Seeking Public Input in Ashburnham, Groton, Fitchburg, Leominster, and Pepperell

View a short video about this project. (3:13 min.)

The NRWA is seeking citizen input in the communities of Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Groton, Leominster, and Pepperell as part of our Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) in these five towns/cities. If you are a resident of one of these communities, are you concerned about, or would like to learn more about, the impacts of climate change in your town/city?  Are you interested in sharing your thoughts on ways to help our neighborhoods deal with issues like higher temperatures, heavy rains and flooding, or an increase in public parks and greenspaces? 

The NRWA invites residents and community members to participate in our Community Climate Change Workshops taking place in January and early February. There are two workshops in each community, one in person and one on Zoom. Content for each meeting is slightly different- see details below. Feel free to register for either or for both.  Refreshments and snacks will be provided. All are welcome!

View flyers in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole that can be shared with others in your community.

Please register online today using the link for your individual town/city. 

In-Person Meetings

At these in-person meetings, the concept of Nature-based Solutions will be described, you will have a chance to give input on specific climate and environmental issues, ideas, and places in your community that could be good sites for using Nature-based  Solutions to address these issues.

Zoom Meetings

At these meetings, we'll talk about the sites suggested for Nature-based Solutions from the first meeting and identify specific sites in your community to include in our plan. Registration is not required, but appreciated.

The Zoom link for all of these meetings will be: https://bscgroup.zoom.us/j/8225442039   Meeting ID: 822 544 2039. 

These workshops are part of the Nashua River Watershed-wide Nature-based Solutions Project, funded through an MVP (Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness) Action Grant, that includes the communities of Fitchburg, Leominster, Groton, Ashburnham, and Pepperell. The goal of this project is to build climate resilience within these communities through nature-based solution planning. Learn more about this project grant.

MVP grants are awarded by the Healey-Driscoll Administration, to support community-driven climate resilience planning and action projects with 99% of the Commonwealth’s municipalities currently participating. This project is one of 79 state-wide projects to have received action grant funding in the latest round of applications.

For questions, please email Sara Singh, NRWA Conservation and Climate Resilience Specialist. 

We hope to hear your voice at this important conversation about climate change. Register today, and please help spread the word in these five communities. Thank you!

Nashua River Watershed-wide Nature-based Solutions Project

Community specific information:  Fitchburg     Leominster     Ashburnham     Groton     Pepperell

Under an MVP Action Grant, the NRWA is working with the communities of Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Groton, Leominster, and Pepperell to understand local climate change issues and ways that we can use Nature-based Solutions (sometimes called green infrastructure) to address those issues. Read NRWA Climate Change and the Nashua River Watershed produced by the NRWA’s Climate Impact Committee.

The communities involved in this project have identified flooding, drought, and extreme temperatures to be key issues that are negatively affecting human health and safety, drinking water supplies, and ecological resources.  Nature-based Solutions can help to mitigate these impacts. 

What are Nature-based Solutions? 

Nature has evolved in ways that buffer storms and adapt to change. Many of the most effective strategies to address the impacts of climate change are based on those natural systems. Many of the impacts we are facing are exacerbated by the ways we have changed the natural landscape and reduced the effectiveness of nature's tools. Impermeable surfaces, loss and disconnection of wetlands and floodplains, fragmentation of the landscape, barriers to the movement of wildlife, loss of forests and meadows, and many more human changes exacerbate the impacts of a warming climate. By actions such as increasing infiltration, slowing the flow of stormwater, reconnecting the landscape, conserving and managing our forests and meadows, and re-creating a more resilient environment, we can not only buffer impacts but also create an environment better adapted to the future. More about Nature-based Solutions.

Community-driven Process: Gathering Community Concerns and Ideas

Kick-off Community Leadership Meetings

NRWA together with project partner BSC Group kicked off the project by holding a meeting with key leadership in each project community. The NRWA and BSC Group gave introductory presentations on the project and the concept of Nature-based Solutions.

