Flood Risk Report Concord River Watershed
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Concord River Diadromous Fish Restoration FEASIBILITY STUDY
Concord River Diadromous Fish Restoration FEASIBILITY STUDY Concord River, Massachusetts Talbot Mills Dam Centennial Falls Dam Middlesex Falls DRAFT REPORT FEBRUARY 2016 Prepared for: In partnership with: Prepared by: This page intentionally left blank. Executive Summary Concord River Diadromous Fish Restoration FEASIBILITY STUDY – DRAFT REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Project Purpose The purpose of this project is to evaluate the feasibility of restoring populations of diadromous fish to the Concord, Sudbury, and Assabet Rivers, collectively known as the SuAsCo Watershed. The primary impediment to fish passage in the Concord River is the Talbot Mills Dam in Billerica, Massachusetts. Prior to reaching the dam, fish must first navigate potential obstacles at the Essex Dam (an active hydro dam with a fish elevator and an eel ladder) on the Merrimack River in Lawrence, Middlesex Falls (a natural bedrock falls and remnants of a breached dam) on the Concord River in Lowell, and Centennial Falls Dam (a hydropower dam with a fish ladder), also on the Concord River in Lowell. Blueback herring Alewife American shad American eel Sea lamprey Species targeted for restoration include both species of river herring (blueback herring and alewife), American shad, American eel, and sea lamprey, all of which are diadromous fish that depend upon passage between marine and freshwater habitats to complete their life cycle. Reasons The impact of diadromous fish species extends for pursuing fish passage restoration in the far beyond the scope of a single restoration Concord River watershed include the importance and historical presence of the project, as they have a broad migratory range target species, the connectivity of and along the Atlantic coast and benefit commercial significant potential habitat within the and recreational fisheries of other species. -
Trail Guide to Lexington's Conservation Land
TRAIL GUIDE TO LEXINGTON’S CONSERVATION LAND 2013 edition Produced by the Lexington Conservation Stewards Supported by the Lexington Conservation Commission Lexington Conservation STEWARDS First Edition Table of Contents July 2013 Subject Page Map Number Produced by Emily Schadler (Conservation Stewardship Program Overview Map 2 Coordinator for the Town of Lexington Conservation Division) and the Lexington Conservation Stewards. Supported by the Lexington Conservation Welcome 4 Commission. Lexington Conservation Stewards 5 Conservation Area Map Legend 7 Special thanks to members of the Lexington Conservation Stewards for Paint Mine and Hennessey Field 8 1 volunteering their mapping, data collection, and editing services. Simond’s Brook 10 2 Katahdin Woods 12 3 Data for the maps in this book has been provided by the Town of Lexington and the Offi ce of Geographic and Environmental Information (MassGIS), Cranberry Hill 14 4 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Offi ce of Environmental Affairs. Idylwilde 16 5 The information is provided as a reasonably accurate point of reference Juniper Hill 18 6 but is not intended to represent authoritative location. The Town of Lexington Hayden Woods 20 7 shall not be held responsible for the accuracy or misuse of this data. All Dunback Meadow 22 8 information is subject to change without notice. Upper Vine Brook - Cotton Farm 24 9 Historical information on conservation areas was drawn from the Lexington Daisy Wilson Meadow 26 10 Conservation Division’s records and from Historical Guide to Open Space in Joyce Miller’s Meadow 28 11 Lexington by Thomas P. Sileo (1995. Acton, MA - Concepts Unlimited). Thank Liberty Heights 30 12 you to Mr. -
