Quabbin Reservoir

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Quabbin Reservoir Quabbin Reservoir Quabbin Visitor Center 485 Ware Road (Rte. 9) Belchertown, MA 01007 413-323-7221 Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest man-made public water supplies in the United States. Created in the 1930s by the construction of two huge earthen dams, the reservoir is fed by the three branches of the Swift River, and seasonally by the Ware River. Quabbin's water covers 39 square miles, is 18 miles long and has 181 miles of shoreline. When full, Quabbin Reservoir Quabbin holds 412 billion gallons of water. The New Salem and Enfield lookouts offer magnificent views of the reservoir. In order to flood the vast area of the Swift River Valley in the 1930s, the entire population of four towns had to be relocated. Hundreds of homes, businesses, a state highway, a railroad line, and 34 cemeteries were also moved or dismantled. Over 6,000 graves were relocated from the Valley to Quabbin Park cemetery. Interpretive Services The Quabbin Interpretive Services Program operates the Quabbin Visitor Center, Education Programs, Teacher Workshops, and provides general information about DCR resources. Three full time staff members are available to assist with visitor information and services. An automated telephone system - 413 323-7221 - provides 24 hour access to current information on fishing, hunting, programs, rules and regulations, and public access. Things to know before you go The primary purpose of DCR water and surrounding lands is drinking water supply. Public access, therefore, is carefully regulated and controlled to protect over 2 million people’s source of drinking water. State regulations require all entry and exit through gates or other designated areas only. Anything that could pollute the water supply system, such as litter or refuse of any sort, is prohibited. Please observe restrictions on recreational activities. Direct water contact activities, such as swimming and wading, are strictly prohibited by regulation. Dogs are not allowed on any DCR property associated with Quabbin Reservoir. Please refer to the specific rules and regulations available below. Maps and Regulations Click here to view public access maps Click here to view public access policy and rules Click here for general rules and regulations Click here for Quabbin fishing rules DIRECTIONS TO THE DCR QUABBIN VISITOR'S CENTER AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FROM BOSTON: Take the Mass. Turnpike to Exit 8 (Palmer). At the end of the Exit Ramp turn left onto Route 32 North and proceed for 8 miles. In Ware turn left at the green sign "Route 9 West" (just past McDonalds). Go 2/10ths of a mile to a stop sign. Turn left onto Route 9 and proceed west for 7 miles. Turn right at the green sign marked "Quabbin Reservoir - Winsor Dam" (Note: This will be the second green sign on your right. The first sign, located at the 5.3 mile mark, provides access to the main Quabbin Park area, including the Enfield Lookout and Quabbin Observation Tower). Turn right at this entrance and proceed 1/2 mile to DCR Quabbin Administration Building, the large brick building on the right. FROM SPRINGFIELD: Take the Mass. Turnpike to Exit 7 (Ludlow). Turn right on Route 21 heading north towards Belchertown. Continue on Route 21 through Belchertown Center to Route 9. Turn right at the stop sign onto Route 9 east and proceed 2 miles to the green sign marked "Quabbin Reservoir - Winsor Dam". Turn left at the sign and go 1/2 mile to the large brick building which overlooks the reservoir. FROM AMHERST: Take Route 9 east towards Belchertown. The entrance to Quabbin is 3 miles east of the intersection with Route 202 and is marked with a sign "Quabbin Reservoir - Winsor Dam". Turn left at the sign and go 1/2 mile to the large brick building which overlooks the reservoir. FROM THE NORTH: Take Route 2 to Route 202 south. Proceed 21 miles to the traffic light at the intersection with Route 9. Turn left onto Route 9 east and proceed 3 miles to the green sign marked "Quabbin Reservoir - Winsor Dam". Turn left and proceed 1/2 mile to the large brick building which overlooks the reservoir. A parking lot is marked on your right, just before the Administration Building. For further information, please call the Quabbin Visitor Center at (413) 323-7221. .