View NRWA Municipal Kickoff MVP Presentation (PDF) and Kickoff Video. (3:12 min.)

View BSC Group’s Nashua River Watershed MVP Natural Climate Solutions Project video. (11:07 min.)

Community Meeting One (in-person)

NRWA conducted extensive outreach to bring members of each project community together to gather their knowledge on issues facing their community. Materials promoting community engagement in these meetings were prepared in the three most common locally spoken languages in an effort to reach a broad audience. View flyers in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

The first meetings were held in-person in each of the five participant communities. The BSC Group gave an introductory presentation on the project and the concept of Nature-based Solutions. NRWA staff provided instructions to participants who then moved into small groups where they held focused conversations on community specific climate and environmental issues, attendee ideas for solutions, and identifying specific locations in the community that could benefit from Nature-based Solutions to address an existing issue.

Town specific information can be viewed by selecting the community at the top of this page.

Community Meeting Two (on zoom)

Those who participated in the first community meetings were encouraged to attend a second meeting to be conducted by three zooms, one for Fitchburg, one for Leominster, and a combined zoom for Ashburnham, Groton, and Pepperell. Consultants from BSC Group presented maps showing locations of sites that were identified for consideration at the first meeting.  Attendees reviewed each site to further discuss the issues at the site and potential natural solutions that could be applied. They worked to create a refined focus list of sites to be further explored by site walk to determine their appropriateness to be included in this project.

Town specific information can be viewed by selecting the community at the top of this page.

Community Site Visits

Next steps will see project partners and local citizens conducting site visits at each site identified in the second community meeting. Additionally, in support of this project, the NRWA has coordinated with the Devens Enterprise Commission to conduct a tour of Nature-based Solution sites in Devens allowing attendees to see these Solutions in action. At left, tour participants are viewing an example of a bioinfiltration basin where a curb cut allows rainfall from storms to move off the parking lot into an area of soil and natural plantings, slowing the flow of the water and allowing it to infiltrate into the ground rather than run off into the nearest waterway. Photo courtesy of the Devens Enterprise Commission.

Town specific information can be viewed by selecting the community at the top of this page. 

About this Grant Project

The NRWA is serving as the lead coordinator on “City of Fitchburg/Nashua River Watershed-Wide Nature-based Solutions Project”, a $400K MVP Action Grant awarded to the cities of Fitchburg and Leominster, and the towns of Ashburnham, Groton, and Pepperell for this two-year project.  

The NRWA will work with the five focus communities to develop a plan to address these issues, including:

• An interactive tool kit with maps showing locations of suggested Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in 5 focus municipalities
• An explanation, with pictures of what each NBS is and how it is best implemented
• Outreach and education in the cities and towns, including educational programming in public schools in the five focus municipalities

The information and recommendations developed for these five municipalities will be transferable to other communities throughout the watershed. Watershed-wide maps will be developed that identify the soils and locations most amendable to NBS. The NRWA will develop a website that includes these maps and a watershed-wide Nature-based Solution Plan accessible to all 32 watershed communities.

This MVP grant was awarded by the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, which is administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA).

For questions, please email Sara Singh, NRWA Conservation and Climate Resilience Specialist, or Paulina Torres, NRWA Climate Resiliency Coordinator & Educator. 

Restoring Riverbanks Throughout the Nashua River Watershed

The Nashua River Watershed Association is proud to be partnering with the Merrimack River Watershed Council on a project focused on creating resilient riparian buffers, or riverbanks, to help protect water sources throughout the Merrimack River Watershed. As a part of the Merrimack River watershed, the NRWA received a subaward in May of 2021 to implement riparian resilience projects, which involves riverfront restoration efforts, sharing educational information about climate-resilience practices, and increasing connections with landowners across watershed communities in Massachusetts.

