NRWA Dam Removals in Massachusetts Presentation PDF
Across New England, aging and unsafe dam infrastructure has led to an increase in dam removals. These dam removals can provide significant public safety and ecological benefits, from a reduced risk of flooding to restored river connectivity. Supported by the MA Division of Ecological Restoration, the Nashua River Watershed Association offered educational talks about dam removals in Massachusetts, covering a general overview of why and how unsafe dams are removed, and what changes you might expect to see in your community as a result. Presentations were made possible in part by a grant from the MA Division of Ecological Restoration. View NRWA 2024 Dam Removal Presentation slideshow PDF.
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Using Nature to Adapt to Climate Change in the Nashua River Watershed
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 to address those issues. Citizen input is key to the process as NRWA, town leadership, and consultants work to identify specific sites and solutions to help each community become more climate resilient. The concepts developed in these five communities will then be applied to create a Nashua River Watershed Nature-based Solutions Plan with tools accessible to all of our watershed communities. This project is funded by a Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant. Learn more about this project and Nature-based Solutions.
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NRWA 2022 Water Report
The Nashua River Watershed Association is pleased to share our 2022 Water Report. This new report analyzes the results of our 2022 water monitoring season covering topics such as: what do we study and why? what do the results tell us about the health of our waterways? what sections of rivers or streams are facing water quality challenges? The report is detailed and provides supporting images, graphs, and charts.
Thank you as always to our team of volunteer water monitors. In 2022, they collected 877 individual surface water samples. Their dedication makes our work to protect our waterways possible. This Report is dedicated to all of you.
Read the NRWA’s 2022 Water Report.
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NRWA 2023-2028 Strategic Plan
The NRWA is pleased to share its 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, a guide to our priorities for our next five years. The Plan is the result of months of conversations, partner listening sessions, and a survey of supporters. We asked for your input, we listened, and your feedback is reflected in this directional piece. We look forward to working with you to achieve these goals. View online. Download single page for print.
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Nashua River Watershed Association Statement on MassWildlife’s Proposed Oak Woodlands Restoration at Squannacook River Wildlife Management Area
The MA Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) has proposed an Oak Woodlands Restoration project on 215 acres at the Squannacook River Wildlife Management Area (SRWMA), which will result in altering the current forested landscape to an open woodland. The project would require significant clearing of the existing forest, periodic fire management, and herbicide applications. For a more detailed description of the goals of the proposed project and restoration activities, please see: mass.gov/info-details/oak-woodland-restoration-at-squannacook-river-wma.
The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) has been closely keeping track of this proposed project and wishes to share the following significant attributes of the SRWMA project site, which MassWildlife has indicated would be Phase 1* of a multi-phase undertaking:
- Abuts ~2 miles of the federally-designated Squannacook Wild & Scenic River, which is also a state-designated Coldwater Fisheries Resource;
- Is within the state-designated Squannassit Area of Critical Environmental Concern; and
- Is a Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Priority Habitat Area.
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Meets MA DEP state-designated Outstanding Resource Water Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards [314 CMR 4.04(3)
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Is included in the Squannacook-Nissitissit Rivers Sanctuary Act (MGL, Part I, Title XIX, Chapter 123A, Section 17)
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Is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries “Essential Fish Habitat”
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Is a MA DFW Wildlife Management Area Reference Stream
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US Geological Survey (USGS) gage on the Squannacook River was used as a least impacted site to set flow policy for the state’s Water Management Act. The river is also used as a “clean water” least impacted site by MA DEP’s SMART monitoring program. Water quality information from this site was used in the development of statewide Water Quality Standards including nutrients and pollutant loading analysis.
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~50 acres of Shirley Zone 1 Municipal Wellhead Protection Area (a 1,000 foot zone extending from wellhead)
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Subject property partially overlays a medium yield aquifer ½ mile upstream from the W. Groton Water Supply District public wellheads.
This site has long been recognized as an area worthy of the highest-level protection and preservation for its existing outstandingly remarkable environmental resource values. Therefore, proposed alteration of the site should be subject to particularly rigorous analysis.
In February of 2022 the NRWA requested that MassWildlife consider at least a three-year moratorium on advancing the proposed project while MassWildlife, NRWA, and other partners:
- Identify alternate sites that meet MassWildlife’s state-wide goals for Oak Woodland Habitat;
- Undertake additional studies on SRWMA; and
- Assess the impact of the scale of the proposed project.
