Archival Survival DCR/MWRA Historic Record Now Available Online Sean Fisher, DCR Archivist with Joel Zimmerman, DCR Regional Planner Sylvio Casparis, presi- dent of one of the several construction companies hired to build the Wachusett Aqueduct, poses on horse- back in 1897 at the mouth of the newly completed water conduit. This is just one of thousands of high-resolution historic images now avail- able online depicting the life and times surrounding the building of the Wachu- sett Reservoir as well as construction and operation of other Boston area water supply infrastructure. More images are shown in the pages of this expanded edi- tion of Downstream. ell phones are everywhere today, but one hundred and twenty years ago the folks building Boston’s drinking Cwater system could not take a selfi e or a quick video to document their work. The Metropolitan Water Works (MWW) – predecessor to the Department of Conservation and Recre- ation (DCR) and the Massachusetts Water Resources Author- ity (MWRA) (see page 2) – relied on that era’s state of the art technology, dry plate glass negative cameras, to take more than 6,000 photographs from 1895 to 1906. They were documenting the these notable images as well as making expansion of Boston’s water distri- them available for public viewing in the bution system through the construc- internet age. This edition of Downstream tion of the Wachusett Reservoir/ provides some background to the multi- Dam/Aqueduct, Sudbury Reservoir/ generational archival effort, teasing the Dam, and Weston Aqueduct/Reser- reader with few of the pictures so that voir. An additional 2,000 images you will want to go on-line and explore were captured between 1907 and the wealth of information now available 1926 showcasing both buildings at the click of a mouse or the swipe of a and operations. The 6.5” x 8.5” fi ngertip. fragile negatives are similar to another technology that has been Early Storage supplanted by the digital age: vinyl Nearly the entire collection of approxi- NUMBER 33 records. Like LPs, the negatives mately 8,000 glass plate negatives (num- Spring 2015 are bulky and diffi cult to store, but bered sequentially from 1 through 7672, are a superior product for captur- plus unnumbered and rejected negatives) Massachusetts Department ing detailed information (at least to had been moved to two Chestnut Hill of Conservation and Recreation many audiophiles). Pumping Stations in Brighton by the Division of Water Supply Protection DCR has collaborated with 1920s. While not an optimal storage www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply.htm several partners to both safeguard Continued on Page 4 2 Downstream • Spring 2015