A primary goal of this initiative is to plant native tree and shrub species in riparian areas that lack a well-vegetated buffer. By restoring shorelines along our waterways, the NRWA seeks to reduce water temperatures, manage riverbank erosion, filter runoff or pollution, sequester carbon, and enhance native biodiversity. Additionally, invasive species removal efforts through this program will help improve growing conditions for newly planted seedlings and allow existing native species to thrive.

As the season shifts into late summer and early fall, our staff is ramping up restoration efforts to take advantage of ideal planting conditions. Both public and private properties can qualify for native seedlings, so the NRWA wants to hear from you!

Do You Live Next to a Sparsely Vegetated Stream or Riverbank?
You May Qualify for Free Native Tree and Shrub Seedlings!

The NRWA is seeking public input on potential planting sites along rivers, streams, and tributaries throughout the Massachusetts portion of the Nashua River. If you own a property in the watershed that abuts or encompasses a waterway with a sparsely vegetated or unvegetated bank, and are interested in learning if you qualify for free silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) or silver maple (Acer saccharinum) seedlings, please contact us! Please note that well-vegetated or forested areas do not qualify at this time.

Our staff is happy to follow up on public submissions or suggestions for restoration sites. However, the following questions can help you do a quick initial check to see if your property might be a good fit for our restoration program:

• Do you own property in Massachusetts within the Nashua River Watershed? List of Watershed Communities
• Does your property abut or encompass a river, stream, or tributary?
• Are some or all of the banks of this waterway unvegetated or sparsely vegetated?
• Are you interested in improving the ecological health and climate resilience of your land?

If you believe your property may qualify for native tree plantings under this restoration initiative, please email Marisa at the NRWA or (978) 448-0299 for additional details and information. 

This work is funded through the “Resilient riparian forest management protects source water in the Merrimack River watershed” project led by the Merrimack River Watershed Council under a US Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration grant.

In summer our gardens are filled with pollinators like bees, butterflies, birds and others. These busy foragers are more important than you may realize. About 75% of flowering plants and 35% of the world’s food crops depend on them for reproduction. Scientists even estimate that they are responsible for every one out of three bites of food we eat! But our pollinators are in trouble. Habitat loss, diseases, parasites, and environmental contaminants are causing their numbers to decline. In the last five years we have lost three of our local Bumblebee species and three more are threatened. Which is where our gardeners come in to help! By creating pollinator friendly gardens, we can help out these declining yet vital animals. Gardens provide the right kind of environment for these amazing creatures to do their job, especially when there aren’t enough native plants around. From including one or two native plants in an established garden to incorporating a variety of them, a pollinator garden is a great way to support our unsung hero pollinators. 

These gardens play a vital role in growing the pollinator population and ours at the River Resource Center wouldn’t be possible without the generous aid and support of local community individuals and organizations. The Pepperell Garden Club, Deb Fountain, and Jeanne Nevard donated an array of plants, adding their own unique touch to the garden. Their thoughtful contributions have brought life and color to the land and created a haven for the pollinators. We extend our appreciation to these plant donors for their invaluable support.

The transformation of the garden was made possible through the dedication and hard work of a remarkable team of volunteers from Bemis Associates in Shirley. With enthusiasm, they undertook the task of uprooting grass and planting the donated greenery and flowers, reshaping the landscape into a vibrant oasis. Their commitment and labor have left an incredible mark on the garden and we are very grateful for their selfless contribution.

Images: Pollinator garden photos by Gaynor Bigelbach.

