Mystic River Watershed Assessment and Action Plan Fall 2006
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Mystic River Watershed Assessment and Action Plan Fall 2006 Prepared for: Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Department of Environmental Protection Prepared by: Nancy Hammett (MyRWA) Grace Perez (MyRWA) Michele Cutrofello (Tufts University) John Durant (Tufts University) Paul Kirshen (Tufts University) Sarah Widing (Tufts University) Table of Contents Acknowledgements Table of Contents Executive Summary Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose and overview 1.2 The Massachusetts Watershed Initiative Chapter 2. Watershed Background 2.1 Overview of the watershed 2.2 Description of subwatersheds 2.3 History of the watershed 2.3 Profile of watershed communities Chapter 3. Water Quantity and Flooding 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Water quantity and use 3.3 Flooding 3.4 Priorities for action Chapter 4. Water Quality 4.1 Introduction and methodology 4.2 Overview of results 4.3 Results and priorities for action by subbasin 4.4 Conclusion Chapter 5. Land Use and Open space 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Land use 5.3 Open space 5.4 Priorities for action Chapter 6. Recreation 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Current recreational activities and challenges 6.3 Priorities for action Chapter 7. Habitat 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Overview of habitat assets and challenges 7.3 Priorities for action Chapter 8. Action Plan 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Results of previous planning efforts 8.3 Priority actions 8.4 Implementation References Appendices Appendix A. Description of the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative Appendix B. Water quality database methodology Appendix C. Detailed water quality results by subbasin Appendix D. State-identified hazardous waste sites in the Mystic River Watershed Appendix E. NPDES-permitted wastewater dischargers in the Mystic River Watershed Appendix F. USGS sediment quality survey Appendix G. Massachusetts Watershed Initiative Annual Work Plans for the Mystic River Watershed Appendix H. Future Search 1999 goals & priorities Appendix I: EJAM summit results Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to the following individuals, without whose help this report could not have been completed: John Reinhardt (MA-DEP), Kwabena Kyei-Aboagye, Jr. (MA-EOEA), Kelly Coughlin (MWRA), Libby Larson (MyRWA), and Roger Frymire. Mystic River Watershed Assessment and Action Plan Executive Summary Executive Summary This document provides an overview of conditions in the Mystic River Watershed, and presents an Action Plan for protecting and restoring the assets of its valuable urban natural resources. The report draws on the work of many people and groups, and it represents a work in progress. Much has been learned about the problems plaguing the watershed, as well as about its assets, which provides the basis for taking action to correct the problems and protect the assets. More investigation and monitoring are needed in some cases to identify pollution sources and to identify and evaluate solutions. However, the primary focus needs to be on taking specific action to improve water quality, reduce flooding and low flow problems, and enhance the land uses along the waterfront to support recreation and habitat. This report presents a shared vision of what needs to be done to protect and restore the resources of the watershed, and lays out a plan for accomplishing the required work. The Mystic River Watershed is a heavily urbanized watershed located in the metropolitan Boston area that suffers from a long history of industrial pollution, urban nonpoint-source pollution, and combined sewer overflows. The Mystic River and its tributaries (Chelsea Creek, Malden River, Alewife Brook, and the Aberjona River) flow through some of the most densely-populated and industrialized Mystic River Watershed – Satellite Photo communities in Massachusetts. The watershed is home to many low-income, immigrant and minority environmental justice communities, and has suffered significant neglect in the past. Restoration and protection efforts are complicated by the status of the lower part of the watershed as a designated port area. The waterbodies suffer from problems typical of urban, industrialized areas including (1) bacterial contamination (both dry- and wet- weather) from aging sewer systems, combined sewer systems, and stormwater runoff, (2) high nutrient levels throughout much of the watershed, (3) and leaching of toxic metals and organic compounds from hazardous waste disposal sites and contaminated sediments. Open space and access to the waterways are severely limited in many of the adjacent communities, and many residents no longer see the rivers as assets and are often even unaware they exist. At the same time, the watershed has significant assets to preserve and build on, including state-owned parklands along much of the waterfront and in the Middlesex Fells and Belle Isle Marsh. Many elements of an integrated landscape of parks and pedestrian and bike paths are in place, and only need linking to create a superb urban waterfront resource for public access, commuting and recreation. The watershed is blessed with numerous local groups that advocate for the health and restoration of specific parts of the watershed. Major problems with urban run-off are beginning to be addressed through EPA and DEP Page ES-1 Mystic River Watershed Assessment and Action Plan Executive Summary regulatory action and the Phase II Stormwater regulations. And the principles of Low Impact Development are beginning to be applied by municipalities in their local land use decisions. With better regional watershed-level planning and increased efforts to improve stormwater management and land use requirements at the municipal level, there is real hope for improving the condition of the watershed’s resources. The report provides an assessment of current conditions in the watershed, focusing on water quantity (flooding and low flow), water quality, land use and open space, recreation, and habitat. Based on this assessment, and on input from previous planning efforts and public input on the draft document, the report suggests priority goals for each area. Chapter 8 of the report presents an Action Plan to achieve these goals. The Action Plan identifies high and medium-priority tasks, along with the parties responsible for undertaking those tasks and general measures of success in each area. Among the high priority goals and tasks are: • Integrated regional planning and implementation to address interrelated flooding, water quality and low flow problems. • Continued water quality monitoring and investigation, to identify sources of bacteria, ammonia, and nutrient pollution. • Efforts to incorporate Low Impact Development and improved stormwater management practices into municipal land-use planning, regulation, operations. • Regional planning for revitalization of the urban waterfront, balancing needs for improved public access, port uses, recreational activities, water-based transportation, and Smart Growth redevelopment. • Education and outreach efforts to increase awareness of the watershed’s assets and challenges, and to encourage public stewardship and advocacy on its behalf. This Action Plan represents an important step in an on-going campaign to protect and restore a healthy Mystic River Watershed, though the coordinated efforts of many stakeholders. Page ES-2 Mystic River Watershed Assessment and Action Plan Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Purpose and Overview Chapter Contents 1.1 Purpose and Overview This document has a two-fold purpose: 1.2 The Massachusetts Watershed (1) to assess the current condition of Initiative the Mystic River watershed; and (2) to present an action plan for addressing continuing problems in the watershed. This report draws on the work of many people and groups, including the work of the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative’s Mystic Basin Team. Its goal is to provide a shared vision of what needs to be done to protect and restore the resources of the watershed, and to lay out a plan for accomplishing the required work. • Chapter 2 provides an overview of the watershed – its resources, history, and communities. This information provides a context for understanding the assessment and action plan presented here. • Chapters 3 through 6 of this document present the results of the Assessment, organized by topic (Chapter 3 on Water Quantity and Flooding, Chapter 4 on Water Quality, Chapter 5 on Land Use and Open Space, Chapter 6 on Recreation, and Chapter 7 on Habitat.) • Chapter 8 presents the proposed Action Plan. This chapter includes a summary of the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative Basin Team’s previous work, as well as the results of other watershed planning efforts, as input to the selection of priority actions. The remainder of this chapter describes the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative program that sponsored this report. 1.2 The Massachusetts Watershed Initiative The Massachusetts Watershed Initiative was formed in 1993 by community partners and the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs with the following mission: The Massachusetts Watershed Initiative “preserves, protects, and restores the water resources and ecosystems of the Commonwealth using watersheds as the geographic unit within which diverse interests collaborate, establish priority activities, influence decisions, and achieve measurable results.” The program involved a five-year management process, which included Annual Work Plans culminating in development and implementation of a Five-Year Watershed Action Plan.1 The Watershed Initiative served to promote coordination and cooperation