DCR and MWRA - Clean water partners By Joel Zimmerman, DCR Regional Planner Editors note: This article is reprinted from the Winter 2015 issues of ‘Watershed Currents’, the DCR/DWSP newsletter for Watershed Preservation Restriction (WPR) holders. ver the past 175 years, there have been a dozen different Metropolitan Water Works System Agency Names Onames of government organi- 1846 - Present zations responsible for the Boston area Agency Name Years drinking water supply. Today, the Of- Boston Water Commissioners 1846-1850 fi ce of Watershed Management within Cochituate Water Board 1850-1875 DCR’s Division of Water Supply Pro- Water Commissioners of the City of Charlestown tection (DWSP) and the Massachusetts Water Works 1862-1865 Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Mystic Water Board 1865-1875 manage this vast resource. Why two Boston Water Board 1875-1895 agencies? Metropolitan Water Board 1895-1901 The MWRA’s 1985 enabling Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board 1901-1919 legislation mandated the new indepen- Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), Water Division 1919-1985 dent authority to fi nance and repair Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission 1926-1947 the Boston region’s water and sewer for construction of the Quabbin Reservoir infrastructure, and act as the wholesale Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) 1985-Present for supply aqueducts and distribution system (from the MDC Water Division) distributor of these utilities to the local MDC Division of Watershed Management 1985-2003 for the Quabbin Reservoir, Ware River, Wachusett Reservoir, and Sudbury Reservoir watersheds In This Issue: Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Water Supply Protection 2003-Present Archival Survival 1 There has been a succession of agency names that have managed the construction Preserving century old pictures and plans and management of the greater Boston drinking water supply. Across the generations, no matter the name, there has been a commitment to providing ample clean water to DCR and MWRA 2 the citizens of the Commonwealth. Photograph of Sudbury Reservoir, 1898. Inter-agency cooperation cities and towns. While MWRA got joint responsibility. The inter-agency Snow Survey 3 all the pipes and treatment facilities, relationship, of course, is much more How historic was the winter of 2015? the legislature maintained state control complicated. In reality, DWSP and Kids Corner 11 of the land and reservoirs, creating MWRA work closely together to A word jumble a Division of Watershed Manage- provide 2.5 million people some of the Then and Now 12 ment within the Metropolitan District best drinking water in the world. MA Envirothon at Quabbin Commission (MDC), DCR’s predeces- The functions of each agency are sor agency (MDC and the Depart- spelled out in a Memorandum of Photo/Image Credits All pictures, unless noted otherwise, are from ment of Environmental Management Understanding. Most importantly, the Metropolitan Water Works Photograph Col- lection, available through Digital Commonwealth were merged in 2003 to become MWRA – and its ratepayers – en- (www.digitalcommonwealth.org). DCR). DWSP is required to provide tirely fund DWSP’s operating budget Page 3 DCR “a suffi cient supply of pure water to through the Water Supply Protection Page 10 Sean Fisher Page 12 Top: DCR the [MWRA], and shall utilize and Trust. This fi nancing also includes Bottom: Diane Petit, NRCS conserve said water and other natural land acquisition and Payments in Lieu resources in order to protect, preserve of Taxes (PILOT). The DCR/MWRA and enhance the environment of the watershed system is a partnership commonwealth and to assure the avail- that makes both short- and long-term ability of pure water for future genera- investments from the system’s users in tions.” the permanent protection and manage- In simple terms, DWSP handles ment of the source water supply. watershed management, while MWRA The cooperation between the two takes over when the water enters the agencies, and their ability to maintain Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs’ a successful watershed management MWW Truck #3, 1920 intakes. Reservoir management is a Continued on Page 10 Downstream • Spring 2015 3 The Water Supply Natural Record The Wachusett Snow Survey Program By Steve Sulprizio, DCR Environmental Analyst

Remember last winter? While measuring snow depth may not seem all that complicated, at right is a photograph of a training session that was conducted for snow depth and water content analysis outside the Wachusett Field Headquarters last winter in order to ensure consistent and accurate results from the staff involved in the survey.

Below is a chart that shows the rate of snow pack build up and decline for the past 5 years, from 2010-2015

tube. A snow core is forecasting. The data is also benefi cial pulled out and is weighed to engineers who can use the snow to determine the snow weight to estimate stress on roofs from water equivalent. the snow. The scale is calibrated The winter of 2014-2015 proved to to translate the weight be particularly harsh, especially from of the snow to a water late January through the month of Feb- equivalent in inches. A ruary. Record cold and snow battered nvironmental Quality staff rough estimation is that a quarter of a the area for about six weeks. Worces- at the Wachusett Reservoir pound of snow equals about an inch ter broke its greatest one-day snowfall Econduct weekly snow measure- of water. This data is shared with the record with 31.9 inches of snow on ments at six locations within the water- National Weather Service and provides January 27, 2015. Snow depth peaked shed during the snow survey season. A valuable ground truth data for fl ood Continued on Page 10 typical survey season goes from about December 1 through April 1. These measurements are made to quantify - Reservoir Watch - Reservoir levels and 6-month precipitation the amount of water that is locked up System-wide Water Usage in the snowpack. Each location is Reservoir Quabbin Wachusett Sept 2014 to Feb 2015 measured fi ve times for snow depth Minimum 524.86’ 387.08’ (million gallons per day) and snow water equivalent, or SWE for % Full 90.5% 84.4% short. These fi ve results are averaged Date(s) 11/23/14 2/27/15 together to come up with a single snow depth and snow water equivalent for the site. Maximum 527.61’ 391.80’ The surveys are done using an % Full 95.5% 93.6% Adirondack snow tube which is pushed Date(s) 2/26/15 12/12/14 into the snow until it reaches the ground. The snow depth is recorded by reading the marked depths, by one Precipitation 22.17” 21.00” Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb inch increments, on the side of the Seasonal Avg 23.12” 22.08” 4 DDownstreamownstream • SpringSpring 20152015

