Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Deerfield River Watershed
The Deerfield River, with its drainage area of approximately 665 square miles, is one of the coldest and cleanest rivers in Massachusetts. Most of its headwaters are located in the Green Mountains of southern Vermont. The Deerfield River flows approximately 70 miles before draining into the Connecticut River in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The watershed includes more than 149 streams, 21 lakes and ponds, and 20 municipalities with a population of approximately 35,000 people. As a result of the watershed's mountainous topography, the Deerfield River, which drops approximately 2000 feet from its headwaters to its confluence with the Connecticut River, is renowned for its steep profile and high water quality, which have historically attracted numerous sport-fisherman and whitewater enthusiasts. The raging currents of the river have also attracted large electric utilities, resulting in the construction of ten hydropower dams on the river since 1911. The state is actively involved in stocking the river with thousands of trout to augment native populations, along with approximately a half-million juvenile salmon, as part of a larger salmon restoration project in the Connecticut River.
Watershed Priorities
- Invasive Plants: The number one priority in the watershed is invasive plants, particularly Japanese knotweed. Japanese knotweed has become the most visible and established invasive plant in the Deerfield watershed. There is a project underway that will develop and conduct an inventory of knotweed infestations in selected subwatersheds using volunteers and then conduct removal demonstration projects at several sites.
- Hydropower Issues: The hydroelectric facilities along the Deerfield River are operating under recently renewed FERC licenses that contain numerous conditions, including minimum flows, to protect the natural resources of the river. There is a flow-monitoring project to install staff gages that will enable volunteers to measure minimum flows below some of the dams. There is work being done with stakeholders to understand the conditions of the license and proactively address potential questions and problems through cooperative means.
- Open Space Planning: Several years ago only one watershed community had a current, approved open space plan. Over the last few years, eight complete and six partial open space plans for individual watershed communities have been developed. In addition, a regional watershed-wide open space plan is to be developed. A watershed-wide open space forum was held in the fall of 2002.
- Watershed Assessment and Action Planning: The completion of a watershed assessment report and a five-year watershed action plan is a priority for the coming year. A watershed assessment report should be prepared that evaluates and summarizes the extensive amount of data and information now available on the natural resources of the watershed. From this report, and with public input, a watershed action plan can be formulated to address major issues of concern.
- Implement the Deerfield River Watershed Stream Ecosystem Restoration Project, which investigates the hydrologic, environmental, physical, and economic impacts of dam removal and fish passage installation on five dams in the watershed.
Watershed Success
- DEP, DEM, DFW, consultants, and Deerfield River Watershed Association volunteers conducted watershed-wide comprehensive environmental monitoring. Over 100 sites located in streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands throughout the watershed were sampled or surveyed for one or more of the following: water chemistry and bacteria, sediment quality, habitat quality, benthic macroinvertebrates, fish, marsh birds and amphibians, and riparian vegetation. A "State of the Deerfield Watershed" forum was held to present the results.