OVERVIEW

Under Massachusetts General Law (MGL) chapter 21 DEP is responsible for monitoring the waters of the Commonwealth, identifying those waters that are impaired, and developing a plan to bring them back into compliance with the Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards. The list of impaired waters, better known as the "303d list," identifies river, lake, and coastal waters and the reasons for impairment.

Once a water body is identified as impaired, DEP is required by the Federal Clean Water Act to essentially develop a "pollution budget" designed to restore the health of the impaired water body. The process of developing this “pollution budget”, generally referred to as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), includes identifying the causes (types of pollutant) and source(s) (where the pollutants come from) of the pollutant from direct discharges (point sources) and indirect discharges (non-point sources), determining the maximum amount of the pollutant that can be discharged to a specific water body to meet water quality standards, and developing a plan to meet that goal.

The Massachusestts Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Watershed Management (DWM), Watershed Planning Program (WPP) 2002 Integrated List data layer represents estuary, lake and river segments assessed and summarized in the 2002 Report to Congress made under sections 305(b) (“Water Quality Inventory”) and 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act.  This report, “Massachusetts Year 2002 Integrated List of Waters”, can be obtained by contacting the MassDEP Division of Watershed Management office in Worcester, Massachusetts. Information pertaining to more recent versions of the Massachusetts Integrated List can be found at http://mass.gov/dep/water/resources/tmdls.htm.

The Integrated List data layer, named after the Water Body System (WBS) database upon which it was based, comprises two features classes, WBS2002_POLY for polygon features (lakes, ponds, and estuaries), and WBS2002_ARC for linear features (rivers, streams, and estuaries).

The data layer was created using segment definitions from the 2002 version of the WBS database. The specific segment descriptions were taken from the segment definition table (SCRF1) from the Massachusetts version of the WBS database (1,960 segments) for the 2002 reporting cycle.

Water Body Id codes (WBID’s) are assigned by DWM/WPP staff to each segment and used in the WBS database. River segments, lakes/ponds, and estuaries are included for the entire state of Massachusetts, covering all major drainage basins.

Definitions of water bodies segments were based on descriptions taken from the 2002 version of the WBS database. The geo-referencing of individual segments relied on the use of information that was derived from: USGS 1:25,000 Topographic Maps, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Nautical Charts at several scales, “Planimetry of Harbors for the 1984 305(b) Report” memoranda, Massachusetts Stream Classification Program, Part I: Inventory of Rivers and Streams, Compilation of Lakes, Ponds, Reservoirs and Impoundments, Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards (1996), and Water Quality Standards: Volume 8, Coastal Waters (1967). Where definitions were still ambiguous after using these references, DWM/WPP staff was consulted to define and geo-reference individual water body segments.

River Segments:

Individual River segments are represented as one or many lines in the arc feature class. River segments were geo-referenced in two general ways: 1) as a linear dynamic segmentation event based on the centerline route network developed by MassGIS, where available, 2) where centerline routes were not available linework was derived from the MassGIS 1:25,000 hydrography based on USGS topographic maps. Additional on-screen editing was performed as needed using USGS topographic map images and/or MassGIS color orthophotos as a base map for all river segments.

Lake/Pond Segments:

Lake and pond segments are represented as one or many polygons in the polygon feature class. Lake and pond segment polygons were selected from the MassGIS 1:25,000 hydrography layer, where available, and placed in a separate file where additional editing (typically closure lines) may have been performed. In some cases segments were drawn and/or edited to reflect current or assessed waters using MassGIS color ortho imagery and/or USGS quad images as the base map.

Estuary Segments:

Estuary segments are represented as single lines, polygons, or both lines and polygons (Some estuary segments have multiple lines/polygons representing one water body segment). Where available, arcs were derived from the MassGIS 1:25,000 hydrography based on the name and descriptions of each estuarine segment. Additional onscreen digitizing to close polygons, complete arcs or draw lines and polygons to reflect waters actually assessed but that may have not been represented in the hydrography layer was completed using the USGS topographic map imagery as the base map.

All Segments (Rivers, Lakes/Ponds, Estuaries):

River, lake/pond and estuary features, regardless of their derivation, were combined into a single statewide feature class for lines (WBS2002_ARC) and a single statewide feature class for polygons (WBS2002_POLY). No two river segments overlap, nor do any two lake features or any two estuary features. However, there are instances where a river line segment does overlap with the polygon representing a lake segment, typically an impoundment.