Archival Record From Page 1

Land Surveys and Reservoir Construction

Clockwise from above: The “Long and Little Hoist,” 1900, was one of several locations where removed material was lifted out of the reservoir bed. Work crews install heavy rip-rap on the North Dike in 1903. Final clearing of the Wachusett reservoir fl oor, 1903. Bottom left: The form used to construct the stone arch bridge on the Sterling Street (Route 140) causeway. Bottom right: The completed arch bridge framing a view of the Old Stone Church. eenvironment,nvironment, tthehe nnegativesegatives rremainedemained ttherehere fforor ffortyorty yyears.ears. IInn 11964,964, hhowever,owever, tthehe gglasslass pplatelate ccollectionollection ccaughtaught tthehe eeyeye ooff a rrep-ep- rresentativeesentative ffromrom tthehe DDivisionivision ooff oonene ooff tthehe fi rrstst tthingshings I nnoticedoticed iinn tthehe llectionection rrangeange ffromrom 1 tthroughhrough 77,672.,672. MMechanicalechanical aandnd CCivilivil EEngineeringngineering ooff MMDCDC archives.archives. I wwasas ffascinatedascinated bbyy TThehe MMDCDC Archives,Archives, hhowever,owever, wwasas tthehe SSmithsonianmithsonian IInstitution’snstitution’s NNationalational tthishis ccollection;ollection; I ssetet ooutut ttoo ddiscoveriscover aass hholdingolding oonlynly aapproximatelypproximately 66,000.,000. MMuseumuseum ooff AAmericanmerican HHistoryistory wwhoho mmuchuch aass ppossibleossible aaboutbout tthehe gglasslass pplatelate TThroughouthroughout tthehe 11990s,990s, I ttrackedracked ddownown wwasas visitingvisiting tthehe ppumpingumping sstations.tations. nnegatives,egatives, eensurensure tthathat tthehe nnowow 110000 sseveraleveral llocationsocations wwherehere ootherther ppiecesieces IImmediatelymmediately uunderstandingnderstanding ttheirheir yyearear ooldld ccollectionollection wwasas aass ccompleteomplete aass ooff tthehe ccollectionollection hhadad bbeeneen ddispersed.ispersed. vvalue,alue, tthehe SSmithsonianmithsonian IInstitutionnstitution ppossible,ossible, aandnd ppreservereserve tthesehese ppiecesieces ooff NNegativesegatives ffromrom tthehe sserieseries wwereere aatt rrequestedequested a lloanoan ooff tthehe nnegativesegatives fforor oourur hhistory.istory. tthehe MMassachusettsassachusetts WWaterater RResourcesesources ffurtherurther eexaminationxamination aandnd ppreservation.reservation. TThehe nnegativesegatives nnumbersumbers iinn tthehe ccol-ol- AAuthorityuthority ((MWRA)MWRA) RRecordsecords CCenterenter TThehe eentirentire ssetet wwasas sshippedhipped ttoo WWash-ash- iington,ngton, DD.C.,.C., mminusinus aapproximatelypproximately 880000 nnegativesegatives tthathat wwereere kkeptept aatt tthehe ppumpingumping sstations.tations. TThehe SSmithsonianmithsonian rre-e- hhousedoused aandnd rre-boxede-boxed tthehe nnegativesegatives tthathat wwereere eentrustedntrusted ttoo tthem.hem. TThehe ccollectionollection wwasas returnedreturned 2255 yyearsears llater.ater. I bbeganegan wworkingorking aass tthehe AArchivistrchivist fforor tthehe MMetropolitanetropolitan DDistrictistrict CCommis-ommis- ssion,ion, DDCR’sCR’s predecessorpredecessor (see(see pp.. 22)) iinn AAugustugust 1992.1992. ThisThis treasuretreasure ttroverove wwasas Downstream • Spring 2015 5