Shawsheen River Watershed Stream Management Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION........................................................................................................................................PAGE NO. 1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Drivers for Study.............................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Project Objectives...........................................................................................................................1-2 2. STREAM ASSESSMENT...................................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Watershed Description ...................................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1 Sub-Basins.....................................................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1.1 Impervious Cover ...........................................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1.2 Land Uses with High Potential Pollutant Loads..............................................................................2-2 2.1.2 Water Quality in the Shawsheen River Watershed in Lexington ....................................................2-2 2.2 Stream Survey................................................................................................................................2-6 -
Memorandum To
The City of Lowell • Department of Planning and Development JFK Civic Center • 50 Arcand Drive • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674-4252 • F: 978.970.4262 www.LowellMA.gov Diane Nichols Tradd Assistant City Manager/DPD Director MEMORANDUM Craig Thomas Deputy Director TO: Eileen M. Donoghue, City Manager FROM: Diane N. Tradd, Assistant City Manager/DPD Director DATE: February 23, 2021 SUBJECT: MOTION OF 1/26/21 BY COUNCILOR DRINKWATER REQUEST CITY MANAGER PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE RIVERWALK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is pleased to provide an update on many exciting projects to build or enhance trails along the Merrimack and Concord Rivers. Merrimack Riverwalk Phase II This $4.8 million project is a partnership between the City of Lowell and Lowell National Historical Park, with funding from a Federal Highway Administration Program and city capital funds. The project will extend the “Mile of Mills” Merrimack Riverwalk, also known as the Yankee Division Walkway, from its current terminus behind Boott Mills to a new, highly visible entry point in front of the Lowell Memorial Auditorium (LMA). The project will include an overlook at the confluence of the Concord and Merrimack Rivers and a dramatic new footbridge over the Concord River. A primary goal is to connect attractions such as the LMA, the Tsongas Center, UMass Lowell, and the Concord River Greenway, and the regional 230-mile Bay Circuit trail. Construction on this project began May 2020. MAS Building and Bridge has cleaned and scored the sewer interceptor box culvert that carries the path, installed lamps along the interceptor, installed abutments and micropiles that will support the bridge, and has begun installing the cantilevered overlook and fabricating the bridge. -
The Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers Developing a Report Card Stakeholder Workshop Newsletter Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge February - March 2018
The Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers Developing a Report Card Stakeholder Workshop Newsletter Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge February - March 2018 Watersheds As part of the landscape that saw the start of both Assabet River Watershed LOWELL the American revolution and the industrial revolution, Concord River Watershed TEWKSBURY Sudbury River Watershed the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers in Streams CHELMSFORD Massachusetts have a long history of use and abuse. Designated Wild & Scenic Restoring the health of these three interconnected Massachusetts BILLERICA WESTFORD r rivers has been the mission of OARS, the watershed e CARLISLE Riv d organization for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord or c n LITTLETON o Rivers, for 31 years. Restoration takes many years of C BOXBOROUGH BEDFORD committed work by local communities and support ACTON from many sources. Effective actions depend on HARVARD a sound understanding of the science and the local context, which must be broadly understood STOW CONCORD and communicated. BOLTON MAYNARD LINCOLN CLINTON BERLIN In 2018, OARS partnered with the Integration and SUDBURY r HUDSON WAYLAND Rive Application Network, University of Maryland Center et ab ss A for Environmental Science to initiate a river report BOYLSTON WESTON card for the region. The report card will provide a MARLBOROUGH snapshot of current river conditions and the historical NORTHBOROUGH FRAMINGHAM trends and context of those conditions. NATICK WESTBOROUGH SOUTHBOROUGH To start the process, two workshops were held at SHREWSBURY Sudbury River HOPKINTON Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge on 28 ASHLAND SHERBORN February and 1 March 2018, with key stakeholders GRAFTON from all three river basins. The initial workshop elicited UPTON what stakeholders value about the rivers, and the 10 mi N 10 km subsequent workshop focused on how to measure Location of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord River watersheds those values, and where to find data. -