Mitigating Impacts Through Nature-Based Solutions

"Nature-Based Solutions are a fundamental part of action for climate and biodiversity. Authoritative research indicates that Nature-Based Solutions can provide over one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed ...They value harmony between people and nature, as well as ecological development and represent a holistic, people-centered response to climate change. They are effective, long-term, cost-efficient and globally scalable."   United Nations Global Compact in the 2019 Climate Action Summit

Nature has evolved in ways that buffer storms and adapt to change. Many of the most effective strategies to address the impacts of climate change are based on those natural systems. Many of the impacts we are facing are exacerbated by the ways we have changed the natural landscape and reduced the effectiveness of nature's tools. Impermeable surfaces, loss and disconnection of wetlands and floodplains, fragmentation of the landscape, barriers to the movement of wildlife, loss of forests and meadows, and many more human changes exacerbate the impacts of a warming climate. By actions such as increasing infiltration, slowing the flow of stormwater, reconnecting the landscape, conserving and managing our forests and meadows, and re-creating a more resilient environment, we can not only buffer impacts but also create an environment better adapted to the future.

Nature-based solutions (NBS), sometimes referred to as green infrastructure, can include rain gardens that can mimic wetlands to absorb stormwater run-off from paved surfaces, preventing flooding of roadways and filtering water before it flows into adjacent streams. NBS can also include removal of invasive plants and restoration of native vegetation, pocket forests and parks, removal of impervious surfaces, and more. These solutions not only reduce polluted runoff and improve water quality, they also improve access to greenspaces, reduce heat-islands within a community, enhance biodiversity, and improve air quality.

Some Nature-Based Solutions also directly address climate change by sequestering and storing carbon in forests, meadows and wetlands. If we let forests mature, become old growth, and manage them for carbon storage and other ecosystem values and services (e.g. water supplies, biodiversity, forest products); if we plant meadows and adopt agricultural practices that store more carbon in the soil; and if we use the knowledge that science has provided, we can make a real difference to climate change in our watershed while creating a more ecologically viable and sustainable future.

Many Nature-Based Solutions can work at different scales, from global programs to actions that individuals can take. Some create ecologic or hydrologic resilience while also removing atmospheric carbon and storing it not only in plant materials, but also in the soil, thereby reducing the overall impacts of climate change.

The idea behind Nature-Based Solutions is to mimic the way that our natural ecosystems such as wetlands,
forests, and prairies naturally manage rainwater and nurture biodiversity.
(BREC, https://www.brec.org/green-infrastructure#whatis)

Climate Change Impacts on Water in the Nashua River Watershed

Between 1958 and 2012, the Northeast saw more than a 70% increase in the amount of rainfall measured during heavy precipitation events—more than in any other region in the United States. Projections indicate continuing increases in precipitation. Rainfall events are increasing in both frequency and intensity, with most increases occurring in the winter and early spring when the ground cannot absorb water. This causes flooding and stresses the stormwater infrastructure. Another factor impacting the region’s hydrology is the steadily rising temperatures. This is causing an increase in the temperature of water in our wetlands, streams, ponds, and rivers, which will have a significant impact on their ecological value.

Although the rivers and major streams in our watershed form a relatively simple hydrologic pattern, many of the smaller streams and wetlands that drain into those waterways are unusually complex. The last glacier deposited or sculpted many of the landforms found throughout the watershed, including drumlins and outwash features such as eskers and kames. As a result, natural drainage paths were blocked, which gave rise to the extensive wetlands, ponds, and meandering streams characteristic of this area. This hydrologic system has enriched the ecological value of the watershed. However, this system does not efficiently drain floodwaters, thereby making portions of the watershed at increased risk for flooding.

Major Impacts on Water

The major hydrological impacts of climate in the Nashua River watershed include the following:

Flooding

The increased frequency and intensity of storms is causing a corresponding increase in periodic major flooding as well as frequent minor flooding of small streams and wetlands. Since bridges, storm drains, and other stormwater infrastructures were designed for typical historic storms, larger more intense storms in the future may overwhelm them. If a stormwater structure becomes inadequate, increased flooding will take place upstream of the structure, and may also result in bridge failures and road wash-outs. Significant disruption of travel and risk to emergency vehicles and personnel may result. Increased flooding also causes increased property damage and general disruption.