Construction of the Wachusett Dam

(those left behind at Chestnut Hill The ultimate goal of this plan was to Above left: An 1897 view of the Nashua Pumping Stations in 1964), the West sequentially merge the negatives and River Valley at the dam site before con- Boylston Historical Society (from a consolidate the complete collection at struction. Above right: Boring machines and work MDC 1970s loan), and the Boylston the State Archives for future genera- crews on rafts drilling to bedrock through Historical Society (from a 1970s MDC tions. All of the various repositories the fl oor of the Nashua River at the loan). Furthermore, bound volumes of agreed to participate in this project. Wachusett Dam site in 1895. photographic prints of the collection Right: A detail were held by the Massachusetts State of work crews Archives (from a 1980 transfer from fi tting stone at the MDC), the MWRA Library, Boylston eastern end of the Historical Society (from a 1970s MDC dam in 1904. Below Left: An loan), and West Boylston’s Beaman over view of dam Memorial Public Library (from a 1976 construction from MDC loan); loose prints were also in the east taken in the possession of the Clinton Histori- 1904. Below Right: A cal Society. view of the com- pleted dam and Current Archiving gatehouse taken A plan was drafted in the winter in 1906, with of 2000 to gather all of the disparate yearly construc- tion progress pieces together to archivally preserve noted on the the complete MWW negative collec- image. tion, create a database to catalog this vast portfolio, and reformat the images for multiple repository research use. 6 DDownstreamownstream • SpringSpring 20152015

Equipment and Heavy Machinery

PProperlyroperly ppreservingreserving tthehe nnegativesegatives Top Left: In wwasas a vvitalital iinitialnitial ssteptep iinn tthishis eeffort.ffort. 1900, “The Jessie” was one TThehe MMDCDC aandnd MMWRAWRA mmadeade a ssigniignifi - of several small ccantant iinvestmentnvestment iinn tthehe nnecessaryecessary aarchi-rchi- steam engines vvalal ssupplies.upplies. A ssystemystem wwasas ddevelopedeveloped used to haul uusingsing mmethodsethods rrecommendedecommended iinn tthehe soil from the aarchivalrchival ppreservationreservation lliteratureiterature ttoo ccleanlean reservoir. Top Right: Three tthehe nnon-emulsionon-emulsion ssideide ooff tthehe gglasslass steam engines pplatelate nnegativesegatives iinn oorderrder ttoo iimprovemprove ganged together iimagemage qqualityuality fforor ffutureuture rreformat-eformat- in 1902 for ttinging ((basically,basically, wwhyhy pputut ddirtyirty pplateslates iinn added tractive power. ccleanlean eenclosures).nclosures). Right: Hoisting TThehe nnextext ssteptep wwasas tthehe aactualctual cclean-lean- machinery of iingng ooff tthehe 88,000,000 ppieces.ieces. A ttrooproop ooff 112020 the Lidgerwood vvolunteersolunteers ffromrom 3311 ccitiesities aandnd ttownsowns Cableway, used wwasas assembledassembled iinn tthehe ffallall ooff 22000000 for heavy lifting in 1901 while aatt tthehe ggymnasiumymnasium iinn JJohnohn AAugustusugustus building the HHall,all, MMDC’sDC’s WestWest BBoylstonoylston RRegionalegional Wachusett dam. Below Right: The 1,250 hp Westinghouse HHeadquarters.eadquarters. OOverver tthehe sspanpan ooff ttwowo Below Left: A 1901 view in the engine hydroelectric generator located in the SSaturdays,aturdays, 33,950,950 gglasslass pplatelate nnegativesegatives house of the Clinton pumping station. The gatehoue at the Wachusett Dam. Water fi ne detail shown in these machine photo- wwereere aarchivallyrchivally ccleanedleaned aandnd rre-housed.e-housed. released to the Nashua River moved these graphs are of particular interest to mechani- turbines before coming out of the fountain TThehe rremainingemaining nnegativesegatives wwereere ccom-om- cal and engineering historians. in front of the dam. Downstream • Spring 2015 7