In addition to standard items (length in meters, area in square meters), attributes were extracted from the Water Body System database and some formatting for ease of map labeling was done. This table of attributes also exists as a stand-alone table (WBS2002_INTLST02) related to geographic features by the WBID_2002 item. As some individual water bodies are represented as more than a single geographic feature, estuaries may be represented by a combination of a line and a polygon; care should be taken when calculating summary statistics to avoid double counting. It is highly recommended that the stand-alone table, in which there is only one record per water body segment, be used for summary queries.

Items for the polygons and arcs are as follows.

WBID_2002		Water Body Segment Identification Code (WBID) for 2002 cycle of Integrated Assessment and Listing under sections 305(b) and 303(d)
WB_NAME		Water Body Name: (Water Body names are based on SARIS, PALIS, or CAMIS. SARIS = Stream and River Identification System, PALIS = Pond and Lake Identification System, CAMIS = Coastal and Marine Identification System)
WB_NAMESRT		Water Body Name Sort: Same as WB_NAME except the words “Lake” and “The” have been placed so as to not influence the way the name is sorted (i.e., “Lake George” is transformed to “George, Lake” will be sorted by the “G” in “George” before the “L” in “Lake”)
WB_CODE		Unique Water Body Code from SARIS, PALIS, or CAMIS coding systems
WB_TYPE		Water Body Segment Type:- Estuary- Lake (or Pond)- River
WB_SIZE		Size of Water Body segment (Values in this field are currently based on measurements made with map wheels and other techniques including, but not limited to, planimetry using USGS Quad sheets at a scale of 1:25,000). WB_SIZE is the size reported to the EPA for the entire water body segment, not the size of an individual arcs or polygons.
WB_UNIT		Water Body size units: - Acres (Lakes & Ponds) - Miles (Linear River Miles) - Square Miles (Estuaries)
WB_DESC		Water Body Segment Description: Descriptive locator of Water Body segment
WS_CODE		Watershed code: 2-digit watershed code based on system that includes all Massachusetts watersheds (Based on SARIS, PALIS, or CAMIS).  The watershed code “70” (WS_NAME=”Boston Harbor”) does not appear in the MassGIS list of watersheds – it is used for Water Body Segments that are not associated with the standard MassGIS list of watersheds but are located in Boston Harbor System.
WS_NAME		Watershed name: Based on system that includes all Massachusetts watersheds (Based on SARIS, PALIS, or CAMIS).  The watershed name “Boston Harbor” does not appear in the MassGIS list of watersheds – it is used for Water Body Segments that are not associated with the standard MassGIS list of watersheds but are located in Boston Harbor System.
WS_CYCLE		Watershed Cycle: Identifies the phase of the Massachusetts 5 year watershed/basin assessment cycle (Blue, Green, Purple, Pink or Yellow)
LABEL1		The WB_NAME, WBID_2002 and description (WB_DESC) are combined, formatted for a multi-line label
LABEL2		The WB_NAME, WBID_2002, category (ILCategory) and impairments are combined, formatted for a multi-line label
LABEL3		Lists the WBID_2002, Category, and impairments, formatted for a multi-line label
LABEL4		Lists all the impairments to that segment, formatted for a multi-line label
ASSREPREF		Assessment Report Reference: The DWM publishes detailed assessments of water quality that are used to make the Integrated Listing decisions included in this data layer. The specific report indicated refers to the report that was available and was used as part of individual listing decisions. These reports include detailed assessments of water quality including specific uses assessed, level of use attainment, causes and sources if impairments were found to be present, and actual data and/or references to data used to make assessments. These assessment reports can be found at http://www.mass.gov/dep/brp/wm/wqassess.htm.
ASDATE		Assessment date (YYYY-MM): Date that detailed assessment of water quality was made for publication in an assessment report. This date should not be confused with the date that the Integrated List category determination is made – which is made statewide every two years.
