VERMONT N.H. 8A 142 BERNARDSTON HEATH LEYDEN 63 COLRAIN 112 10 TTHEHE CCONNECTICUTONNECTICUT RRIVERIVERNORTHFIELD GILL GREENFIELD SHELBURNE ERVING 91 5 2 BUCKLAND SSTRATEGICTRATEGIC PP2 LANLAN 112 63 WENDEL VOLUME ONE MONTAGUE CONWAY ASHFIELD DEERFIELD 116 47 112 River LEVERETT SHUTESBU 63 5 GOSHEN SUNDERLAND WHATELY 116 WILLIAMSBURG 3 HATFIELD ERFIELD PELHAM 9 9 Connecticut HADLEY AMHERST NORTHAMPTON 116 91 47 N WESTHAMPTON 66 BELCHERTO EASTHAMPTON GRANBY 202 141 SOUTH HADLEY SOUTHAMPTON 10 TG OMERY 21 PREPARED BY HOLYOKE 33 Pioneer Valley Planning Commission 202 LUDLOW CHICOPEE 391 IN COOPERATION WITH L 90 141 Connecticut River Watershed Council 20 Connecticut River Watershed Team 20 WESTFIELD WEST SPRINGFIELD 291 Franklin Regional Council of Governments WILBRAHAM Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership SPRINGFIELD University of Massachusetts Extension 21 PREPARED FOR EAST SOUTHWICK 57 AGAWAM 5 LONG- HAMPDEN Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs LONG- MEADOW 147 MEADOW 10 83 202 91 July 2001 CONNECTI THE CONNECTICUT RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN Massachusetts Watershed Initiative Volume I July 1, 2001 Pioneer Valley Planning Commission In cooperation with Connecticut River Watershed Team Connecticut River Watershed Council Franklin Regional Council of Governments Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership University of Massachusetts Extension Prepared for: The Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Robert Durand, Secretary This project has been financed primarily with funds from the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) under a Watershed Initiative Comprehensive Planning Grant. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of EOEA. Pioneer Valley Planning Commission 26 Central Street West Springfield, MA 01089 ❖ The Connecticut River Strategic Plan Acknowledgements The Connecticut River Strategic Plan was guided by the involvement of hundreds of residents who partici- pated in workshops and public surveys throughout the planning process. A Watershed Survey was com- pleted in 1999 of civic leaders in all Massachusetts communities in the Connecticut River mainstem water shed to establish the top priority problems and goals for the watershed. A large watershed-wide public forum was held in Hadley, Massachusetts in November, 1998 to identify priority problems and to brainstorm possible solutions. Ideas from this public involvement were organized and refined in this report by the following organizations and staff: Franklin Regional Council of Governments Peggy Sloan, Janice Stone Connecticut River Watershed Council Whitty Sanford, Peg McDonough Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center Jerry Schoen, Francoise Walk University of Massachusetts Extension Scott Jackson Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Christopher Curtis, Carl Mailler Executive Office of Environmental Affairs John O’Leary MA Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife and Russell Cohen Environmental Law Enforcement, Riverways Program Connecticut River Watershed Team John O’Leary is the Team Leader for the Connecticut River Watershed Team. Other regular Team members include: • Russ Cohen, Mass. Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement • Scott Jackson, University of Massachusetts Extension • Whitty Sanford, Connecticut River Watershed Council • Chris Curtis, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission • Joe Dunn, Franklin Regional Council of Governments • Jerry Schoen, Mass. Water Watch Program, University of Massachusetts • Bob McCollum and Larry Golonka, Mass. Department of Environmental Protection • Oliver Miranda, Diane Leone, Rita Thibedeau, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service • Dan Burke, Connecticut River Navigator • Jennifer McDonald, Jerzy Pietrzak, Dave Clark, Mass. Department of Environmental Management • Beth Goettel and Janice Rowan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • Gene Mills, Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin County Conservation Districts Photographs by Christopher Curtis and Terry Blunt ❖ The Connecticut River Strategic Plan The Connecticut River Strategic Plan Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................ i 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ i 2. Water Quality and Quantity ................................................................................................................ i 3. Preservation of Streams and Wildlife Habitat .................................................................................... ii 4. Land Use, Growth Trends and Economic Development .................................................................... iv 5. Public Access, Recreation and Greenways .......................................................................................... v 6. Coordination and Watershed Management Partnership ..................................................................... v 7. Summary of Volume II of Connecticut River Strategic ...................................................................... vi Volume I. The Connecticut River Strategic Plan .............................................................................. 1 1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Public Response and Participation……………………………………………….……. ....................1 1.2 Overall Goals for the Strategic Plan…………………………………….………………….................. 1.3 Organization of the Plan ...................................................................................................................1 1.4 The Connecticut River Watershed....................................................................................................2 1.5 The Massachusetts Watershed Initiative...........................................................................................2 1.6 Purpose of the Connecticut River Initiative and Strategic Plan .......................................................4 1.7 Regulatory Role in the Watershed Approach: The Clean Water Strategy .............................................................................................................................................4 1.8 Agency and Organization Roles ........................................................................................................4 1.9 EOEA Basin Team .............................................................................................................................5 2.0 Water Quality and Quantity ........................................................................................................ 7 2.1 Public Response and Participation ...................................................................................................7 2.2 Assessment of the Current Situation ................................................................................................8 2.20 Water Quality Improvements in Past 25 Years .......................................................................8 2.21 Water Quality Data .................................................................................................................8 2.22 Current Water Quality Status .................................................................................................8 2.23 Results from the “Swimming Hole Project” .........................................................................10 2.24 Water Quality Data for Connecticut River Tributary Streams ..............................................13 2.25 Other Impaired Water Bodies ...............................................................................................15 2.3 Water Quality Assessment by Segment...........................................................................................16 2.30 Stream Segment Assessments ...............................................................................................16 2.31 Aquatic Life Use ...................................................................................................................16 2.32 Fish Consumption Use .........................................................................................................16 2.33 Recreational Use ...................................................................................................................16 2.34 Aesthetics Use.......................................................................................................................17 2.35 Summary of DEP Connecticut River Basin Assessment Report ................................................. 17 2.4 Priority Water Quality Issues..........................................................................................................18 2.40 Combined Sewer Overflows .................................................................................................18 2.41 Streambank Erosion .............................................................................................................19 2.42 PCBs.....................................................................................................................................20 2.43 Other Water Quality Priorities .............................................................................................20 2.5 Strategies for Water Quality and Quantity .....................................................................................20 3.0