Town of Ashland Supplemental Water EIR Environmental Impact Report Supplemental Water Supply Town of Ashland September 30, 2015 1 Town of Ashland Supplemental Water EIR TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Brief Project Description .................................................................................................................. 4 1.1.1 Construction Summary .............................................................................................................. 5 1.2 List of Permits, licenses, certificates, variances, or approval and the current status on each: .......... 5 1.3 Summary of Alternatives to Project .................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Summary of potential environmental impacts of the project. ........................................................... 6 1.5 List of mitigation measures for the project. ...................................................................................... 6 1.5.1 Erosion control ........................................................................................................................... 6 1.5.2 Temporary Drainage .................................................................................................................. 7 1.5.3 Traffic Mitigation....................................................................................................................... 7 1.5.4 Interference with and protection of streets ................................................................................. 8 1.5.5 Noise Mitigation ........................................................................................................................ 8 2.0 Project Description.............................................................................................................................. 10 2.1 Type, size and proposed use of the project ..................................................................................... 10 2.2 Objectives and anticipated benefits of the project: ......................................................................... 10 2.3 Timetable, approximate cost, and methods: ................................................................................... 11 2.4 Construction Permits:...................................................................................................................... 11 3.0 Interbasin Transfer .............................................................................................................................. 13 3.1 Description of the Proposed Interbasin Transfer ............................................................................ 13 3.2 Detailed Description of Proposed Interbasin Transfer.................................................................... 18 3.2.1 Wastewater Discharge Location: ............................................................................................. 20 3.3 Regulatory Compliance and Other Approvals ................................................................................ 20 3.3.1- Environmental Review ........................................................................................................... 20 3.3.2- All Reasonable Efforts ............................................................................................................ 20 3.3.3. All practical measures ............................................................................................................. 21 3.3.4. Forestry Management ............................................................................................................. 23 3.3.5 Reasonable instream flow ........................................................................................................ 24 3.3.6. Groundwater Withdrawals ...................................................................................................... 41 3.3.7. Local Water Resources Management Plan ............................................................................. 41 3.3.8. The commission shall consider the impacts of all past, .......................................................... 41 3.4 MITIGATION: ............................................................................................................................... 43 3.4.1 Water Conservation ................................................................................................................. 43 2 Town of Ashland Supplemental Water EIR 3.4.2 Minimization of Water Loss .................................................................................................... 44 3.4.3 Green House Gas Emissions .................................................................................................... 44 3.5 EO 385 ............................................................................................................................................ 46 4.0 Alternatives to Project, Alternatives Analysis .................................................................................... 48 4.1 Current water Sources and Need for Supply: ................................................................................. 48 4.2. Alternatives: ................................................................................................................................... 48 5.0 Existing Environment ......................................................................................................................... 50 5.1 Project site Topography and Contours and Wetland Map: ............................................................. 50 5.2 Project Site-Surface Geology map and Town of Ashland Aquifer Map ........................................ 51 5.3 Plant, Animal Species and Habitat, Historic Structures / Archeological Sites: .............................. 53 5.4 Traffic Management: ...................................................................................................................... 53 5.5 Scenic Qualities, Open Space and recreational resources: ............................................................. 54 5.6 The built environment and human use of the project site, .............................................................. 55 6.0 Assessment of Impacts ........................................................................................................................ 56 6.1 Quantities- MWRA Supplemental water usage .............................................................................. 57 6.2 Current and Projected Water demands ........................................................................................... 57 7.0 Statutory and Regulatory Standards and Requirements ...................................................................... 59 8.0 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................................... 60 9.0 Proposed Section 61 Findings ............................................................................................................. 61 10.0 Response to Comments ..................................................................................................................... 63 10.1 Secretary’s Certificate ................................................................................................................... 63 10.2 Water Resources Commission Comments .................................................................................... 65 10.3 Department of Environmental Protection Comments ................................................................... 65 10.4 Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Comments ................................................................ 67 10.5 Southborough Conservation Commission Comments .................................................................. 67 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................ 69 3 Town of Ashland Supplemental Water EIR 1.0 Summary Project Name: ASHLAND SUPPLEMENTAL WATER CONNECTION Project Site / Location: OREGON ROAD, ASHLAND, MA Proponent Name, Address, Phone number: TOWN OF ASHLAND-DPW, 20 PONDEROSA RD, ASHLAND – 01721, 508-532-7941 (DPW Director- David Manugian) Primary Contact’s Title, Name, Address, Phone number: DPW Director, David Manugian, 20 Ponderosa Road, Ashland-MA-01721, 508-532-7941 1.1 Brief Project Description: The purpose of the proposed supplemental water connection (the Project) is to provide an additional water source to the Town of Ashland by connecting to the water system of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) via the Town of Southborough. Ashland currently has five wells that serve the Town and a portion of Hopkinton. The towns share the water and the associated costs. The state permits for the wells have varying criteria, including the level of the Hopkinton Reservoir, that regulate the use of the wells. However, calculations of both water use by the Towns and reservoir elevation between 2007 and 2014 show that historic reservoir levels have fluctuated significantly while demand has generally stayed constant. In the years where emergency connections to the MWRA were needed (2007 and 2013), water demand was average but reservoir levels were particularly low. During the approvals for the emergency connection