River Instream Flow Stewards RIFLS Program

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River Instream Flow Stewards (RIFLS) Program
Summer 2007 River Flow Observationspresented
to MA Water Resources CommissionJanuary 10, 2008
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Riverways mission To promote the restoration
and protection of the ecological integrity of the
Commonwealth's watersheds rivers, streams and
adjacent lands. Local action is the key
to river protection.
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RIFLS Goals

• Increase citizens awareness of stream flow
  problems, causes solutions
• Help volunteers meet their own project objectives
  and strengthen the network of people interested
  and active in stream flow, river, and watershed
  restoration and protection
• Collect and disseminate quality stream flow data
  
• Identify flow restoration strategies and support
  instream flow management
• Identify streams where more intensive scientific
  investigation by water resource agencies is
  needed.

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RIFLS Process

• Site visit with interested individuals
• Staff gauge installation
• Volunteer training
• At least 6 discharge measurements
• Rating curve development
• Volunteer depth data collection
• Website data entry and retrieval
• Action planning meeting
• Demonstration grants

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2007 RIFLS Sites
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Technical Assistance Collaborations

• USGS real-time gauges installed on former RIFLS
  rivers Nissitissit, Eel, Mattapoisett, Matfield
  Parker Rivers.
• Nashua River tributaries stormwater runoff study.
• First Herring Brook herring and aquatic habitat
  restoration.
• Dam outflow management in Housatonic River
  watershed.
• Saugus River herring restoration / eel passage
  projects voluntary flow release.
• Georgetown outdoor water use restriction bylaw.
• Acushnet River anadromous fish passage project.
• Ashmere dam rehabilitation project.
• Lake Shirley drawdown Orders of Conditions.