Erosion/Sedimentation

The flooding and increased flow rates in rivers and streams will cause increased erosion of stream banks and scour of river-bottom sediments. Land areas with sloping topography or thin vegetative cover will also be subject to increased erosion. Streams into which runoff from sloping areas drain will see increases in sedimentation. Portions of rivers that are wide or deep will see increases in sedimentation. These alterations to fluvial geomorphology further affect flooding potential and aquatic habitat.

"Flash" Droughts

The overall increase in total yearly rainfall should result in a decrease in the frequency of long-term droughts, but this is offset by predicted significant summer periods with little or no rain. This lack of rain, combined with a significant increase in the number of days with very high temperatures, will cause relatively shorter but particularly intense periods of drought, called Flash Droughts. These intense periods can cause small streams and wetlands to rapidly dry up, resulting in disruption to some of the watershed's most critical and sensitive ecosystems, including systems that support endangered and vulnerable species. Flash droughts will also cause lakes to become stagnant more frequently and to develop algal blooms.

Warming Water Temperatures

Many aquatic species are particularly sensitive to changes in stream, pond, or lake temperatures. Waterways that currently support important coldwater fisheries, including species of trout, may lose these species entirely. Warming water temperatures and extended summer periods will cause increased frequency and intensity of algae blooms. The rate of reproduction for most species of algae increases proportionately to, in some cases geometrically, with increasing temperature. In addition, algae blooms will raise the pH level, lower dissolved oxygen, and decrease light penetration, which will adversely affect the aquatic habitat of lakes and streams. Changing the aquatic habitat may favor non-native species over native species, thereby altering the structure and function of aquatic communities, as well as increasing the stress on native species.

Water Quality

Multiple adverse impacts on water quality are anticipated due to climate change. Warming water temperatures may mean the loss of some coldwater fisheries in the watershed. Higher total rainfall and more severe storms may increase suspended solids and turbidity due to scouring of streambeds and erosion of their banks. More acid rain can be expected, lowering the pH of the water and increasing stress on aquatic life. Increased loadings from non-point source pollution, including pollution from more distant sources can be expected. This may include increased nutrients, pesticides, and bacteria from rural areas; metals, oil and grease from urban areas; and salt from highways. Older cities with combined sewer systems can expect more frequent overflows to the river bringing increased turbidity and bacteria. Lower summer flows and less dilution will make point sources of pollution more pronounced. The combination of warmer water temperatures and increased pollution will lower dissolved oxygen levels that are necessary to maintain aquatic life.

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy: Conserve and Manage Forests 

An important set of Nature-Based Solutions relates to forests. Forests absorb stormwater and slow runoff. They provide us with clean water, clean air, biodiversity, forest products, and recreational opportunities. They are a critical component of our ecosystem. Additionally, they remove (sequester) carbon from the atmosphere and store it (above and below ground). Massachusetts is currently 62% forest cover, the 8th most forested state in the US and the 3rd most densely populated state.  However, forest cover in Massachusetts is decreasing and this means our environment's quality is being diminished and that carbon is being lost to the atmosphere.

Image left:  Above-ground storage of carbon. The Northeast and Northwest have the highest above-and below-ground carbon sequestration in the United States.  (https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/carbon/tools/#cole) 

Forest ownership in the watershed includes private landowners, land trusts, and local, state and federal governments. The many types of owners have a wide range of goals for their forested land, such as income generation, recreation, ecology, and protection of water supplies or other natural resources. From the perspective of climate change, independent of other goals, maximizing the amount of forested land and managing forests for carbon storage and biodiversity are critically important. 