Recommended publications
  • November/December 2013
    AMERICAN BICYCLIST ADVENTURES 2014 VENUS DE MILES: IN BICYCLING RIDE GUIDE RISING ABOVE Four tales of freedom From charity rides to Riders in Colorado from the road, rail multi-day tours, get help victims of recent and trail p. 12 rolling in 2014 p. 20 floods p. 18 November - December 2013 WWW.BIKELEAGUE.ORG AMERICAN BICYCLIST CONTENT November — December 2013 LEAGUE BOARD ELECTION 8 CAST YOUR VOTE! Help determine who will represent you on the League board. FROM THE SADDLE 12 ADVENTURES IN BICYCLING Four tales of freedom from the road, rail and trail. WOMEN BIKE 18 VENUS DE MILES 2013: RISING ABOVE Colorado ride evolves into a community service event that helps victims of devastating floods. Tour de Cure 2014 RIDE GUIDE 20 100+ RIDES FOR RIDERS OF ALL IN EVERY ISSUE SKILL LEVELS From charity rides to multi-day tours, get rolling 02 VIEWPOINT in 2014! 03 INBOX 04 COGS&GEARS 28 QUICKSTOP AMERICAN BICYCLIST IS PRINTED WITH SOY INK ON 30% POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED PAPER CERTIFIED BY RAINFOREST ALLIANCE TO THE FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL™ STANDARDS. ON THE COVER Erica Lighthiser with children Eva, Clara and Emmett (and dog, Hayduke) on their 2013 bike adventure. VIEWPOINT RIDE GUIDE: YOUR WAY TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE A two-week bicycle tour in the Brittany Re- 300 advocacy organizations, together with gion of France changed my life. the members of the Bicycle Tour Network, I was 19 years old and was re-taking a offer an extraordinary community service rather unspectacular first year at the Uni- in organizing rides to suit every possible versity of Birmingham when the idea was taste and level of riding.
    [Show full text]
  • The Making of Quabbin Reservoir
    International Symposium on Technology and Society Jun 1st, 4:10 PM - 4:20 PM Session 7 - Technology and the creation of wilderness: The Making of quabbin reservoir Timothy J. Farnham University of Nevada, Las Vegas, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/iste Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Fresh Water Studies Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Place and Environment Commons, and the Water Resource Management Commons Repository Citation Farnham, Timothy J., "Session 7 - Technology and the creation of wilderness: The Making of quabbin reservoir" (2007). International Symposium on Technology and Society. 25. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/iste/2007/june1/25 This Event is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Event in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Event has been accepted for inclusion in International Symposium on Technology and Society by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Technology and the Creation of Wilderness: The Making of Quabbin Reservoir Timothy J. Farnham Department of Environmental Studies University of Nevada, Las Vegas [email protected] Abstract symbols of human domination that offend aesthetic and ethical sensibilities.
    [Show full text]
  • OUR MISSION DCR’S Universal Access Program Is Dedicated to Providing Outdoor Recreation Opportunities in Massachusetts State Parks for Visitors of All Abilities
    DCR UAP Program Schedule Summer/FallAccess News 2019Page 1 OUR MISSION DCR’s Universal Access Program is dedicated to providing outdoor recreation opportunities in Massachusetts State Parks for visitors of all abilities. Accessibility is achieved through site improvements, specialized adaptive recreation equipment, and accessible recreation programs. Pre-registration is required for all programs. To pre-register, contact the providing organization. Get into the activity sooner by bringing your release form filled out: mass.gov/dcr/universal-access/release Our structured programs feature adaptive equipment, professional staff, and instruction and support. Friends, family, and companions are welcome to take part in our programs alongside participants with disabilities. Visit our website to keep up-to-date with our activities! mass.gov/dcr/universal-access Donations welcome! DCR’s Conservation Trust and Urban Parks Trust Fund accepts contributions to support and enhance outdoor recreation in Massachusetts for people of all abilities. Your tax-deductible donation will help provide access to our parks. Ask us about matching funds! To learn more, visit: mass.gov/dcr/universal-access/donate Checks should be made out to The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, noting that the funds are for the Universal Access Program (UAP), and sent to: DCR’s Universal Access Program P.O. Box 484 Amherst, MA 01004 Access News Page 2 Hiking program that travels around the state! Take a gentle hike with Stavros Outdoor Access. Date Location Adaptive equipment and staff assistance provided. June 20 George’s Island, Bring a lunch and enjoy nature activities, Boston Harbor scavenger hunts, letterboxing, and more. June 27 Great Brook Farm State Park, Carlisle Cost: $3/person, $12/family, $25/group July 11 Walden Pond State Reservation, Concord July 18 Mt.
