MASSACHUSETTS PROBABILISTIC MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM ASSESSMENT OF WADEABLE RIVERS AND STREAMS 2011-2015 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS KATHLEEN A. THEOHARIDES, SECRETARY MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MARTIN SUUBERG, COMMISSIONER BUREAU OF WATER RESOURCES KATHLEEN BASKIN, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER September 25, 2020 Cover Photo: Ashley Hill Brook in Mt. Washington, MA (MassDEP) Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................5 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................6 Survey Design ................................................................................................................................................6 Site Evaluation ...............................................................................................................................................7 Monitoring Design .......................................................................................................................................10 Sampling Plan ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Field and Analytical Methods .............................................................................................................................. 12 Quality Assurance and Quality Control ............................................................................................................... 12 Survey Conditions ........................................................................................................................................12 Human Disturbance .....................................................................................................................................16 Assessment Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 17 Aquatic Life Use ................................................................................................................................................... 17 Recreational Uses ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Aquatic Life Use ...........................................................................................................................................19 Overall ................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Macroinvertebrate Community........................................................................................................................... 20 Fish Community ................................................................................................................................................... 21 Stressors .............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Recreational Use ..........................................................................................................................................29 Overall ................................................................................................................................................................. 29 Stressors .............................................................................................................................................................. 29 Summary and Next Steps ............................................................................................................................. 30 Cited Sources ...............................................................................................................................................32 Appendix A. MAP2 Wadeable Rivers and Streams Survey Design .................................................................. 36 Appendix B. MAP2 Evaluated Sites 2011 - 2015 ............................................................................................. 40 Appendix C. MAP2 Target Sampled Sites 2011-2015 ...................................................................................... 50 Appendix D. Summary of CALM Assessment Methodologies, Data Evaluation Procedures, and Criteria .......... 62 Appendix E. Assessment Methodology for Biological and Habitat Indicators .................................................. 71 List of Tables Table 1. Extent of the sample frame in each site evaluation category. ....................................................................9 Table 2. GHCN weather stations in each MAP2 stratum used in survey condition analysis. ................................. 13 Table 3. Average monthly observed and normal precipitation totals (inches) for five select weather stations in each stratum. Area shaded in gray indicates the May - September sampling period. .......................................... 15 Table 4. Percent of site visits associated with water quality and biological sampling where precipitation totals for the 2 days and 1 day prior to the survey day exceeded 0.5 inches. ....................................................................... 16 Table 5. Extent of the target population in each Human Disturbance Class. ......................................................... 17 Table 6. Aquatic Life Use condition (support, impaired) in the target population and temperature regime subpopulations. ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 Table 7. Macroinvertebrate community condition (excellent, satisfactory, impaired) in the target population and temperature regime subpopulations. ..................................................................................................................... 21 Table 8. Fish community condition (excellent, satisfactory, impaired) in the target population and temperature regime subpopulations. ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Table 9. Extent of the target population and temperature regime subpopulations violating or meeting CALM assessment criteria for temperature. ...................................................................................................................... 24 Table 10. Extent of the target population and temperature regime subpopulations violating or meeting CALM assessment criteria for dissolved oxygen. ............................................................................................................... 25 Table 11. Habitat quality (excellent, satisfactory, impaired) in the target population and temperature regime subpopulations. ....................................................................................................................................................... 27 Table 12. Extent of the target population violating or meeting CALM assessment criteria for other Aquatic Life Use stressors. ........................................................................................................................................................... 28 Table 13. Recreation Use condition (support, impaired) in the target population. ................................................ 29 Table 14. Extent of the target population violating or meeting CALM assessment criteria for Recreation Use stressors................................................................................................................................................................... 30 List of Figures Figure 1. MAP2 target sampled sites 2011 – 2015. ...................................................................................................8 Figure 2. Extent of the sample frame in each site evaluation category. ...................................................................9 Figure 3. NOAA precipitation stations. .................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 4. Extent of the target population in each Human Disturbance Class. ........................................................ 16 Figure 5. Aquatic Life Use condition (support, impaired) in the target population and temperature regime subpopulations. ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 Figure 6. Macroinvertebrate community condition (excellent, satisfactory, impaired) in the target population and temperature regime subpopulations. .............................................................................................................. 20 Figure 7. Fish community condition (excellent, satisfactory, impaired) in the target population and temperature regime subpopulations. ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Figure 8. Extent of the target population and temperature regime subpopulations violating or meeting CALM assessment