• The most important forest mitigation strategy is to stop the conversion of forest land to non-forest land uses and begin increasing forest cover. All forests sequester and store carbon, have significant ecological value, and provide numerous additional environmental benefits. Maximizing forest cover is critical to addressing the core causes and impacts of climate change.
• Non-managed, or minimally managed, forests generally provide the highest amount of carbon storage and highest ecological value. Older trees tend to provide the most carbon storage and forests with old-growth characteristics, such as a diversity of species, ages and size of trees, the presence of snags, large downed logs, and scattered canopy gaps provide especially valuable habitat for a wide range of animals. Although some younger forests may remove carbon from the atmosphere more rapidly than old-growth forests, the net effect of harvesting is a reduction in stored carbon.  
• When landowner goals for forests include income or other objectives, managing the forests to also preserve and enhance some old growth characteristics can retain extra carbon storage and reduce ecological losses.
• Educating forest owners about management options is essential to ensure that the best solutions are utilized to meet owner needs and ensure carbon storage and biodiversity.
• Wildlands and Woodlands, a science-based conservation vision for the New England Landscape developed as a collaboration among forestry organizations and conservation groups in New England, sets a goal of permanently protecting a minimum of 70% of the total land in New England as forests to be sustainably managed for timber harvesting and other values, plus at least 7% conserved as farmland. Additionally, Wildlands and Woodlands recommends 10% of the permanently protected forests be conserved as wildlands to protect biodiversity and wilderness. While those goals may be low, they do express the right directions to be moving. The NRWA is a collaborator in the Wildlands and Woodlands Partnership.
• The Forest Legacy Program, a Federal program in which the NRWA has been a collaborator, has also played a significant role in conserving forests. Read more about NRWA's Forest Legacy projects.

An Example: Restoring Old Growth Characteristics

Numerous scientific studies point to the importance of forests in storing carbon. Old growth forests play a role as carbon sinks as they continue to accumulate carbon in their wood and their soils actively capture carbon. Forests with old growth characteristics also provide the highest level of landscape diversity and ecological value. 

For managed forests, including smaller woodlots, such as the typical landowner is more likely to own and manage, the opportunity exists to restore old growth characteristics as a natural solution to climate change through modern forestry practices such as:

• leave “legacy” trees and very large trees 25+ inches diameter; 
• leave large standing dead trees; 
• leave large downed logs; 
• allow for long-term accumulation of coarse woody material; 
• support multi-aged trees and a variety of species; 
• allow and create gaps in the canopy; and
• limit soil disturbance during forest management.

Educating owners of large and small forests that their trees contribute to climate resilience, that “legacy trees” are particularly important for their role in carbon storage, and about the ways that targeted forest management practices mitigate climate change is essential.

Table and image above adapted from UMass Amherst Outreach Extension’s “Restoring Old Growth Characteristics” by Paul Catanzaro and Anthony D’Amato.

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy: Protect and Enhance Floodplains, Wetlands, and Small Streams

Floodplains are nature's system for reducing the severity of floods. Floodplains are also critical open space and wildlife habitat since they are typically part of greenways along river and stream systems. Altered seasonal water flows may threaten flood plain functionality, which can adversely impact biological and nutrient cycles, and also seed dispersal. In addition, it may favor non-native over native species. Where the connections between floodplains and rivers have been severed, as by development, efforts should be made to reconnect them.

Wetlands and small streams provide flood storage capacity. They are also vital parts of our ecosystem, especially for many locally endangered species. They purify water and slow runoff from storm events. Moreover, they are also effectively sequestering and storing carbon. When wetlands are lost or degraded, significant quantities of carbon can be released into the atmosphere.

As stated by A. M. Nahlik and M. S. Fennessy (2016): "Soil carbon is vital in regulating climate, water supplies and biodiversity—all essential contributions to the provision of ecosystem services. Wetlands contain a disproportionate amount of the earth’s total soil carbon; holding between 20 and 30% of the estimated global soil carbon despite occupying 5-8% of its land surface. The anoxic conditions characteristic of wetland soils slow decomposition and lead to the accumulation of organic matter. As a result, wetlands can accumulate large carbon stores, making them an important sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide."