Flood Insurance Study 25017CV006B
VOLUME 6 OF 8 MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS (ALL JURISDICTIONS) COMMUNITY NAME COMMUNITY NUMBER ACTON, TOWN OF 250176 ARLINGTON, TOWN OF 250177 Middlesex County ASHBY, TOWN OF 250178 ASHLAND, TOWN OF 250179 AYER, TOWN OF 250180 BEDFORD, TOWN OF 255209 COMMUNITY NAME COMMUNITY NUMBER BELMONT, TOWN OF 250182 MELROSE, CITY OF 250206 BILLERICA, TOWN OF 250183 NATICK, TOWN OF 250207 BOXBOROUGH, TOWN OF 250184 NEWTON, CITY OF 250208 BURLINGTON, TOWN OF 250185 NORTH READING, TOWN OF 250209 CAMBRIDGE, CITY OF 250186 PEPPERELL, TOWN OF 250210 CARLISLE, TOWN OF 250187 READING, TOWN OF 250211 CHELMSFORD, TOWN OF 250188 SHERBORN, TOWN OF 250212 CONCORD, TOWN OF 250189 SHIRLEY, TOWN OF 250213 DRACUT, TOWN OF 250190 SOMERVILLE, CITY OF 250214 DUNSTABLE, TOWN OF 250191 STONEHAM, TOWN OF 250215 EVERETT, CITY OF 250192 STOW, TOWN OF 250216 FRAMINGHAM, TOWN OF 250193 SUDBURY, TOWN OF 250217 GROTON, TOWN OF 250194 TEWKSBURY, TOWN OF 250218 HOLLISTON, TOWN OF 250195 TOWNSEND, TOWN OF 250219 HOPKINTON, TOWN OF 250196 TYNGSBOROUGH, TOWN OF 250220 HUDSON, TOWN OF 250197 WAKEFIELD, TOWN OF 250221 LEXINGTON, TOWN OF 250198 WALTHAM, CITY OF 250222 LINCOLN, TOWN OF 250199 WATERTOWN, TOWN OF 250223 LITTLETON, TOWN OF 250200 WAYLAND, TOWN OF 250224 LOWELL, CITY OF 250201 WESTFORD, TOWN OF 250225 MALDEN, CITY OF 250202 WESTON, TOWN OF 250226 MARLBOROUGH, CITY OF 250203 WILMINGTON, TOWN OF 250227 MAYNARD, TOWN OF 250204 WINCHESTER, TOWN OF 250228 MEDFORD, CITY OF 250205 WOBURN, CITY OF 250229 Map Revised: July 7, 2014 Federal Emergency Management Agency FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY NUMBER 25017CV006B NOTICE TO FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY USERS Communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program have established repositories of flood hazard data for floodplain management and flood insurance purposes. -
Mercury Pollution in Massachusetts' Waters
Photo: Supe87, Under license from Shutterstock.com from Supe87, Under license Photo: ToXIC WATERWAYS Mercury Pollution in Massachusetts’ Waters Lauren Randall Environment Massachusetts Research & Policy Center December 2011 Executive Summary Coal-fired power plants are the single larg- Human Services advises that all chil- est source of mercury pollution in the Unit- dren under twelve, pregnant women, ed States. Emissions from these plants even- women who may become pregnant, tually make their way into Massachusetts’ and nursing mothers not consume any waterways, contaminating fish and wildlife. fish from Massachusetts’ waterways. Many of Massachusetts’ waterways are un- der advisory because of mercury contami- Mercury pollution threatens public nation. Eating contaminated fish is the main health source of human exposure to mercury. • Eating contaminated fish is the main Mercury pollution poses enormous public source of human exposure to mercury. health threats. Mercury exposure during • Mercury is a potent neurotoxicant. In critical periods of brain development can the first two years of a child’s life, mer- contribute to irreversible deficits in verbal cury exposure can lead to irreversible skills, damage to attention and motor con- deficits in attention and motor control, trol, and reduced IQ. damage to verbal skills, and reduced IQ. • While adults are at lower risk of neu- In 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection rological impairment than children, Agency (EPA) developed and proposed the evidence shows that a low-level dose first national standards limiting mercury and of mercury from fish consumption in other toxic air pollution from existing coal- adults can lead to defects similar to and oil-fired power plants. -
Outdoor Recreation Recreation Outdoor Massachusetts the Wildlife