Builders of the Dam and Reservoir

Above left: The last stone of the Wachusett Above right: This 1918 image shows 10 Dam was fi tted into place in June of 1905. electrical transmission laborers working pleted over time by additional volun- While an entire work crew shown here was on the Wachusett to Sudbury power lines, on hand for the momentous occasion, stone posed around a contractor’s truck. teers, graduate student interns, MWRA worker John Mercer was credited for the staff, and myself. Throughout 2002, fi nal fi tment. the descriptive information for each This set of images image was entered into a database. to the left and below, The sequentially merged negatives taken in 1896-7, documents the life of were ultimately relocated to the State the Italian immigrant Archives between 2001 and 2005. laborers, who built the dam and reservoir, in Digital Access their Patrone village of The successful preservation of the sod huts. At left is a shoemakers shack as delicate negatives that occurred over evidenced by the small the fi rst decade of the 21st century wordless sign on top. was possible due to thousands of Below left is a typical volunteer hours and funding from the sod hut where labor- ers lived and directly water supply agencies. Tight bud- below is a view of a gets, however, did not allow for the main path through the expensive digital transformation of makeshift village. For the MWW photograph collection that more information see would facilitate internet access to this Downstream #29. 8 DDownstreamownstream • SpringSpring 20152015

Real Estate, Homes, and Businesses

Area homes and busi- hhistoricistoric rrecord.ecord. nesses were documented A solutionsolution ttoo tthishis llastast ppieceiece ooff tthehe early in the process of dam rrestorationestoration aandnd aarchivalrchival pplanlan wwasas and reservoir construction. Some homes remained, ffoundound iinn 22012.012. DDCRCR aandnd tthehe MMWRAWRA but 360 were raised to jjoinedoined ttogetherogether ttoo hhaveave tthehe MMWWWW make way for the res- PPhotographhotograph CCollectionollection ddigitallyigitally ervoir. Clockwise from sscannedcanned tthroughhrough tthehe rrelativelyelatively nnewlyewly the bottom left: the West Boylston Mfg. Company fformedormed ppartnershipartnership bbetweenetween ““Digi-Digi- Store, George Tatro’s West ttalal CCommonwealth,”ommonwealth,” a wwebeb pportalortal Boylston blacksmith shop, eestablishedstablished iinn 22007,007, aandnd tthehe BBostonoston the Beaman Street neigh- PPublicublic LLibraryibrary ((BPL)BPL) DDigitaligital SServiceservices borhood, and the intersec- UUnit.nit. DDCRCR aandnd tthehe MMWRAWRA ssubmit-ubmit- tion of Prospect and East Main St. at the west end of tteded aann aapplicationpplication iinn tthehe ssummerummer ooff West Boylston Common. 22012012 ttoo ttakeake aadvantagedvantage ooff tthehe ffreeree Close study of these 1896 ddigitaligital sserviceservices oofferedffered bbyy DDigitaligital images reveal details of CCommonwealth/BPL.ommonwealth/BPL. AAllll pparticipantsarticipants daily life at the turn of the 20th century. ssawaw thethe ppotentialotential vvaluealue aandnd uusese ffromrom tthehe pproposalroposal ttoo ttransformransform tthehe gglasslass pplatelate nnegativesegatives iintonto hhighigh rresolutionesolution ddigitaligital fi lles.es. FFederalederal aandnd sstatetate ggrants,rants, iincludingncluding IInstitutenstitute ooff MMuseumuseum aandnd LLibraryibrary SServices/Libraryervices/Library SServiceservices aandnd TTechnologyechnology AActct ((LSTA)LSTA) ffederalederal ffundsunds aadministereddministered tthroughhrough tthehe MMassachu-assachu- ssettsetts BBoardoard ooff LLibraryibrary ooff CCommission-ommission- eersrs ssupportupport tthishis ffreeree sservice.ervice. IItt ttookook BBPLPL DDigitaligital SServiceservices ttwowo yyearsears ttoo ddigitallyigitally sscancan tthehe BBostonoston WWaterater WWorks/Metropolitanorks/Metropolitan WWaterater WWorksorks pphotographichotographic iimagesmages hheldeld bbyy DDCR,CR, MWRA,MWRA, andand thethe MMAA StateState AArchives.rchives. MManyany ppeopleeople wwereere iinstru-nstru- mmentalental iinn tthishis eeffort.ffort. IItt wwasas lleded bbyy Downstream • Spring 2015 9