Ponds capture significant amounts of leaves and other organic debris. Similar to wetlands, anoxic conditions on the pond bottom slow decay and retain carbon. Ponds also temporarily store excess stormwater, reducing flows in streams and therefore down-gradient flooding.

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy: Restore, Create, and Protect Greenways and Aquatic Buffers

Aquatic buffers can clean runoff and provide a corridor for movement and migration by wildlife. Buffers can be enhanced with plantings that provide food and cover for movement. Buffers also help take up excess nutrients and salts that may otherwise degrade receiving waters. Aquatic buffers are typically the part of greenways that border the rivers or streams.

Greenways are critical corridors for the movement and migration of wildlife and vegetation and, where appropriate, can provide recreational opportunities.

Benefits of Healthy Stream Buffers. (Graphic by Bluegrass Greensource. https://bggreensource.org/)

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy: Infiltrate and Attenuate Stormwater Runoff

Addressing stormwater runoff can help to reduce flooding, buffer water temperature changes, increase seepage to cool river and stream temperatures, and protect habitat in wetlands, small streams, and floodplains. Strategies include:

• Create rain gardens, vegetated buffer strips, retention basins, and infiltration catch basins to facilitate stormwater infiltration that reduces runoff and increases groundwater reservoirs that feed wetlands and small streams in periods of drought. Such groundwater reserves also provide cool water to help sustain cold water species. Rain gardens and vegetated buffers infiltrate water and provide plantings that increase ecological value and sequester carbon.
• Maintain forested areas and other permeable surfaces to slow the rate at which stormwater can reach a stream, especially in headwater portions of watersheds, which can be an effective strategy in reducing downstream flooding. In addition, forested areas are effective in infiltrating stormwater.
• Reduce runoff from developed areas by increasing infiltration.
• Maintain shade to cool streams and water bodies, especially in warm summer months.
• Develop strategies for reducing water temperature by identifying and protecting locations where relatively large quantities of groundwater seep into streams. In addition, create strategies for reducing flash drought impacts in sub-watersheds that contribute to those seepage zones. 
• Collect hydrologic data and refine models of watershed hydrology; evaluate and upgrade stormwater infrastructure to understand and predict storm water effects and risks and create a safer environment.
• Continue the NRWA water quality monitoring program. This activity has accumulated a large database of measurements of flows and water quality of the main river systems taken by NRWA volunteers. View the current NRWA River Report Card, or historic data. Combining these data with data from USGS and the National Weather Service, as well as future measurements, will be invaluable in understanding changes to date and modeling future conditions.
• Evaluate the ability of existing infrastructure to accommodate predicted future flows. View story on NRWA's project to assess culverts for wildlife passage and climate resiliency,

An Example: What is a Rain Garden? 

A rain garden has a bowl shape to collect the rain that runs off from a roof, driveway, parking area or yard. This 6 to 9 inch deep basin fills with runoff and allows it to seep into the ground in a few hours. The rain garden plants and soils filter the stormwater and cleanse pollutants that could harm water quality.

Letting the runoff soak in, rather than go into the street, replaces the groundwater that keeps streams flowing during dry times. On hot summer days, rain gardens also cool runoff from dark pavement by putting it into the ground. A constant supply of cool, clean groundwater is essential to the health of stream and pond life. 

Rain gardens are planted with flowers, shrubs, trees and grasses that are easy-to-maintain and thrive without fertilizers and pesticides. There is an array of colorful plants that can be obtained at garden centers and home improvement stores, which will provide food and habitat for wildlife.

Courtesy of the MA Watershed Coalition’s Rain Garden Guide: http://www.commonwaters.org/images/stories/pdfs/raingardn_gde.pdf

Photo at top of page: Rain garden in fair weather (left) and after a rainstorm (right), photos from Massachusetts Watershed Coalition, www.commonwaters.org. View the Coalition's Rain Garden Guide.