Photos by MassWildlife by Photos Photo © Kindra Clineff massvacation.com mass.gov/massgrown Office of Fishing & Boating Access * = Access to coastal waters A = General Access: Boats and trailer parking B = Fisherman Access: Smaller boats and trailers C = Cartop Access: Small boats, canoes, kayaks D = River Access: Canoes and kayaks Other Massachusetts Outdoor Information Outdoor Massachusetts Other E = Sportfishing Pier: Barrier free fishing area F = Shorefishing Area: Onshore fishing access mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/fba/ Western Massachusetts boundaries and access points. mass.gov/dfw/pond-maps points. access and boundaries BOAT ACCESS SITE TOWN SITE ACCESS then head outdoors with your friends and family! and friends your with outdoors head then publicly accessible ponds providing approximate depths, depths, approximate providing ponds accessible publicly ID# TYPE Conservation & Recreation websites. Make a plan and and plan a Make websites. Recreation & Conservation Ashmere Lake Hinsdale 202 B Pond Maps – Suitable for printing, this is a list of maps to to maps of list a is this printing, for Suitable – Maps Pond Benedict Pond Monterey 15 B Department of Fish & Game and the Department of of Department the and Game & Fish of Department Big Pond Otis 125 B properties and recreational activities, visit the the visit activities, recreational and properties customize and print maps. mass.gov/dfw/wildlife-lands maps. print and customize Center Pond Becket 147 C For interactive maps and information on other other on information and maps interactive For Cheshire Lake Cheshire 210 B displays all MassWildlife properties and allows you to to you allows and properties MassWildlife all displays Cheshire Lake-Farnams Causeway Cheshire 273 F Wildlife Lands Maps – The MassWildlife Lands Viewer Viewer Lands MassWildlife The – Maps Lands Wildlife Cranberry Pond West Stockbridge 233 C Commonwealth’s properties and recreation activities. -
Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic River Act 113 Stat
PUBLIC LAW 106±20ÐAPR. 9, 1999 SUDBURY, ASSABET, AND CONCORD WILD AND SCENIC RIVER ACT 113 STAT. 30 PUBLIC LAW 106±20ÐAPR. 9, 1999 Public Law 106±20 106th Congress An Act Apr. 9, 1999 To designate a portion of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers as a component [H.R. 193] of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of Sudbury, the United States of America in Congress assembled, Assabet, and Concord Wild SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. and Scenic River Act. This Act may be cited as the ``Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Massachusetts. Wild and Scenic River Act''. 16 USC 1271 note. SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF SUDBURY, ASSABET, AND CONCORD SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVERS, MASSACHUSETTS. (a) FINDINGS.ÐThe Congress finds the following: (1) The Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic River Study Act (title VII of Public Law 101±628; 104 Stat. 4497)Ð (A) designated segments of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, totaling 29 river miles, for study and potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; and (B) directed the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers Study Committee (in this section referred to as the ``Study Committee'') to advise the Secretary in conducting the study and in the consideration of management alternatives should the rivers be included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. (2) The study determined the following river segments are eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System based on their free-flowing condition and outstanding scenic, recreation, wildlife, cultural, and historic values: (A) The 16.6-mile segment of the Sudbury River beginning at the Danforth Street Bridge in the town of Framingham, to its confluence with the Assabet River. -
Burlington Admission to the MWRA Waterworks System
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION 100 CAMBRIDGE STREET, BOSTON MA 02114 REPORT OF THE FINDINGS, JUSTIFICATIONS, AND DECISION OF THE WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Relating to the Approval of the Town of Burlington’s Request for an Interbasin Transfer Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 21 § 8C DECISION On November 12, 2020, by a ten to one (10-1) vote, the Massachusetts Water Resources Commission (WRC) approved the Town of Burlington’s request for an Interbasin Transfer to join the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Water Works System. This vote was taken after review of the facts provided by the Town of