    [Show full text]
  • 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.
    [Show full text]
  • 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).
    [Show full text]
  • T Ro U T Sto C K E D Wat E Rs
    2021 MASSACHUSETTS TROUT STOCKED WATERS CONNECTICUT VALLEY DISTRICT Daily stocking updates can be viewed at Mass.gov/Trout. All listed waters are stocked in the spring. Bold waters are stocked in spring and fall. AGAWAM: Westfield River GILL: Fall River AMHERST: Adams Brook, Amethyst Brook, GRANBY: Bachelor Brook, Dufresne Farm Pond Cushman Brook, Fort River, Mill River, Puffers Pond GREENFIELD: Fall River, Green River (Factory Hollow Pond) HADLEY: Fort River, Harts Brook, Mill River, USFW BELCHERTOWN: Jabish Brook, Metacomet Lake, Pond Quabbin Reservoir, Scarboro Brook, Swift River HAMPDEN: Scantic River, South Branch Mill River BERNARDSTON: Fall River, Shattuck Brook HATFIELD: Mill River BRIMFIELD: Dean Pond, Foskett Mill Stream,Little Alum Pond, Mill Brook, Quaboag River, Quinebaug HOLLAND: Hamilton Reservoir, Holland Pond, River, Sherman Pond Quinebaug River CHICOPEE: Chicopee Reservoir HOLYOKE: Broad Brook COLRAIN: East Branch North River, Green River, LEVERETT: Doolittle Brook, Roaring Brook, Sawmill North River, West Branch North River River CONWAY: Bear River, Deerfield River, Poland Brook, LEYDEN: Green River, Shattuck Brook South River LUDLOW: Broad Brook, Chapin (Haviland) Pond, DEERFIELD: Deerfield River, Mill River Chicopee River EAST LONGMEADOW: South Branch Mill River MONSON: Chicopee Brook, Chicopee Brook Reservoir, Conant Brook, Quaboag River, Scantic EASTHAMPTON: Broad Brook, Hannum Brook, River Manhan River, Nashawannuck Pond, North Branch Manhan River MONTAGUE: Goddard Brook, Millers River, Sawmill River ERVING: Keyup
    [Show full text]
  • Wachusett Dam - 100 Years Old
    DOWNSTREAM Page Number 12 Wachusett Dam - 100 Years Old Wachusett Dam then and now. Completed in 1905 at left looking east and today, looking west, holding back 65 billion gallons of water. DCR, New Name, But Our Mission Remains The one hundredth anniversary of the laying of the last stone in the construction of the Unchanged Wachusett Dam will take place on June 24, 2005. The undertaking of a massive public works The Department of Conservation and project can take years and the building of this Recreation (DCR) was created in July 2003 dam, with only the power of man and horse, was when the legislature merged the no exception. The Metropolitan Water Board Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) was formed in 1895 and given broad powers to and the Department of Environmental find the solution for what had become an urgent Management (DEM). Chapter 26 of the problem. The urbanized hub of central New Acts of 2003, s. 290 transferred the England’s commerce had nearly exhausted the responsibilities of the former MDC Division existing water supplies of Spot Pond, the of Watershed Management entirely to the Cochituate Reservoir, and the multi-reservoir Office of Watershed Management within the Sudbury System. This challenge needed quick Division of Water Supply Protection. The resolution; the problem was resolved in a names have changed, but the mission of the relatively timely fashion with world-class Office of Watershed Management remains notoriety. The facts, figures and images in the constant: to provide pure water through following pages tell the story of the ten year responsible land management.
