Low Flow Inventory

Chicopee River Basin

Observations

There are several indications that some tributaries of the Chicopee River may suffer from stream flow depletion. For example, the USGS stream gage on the Ware River at Barre (#01172500) recorded a minimum stream flow of 0.57 cfs, or 46% of the estimated 7Q10, during the summer of 1999 (2). The Ware River near Barre, Seven Mile River near Spencer, and the East Branch of the Swift River near Hardwick are all listed by the Office of Water Resources as high stress rivers based on their low discharge per square mile of watershed compared to other rivers in the state (1).

Suspected Causes

There is no further information on the rivers classified as high stress rivers, but large withdrawals and interbasin transfers have been noted from the East Branch of the Ware River.

Water Withdrawals Water withdrawals from the Mare Meadow and Bickford Reservoirs upstream of the East Branch of the Ware River in Westminster and Hubbardston for the Town of Fitchburg’s water supply are discharged outside the Chicopee River Basin. Fitchburg is registered to withdraw 2.26 mgd and in 1999 the town withdrew 3.8 mgd from Mare Meadow Reservoir over a 145 day period and 10.4 mgd from Bickford Reservoir over a 31 day period (2).

Dam Management Because the Town of Fitchburg uses a reservoir system and surface water withdrawals, it is theoretically possible to minimize the impact of water withdrawals on downstream aquatic communities because minimum streamflows can be maintained using stored water. In the 1998 Water Quality Assessment, DEP recommended that Mare Meadow and Bickford Reservoir operations be optimized and other lake outlet control operations be evaluated to mimic as much as possible natural patterns and volumes of stream flow in the East Branch of the Ware River (2).

References & Resources

1) Stressed Basins in Massachusetts. Final draft, OWR version 3. 12/01.
2) Weinstein, Mollie J., Kennedy, Laurie E., and Jane Collona-Romano. April 2001. Chicopee River Basin 1998 Water Quality Assessment Report, Report Number 36-AC-2, DWM Control Number 47.0. MA DEP, Bureau of Resource Protection, Division of Watershed Management.
3) USGS real-time stream gage data for the Ware River near Barre.
4) USGS real-time stream gage data for the Ware River at Gibbs Crossing.
5) USGS real-time stream gage data for the Chicopee River at Indian Orchard.
6) USGS real-time stream gage data for the East Branch Swift River near Hardwick.
7) USGS real-time stream gage data for the Quaboag River at West Brimfield.