Housatonic River Watershed 2002 Water Quality Assessment Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
21-AC-4 HOUSATONIC RIVER WATERSHED 2002 WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT REPORT COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS IAN BOWLES, SECRETARY MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAURIE BURT, COMMISSIONER BUREAU OF RESOURCE PROTECTION GLENN HAAS, ACTING ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER DIVISION OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT GLENN HAAS, DIRECTOR NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY LIMITED COPIES OF THIS REPORT ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST TO: MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 627 MAIN STREET WORCESTER, MA 01608 This report is also available from the MassDEP’s home page on the World Wide Web at: http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/resources/wqassess.htm Furthermore, at the time of first printing, eight copies of each report published by this office are submitted to the State Library at the State House in Boston; these copies are subsequently distributed as follows: • On shelf; retained at the State Library (two copies); • Microfilmed retained at the State Library; • Delivered to the Boston Public Library at Copley Square; • Delivered to the Worcester Public Library; • Delivered to the Springfield Public Library; • Delivered to the University Library at UMass, Amherst; • Delivered to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Moreover, this wide circulation is augmented by inter-library loans from the above-listed libraries. For example a resident in Marlborough can apply at their local library for loan of any MassDEP/DWM report from the Worcester Public Library. A complete list of reports published since 1963 is updated annually and printed in July. This report, entitled, “Publications of the Massachusetts Division of Watershed Management – Watershed Planning Program, 1963-(current year)”, is also available by writing to the Division of Watershed Management (DWM) in Worcester. DISCLAIMER References to trade names, commercial products, manufacturers, or distributors in this report constituted neither endorsement nor recommendations by the Division of Watershed Management for use. Housatonic River Watershed 2002 Water Quality Assessment Report 21wqar07.doc DWM CN 141.5 ii HOUSATONIC RIVER WATERSHED 2002 WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT REPORT Prepared by: Jamie W. Carr and Laurie E. Kennedy Department of Environmental Protection Division of Watershed Management Report Number: 21-AC-4 DWM Control Number: CN141.5 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Division of Watershed Management Worcester, Massachusetts September 2007 Housatonic River Watershed 2002 Water Quality Assessment Report 21wqar07.doc DWM CN 141.5 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank Tom O’Brien (formerly of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Massachusetts Watershed Initiative) and the Housatonic Valley Association for their efforts in facilitating the collaborative effort involved in the assessment process. Data and information used in this report were provided in part by the following agencies and organizations: Federal • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • United States Geological Survey (USGS) − Water Resources Division • United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) • United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) State • Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP): − Bureau of Strategic Policy and Technology, Wall Experiment Station (WES) − Bureau of Resource Protection (BRP) − Bureau of Waste Prevention (BWP) − Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup (BWSC) • Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH) • Department of Fish and Game (MA DFG) − Division of Fisheries and Wildlife − Riverways Program − Public Access Board • Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of State Parks and Recreation (MA DCR) Regional • Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) • Lake Onota Preservation Association • Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Much appreciation is also extended to several MassDEP employees for their contributions: Richard Chase, Christine Duerring, Daniel Kurpaska, Matthew Poach, Richard McVoy, Peter Mitchell, Jane Ryder, and Arthur Screpetis. It is impossible to thank everyone who contributed to the assessment report process: field, laboratory, data management, writing, editing, review and graphics, as well as meetings, phone calls, and many e- mails. All of these contributions are very much appreciated. Cover photo: Housatonic River at Holmes Road, Pittsfield. Photo by: Jamie Carr Housatonic River Watershed 2002 Water Quality Assessment Report 21wqar07.doc DWM CN 141.5 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................vi LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES ................................................................................................................vi LIST OF ACRONYMS, UNITS, AND FISH SPECIES .................................................................................vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................viii INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 1 HOUSATONIC RIVER WATERSHED- RIVER SEGMENTS ASSESSED................................................... 4 EAST BRANCH HOUSATONIC RIVER (Segment MA21-01)......................................................... 5 CLEVELAND BROOK (Segment MA21-08) .................................................................................... 8 CADY BROOK (Segment MA21-12).............................................................................................. 10 WINDSOR BROOK (Segment MA21-09) ...................................................................................... 12 WAHCONAH FALLS BROOK (Segment MA21-11) ...................................................................... 14 ANTHONY BROOK (Segment MA21-10)...................................................................................... 17 EAST BRANCH HOUSATONIC RIVER (Segment MA21-02)....................................................... 18 WEST BRANCH HOUSATONIC RIVER (Segment MA21-18)...................................................... 22 SOUTHWEST BRANCH HOUSATONIC RIVER (SEGMENT MA21-17)...................................... 25 HOUSATONIC RIVER (Segment MA21-04).................................................................................. 28 HOUSATONIC RIVER (Segment MA21-19).................................................................................. 32 GREENWATER BROOK (Segment MA21-27).............................................................................. 41 GOOSE POND BROOK (Segment MA21-07)............................................................................... 42 GOOSE POND BROOK (Segment MA21-07)............................................................................... 43 HOP BROOK (SEGMENT MA21-28) ............................................................................................ 45 LARRYWAUG BROOK (Segment MA21-29) ................................................................................ 47 HOUSATONIC RIVER (Segment MA21-20).................................................................................. 49 FURNACE BROOK (Segment MA21-21) ...................................................................................... 53 WILLIAMS RIVER (Segment MA21-06) ........................................................................................ 54 LONG POND BROOK (Segment MA21-14).................................................................................. 57 SEEKONK BROOK (Segment MA21-22) ...................................................................................... 58 GREEN RIVER (Segment MA21-23)............................................................................................. 59 KARNER BROOK (Segment MA21-16)......................................................................................... 61 UNNAMED TRIBUTARY (Segment MA21-24).............................................................................. 62 WILLARD BROOK (Segment MA21-30)........................................................................................ 63 HUBBARD BROOK (Segment MA21-15)...................................................................................... 65 KONKAPOT RIVER (Segment MA21-25)...................................................................................... 67 KONKAPOT RIVER (Segment MA21-26)...................................................................................... 70 HOUSATONIC RIVER WATERSHED- LAKES SEGMENTS ASSESSED ................................................ 72 LITERATURE CITED .................................................................................................................................. 88 Housatonic River Watershed 2002 Water Quality Assessment Report 21wqar07.doc DWM CN 141.5 v LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A MassDEP/DWM Assessment Methodology Guidelines for Evaluating Designated Use Status of Massachusetts Surface Waters Appendix B MassDEP/DWM Technical Memorandum TM-21-6, Housatonic River Watershed DWM Year 2002 Water Quality Monitoring Data Appendix C MassDEP/DWM Technical Memorandum TM-21-5, Housatonic River Watershed 2002 Biological Assessment Appendix D MassDEP/DWM 2002 and 2003 Lake Survey Data in the Housatonic River Watershed Appendix E MassDEP/DWM