet Brook north of Coltsville aii extensive deposit, however, and the central part of it has Observation well cent of all the water supplied by municipalities in the basin 3 contain at lea?t 98 feet of stratified sediments in places. A not been fully explored for water. The southern end of this l Water levels on corresponding hy­ comes from wells. well, 52 feet «eep, in the northern part of this valley, report- deposit appears to be mostly fine sand in the subsurface. drographs are in feet below land \ surface SURFICIAL DEPOSITS edly supplies half a million gallons of water a day. An auger The valley of Green Water Brook in East Lee, although ,N1{W MARYBOROUGH * Harmon Pand', 16 In addition to showing the extent of stratified surficial hole drilled in these sediments near the basin boundary indi- narrow, may be a good source of ground water. An auger 5 deposits, the surficial geologic and ground-water-availability cated alternating layers of fine and coarse grains, with the hole drilled in the flat valley bottom east of the Massachu­ r map shows the general areas most favorable for finding fine grains predominating, A gravel-packed well here may setts Turnpike overpass on Highway 20 penetrated 64 feet i , ground water. A larger scale, more detailed ground-water- Spring be made to connect all the coarse layers in any one section, o; sand and gravel before having to stop because of hard The volume of spring flow is dependent upon the head in favorability map of the area is available in a report by Nor- 7 BEDROCK AQUIFERS thereby obtaining a large water yield from the layered sedi- drilling. Base-flow measurements also are favorable in this Number refers to table 1 its aquifer source. The flow is at a maximum in the spring vitch (19661. Base by U.S. Geological The areal extent and ground-water yields of the four ma- ments. ?roa. 8 1963 1964 1965 (season) when water levels are high, and at a minimum in Numerous test holes and test pumpings sometimes are re- Survey, 1956 jor types of bedrock in the basin are shown on the bedrock The East Branch of the Housatonic River and Waconah Auger holes were drilled in the Tyringham Valley near late summer when water levels are low. Table 1 shows the quired to find places where the surficial stratified deposits Falls Brook join in Dalton in a broad flat valley. The ice- tre confluence of Hop Brook and the Housatonic River, near 9 SCALE 1:250 000 Basin boundary geologic map. They all contain ground water in secondary \ variance in seasonal flow for six selected springs in the ba­ are well sorted and coarse enough to yield sufficient volumes contact deposits in the northwest part of the valley are fine Breakneck Road, and near the Tyringham-Monterey Road. openings, such as fractures, joints, and solution cavities, \ sin. They are located on figure 3. Again, because of the of water for municipal and industrial supplies. Because of if) 5 MILES within the rock formations. The volume and rate at which sand to coarse gravel, composed largely of quartzitic and The sediments were fine and not suitable to supply water to drought, these may represent all time record low flows. As the variability of grain sizes in these deposits, sufficient schistose grains. Wells completed in the sand and gravel they will yield water to wells is dependent upon the size and high-capacity drilled wells. 11 - the data show, in some places the difference between the testing is imperative. Insufficient testing might easily cause interconnection of these openings. supply sufficient amounts of water to operate a large aggre- Some of the largest sand and gravel deposits in the basin FIGURE 3.—Map showing locations and hydrographs fall and spring (season) flows are appreciable. a suitable aquifer to be disregarded as a source for supply. l i Figure 4 shows the occurrence of ground water in bedrock gate washing plant here. An auger test hole at the Depart- occur just east and northeast of Monument Mountain in 1963 1964 1965 A summary appraisal of water-bearing properties of the ment of Public Works garage on Orchard Street in Dalton Great Barrington and Stockbridge. They are sorted and of observation wells and, locations of springs and why some wells produce and others do not. The figure valley fill deposits (mostly glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine) penetrated about 115 feet of sediment before reaching refus- stratified and contain large percentages of carbonate rock. also shows the significance of a fault adjacent to carbonate in the basin, indicates that sediment grains in the tributary al; the test hole log shows about 70 feet of very fine sand Little is known as to the depth of these deposits below the rock. The crushed rock zone along the fault provides an valleys generally are coarser than sediment grains in the over alternating layers of fine sand and coarse sand below w iter table. If they continue in the subsurface, they should easy access for percolating ground water to move into sec- trunk stream (Housatonic River) valley. The coarseness of the water table, which was about 13 feet below land surface. provide large volumes of water to wells. condary openings in the rock and cause larger solution open- the grains in a few areas, particularly south of Woods Pond Where Waconah Falls Brook flows out of the hills onto the Little is known about the texture and depths of the sedi­ ings. It is not possible to predict the location of buried solu- in Lee, are exceptions to this appraisal. broad flat there is an area geologically suitable for deposi- ments in the Konkapot River Valley. Massachusetts Depart- tion complexes in carbonate rock, however, likely places The valley of the Williams River, beginning at Shaker Mill tion of coarser sediments than predominate in the remainder ment of Public Works bridge borings show alternating layers would be near faults and geologic contacts. TABLE 1.