WATER QUALITY
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Volunteers in DRWA's
lab
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WATER QUALITY |
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| Introduction |
The Deerfield River is one of the most pristine rivers in Massachusetts. Due to cool temperatures, high oxygen content, and neutral rather than acidic conditions, the river is home to a variety of aquatic life. Despite ten dams and five waste water treatment plants on its river shores, the watershed is not densely populated and most of the land use is forests. Because the river is clean and scenic, it is used heavily for recreation. DRWA has been documenting the water quality in the main stem and tributaries since 1990. See our slide show for an introduction to our program and for 1999-2000 results.Currently we monitor the river for temperature, pH and alkalinity in the spring and temperature and E. coli bacteria in the summer. Previous years' data can be found in the archived data.
This year we continued monitoring E. coli, but concentrated on the Norht and South Rivers to bracket unknown sources of bacteria on those two reivers, thanks to the 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant Program administered by the MA DEP and in cooperation with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments. See our DEP and EPA approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (pdf). Results for the season will posted here soon.
EPA Assessment Data for Deerfield Watershed, 2002
4/24/05 |
4/24/05 |
4/30/06 |
4/30/06 |
4/22/07 |
4/22/07 |
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Sample ID |
Site Name |
pH |
ANC |
pH |
ANC |
pH |
ANC |
| COR-010 | Cold River | 6.56 |
3.1 |
6.93 |
4.9 |
5.25 |
0.2 |
| DER-010 | 5&10 Bridge | NS |
NS |
7.21 |
17.7 |
6.85 |
6.6 |
| DER-015 | Stillwater | 7.09 |
8.4 |
7.44 |
14.8 |
6.88 |
6.0 |
| DER-016 | Gardner Falls | 6.94 |
6.4 |
7.19 |
10.0 |
6.75 |
5.0 |
| DER-020 | Old Willow | 6.76 |
4.5 |
7.20 |
8.7 |
6.60 |
3.4 |
| DER-021 | Below Charlemont WWTP | 6.75 |
3.3 |
7.12 |
10.5 |
6.68 |
4.1 |
| DER-025 | Zoar Gap | 6.59 |
3.4 |
6.76 |
3.6 |
6.52 |
3.4 |
| DER-100 | Readsboro | 6.79 |
4.7 |
6.74 |
4.4 |
6.64 |
4.5 |
| NOR-010 | North River above BBA | 6.91 |
5.3 |
7.45 |
19.0 |
6.95 |
8.3 |
| NOR-015 | North Rive below BBA | 6.94 |
6 |
7.57 |
24.4 |
6.98 |
8.8 |
| SOR | South River | 7.31 |
14.1 |
7.71 |
31.9 |
7.34 |
20.4 |
| WBD-050 | West Branch Deerfield River | 5.83 |
0.7 |
6.48 |
3.0 |
5.74 |
0.8 |
Local Contact: DRWA Water Quality Monitoring Program: Michael Cole 413-475-3610
State Contact: DEP: Christine Duerring
National Contact: EPA web site
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DRWA Water Quality Monitoring Program is funded in part by a MA DEP 604(b) grant administered by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments.
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Updated
8/31/07
by MF
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