34-AC-2 CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED 2003 WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT REPORT COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS IAN BOWLES, SECRETARY MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAURIE BURT, COMMISSIONER BUREAU OF RESOURCE PROTECTION GLENN HAAS, ACTING ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER DIVISION OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT GLENN HAAS, DIRECTOR NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY LIMITED COPIES OF THIS REPORT ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST TO: MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 627 MAIN STREET WORCESTER, MA 01608 This report is also available from the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Watershed Management’s home page on the World Wide Web at: http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/resources/wqassess.htm Furthermore, at the time of first printing, eight copies of each report published by this office are submitted to the State Library at the State House in Boston; these copies are subsequently distributed as follows: • On shelf; retained at the State Library (two copies); • Microfilmed retained at the State Library; • Delivered to the Boston Public Library at Copley Square; • Delivered to the Worcester Public Library; • Delivered to the Springfield Public Library; • Delivered to the University Library at UMass, Amherst; • Delivered to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Moreover, this wide circulation is augmented by inter-library loans from the above-listed libraries. For example a resident in Winchendon can apply at their local library for loan of any MassDEP/DWM report from the Worcester Public Library. A complete list of reports published since 1963 is updated annually and printed in July. This report, entitled, “Publications of the Massachusetts Division of Watershed Management – Watershed Planning Program, 1963-(current year)”, is also available by writing to the DWM in Worcester. DISCLAIMER References to trade names, commercial products, manufacturers, or distributors in this report constituted neither endorsement nor recommendations by the Division of Watershed Management for use. Connecticut River Watershed 2003 Water Quality Assessment Report 34wqar07.doc DWM CN 105.5 ii CONNECTICUT RIVER BASIN 2003 WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT REPORT Prepared by: Jamie W. Carr and Laurie E. Kennedy Department of Environmental Protection Division of Watershed Management Report Number: 34-AC-2 DWM Control Number: CN 105.5 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Division of Watershed Management Worcester, Massachusetts October 2008 Connecticut River Watershed 2003 Water Quality Assessment Report 34wqar07.doc DWM CN 105.5 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Coordination of local, state and federal agencies and private organizations is fundamental to the success of protecting and restoring water quality in Massachusetts Watersheds. Data and information used in this report was provided in part by the following agencies and organizations: State Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP): Bureau of Resource Protection (BRP) Division of Watershed Management (DWM) Bureau of Strategic Policy and Technology Wall Experiment Station (WES) Bureau of Waste Prevention (BWP) Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup (BWSC) Department of Conservation and Recreation (MA DCR) Department of Fish and Game (MA DFG) Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MDFW) Department of Public Health (MA DPH) Federal United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) United States Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources Division Regional Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) It is impossible to thank everyone who contributed to the assessment report process: field, laboratory, data management, writing, editing, and graphics, as well as meetings, phone calls, and many e-mails. All of these contributions are very much appreciated. Cover photo: View of the Connecticut River Valley from Sugarloaf Mountain in Deerfield, taken by Jamie Carr. Connecticut River Watershed 2003 Water Quality Assessment Report 34wqar07.doc DWM CN 105.5 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF APPENDICES..............................................................................................................................VII LIST OF FIGURES .....................................................................................................................................VII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................................................X INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................1 MASSACHUSETTS INTEGRATED LIST OF WATERS..............................................................................2 CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED DESCRIPTION..............................................................................3 OBJECTIVES ...............................................................................................................................................3 CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED – RIVER SEGMENTS ASSESSED ..............................................4 Connecticut River (Segment MA34-01)....................................................................................................5 Connecticut River (Segment MA34-02)....................................................................................................8 Connecticut River (Segment MA34-03)..................................................................................................12 Fall River (Segment MA34-33) ...............................................................................................................15 Connecticut River (Segment MA34-04)..................................................................................................16 Sawmill River (Segment MA34-40).........................................................................................................22 Sawmill River (Segment MA34-41).........................................................................................................23 Long Plain Brook (Segment MA34-09)...................................................................................................25 Cushman Brook (Segment MA34-34) ....................................................................................................26 Mill River-Hadley (Segment MA34-25) ...................................................................................................27 Unnamed Tributary (Segment MA34-31) ...............................................................................................29 Bloody Brook (Segment MA34-36).........................................................................................................30 Mill River-Hatfield (Segment MA34-24) ..................................................................................................32 Amethyst Brook (Segment MA34-35).....................................................................................................35 Fort River (Segment MA34-27)...............................................................................................................37 East Branch Mill River (Segment MA34-37)...........................................................................................39 West Branch Mill River (Segment MA34-38)..........................................................................................41 West Branch Mill River (Segment MA34-39)..........................................................................................42 Mill River-Northampton (Segment MA34-28) .........................................................................................44 Mill River Diversion (Segment MA34-32) ...............................................................................................47 Manhan River (Segment MA34-10)........................................................................................................48 Brickyard Brook (Segment MA34-13)....................................................................................................49 Moose Brook (Segment MA34-17) .........................................................................................................50 Potash Brook (Segment MA34-12).........................................................................................................51 Tripple Brook (Segment MA34-16).........................................................................................................52 Broad Brook (Segment MA34-18) ..........................................................................................................53 White Brook (Segment MA34-14)...........................................................................................................54 Wilton Brook (Segment MA34-15)..........................................................................................................55 Manhan River (Segment MA34-11)........................................................................................................57 Lampson Brook (Segment MA34-06) .....................................................................................................59 Weston Brook (Segment MA34-23)........................................................................................................61 Bachelor Brook (Segment MA34-07)......................................................................................................63 Stony Brook (Segment MA34-19)...........................................................................................................65