Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Watershed Access Lab Projects Watershed Access Lab 2009 The ffecE t of Draining Forge Pond on the Assonet River Recommended Citation Apponequet Regional High School, Lakeville, Massachusetts (2009). The Effect of Draining Forge Pond on the Assonet River. In Watershed Access Lab Projects. Project 75. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/wal_projects/75 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The Effects of Draining Forge Pond on the Assonet River Group Members: Alyssa Barbosa, Brianne Beckman, Jessica Carreiro, Kristen Maltais, Brandon Riendeau, Adrianna Wright and Brieanne Young Question for Investigation: HOW DOES THE DRAINING OF FORGE POND EFFECT THE ASSONET RIVER???? History of the Assonet River • 18th century - American Revolutionary War. • 19th century - fishing and cargo ships • Assonet Bay Shores is a peninsula formed by Assonet Bay, Payne Cove, and Shepherd's Cove. Across Shepherd's Cove is an abundance of higher-end homes. The Draining of Forge Pond • 1703- The Forge Pond dam was built • Mid 1800’s- the dam powered a manufacturing plant. • July 2007- lowering the level of the pond by cutting wooden planks inside concrete sluiceways. They will continue doing so until they drain 3-4 feet of water. • Today- The pond has crested above the dam. The water has also begun to filter through the massive rocks that make up the dam. If one of these rocks were to become dislodged, the entire dam would break. Temperature vs. Time, Assonet River, October 1-2, 2008 Beechwood 18 16 14 Temperature Beechwood Forge 12 Locust • Beechwood (mg/l) DO consistently has the 10 lowest temperature of 8 the three sets. 6 0:00:00 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 14:00:0015:00:0016:00:0017:00:0018:00:0019:00:0020:00:0021:00:0022:00:0023:00:00 10:00:0011:00:0012:00:0013:00:0014:00:00 Time (HHMMSS) • Why? Temperature vs. Time, Assonet River, March 31 - April 1, 2009 . Ground water from 18 wetlands. 16 . The temperatures 14 Beechwood Forge 12 Locust show a diurnal (C) Temperature change. 10 8 6 0 140000150000160000170000180000190000200000210000220000230000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000100000110000120000130000140000 Time (HHMMSS) pH of the Assonet River • Factors that increase pH: – Surrounding minerals in rock and soil – Atmospheric deposition (Acid Rain) • Factors that decrease pH: – Direct atmospheric decomposition – Acid mining drainage – Industrial discharge – Optimal Ranges for Aquatic Organisms: 6.5 - 8.5 • ALL SITES ARE UNDER OPTIMAL RANGE! pH vs. Time, Assonet River, October 1-2, 2008 6.5 Beechwood pH 6 5.5 Beechwood Forge Locust pH(units) • Beechwood always 5 maintains the lowest 4.5 pH values for October 4 0:00:00 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 14:00:0015:00:0016:00:0017:00:0018:00:0019:00:0020:00:0021:00:0022:00:0023:00:00 10:00:0011:00:0012:00:0013:00:0014:00:00 and March Time (HHMMSS) pH vs. Time, Assonet River, March 31 - April 1, 2009 – Why? 6.5 • Cellular respiration 6 • Drainage of upstream wetlands 5.5 Beechwood Forge Locust • Production of CO2 with (Units) pH decomposition 5 4.5 4 0 140000150000160000170000180000190000200000210000220000230000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000100000110000120000130000140000 Time (HHMMSS) Dissolved Oxygen vs. Time, Assonet River, October 1-2, 2008 12 11 10 9 8 Beechwood Forge DO(mg/l) 7 Locust 6 5 4 3 0:00:001:00:002:00:003:00:004:00:005:00:006:00:007:00:008:00:009:00:00 14:00:0015:00:0016:00:0017:00:0018:00:0019:00:0020:00:0021:00:0022:00:0023:00:00 10:00:0011:00:0012:00:0013:00:0014:00:00 Time (HHMMSS) . Dissolved Oxygen vs. Time, Assonet River, March 31 - April 1, 2009 Upstream Site Overall, there12 is less DO than other11 2 sites on both sampling10 dates 9 Why? Beechwood 8 Forge • Locust 7 The water has not yet been (mg/l) Oxygen Dissolved aerated by dams 6 • 5 Upstream from Beechwood is a 4 wetlands area 3 0 140000150000160000170000180000190000200000210000220000230000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000100000110000120000130000140000 Time (HHMMSS) Beechwood Site Discharge • Beechwood’s velocity, although it is the upstream site, is decreased compared to the Forge site. • Why? . Forge has a dam . Forge pond adds excess water to the downstream sites Major Group or Count Count Average Average Group or Tolerance Total X Average Family Replicate 1 Replicate 2 Count Density Family % Value Original Density Ephemeroptera 0 12 6 17 4 4 68 Baetidae Ephemeroptera 1 1 1 3 0.74 4 12 Heptageniidae Plecoptera Nemouridae 2 1 3 0.74 2 6 Plecoptera 0 7 3.5 10 2 2 20 Taeniopterygidae Trichoptera 6 4 5 14 3 3 42 Hydropsychidae