    [Show full text]
  • Thenaturalists CLUB
    2019 ~~~~~The C NATURALISTS CLUB NEWSLETTER Springfield Science Museum at the Quadrangle, Springfield, Massachusetts Just to be sure . Still want the black bezel frame . your choice, right one or left one? L-1 hill, lower horizon, and higher sun, or R- 2 hills, higher horizon and setting (or rising) sun? April to June CALENDAR of EVENTS A APRIL Thurs.-Sun. April 4-7 Festival of Flowers, Springfield April 27 Saturday April 6 Hiking the East Branch River Trail, Westfield ~ It’s Arbor Day! ~ Fri. - Sun. April 12-14 Northeast Natural History Conference, Springfield Plant a tree! Wednesday April 17 APRIL MEETING: Holey Basalt! Amazing geology stories of Mt. Tom and the Holyoke Range Monday April 22 WRWA Wild and Scenic Film Festival, Westfield Saturday April 27 Let’s Go for a Bike Ride on the Manhan Trail, Northampton Sunday April 28 Chapel Brook Falls Hike to the Summit of Pony Mountain, Ashfield MAY Saturday May 11 Mill River & Smith College Flower Gardens, Northampton Wednesday May 15 MAY MEETING: Ecosystems Need Dark Skies Sunday May 19 Spring Wildflowers,Westfield Saturday May 25 The Floating Island of Sadawga Pond,Whitingham, VT JUNE Saturday June 1 Hiking High Ledges, Shelburne Falls Saturday June 8 Marsh Birds on the Housatonic, Milford, CT Saturday June 15 Dragonflies and Wildflowers at Rock House Reservation, West Brookfield NATURALISTS’ CORNER Celebrating the First 50 Years of the Naturalists’ Club This April marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Naturalists’ Club. During its 50 years, the Club has sustained the tradition of promoting natural history education. That tradition is deeply rooted in New England, which was a leader in the initial formation of scientific and natural history societies.
    [Show full text]
  • A Different Kind of Where-To-Go- Birding: Ten Favorite Places of the Bird Observer Staff
    A Different Kind of Where-to-go- Birding: Ten Favorite Places of the Bird Observer Staff For this thirtieth-anniversary issue, the editors, recent guest editors, department heads, and various other Bird Observer staff members collaborated on a project to describe their favorite places to watch birds, and why they like them so much. We began by trying to identify and summarize the ten best places to bird in Massachusetts (since that’s where the staff all live), but that quickly proved an impossible task. How could the best places be determined? Who would ever agree with our choices? So we decided to eschew politically charged decisions and concentrate on our favorite places instead. The following pieces are not intended to describe these places in detail, give directions, or provide comprehensive lists of birds seen there. They are short essays on why the particular staff member really likes to bird the place. Of course the authors include avian highlights, but the aim is to also offer insight into the more personal and aesthetic reasons that the selected location is a pleasure to bird. No two authors have gone about their task in the same way, and, indeed, there were few ground mles except to keep it short and personal. So sit back and enjoy the essays. You will quickly find that the staff have described what would generally be considered some of the best birding sites in Massachusetts, although most of them are in the eastern part of the state, an artifact of where the majority of the staff live.