ILCATEGORY		Category 1:   Attaining all designated uses. Category 2: Attaining some of the designated uses and insufficient or no data and information is available to determine if the remaining uses are attained. Category 3: Insufficient or no data and information to determine if any designated uses are attained. Category 4a: Impaired for one or more designated uses but does not require the development of a TMDL: TMDL has been completed. Category 4b: Impaired for one or more designated uses but does not require the development of a TMDL: Other pollution control requirements are reasonably expected to result in the attainment of designated uses. Category 4c: Impaired for one or more designated uses but does not require the development of a TMDL: Impairment is not caused by a pollutant. Category 5: Impaired for one or more designated uses, requires the development of a TMDL: Impairment is caused by a pollutant. “Designated uses” are defined in the Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards (314 CMR 4.00) that can be found at http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/laws/regulati.htm#wqual. Designated uses include: Aesthetics, Agriculture, Fish Consumption, Fish - other Aquatic Life and Wildlife, Industrial Cooling, Outstanding Resource Waters, Primary Contact Recreation, Public Water Supply, Secondary Contact Recreation, and Shellfish Harvesting. “Impaired” means that a water body segment is not attaining one or more designated uses. “TMDL” - A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is, in essence, a clean up plan that is required under the Federal Clean Water Act to restore water quality and enable waters to attain designated uses.
CNT_IMP		Count Impairments: Total count of impairments present for an individual water body segment
CNT_POLL		Count Pollutants: Count of impairments present that have been determined to be “Pollutants”
CNT_NONPOL		Count Non-Pollutants: Count of impairments present that have been determined to be non-pollutants
CNT_POLLNT		Count Pollutants Needing TMDL: Count of impairments present that have been determined to be “Pollutants” and are in need of TMDL work
CNT_POLLWT		Count of Pollutants With TMDL: Count of impairments present that have been determined to be “Pollutants” and have been included in a TMDL
IMP_####		The 25 fields with “IMP_” prefix, when populated, indicate that specific impairment is present as given in the table below: FIELDNAME   IMPAIRMENT IMP_0000 Cause Unknown IMP_0100 Unknown toxicity IMP_0200 Pesticides IMP_0300 Priority organics IMP_0400 Nonpriority organics IMP_0500 Metals IMP_0600 Unionized Ammonia IMP_0700 Chlorine IMP_0800 Other inorganics IMP_0900 Nutrients IMP_1000 pH IMP_1100 Siltation IMP_1200 Organic enrichment/Low DO IMP_1300 Salinity/TDS/chlorides IMP_1400 Thermal modifications IMP_1500 Flow alteration IMP_1600 Other habitat alterations IMP_1700 Pathogens IMP_1900 Oil and grease IMP_2000 Taste, odor and color IMP_2100 Suspended solids IMP_2200 Noxious aquatic plants IMP_2500 Turbidity IMP_2600 Exotic species IMP_2700 Objectionable deposits Impairments are indicated by populating the fields with the “IMP_” prefix with one of the following:  -Pollutant  -Non-Pollutant  -TMDL [EPA Approval Date – Document Control Number] Control numbers and associated TMDL reports are listed below: CN014.0    Bare Hill Pond, Harvard, MA. (MA81007) TMDL CN070.1    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Selected Northern Blackstone Lakes CN110.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Selected French Basin Lakes CN112.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Selected Connecticut Basin Lakes CN114.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Salisbury Pond CN115.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond CN116.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Indian Lake CN117.0    Total Maximum Daily Load of Phosphorus for Leesville Pond CN118.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Selected Chicopee Basin Lakes CN119.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Lake Boon CN120.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Bacteria for Little Harbor CN121.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Bacteria for Neponset River Basin CN122.0    Total Maximum Daily Loads of Bacteria for the Shawsheen River Basin These documents can be found at: http://mass.gov/dep/water/resources/tmdls.htm
STATUS		Status of data (Draft, Provisional, or Final) and date of table extraction from the Massachusetts Water Body System (WBS) 2002 Integrated List Database (305(b)/303(d))

MAINTENANCE

As new 305(b)/303(d) assessments are completed and segments are added, corrected or modified, the DWM/WPP will be updating the geo-references of 305(b)/303(d) segments according to the two year Federal reporting cycle. When these assessments have completed their internal and external reviews and are submitted to the EPA and the public in a final Integrated List Publication, the geographic representations and related tables will also be updated at MassGIS. The next planned update of 305(b)/303(d) assessments and associated geo-references will be for the 2004 cycle of 305(b)/303(d) reporting.

In January, 2005, these updates were made: WBS2002_ARC: Geometry Edits to existing arc segments to correct lengths, STATUS attribute updated. WBS2002_POLY: Attribute updates only (STATUS).

For questions regarding the programmatic content of this data contact Tom Dallaire in the DEP Watershed Planning Program at (508) 767-2744. For questions relating to GIS and these data, contact Brian Brodeur in the DEP GIS Program at (617) 574-6802.

Last Updated 6/22/2007
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