Churches and Cemeteries MWRA Librarian Rebecca Kenney and myself, as we managed logistics and metadata creation. We also were supported by MWRA Communica- tions Offi cer Barbara Allen and MA State Archives Quality Control Archi- vist Wallace Dailey. The plan developed fi fteen years ago to archive this invaluable set of pictures has been completed and the public can now explore the wealth of historic information buried in these pictures. The Digital Commonwealth website launched the MWW Photo- graph Collection, encompassing more than 8,800 images, in September 2014. The original and complete MWW photographic negative and print col- lection created by the Commonwealth is safely preserved and organized at the Massachusetts State Archives. It is cataloged through a national library/ archives bibliographic database, called OCLC WorldCat, which is also avail- able online. Everyone is encouraged to explore the details of the people, places, machines, and infrastructure that created the metropolitan Boston drinking water supply. To access the Metropolitan Water Detailed photographs, such as these taken between 1896 and 1897, also included Works Collection from Digital churches, memorials, and cemeteries. Commonwealth, go to https://www. Top: The newly constructed Baptist Church, now known as The Old Stone Church that digitalcommonwealth.org/collections/ currently stands sentinel over Thomas Basin. Above and below center: Memorial markers at the Catholic cemetery near commonwealth:g732dh56k. Sandy Pond, Clinton. Bottom right: The Patrick T. O’Riely Catholic Church, West Boylston. Bottom left: The First Congregational Church (and Thomas Hall) of West Boylston. 10 Downstream • Spring 2015

Navigating the Digital Commonwealth Snow Survey Program - from Page 3 To access the entire MWW photograph collection, go to https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/collec- on February 19 at 27.3 inches. The tions/commonwealth:g732dh56k. If you fi nd yourself snow water equivalent peaked at 6.75 on the Digital Commonwealth home page, click on inches on March 5, 2015; this was “Institutions” and then scroll down to Massachusetts Archives, where you will fi nd a link to the MWW col- equivalent to about 13 billion gallons lection. of water spread throughout the water- Once you are on the MWW Photo Collection page, there are a various ways to search shed. the fi les: The graph on page 3 shows the • Browse by topic or by place (city/town) from the right. last fi ve years of snow survey results. • Search by a word, or phrase. Be creative! Many more words are searchable than in browse by topic. The only missing year was the winter • After results appear, you can sort by date; and, if needed, change number of images 2011-2012 when barely any snow fell per page. and the surveys were not conducted. • Clicking on a single result, the top portion of the page will be the image and bottom Surveys are typically only taken when portion the catalog record of the image. Click on the image, and a scale-able image appears. there is more than two inches of snow Associated with the MWW Photo Collection is a set of 72 Wachusett Reservoir land on the ground for at least a week. The survey blueprints. These blueprints were annotated by the MWW engineers with the photo other standout year was the winter number of 1,432 real estate images. There are links on the survey page and the photo of 2010-2011. That year snow depth collection page to connect to each other. You can fi nd the place of a picture from the photo peaked at 28.25 inches on February 4 collection on the survey, or vice versa: • Search by MWW image number. That number can be found in the catalog record and snow water equivalent peaked at obtained by the instructions above. Look for either the accession number or identifi er. 7.13 inches on March 4, which was The image number is the digits that follows “EN4.05/2630X” in the accession fi eld; it equivalent to 13.76 billion gallons of is the same number, without the leading zeros and without the leading MWW, in the water within the watershed boundaries. identifi er fi eld. • Click on the image result, and in the catalog record below, verify that the image Snow melt rapidly accelerates number is located on that blueprint sheet (image numbers are listed in the notes fi eld). through March, typically due to less • Click the blueprint image to enlarge. Scroll around to locate the image number, which snowfall and warming temperatures. are annotated in red ink. Spring stream fl ows were impacted Utilize two separate windows – one for the blueprints and the other for the photos – to by the higher than normal snowpack; compare the image to its location on the map! higher fl ows were present for much of Preserving Glass Plate Negatives April as the snow melted. The slow melt prevented any fl ooding from occurring and helped to alleviate the effects of a very dry spring. These drastic changes in the snowpack from year to year will likely continue due to climate change. DCR will continue to collect snow pack data to diagnose and mitigate stream fl ow impacts to the water supply system. DCR and MWRA - from Page 2 program, was a critical component to a federal judge’s ruling that allows the system to be one of the few unfi ltered water supplies in the country. DCR and MWRA staff will continue to The glass plate negatives of the MWW collection have had a long and arduous journey collaborate on a wide range of issues – to archival preservation. Early record keeping at top shows three boxes of the 6.5” x 8.5” such as water quality, reservoir opera- negatives and the log books that kept track of the 8,000 images. Volunteers helped clean many of the negatives in 2000. Many had been damaged and required more extensive tions, dam maintenance, sewers, and restoration (see this image on page 9). Digital Commonwealth provided the equipment other watershed issues – in order to and expertise to make the collection available online. quench the thirst of a third of the state. Downstream • Spring 2014 11

