OVERVIEW

The Title 5 dataset is a polygon buffer layer representing a variable width buffer zone around water features and other natural resources. These buffer areas are established for the purpose of aiding in the implementation of Title 5 (310 CMR 15.00) regulations for the siting, construction, inspection, upgrade and expansion of on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems, and for the transport and disposal of sewage. The buffer areas represent the setback requirements for the installation of septic systems near specific natural resources and water features. Please refer to the Title 5 regulations for the specific setback requirements. MassGIS stores this layer in ArcSDE (Oracle) as TITLE5_POLY. For distribution (beginning in February, 2004), the layer is tiled by the Watershed Index (previously the layer was tiled by USGS Quad panel).

The buffer areas were developed by buffering the hydrologic and wetland features contained in the MassGIS 1:25,000 Hydrography Datalayer, wetland features contained in the MassGIS Land Use Datalayer, and wetlands features from the DEP Wetlands datalayer. The buffer area is 50 feet around all hydrologic features and wetlands, except within the drainage basin for a public surface water supply, where the buffer zones are 100 feet around wetland features, 200 feet around streams and ponds, and 400 feet around public surface water supplies. The areas of wetlands and hydrography that were buffered were then removed from the datalayer.

This datalayer is developed and maintained by the DEP. It is updated when new hydrography, land use, DEP Wetlands and public water supply information is available.

	The layer's polygon attribute table contains the "INSIDE" item:
	100	=	within buffered area
	0	=	outside buffered area  (only INSIDE=100 polygons are contained in the SDE and shapefile versions of the layer)

A Title 5 Resource Area Map series is available through MassGIS. This map series is intended to be used by the public as a tool to aid in identifying areas near water resources and natural features that are subject to the Title 5 (310 CMR 15.00) regulations. The information shown on these maps comes from many different sources at different scales. Some data may be incomplete, some generalization may occur, and some information may not have been field verified.

The Department of Environmental Protection GIS group is maintaining this datalayer. All tiles were updated in September 2001 to account for updates to MassGIS Land Use data. All tiles were updated in early October 2002 to include buffers around features in the DEP Wetlands layer. In late October 2002 these USGS Quad tiles were updated in conjunction with an update to the DEP Wetlands layer: 50, 51, 52, 57, 58, 80, 86, 87, 88, 92, 93, 94. In December these USGS Quad tiles were updated to reflect changes to the DEP Wetlands layer: 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 56, 84, 85, 88, 90, 91, 93, 94, 99, and 100.

In January 2003, 162 USGS Quad tiles were modified to adjust DEP Wetlands buffers that fall within Zone C's (see USGS Quad tile list). In March 2003 these USGS Quad tiles were modified: 35, 58, 60, 77, 107, 152, and 153. In April 2003 USGS Quad tiles 173_se, 188_se, 32, 99, 43, 44, 45, 46, 83, 84, 87, 93, 115, 116, 126, and 127 were modified. In June 2003 these USGS Quad tiles were modified due to additions to the DEP Wetlands layer: 38, 39, 40, 44, 45, 46, 49, 50, 51, 56, 57, 62, 68, 74, 78, 79, 83, 84, 85, 89, 90 and 93.

In July 2003 these USGS Quad tiles were updated in conjunction with the June 30, 2003 DEP Wetlands update: 37, 38, 39, 40, 44, 68, 71, 72, 74, 77, 78, 83, 84, 85, 86 and 98. In December, 2003, these USGS Quad tiles were updated: 31, 32, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 47, 48, 53, 54, 65, 66, 71, 72, 77, 78, 84,85.

In July, 2006, buffers were added around intermittent streams within Zone C's. All files on the ftp site were replaced weith updated data.

In September 2007 the process was adjusted to remove the areas of wetlands and hydrography that were buffered from the buffered area, so only the area of the buffer is included in the datalayer.

Updates are made to areas in conjunction with new and updated features in the DEP Wetlands layer. When such updates occur, new Watershed tiles of Title 5 data are placed on the MassGIS ftp site for download.

Last Updated 1/7/2008
EOEA Disclaimer | Privacy Policy