31-AC-2 FARMINGTON RIVER WATERSHED WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT REPORT West Branch Farmington River, Otis COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ELLEN ROY HERZFELDER, SECRETARY MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ROBERT W. GOLLEDGE JR., COMMISSIONER BUREAU OF RESOURCE PROTECTION CYNTHIA GILES, 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 MA DEP’s home page on the World Wide Web at: http://www.mass.gov/dep/brp/wm/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 Sandisfield can apply at their local library for loan of any MA DEP/DWM report from the Springfield 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 Division of Watershed Management (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. FARMINGTON RIVER WATERSHED 2001 WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT REPORT Prepared by: Christine L. Duerring MA Department of Environmental Protection Division of Watershed Management Report Number: 31-AC-2 DWM Control Number: CN 091.0 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Division of Watershed Management Worcester, Massachusetts January 2005 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Coordination of local, state and federal agencies and private organizations is fundamental to the success of the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative. Data and information used in this report was provided in part by the following agencies and organizations. State • MA Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP): − Bureau of Strategic Policy and Technology, Wall Experiment Station (WES) − Bureau of Resource Protection (BRP) − Bureau of Waste Prevention (BWP) − Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup (BWSC) • MA Department of Public Health (MDPH) • MA Department of Fish and Game (DFG) (formerly the MA Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement - MDFW) − Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) • MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) (formerly the MA Department of Environmental Management - MA DEM) Federal • United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • United States Geological Survey (USGS) − Water Resources Division Regional • Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) • Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) Other • ENSR, Inc. (private consultant) Much appreciation is also extended to several MA DEP employees for their contributions: Richard Chase, Susan Connors, Ken Dominick, Laurie Kennedy, Richard S. McVoy, PhD., Jane Ryder, and Arthur Screpetis. It is impossible to thank everyone who contributed to the assessment report process. Field sampling, laboratory analysis, data management, writing, editing, and graphics preparation, meeting participation, phone calling, and e-mailing were all a part of its completion. All who contributed to these efforts are very much appreciated. Cover photo credit: P. Mitchell, MA DEP, Division of Watershed Management TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... i List of Tables and Figures .............................................................................................................................. ii List of Units..................................................................................................................................................... ii List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................ iii Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... iv Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... 1 Assessment Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 2 Farmington River Watershed Description and Classification ...................................................................... 12 Summary of Existing Conditions and Perceived Problems ......................................................................... 14 Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) ......................................................................................................... 15 Sources of Information ................................................................................................................................ 16 Objectives.................................................................................................................................................... 17 Report Format ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Farmington River Watershed River Segments ........................................................................................... 19 West Branch Farmington River (Segment MA31-01) .................................................................... 20 Shales Brook (Segment MA31-04) ................................................................................................ 28 Unnamed Tributary (Segment MA31-05) ....................................................................................... 30 Thomas Brook (Segment MA31-06) .............................................................................................. 32 Unnamed Tributary (Segment MA31-07) ....................................................................................... 34 Cone Brook (Segment MA31-08) ................................................................................................... 36 Unnamed Tributary (Segment MA31-09) ....................................................................................... 39 Dimmock Brook (Segment MA31-10) ............................................................................................ 42 Benton Brook (Segment MA31-11) ................................................................................................ 44 Fall River (Segment MA31-02) ...................................................................................................... 47 Clam River (Segment MA31-03) .................................................................................................... 50 Buck River (Segment MA31-12) .................................................................................................... 53 Silver brook (Segment MA31-13) ................................................................................................... 56 Sandy Brook (Segment MA31-14) .................................................................................................. 58 Valley Brook (Segment MA31-15) .................................................................................................. 61 Hubbard Brook (Segment MA31-16) .............................................................................................. 64 Farmington River Watershed - Lake Assessments .................................................................................... 67 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................................ 78 List of Appendices with Tables and Figures ............................................................................................... 81 Appendix A - Technical Memorandum TM-31-2 - Farmington River Watershed 2001 Biological Assessment........................................................................................................................... A1 Appendix B - Technical Memorandum - Farmington River Basin 2001 Periphyton Data ........................... B1 Appendix C - Technical Memorandum - Farmington River Watershed Benthic Macroinvertebrate Biomonitoring (1996) .............................................................................................................C1 Appendix D - MA DEP/DWM 1996 – 1997 Farmington River Watershed Water Quality, Sediment Monitoring Data, and Lakes Synoptic Survey Information ....................................................D1