Through dialogue with MassWildlife, the NRWA understands that MassWildlife cannot agree to a moratorium. MassWildlife has communicated a commitment to transparency and to proceeding on a timeline with opportunities for site walks and public engagement.
In addition, public comment periods which are required as part of local and state permitting would precede any actual site work by MassWildlife. Opportunities for comments would occur at both Shirley and Townsend Conservation Commission meetings, and potentially be associated with an Environmental Notification Form (ENF) and Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) review. After reviewing forthcoming documents, the NRWA will offer detailed comments during the public comment periods as they arise.
* The NRWA notes that potential future Phases of the proposed project have not yet been described, but that the entire Squannacook River Wildlife Management Area encompasses a total of more than 1,300 acres.
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NRWA 50th Anniversary Video Series
In 2019, the NRWA celebrated its 50th Anniversary. As part of our celebration, we created a series of six short videos looking at where we began, where we are and where we are going in the future. We hope you enjoy this look at NRWA and what we accomplish together! Thank you!
Chapter 1: The Beginning (2:38 min.)
Chapter 2: Protecting Water (2:28 min.)
Chapter 3: Protecting Land (2:20 min.)
Chapter 4: Providing Education (1:55 min.)
Chapter 5: Supporting Recreation (1:49 min.)
Chapter 6: Looking Forward (2:31 min.)
Thank you to our 50th Anniversary Sponsors for making this series possible: Presenting Sponsor, Rollstone Bank & Trust, and Anniversary Sponsors, CanAm Machinery and Enterprise Bank.
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Controlling Invasive Water Chestnut
The NRWA has been working with the state and local entities, as well as volunteers to control the infestation and spread of invasive water chestnut in the Nashua River. Learn more.
View new video "NRWA Water Chestnut Pull: Volunteers in Action. (3:14 min) produced by Max McCormick of NorthPoint Productions.
Our Rivers and Streams
Rivers and streams have been important to human existence from the beginning of time, first as a source of drinking water and food, and later becoming a means of transportation. The rivers and streams of our watershed are no different. The native people, and later colonists, were able to sustain their communities with the abundant supply of water, food, and shelter materials in our region. Rivers became pathways into interior lands, where new communities were settled, and the rivers were used for transporting goods to and from those towns. As the industrial age began, the power of the rivers was harnessed to provide energy to mills of all types. Today, the rivers flowing through our cities are a catalyst of economic revitalization, while the rivers flowing through our smaller communities provide numerous recreational opportunities. The rivers also serve as an indicator of the environmental health of the entire region’s ecosystem, because what we do on the land is reflected in the quality and quantity of our water.
So what rivers and streams flow through the Nashua River watershed? To answer that, first we need to know “What is a watershed?” In the case of the Nashua River, the watershed includes all of the land draining water to the Nashua River, which meets the Merrimack River in Nashua, New Hampshire.
The Nashua River watershed can be divided into four major aggregate subwatersheds: North Nashua River, Wachusett Reservoir, Nashua River mainstem, and the Squannacook and Nissitissit Rivers watersheds.
North Nashua River (Massachusetts only)
The North Nashua begins at the confluence of the Whitman River and Flag Brook in west Fitchburg. Nine dams and flood control retaining walls dominate the North Nashua as it passes through the City of Fitchburg. The river receives discharges from both the East Fitchburg and Leominster Wastewater Treatment Plants, and stormwater runoff from the cities of Leominster and Fitchburg. The river flows through Leominster State Forest and agricultural fields before joining with the South Nashua River in Lancaster.
North Nashua River tributaries include: Fall Brook, Falulah/Baker Brook, Flag Brook, Monoosnoc Brook, Phillips Brook, Wekepeke Brook, and Whitman River.
Wachusett Reservoir Sub-basin (Massachusetts only)
Wachusett Reservoir and its tributaries in the southwestern portion of the Nashua River watershed are water supply sources for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), the public water system in eastern Massachusetts that supplies drinking water to Boston and the metropolitan area. The reservoir is created by the Wachusett Dam in Clinton which was built in 1897. The Quinapoxet and Stillwater Rivers, both high quality water sources that flow into the reservoir, are popular cold water fisheries. The water exiting the dam forms the South Nashua River flowing north to meet the North Nashua River in Lancaster. The Clinton Wastewater Treatment Plant operated by the MWRA is located on the South Nashua River.