    [Show full text]
  • Outdoor Recreation and the Quabbin Reservoir
    OUTDOOR RECREATION AND THE behind various management decisions. It will also QUABBIN RESERVOIR: AN EXERCISE IN examine the types of use sought and by whom and POLITICAL MANEUVERING? the potential for the Quabbin to accommodate such uses. Beth E. Cohen Introduction Graduate Student in Natural Resources Conservation, Massachusetts is the third most densely populated University of Massachusetts-Amherst state in the union. Yet, in the western part of the 160 Holdsworth Way state there exists the largest tract of open space in Amherst, MA 01002. Southern New England (MDC, 1996). This is the Quabbin Reservation. The Quabbin Reservation David K. Loomis consists of 81,000 acres of undeveloped, forested Associate Professor in Natural Resources watershed land and an 18-mile long reservoir with Conservation, a surface area of 25,000 acres and 118 miles of University of Massachusetts-Amherst shoreline. Within the reservoir are heavily forested 160 Holdsworth Way islands and a 12,000-acre peninsula. The water of Amherst, MA 01002. the reservoir is blue-gray and generally calm, yet there are days when strong breezes bring waves. Most visitors to the reservoir have at least one Abstract: The Quabbin Reservoir was built in the sighting of a wild animal such as a turkey, deer, 1930’s as a water supply for Boston. It is currently coyote, songbird, loon or bald eagle. managed by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) as an unfiltered source of drinking water. This idyllic setting sounds like a haven for outdoor In order to ensure that water quality remains high recreation enthusiasts. However, recreational enough to avoid the installation of a multi-million opportunities are severely limited by the dollar filtration plant, the MDC has limited public Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), the access to the reservoir and recreation use on its agency responsible for managing the reservoir.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 5: Open Space and Recreation
    5. Open Space and Recreation An important aspect in judging quality of life, open space and recreational resources are crucial to sustaining a community’s appeal. Introduction source of Town input; a public forum to present the findings from the survey and get more input An important aspect in judging quality of life, from the residents; meetings between the open space and recreational resources are crucial Conway students, Open Space and Recreation to sustaining a community’s appeal. The subcommittees, and other Town departments; Commonwealth recognizes this importance and and a second public forum to present the plan encourages each community in the state to have and field more suggestions. The key points from a current Open Space and Recreation Plan that document are summarized and updated in (OSRP), which is to be updated every five years. this element of the Town of Southborough When an OSRP is completed and approved by Master Plan. the Division of Conservation Services (DCS), the community is eligible for grant programs While open space resources, passive and active administered by DCS to fund open space recreation are discussed in this chapter, natural acquisition or enhancements to recreational resources, such as water and wildlife, are facilities. discussed in more detail in Chapter 6, Natural and Cultural Resources. Southborough is currently in the final phases of updating its 1999 Open Space and Recreation Community Setting Plan. The 2008 Open Space and Recreation As indicated in Chapter 3, Housing, of this Plan was prepared with assistance from the Plan, Southborough is currently one of the Conway School of Landscape Design and was fastest growing communities in the Common- conditionally approved by DCS in June of wealth, in terms of population, and certainly 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • New England Water Supplies – a Brief History M. Kempe Page 23 Of
    New England Water Supplies – A Brief History M. Kempe Chapter 2 – The Search for Water – Growth and Water Source Development Timeline – Water Source Development National and World Events 1929- The Great Baby Boom 1970’s – Growth of Depression Environmentalism Rapid population 1914-1918 1941-1945 Growth of Population growth WWI WWII suburbs growth slows 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 Many communities augment WPA funds help 1960’s drought original supplies build systems Efficient fixtures Rapid growth of indoor plumbing Post-drought supply shortfalls Era of large water Metering slows projects, dams and Water conservation waste reservoirs instead of Water Events diversions Finding the water has always been one of the main tasks for the water supplier, occasionally a thankless task, even a maligned one. Since the growth of environmentalism in the 1970’s, many people picture a water engineer in terms of John Huston’s shady Noah Cross character from the film “Chinatown”. Most books written about New England water supplies tend to focus on the impacts of reservoir construction, prime examples being “The Day Four Quabbin Towns Died” about Quabbin Reservoir and “The Village of the Dammed” about Saugatuck Reservoir in the Bridgeport system. The loss of one’s home for a reservoir that benefits a distant city is almost certain to create a lifetime of resentment. The fundamental dilemma is that cities exist where they are because of commerce and they drive the economy of the region to everyone’s benefit, even the rural areas that are asked to help provide resources like water. But the cities overwhelm water resources where they exist and have to import water from elsewhere.
    [Show full text]