Kids Corner The Historic Jumble The jumbled words in this puzzle are found in the articles in this newsletter and relate to the history of the Wachusett Dam and Wachusett Reservoir. Unscramble them and fi nd the letters to answer the question posed regarding the historic photograph described below. Good luck! (the answers are printed at the bottom of this page)

What did the operator of this 75 horsepower hoist have to say to his fellow workers during the con- struction of the Wachusett Reservoir? “______?” And another thing... For more information about... by J. Taylor The Digital Commonwealth: Digital Commonwealth This 1918 https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org photograph Metropolitan Water Works Collection shows workers https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/collections/ installing line commonwealth:g732dh56k and insulators DCR Archives: on an electric DCR Archive Management power trans- http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/conservation/cul- mission pole tural-resources/archives-management.html that will carry power between Water Quality and Quantity: Wachusett DCR Division of Water Supply Protection Water Quality http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/water-res-protection/ and Sudbury water-quality-monitoring/ Reservoirs. DCR Water Data Tracking http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/water-res-protection/ water-data-tracking/ MWRA Monthly Water Quality Reports

http://www.mwra.com/monthly/wqupdate/qual3wq.htm “Who said it was lonely at the top?” Lift? A Need Snowpack; Archive; History; Search; Flood; Answers: Jumble 1122 DDownstreamownstream • SpringSpring 20152015 Then and Now Massachusetts Envirothon By Joel Zimmerman, DCR Regional Planner he Mass Envirothon, a state- this summer in Missouri. Hometown wide, natural resource based participants Quabbin Regional High Tenvironmental education pro- School won the Current Topics sec- gram, returned to Quabbin Reservoir tion of the competition. Congratula- in 2015 after a twenty year hiatus from tions to all the students who took the picturesque location. the time from their busy schedules As described in Downstream #29, to explore the many facets of the the Mass Envirothon holds an annual environment. competition that brings teams of The connection between DCR – students together to test their knowl- as well as its sister agencies within edge and skills in a variety of natural the Executive Offi ce of Energy and resource topics, including water, Environmental Affairs – and the forests, wildlife, and soils. There is Mass Envirothon is a natural link. also a current topic that the students The program encourages environ- research and make a presentation; this mental stewardship and protection year’s topic was the climate crisis. while supporting community service Thirty teams ventured to Quab- among our youth. Everyone who MA Envirothon at Quabbin Reservoir bin on a picture perfect day in May. participates in the Mass Envirothon in 1996 and 2015. Styles may have Newton North emerged as the over-all comes out a winner! We look changed, but the students’ grasp of envi- winner and will represent the state in forward to another twenty years of ronmental science and policy concepts the North American Envirothon later pictures and memories. have remained strong over twenty years. downstream Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection Offi ce of Watershed Management 180 Beaman Street West Boylston, MA 01583 (508) 792-7806 ex. 363

Downstream is produced twice a year by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Water Supply Protection. It includes articles of interest to the Watershed System communities. Our goal is to inform the public about watershed protection issues and activities, provide a conduit for public input and promote environmentally responsible land man- agement practices.

Governor: Charles D. Baker Lt. Governor: Karyn D. Polito EOEEA Secretary: Matthew A. Beaton DCR Commissioner: Carol I. Sanchez DWSP Director: Jonathan L. Yeo Downstream Editor: James E. Taylor