Public Access on DCR Protection Lands
Ware River Watershed System

The Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Water Supply Protection (DCR/DWSP) is responsible for the stewardship of over 92,000 acres of critical lands and 45.6 square miles of reservoir surface water within the watersheds of the Quabbin, Wachusett, and Sudbury Reservoirs, and the Ware River in order to protect the municipal drinking water supply for current and future generations. The Ware River watershed is approximately 60,000 acres, wholly or partly situated in the 8 towns of Rutland, Oakham, Phillipston, Barre, Hubbardston, Templeton, Princeton and Westminster. The U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act and amendments is the primary law used to protect the nation's drinking water supply. Since the 1920's, DCR/DWSP has acquired water supply protection lands in the Ware River watershed and now manages 22,838 acres of undeveloped land in this watershed. The Division's watershed management activities, including the protection and maintenance of water supply lands, land acquisition, and payments in-lieu of taxes, are financed by water consumers - the MWRA ratepayers. To date, there have been no waterborne disease outbreaks attributed to this unfiltered, public drinking water supply system.

The Quabbin Reservoir receives 9% of its annual flow from the Ware River watershed. DCR/DWSP transfers the water from the MWRA intake located on the Ware River (Shaft 8) via the Quabbin Aqueduct to the Quabbin Reservoir.  Originally, DCR/DWSP lands in the Ware River watershed were purchased to protect water leaving the Ware River watershed and traveling directly to the Wachusett Reservoir. Today, DCR/DWSP transfers water from the Ware River watershed to  the Quabbin  Reservoir on an intermittent basis.   Water transfers from the Ware River to the Wachusett Reservoir are rare.

The DCR/DWSP Public Access Management Plan for the Ware River Watershed has been revised.  The "Public Access Summary Table" describes allowed and prohibited activities on DCR/DWSP land in the Ware River watershed. There is additional information at the Access Maps and "Comments, Questions and Answers" sections.

Public access onto Division lands is controlled and managed to protect the drinking water supply from contamination. DCR will minimize public health risks posed by recreational use of its lands by limiting access types, access location, and intensity of use. The active management of public access on DCR/DWSP lands is one element of the Division's comprehensive watershed protection program.

DCR/DWSP Master Policy Statement
Public Access in the Ware River Watershed

The DCR/DWSP manages public access and recreation on DCR/DWSP lands in the Ware River watershed to

• maximize water quality protection, minimize public health risks, and
• protect, conserve, and enhance the natural and cultural resources of the Commonwealth, by limiting and controlling public access and recreation occurring on these drinking water supply lands.

This access policy is consistent with Chapter 737 of the Massachusetts Acts of 1972 (a.k.a., "the Kelly-Wetmore Act"), Chapter 372 of the Massachusetts Acts of 1984 (a.k.a., "DWM Enabling Act"), State Drinking Water regulations (310 CMR 22.00), and Massachusetts Watershed Protection regulations (350 CMR 11.00). Except for those activities specifically authorized by statute or existing DCR/DWSP regulations, DCR/DWSP will permit new or expanded public access or recreational activity only when it does not conflict with DCR/DWSP’s on going watershed protection and management activities, and the following objectives, values, attitudes, and desires:

• public drinking water supply protectionapparent wilderness character stewardshipnatural resource managementhistoric and prehistoric site preservation
• long-term ecosystem health improvement/biological diversity

The DCR/DWSP will periodically evaluate, and modify accordingly, current recreational activities, whether authorized by statute, regulations, or policy.  DCR/DWSP's assessment will determine if the type and intensity of these activities conflict with the above values or with other uses.  If the Division identifies confilicts, it will act to eliminate or reduce the conflicts.

To comment on the DCR/DWSP Public Access Management Update - Ware River Watershed, please contact the DCR/DWSP at the following address:

DCR/DWSP Public Access Management Update - Ware River Watershed
DCR/DWSP
PO Box 628
Belchertown, MA 01007
(413) 323-6921

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