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Demonstration Projects
FY06 Lancaster Environmental Overlay
Districts Increased stormwater recharge where
soils are appropriate Peak flow limits for
channel protection Underdrain or infiltration to
reduce stormwater temperatures Nutrient/pathogen
treatment for larger on-site wastewater facilities
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Demonstration Projects
FY07 Ipswich River Watershed Association LID
office retrofits Fixtures/appliances Green
roof Landscaping Rain garden Cisterns Porous
paving Signage Publicity tours
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Demonstration Projects
FY07 Stockholm Environment Institute Water
Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) integrated water
resource modeling with Town of Sharon Stormwater
routing enhanced Environmental economic ranges
added Town of Sharon case study
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Demonstration Projects
FY08 Georgetown Ecological Safe Yield
Analysis Site-specific study of annual and
seasonal Parker River stream flow near
Georgetowns well field.
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2007 Low Flow Season
USGS Streamflow Index
AUG
OCT
SEP
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Legend
Residential Gallons per Capita per Day
(rgpcd) Data is from 2006 Annual Statistical
Reports, as checked (some modified) by
DEP Unaccounted for water (UAW) Data is from
2006 Annual Statistical Reports, as checked (some
modified) by DEP Outdoor Water Use
Restrictions Data obtained from DEPs website, as
reported by towns. Watershed Area Square miles
draining to the location of the most downstream
photograph.
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Jackstraw Brook, Westborough (1.49 mi2) 71 rgpcd
5 UAW (2006) 9/6/07 Voluntary Restrictions
Upton Rd pump house (downstream)
Warren Rd (upstream)
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Jackstraw Brook, Westborough October 12, 2007
Upstream at Warren Rd
Staff gauge at Upton Rd pump house.
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Gulf Brook, Pepperell (3.7 mi2) 67 rgpcd 8 UAW
(2006) 5/1/07 Voluntary Restrictions
Old Railroad Crossing (downstream)
Pump House
Stewart Brook (upstream)
Oak Hill Rd (upstream)
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Gulf Brook, Pepperell September 6, 2007
Upstream at Oak Hill Rd. 0.10 cfs (0.95 mi2)
Stewart Brook tributary to Gulf Brook
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Gulf Brook, Pepperell September 6, 2007
50 meters upstream of the pump house.
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Gulf Brook, Pepperell September 6, 2007
40 meters upstream of the pump house.
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Gulf Brook, Pepperell September 6, 2007
100 meters downstream of the pump house.
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Gulf Brook, Pepperell September 6, 2007
150 meters downstream of the pump house.
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Gulf Brook, Pepperell September 6, 2007
About 0.5 miles downstream of the pump house at
old railroad crossing.
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Mattapoisett River, Rochester (24.0
mi2) Mattapoisett 54 rgpcd 8 UAW (2006) no
restrictions reported Marion 72 rgpcd 18 UAW
(2006) 6/15/07 Mandatory Restrictions Fairhaven
58 rgpcd 16 UAW (2006) no restrictions reported
Snipatuit Pond outlet (upstream)
Snipatuit Rd (upstream)
Hartley Rd (upstream)
Harley Mill Pond (upstream)
Tinkham Ln (downstream)
Acushnet Rd (downstream)
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Mattapoisett River, Rochester October 19, 2007
Snipatuit Pond outlet
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Mattapoisett River, Rochester October 19, 2007
Snipatuit Rd.
Hartley Rd 0.39 cfs
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Mattapoisett River, Rochester October 19, 2007
Downstream of Harley millpond, Route 105.
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Mattapoisett River, Mattapoisett October 19, 2007
Upstream at Tinkham Ln
Downstream at Tinkham Ln
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Mattapoisett River, Mattapoisett October 19, 2007
CAUTION! RIVER ENDS
About 50 meters downstream of Tinkham Ln staff
gauge.
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Mattapoisett River, Mattapoisett October 19, 2007
About 50 meters downstream of Tinkham Ln staff
gauge.
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Mattapoisett River, Mattapoisett October 19, 2007
100 meters downstream of Tinkham Ln
200 meters downstream of Tinkham Ln
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Mattapoisett River, Mattapoisett October 19, 2007
300 meters downstream of Tinkham Ln
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Mattapoisett River, Mattapoisett October 19, 2007
350 meters downstream of Tinkham Ln
Downstream of Acushnet Rd.
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Parker River, Georgetown (21.3 mi2) Georgetown
64 rgpcd 5 UAW (2006) no restrictions
reported Byfield 62 rgpcd 11 UAW no
restrictions reported
Byfield USGS gauge (downstream)
Route 97 (downstream)
Glendale Rd (upstream)
Porter Rd (upstream)
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Parker River, Boxford August 22, 2007
Glendale Rd headwater tributary. 0.12 cfs
Porter Rd headwater tributary. 0.31 cfs
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Parker River, Georgetown August 22, 2007
Route 97 0.02 cfs
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Parker River, Byfield August 31, 2007
Main St, near USGS gauging station - 0.17 cfs
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Billings Brook, Sharon (3.7 mi2) 62 rgpcd 15
UAW (2006) no restrictions reported
Gavins Pond Road
Gavins Pond outlet
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Billings Brook, Sharon August - September, 2007
August 30
September 5
Gavins Pond Rd.
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Billings Brook, Sharon August - September, 2007
photos by Paul Lauenstein
Gavins Pond outlet.
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Billings Brook, Sharon October 4, 2007
Gavins Pond outlet 0.06 cfs (no flow over
spillway)
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Poor Farm Brook, Shrewsbury (3.8 mi2) 62 rgpcd
17 UAW (2006) 5/15/07 Mandatory Restrictions
Clemente Field (Northeast Cutoff Rd)
Near Bowditch Rd
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Poor Farm Brook, Worcester August 23, 2007
Upstream at Clemente Field (Northeast Cutoff Rd),
Worcester.
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Poor Farm Brook, Shrewsbury August 23, 2007
Near Bowditch Rd, downstream of Route 70.
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(No Transcript)
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Jones River, Kingston (3.9 mi2) Brockton data
not available no restrictions reported
Silver Lake (upstream)
Lake St
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Jones River, Kingston November 5, 2007
photo by Pine DuBois Jones River Watershed
Association
Silver Lake (headwater)
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Jones River, Kingston November 5, 2007
photo by Pine DuBois Jones River Watershed
Association
Silver Lake tidewater mucket shells (special
concern mussels)
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Jones River, Kingston November 15, 2007
Lake St
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First Herring Brook, Scituate (3.9 mi2) 62 rgpcd
21 UAW (2006) 9/12/07 Mandatory Restrictions
Old Forge Rd
The Reservoir
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First Herring Brook, Scituate September 28, 2007
Photo by Mary Ellen Schloss, First Herring Brook
Watershed Initiative
Old Forge Rd.
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First Herring Brook, Scituate September 29, 2007
Photo by Mary Ellen Schloss, First Herring Brook
Watershed Initiative
Reservoir at Route 3A.
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Lubbers Brook, Wilmington (2.4 mi2) 53 rgpcd 2
UAW (2006) 5/2/07 Emergency Declaration
Phillips Ave
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Lubbers Brook, Wilmington September 7, 2007
Photo by Suzanne Sullivan, Wilmington Stream Team
Photo by Suzanne Sullivan, Wilmington Stream Team
Phillips Ave upstream
Phillips Ave downstream