Trichoptera 1 0 0.5 1 0.3 3 3 Philopotamidae Diptera 3 22 12.5 36 9 7 252 Chironomidae Odonata 1 0 0.5 1 0.3 3 3 Cordulegastridae Megaloptera 0 2 1 3 0.74 2 6 Corydalidae Coleoptera Elmidae 11 2 6.5 19 5 4 76 Coleoptera Psephenidae 3 2 2.5 7 2 4 28 Amphipoda 79 49 64 183 45 7 1281 Isopoda Asellidae 9 24 16.5 47 12 8 376 Gastropoda 2 26 14 40 10 7 280 Oligochaeta 9 0 4.5 13 3 9 117 Hirudinea 1 3 2 6 1 10 60 Hemiptera 0 3 1.5 4 0.98 8 32 Macroinvertebrates of Beechwood PERCENT TOLERANCE • The percent tolerant macro- invertebrates Ephemeroptera Baetidae Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae for Beechwood Plecoptera Nemouridae is 80.42%. Plecoptera Taeniopterygidae Trichoptera Hydropsychidae • The tolerance Trichoptera Philopotamidae Diptera Chironomidae levels for this Odonata Cordulegastridae category are Megaloptera Corydalidae Coleoptera Elmidae from 7-10. Coleoptera Psephenidae Amphipoda Isopoda Asellidae Gastropoda Oligochaeta Hirudinea Hemiptera PERCENT INTOLERANCE •The percent intolerant for Beechwood is 8.04% • The tolerance levels for this category range from 0-3. •Because the number of tolerant bugs surpasses the number of intolerant bugs, the water quality for Beechwood is poor, with an FBI of 6.51 Temperature vs. Time, Assonet River, October 1-2, 2008 Forge Site 18 Temperature 16 14 Beechwood Forge 12 Locust • There is an increase (mg/l) DO in temperature 10 between the 8 6 0:00:00 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 Beechwood Site and 14:00:0015:00:0016:00:0017:00:0018:00:0019:00:0020:00:0021:00:0022:00:0023:00:00 10:00:0011:00:0012:00:0013:00:0014:00:00 Time (HHMMSS) Forge site. Temperature vs. Time, Assonet River, March 31 - April 1, 2009 • Why? 18 16 . Impoundment 14 Beechwood upstream from the Forge 12 Locust Temperature (C) Temperature bridge 10 . Forge Pond 8 6 0 140000150000160000170000180000190000200000210000220000230000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000100000110000120000130000140000 Time (HHMMSS) pH vs. Time, Assonet River, October 1-2, 2008 Forge pH 6.5 6 • pH at Forge is higher than 5.5 Beechwood Beechwood Forge Locust pH(units) – Why? 5 • Less cellular 4.5 respiration 4 0:00:00 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 14:00:0015:00:0016:00:0017:00:0018:00:0019:00:0020:00:0021:00:0022:00:0023:00:00 10:00:0011:00:0012:00:0013:00:0014:00:00 • Forge is the only site Time (HHMMSS) whose pH increases in pH vs. Time, Assonet River, March 31 - April 1, 2009 6.5 March – Why? 6 • Water temperature 5.5 Beechwood Forge increases in March Locust pH (Units) pH 5 • More cellular respiration • Wetland-like conditions 4.5 4 0 140000150000160000170000180000190000200000210000220000230000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000100000110000120000130000140000 Time (HHMMSS) Dissolved Oxygen vs. Time, Assonet River, October 1-2, 2008 12 11 10 Midstream Site 9 8 Beechwood Forge • DO is higher than DO(mg/l) 7 Locust 6 Beechwood but lower 5 than Locust 4 3 0:00:001:00:002:00:003:00:004:00:005:00:006:00:007:00:008:00:009:00:00 14:00:0015:00:0016:00:0017:00:0018:00:0019:00:0020:00:0021:00:0022:00:0023:00:00 10:00:0011:00:0012:00:0013:00:0014:00:00 • Why? Time (HHMMSS) Dissolved Oxygen vs. Time, Assonet River, March 31 - April 1, 2009 • Higher than Beechwood because water has gone 12 11 through a dam 10 9 • Lower than Locust Beechwood 8 Forge Locust because water has 7 Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) Oxygen Dissolved heated up in Forge Pond 6 5 due to large surface area 4 3 0 140000150000160000170000180000190000200000210000220000230000 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000100000110000120000130000140000 Time (HHMMSS) Forge Site Discharge • Forge, although being the midstream site has the highest discharge due to the excess water being removed from Forge Pond. • Why? . Wall . Channels Major Group or Count Count Average Average Group or Tolerance Total X Average Family Replicate 1 Replicate 2 Count Density Family % Value Original Density Ephemeroptera 1 8 4.5 9 2 4 36 Baetidae Ephemeroptera 6 4 5 10 2 4 40 Heptageniidae Plecoptera 1 0 1 2 0.4 1 2 Perlidae Trichoptera 68 16 42 87 17 3 261 Hydropsychidae Diptera 2 2 2 4 0.8 7 28 Chironomidae Diptera 0 1 1 2 0.4 6 12 Empididae Diptera 0 1 1 2 0.4 6 12 Simuliidae Odonata 1 0 1 2 0.4 3 6 Lestidae Coleoptera 6 2 4 8 2 4 32 Elmidae Coleoptera 0 5 5 10 2 4 40 Psephenidae Amphipoda 65 191 128 265 50 7 1792 Isopoda 4 0 4 8 1.5 8 64 Asellidae Gastropoda 7 4 5.5 11 2 7 77 Pelecypoda 0 25 25 52 10 7 364 Oligochaeta 8 33 20.5 42 8 9 378 Hirudinea 0 2 2 4 0.8 10 40 Hemiptera 1 2 1.5 3 1 8 24 Macroinvertebrates of Forge The percent tolerant macro-invertebrates for Forge is 74.31%.