- Selected spring flows for fall (196b) WATER-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS Pond in West Stockbridge is largely filled with silt and clay, of the eastern part of the valley. The bedrock rises close to of sand and gravel to depths of 29 feet. The ice-contact de- a prolonged drought period and many of the water levels During periods of normal precipitation water levels in aqui- and spring (1965) Ground-water levels are not stahle; they display short- a poor water-yielding combination. the land surface and crops out west of Center Pond and along posit just east of Hartsville is located geologically in a favor- recorded herein might be considered as record lows. fers will peak at about the same level every spring. term, seasonal, and long-term fluctuations. Short-term fluc- Location Flow Temp. The valley of the Green River, beginning at North Egrc- the banks of the river, therefore, seismic profiles in conjunc- able place for deposition of coarse sand and gravel. Base- Figure 3 shows the yearly highs and lows that occurred All the hydrographs on figure 3 show nearly the same SPRINGS Date tuations are of little significance to the water user unless they (gpm) IT) mont and ending somewhere east of the Great Barrington tion with test drilling might save time and money when ex- flow measurements also show this valley to be favorable for in 11 observation wells measured during this study. The trend. Water levels generally reach a peak in the early Springs are a water source to many individual homes and No. Town are caused by pumping, in which case, he should be aware airport, is filled with poorly to well-sorted sand and gravel ploring for ground water in this valley. ground-water exploration. maximum water-level fluctuation during this period, in any- spring due to recharge from melting snow and frost, before some towns in the basin. They largely occur on the flanks of the effects of pumping as explained previously. Seasonal 11-13-64 39.9 composed largely of schistose grains. The schist tends to Information is lacking on the depth and texture of the val- Sediments in the trunk stream valley are composed largely one aquifer, was 13.89 feet, with the exception of 113.95 feet vegetation begins to flourish. They begin to decline in the of bedrock hills, generally near the base. During years of 1 Pittsfield fluctuations are important because they may influence the 5- 5-65 552 44.5 break down into small platy fragments and very fine grains ley fill deposits of the East Branch Housatonic River south of of silt and sand. Auger holes drilled in Pittsfield penetrated in Lanesborough 29 (see figure 3). The fluctuations in this late spring due to an increase in evapotranspiration, and they normal precipitation they are a perennial water source; how- depth a pump is set, or they may even influence the depth ever, because of the prolonged drought (beginning 1961) 11-13-64 15.0 46 which pack between the coarser grains, thereby reducing the Hinsdale town proper. The ice-contact deposits near the ba- remarkably uniform silt and fine sand to a depth of 122 feet. well should not be considered normal water-level fluctuations continue to decline until the late fall when evapotranspira- 2 Lee a well is completed, especially a shallow dug well. Seasonal 5- 5-65 34.5 45 permeability of the deposit. However, well-sorted coarse sin boundary on the south are sorted and stratified. If these An auger hole drilled near the river at Stockbridge pene- in a bedrock aquifer; however, Ihey present a possible ex- tion essentially ceases. At this time they either level out or some springs barely flowed or ceased to flow during the fluctuations are caused by changes in rates of ground-water summer and fall of 1964. for the first time in memory. 11-13-64 9.87 47 zones do occur making this a likely place to test drill for deposits continue in the subsurface, large quantities of wa- trated gray silt until stopped at a depth of 112 feet. Near treme for this area. bog-in a gradual climb, depending on local and climatic condi- 3 do. recharge and discharge during the year. Long-term fluctu- 5 4-65 31.0 48.5 ground water. The deposit thins rapidly near the sides of ter would be available to wells. the river in Great Barrington and Sheffield, the fine sedi- All high water levels in the spring of 1965 were lower than tions, until spring recharge again takes effect to complete Springs rise where ground water, under hydrostatic pres- ations are due to temperature and precipitation cycles that sure, in the bedrock aquifers makes its way through fissures 11-13-64 6.3 48 the valley, so the center part near the stream may be the The extensive ice-contact deposit along the eastern bor- tnents were also found to predominate. The sediments will their former levels in the spring of 1964. This condition was the cycle. 4 Stockbridge occur over a number of years. This study was made during 5- 5-65 6.7 47 best place to drill. der of Pittsfield is extremely variable in composition; how- not supply usuable quantities of water to drilled wells. How- caused by below normal winter and early spring precipitation. or solution openings in the rocks, either laterally or upward, The valley deposits of Secum and Daniels Brooks, north ever, silt and fine sand seem to predominate in the subsurface. EXPLANATION to the land surface. Springs also can flow from unconsoli- 11-12-64 1.4 49 ever, the subsurface texture of the valley fill deposits (here) 5 New Marlborough 5- 4-65 33.2 46 of Onota Lake also contain large percentages of schistose Auger holes drilled in the northern part near Barton Brook it; unknown. Locally, it may be possible to encounter sedi- dated deposits. This occurs generally where an impervious Carbonate rock Quartzitic rock Fault zone layer (clay, for example) impedes the downward percolation 1.2 46 and platy grains which may be tightly packed. However, an encountered some coarse layers at depth but their water- ments coarse enough to supply usuable quantities of water Glacial drift 11-12-64 of ground water and carries it laterally to where it flows out 6 do. 5- 4-65 3.6 47 auger boring near Old Ore Bed Road in Lanesborough pene- bearing potential was not determined. There may be local to drilled wells. For instance, a well providing water for • ••••• • • > trated about 60 feet of sand and gravel before being stopped places where large volumes of water may be available to the Town of Sheffield penetrated 242 feet of silt and fine of the ground from the side or bottom of a hill. by difficult drilling, and a gravel face in the ice-contact de- properly developed wells. sand before being completed in 8 feet of coarse sand. The posit just north of Hancock Road in Pittsfield shows some The ice-contact deposit just south of Woods Pond in the well yields 150 gpm. FIGURE 4.- Generalized diagram showing occurrence of water well-sorted coarse gravel zones. If these zones continue in Town of Lee is also variable in composition; however, two in bedrock adjacent to a fault zone the subsurface, below the water table, they might yield large drilled wells near the pond each supply more than a million volumes of water to wells. Base-flow measurements also gallons of water a day. Many test holes were required to favor both of these places for ground-water exploration. select these sites. Like most of the stratified deposits in

INTERIOR —GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. WASHINGTON. D.C.—1968—W6736I HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE HOUSATONIC RIVER BASIN, MASSACHUSETTS By Ralph F. Norvitch, Donald F. Farrell, Felix H. Pauszek, and Richard G. Petersen 1968