Stream Gages
The cooperative program funds stream gaging at over 80 sites across the state. River flow is continuously measured and the data is reported every fifteen minutes with most records going back 50 years and some close to 100 years. This data is used by consultants performing environmental studies, regulators for managing watersheds, watershed associations for understanding the characteristics of the rivers, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for use with water quality sampling and permit conditioning and the National Weather Service and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency for providing early warning for public safety during floods.
- You can view real-time data.
Observation Wells
The cooperative program funds a network of 95 observation wells across the state. These wells are monitored monthly and reported. Ground water elevations are critical information for Boards of Health performing septic system inspections, environmental and public safety agencies monitoring drought conditions and consultants undertaking water resource engineering studies.
Aquifer and Watershed Studies
The cooperative program funds aquifer and watershed studies. These are developed and used by communities and watershed organizations to plan for new water supplies and effective water resources management.
This program resulted in the Hydrologic Atlas publications, which mapped aquifers statewide. Models developed for theses projects are provided directly to watershed associations, communities and the public for use in water supply and wastewater planning. These models are also used by environmental agencies to look at local, long term and cumulative impacts of proposed water supply and wastewater projects.