Burlington, analysis of the associated data, and consideration of comments received concerning this request. INTRODUCTION On November 26, 2019, the WRC received a request from the Town of Burlington for approval of an action to increase the present rate of interbasin transfer under the Interbasin Transfer Act (ITA) (M.G.L. Chapter 21 §§ 8B-8D) as part of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) submitted to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office. The DEIR proposed a water supply transfer through an interconnection to MWRA. Additional information was requested by the WRC and received in the Final EIR, submitted in February 2020. The Secretary’s Certificate on the FEIR was issued on April 17, 2020. The WRC accepted Burlington’s application as complete at its May 14, 2020 meeting. Burlington is proposing to purchase a maximum of 6.5 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from MWRA to supplement its existing water supply source, the Mill Pond Reservoir (Figure 1). -
Water Quality
LAWRENCE HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT LIHI APPLICATION ATTACHMENT B WATER QUALITY 314 CMR 4.00: DIVISION OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL 4.06: continued 314 CMR 4.00 : DIVISION OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL 4.06: continued TABLE 20 MERRIMACK RIVER BASIN BOUNDARY MILE POINT CLASS QUALIFIERS Merrimack River State line to Pawtucket Dam 49.8 - 40.6 B Warm Water Treated Water Supply CSO Pawtucket Dam to Essex Dam, 40.6 - 29.0 B Warm Water Lawrence Treated Water Supply CSO Essex Dam, Lawrence to 29.0 - 21.9 B Warm Water Little River, Haverhill CSO Little River, Haverhill to 21.9 - 0.0 SB Shellfishing Atlantic Ocean CSO The Basin in the Merrimack River - SA Shellfishing Estuary, Newbury and Newburyport Stony Brook Entire Length 10.3 - 0.0 B Warm Water Beaver Brook State line to confluence 4.2 - 0.0 B Cold Water with Merrimack River Spicket River State line to confluence 6.4 -0.0 B Warm Water with Merrimack River Little River State line to confluence with 4.3 - 0.0 B Warm Water Merrimack River Cobbler Brook Entire Length 3.7 - 0.0 B Cold Water Powwow River Outlet Lake Gardner to tidal 6.4 - 1.3 B Warm Water portion Tidal portion 1.3 - 0.0 SB Shellfishing Plum Island River North of High Sandy sand bar SA Shellfishing Outstanding Resource Water 1 Water quality standards for Class B and Class SB waters Designated Use/Standard Parameter Support ≥ 5.0 mg/l Inland waters, Class B, Dissolved Oxygen ≥ 60% saturation unless background conditions warm water fishery lower Massachusetts waters, MADEP Temperature ≤ 28.3ºC (83ºF) pH 6.0 to 8.3 S.U. -
The Assabet River Pocket Guide a Recreation Guide to the Assabet River OAR
The Assabet River Pocket Guide A Recreation Guide to the Assabet River OAR The Assabet River “A more lovely stream than this,” Nathaniel Hawthorne said of the Assabet River, “has never flowed on earth, except to lave the interior regions of a poet’s imagination.” Much of the river is still beauti- ful today, with surprisingly remote and unspoiled sections. In 1999, four miles of the Assabet were designated under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers program. The Assabet River begins in Westborough, flowing north for 31 miles through Northborough, Marlborough, Berlin, Hudson, Stow, Maynard, and Acton until it joins the Sudbury River in the town of Concord to form the Concord River. The river is home to abundant wildlife, including great blue herons, river otters, osprey, and painted turtles. Despite an abundance of dams, dif- Helpful Resources ficult passage in the upper reaches, and even a bit of seasonal whitewater, the Books: Assabet offers some easy and interest- The Concord, Sudbury, and Assabet Rivers: ing paddles for the beginning canoeist A guide to canoeing, wildlife and history. or kayaker. We especially recommend By Ron McAdow. Bliss Publishing Company, the three trips highlighted in purple on the map. Marlborough, MA. 1997. Available through OAR. River Safety Websites: Although the majority of the Assabet OAR: www.assabetriver.org River flows gently, please be aware that Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge: dams, high water (and low bridges), assabetriver.fws.gov downed trees, and seasonal rapids can Assabet River Rail Trail: www.arrtinc.org pose serious hazards to boaters. Please Mass Audubon: www.massaudubon.org be careful and wear a life jacket.