The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs 251 Causeway Street, Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114-2119
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs 251 Causeway Street, Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114-2119 Mitt Romney GOVERNOR Kerry Healey LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Tel: (617) 626-1000 Fax: (617) 626-1181 Ellen Roy Herzfelder or (617) 626-1180 SECRETARY http://www.state.ma.us/envir November 22, 2004 Dear Friends of the North Coastal Watersheds: It is with great pleasure that I present you with the 5-Year Watershed Action Plan for the North Coastal Watersheds. The plan will be used to guide local and state environmental efforts within the North Coastal Watersheds over the next five years. The plan expresses some of the overall goals of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, such as improving water quality, restoring natural flows to rivers, protecting and restoring biodiversity and habitats, improving public access and balanced resource use, improving local capacity, and promoting a shared responsibility for watershed protection and management. The North Coastal Watershed Action Plan was developed with input from the North Coastal Watershed Team and multiple stakeholders including watershed groups, state and federal agencies, Regional Planning Agencies and, of course, the general public from across the Watershed. We appreciate the opportunity to engage such a wide group of expertise and experience as it allows the state to focus on the issues and challenges that might otherwise not be easily characterized. From your input we have identified the following priorities: • Open Space: Foster Sustainable Development • Habitat: Conserve habitat and wildlife • Water Quality: Improve water quality and water-related human health • Water Quantity: Better water management / flood control • Recreation: Foster recreational use of natural resources and economic growth related to recreation • Outreach: Local capacity building, outreach, and education I commend everyone involved in this endeavor. Thank you for your dedication and expertise. If you are not currently a participant, I strongly encourage you to become active in the North Coastal Watersheds’ restoration and protection efforts. Regards, Ellen Roy Herzfelder Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................5 Political Boundaries / Transportation Map.................................................................................................... Insert 1 North Coastal Wetlands Map....................................................................................................................... Insert 2 North Coastal Open Space Map ................................................................................................................... Insert 3 North Coastal Land Use Map....................................................................................................................... Insert 4 1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................6 1A. NORTH COASTAL WATERSHEDS: Physical and social setting...................................................... 6 Ecoregions ............................................................................................................................................................6 Physical Features...................................................................................................................................................7 Social Setting........................................................................................................................................................8 1B. HISTORICAL CONTEXT................................................................................................................. 9 1C. THE MASSACHUSETTS WATERSHED INITIATIVE .................................................................. 10 2. ISSUES AND STRATEGIES...........................................................................11 2A. Open Space: Sustainable Development .............................................................................................................. 11 2B. Habitat Conservation......................................................................................................................................... 11 2C. Water Quality Improvement .............................................................................................................................. 12 2D. Water Quantity Management............................................................................................................................. 13 2E. Recreation as Economic Resource...................................................................................................................... 14 2F. Capacity Building & Outreach ........................................................................................................................... 14 Public Input Process ................................................................................................................................................ 15 3. PUBLIC INPUT ...............................................................................................16 Waterways .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 Non-point sources ................................................................................................................................................... 17 Non-point sources (continued) ................................................................................................................................. 18 Development........................................................................................................................................................... 18 Marine .................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Marine (continued).................................................................................................................................................. 19 Wastewater ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 Water supply ........................................................................................................................................................... 19 Water Supply (continued) ........................................................................................................................................ 20 Land Use................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Invasive Species...................................................................................................................................................... 20 Ecology................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Outreach ................................................................................................................................................................. 22 4. RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................23 4A. Study and rehabilitate closed coastal shellfish beds ............................................................................................ 23 4B. Initiate and develop salt marsh recreational and ecological survey....................................................................... 23 4C. Reinstitute beach maintenance & develop area beach management plans............................................................. 23 4D. Expand river and lake cleanups.......................................................................................................................... 24 4E. Publicize and reduce contaminated stormwater runoff......................................................................................... 24 4F. Restore and Protect Water Quality/ Reduce Pathogens........................................................................................ 25 4G. Protect, evaluate, and restore sensitive habitat.................................................................................................... 25 4H. Maintain natural water flow regime ................................................................................................................... 26 4I. Restore anadromous fish habitat.......................................................................................................................... 26 4J. Watershed-wide flood planning .......................................................................................................................... 25 4K. Watershed-wide open space planning ................................................................................................................ 26 4L. Preserve and protect farmland............................................................................................................................ 27 4M. Implement the Grow Smart North Shore Open Space Plan................................................................................. 27 4N. Direct outreach to communities / build sense of stewardship..............................................................................