Mainstem Taunton River
MAINSTEM TAUNTON RIVER The Taunton River is formed by the confluence of the Matfield and Town rivers in Bridgewater and follows an approximately 40-mile course to Mount Hope Bay. The Mainstem Taunton River flows through the communities of Bridgewater, Raynham, Taunton, Dighton, Berkley, Fall River, Freetown and Somerset and includes the following four segments (Figure 8): Taunton River (Segment MA62-01) Taunton River (Segment MA62-02) Taunton River (Segment MA62-03) Taunton River (Segment MA62-04) Land along the Mainstem Taunton River is mostly undeveloped with approximately 50% of the land in forest and 25% in residential use. The impervious cover is all less than 10% indicating that there is a low potential for adverse water quality impacts from impervious surface water runoff. Because the watershed topography is flat to low hilly, the Taunton River has one of the flattest courses in Massachusetts. Streamflow fluctuates slowly due to the low gradient; extensive wetland areas and underlying stratified drift. There are only a few short sections of rapids along the river. The absence of dams make it an important anadromous fish run by allowing fish species to reach their native spawning grounds (Nemasket River Stream Team 2003). The Taunton River Stewardship Program, established in 1996 to promote the preservation of the upper Taunton River corridor and its major tributaries as an intact resource, has been instrumental in helping to facilitate land protection efforts along the corridor over the past six years. Thanks to the combined efforts of the Stewardship Program's partners, including the Towns of Bridgewater, Halifax, Middleborough, and Raynham, the City of Taunton, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts, the Natural Resources Trust of Bridgewater, SRPEDD, and other contributors (notably the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management), 695 acres have been protected in the towns of Bridgewater, Halifax, Middleborough, and Raynham.
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