Overview of Water Use and Transfer in the Chicopee River Basin
Overview of Water Use and Transfer in the Chicopee River Basin Prepared For: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management Office of Water Resources 251 Causeway Street, Suite 700 Boston, Massachusetts 02114 Prepared By: Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, P.C. Engineers and Environmental Scientists 55 North Stark Highway Weare, NH 03281 Final Report, September 2003 Overview of Water Use and Transfer in the Chicopee River Basin Final Report Executive Summary Introduction This study was funded by the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), through the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (MDEM), now the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (MDCR) to evaluate seasonal water movement and use within the Chicopee River basin. Located in central Massachusetts, the Chicopee River basin is surrounded by the Connecticut, Millers, Nashua, Blackstone, French, and Quinebaug River basins. The Chicopee River basin drains approximately 722 mi2 and is comprised of three major watersheds-the Swift River, Ware River, and Quaboag River watersheds. Quabbin Reservoir, located in the Swift River watershed of the Chicopee, is one of the largest reservoirs constructed for public water supply in the world. It is the primary water supply source for most of the cities and towns near metropolitan Boston. The resulting wastewater is treated and discharged into Boston Harbor, many miles from its original source. The Chicopee River basin also contains several dams and is the site of many other withdrawals and diversions. Interbasin transfers and diversions can cause major reductions in streamflow. The objective of this study was to evaluate streamflows, precipitation, water withdrawals, wastewater discharges, and interbasin water transfers to quantify and describe water movement within the Chicopee River basin.
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