Wachusett Reservoir tributaries include: Ball Brook, Chaffins Brook, Connelly Brook, East Wachusett Brook, French Brook, Gates Brook, Houghton Brook, Justice Brook, Keyes Brook, Quinapoxet River, Rocky Brook, and Stillwater River.
Nashua River Mainstem Sub-basin (Massachusetts and New Hampshire)
The Nashua River mainstem forms the core of the Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area and the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge in Lancaster, Bolton, and Harvard where it winds north through marshy areas and former agricultural fields. Pepperell Dam in east Pepperell forms Pepperell Pond, an impoundment on the river popular for trophy large mouth bass and duck hunting. The river flows north through Hollis and Nashua, Hampshire where it joins the Merrimack River. The towns of Ayer and Pepperell have wastewater treatment plants discharging directly to the mainstem Nashua River. The Devens Wastewater Treatment Plant has a subsurface wastewater discharge.
Nashua River Mainstem tributaries include: Bowers Brook, Catacunemaug Brook, Flints Brook, James Brook, Mulpus Brook, Nonacoicus Brook, North Nashua River, South Nashua River, Still River, Unkety Brook, and Varnum Brook.
Squannacook and Nissitissit Rivers Sub-basin (Massachusetts and New Hampshire)
The Squannacook and Nissitissit Rivers both flow directly into the Nashua River Mainstem. The Squannacook River flows through Townsend and Shirley. Hollingsworth and Vose Company, a paper manufacturer, holds the only surface water discharge permit to the Squannacook River. The Nissitissit River flows south from Brookline, New Hampshire through Pepperell. Much of the land along both of these rivers is forested, and protected parcels include the Townsend State Forest, Squannacook Wildlife Management Area, Nissitissit River State Wildlife Management Area. Both rivers are popular cold-water fisheries.
Squannacook River tributaries include: Lock Brook, Mason Brook, Pearl Hill Brook, Trap Falls Brook, Walker Brook, Willard Brook, and Witches Brook.
Nissitissit River tributaries include: Beaver Brook, Gulf Brook, Lancey Brook, and Sucker Brook.
Communities of the Nashua River Watershed
The 32 towns and cities of our watershed range from urban areas that were once booming milltowns that are today seeing revitalization around their riverfronts to small villages that have the look and feel of early New England with their Commons and historic districts. Many of these communities are facing rapid growth with the expansion of the Boston metropolitan area. Each one is unique and special, but one fact they all share—they are 32 communities connected by water.
Ashburnham, MA Population: 6,081
Ashby, MA Population: 3,074
Ayer, MA Population: 7,427
Bolton, MA Population: 4,897
Boylston, MA Population: 4,355
Brookline, NH Population: 4,991
Clinton, MA Population: 4,355
Devens, MA Population: included in Ayer and Harvard
Dunstable, MA Population: 3,169
Fitchburg, MA Population: 40,318
Gardner, MA Population: 20,228
Groton, MA Population: 10,646
Greenville, NH Population: 2,105
Harvard, MA Population: 6,520
Holden, MA Population: 17,346
Hollis, NH Population: 7,684
Lancaster, MA Population: 8,055
Leominster, MA Population: 40,759
Lunenburg, MA Population: 10,086
Mason, NH Population: 1,382
Milford, NH Population: 15,115
Nashua, NH Population: 86,494
New Ipswich, NH Population: 5,099
Paxton, MA Population: 4,086
Pepperell, MA Population: 11,497
Princeton, MA Population: 3,413
Rutland, MA Population: 7,973
Shirley, MA Population: 7,211
Sterling, MA Population: 7,808
Townsend, MA Population: 8,926
West Boylston, MA Population: 7,669
Westminster, MA Population: 7,227
Our watershed is truly a special place to live, work, and play. Explore a satellite view of our watershed.
To learn about the natural resources in our communities.
To learn about recreational opportunities in our communities.
Population data from 2010 U.S. Census.
Our Sub-Basin Plan
In 2003, the Nashua River Watershed Association released the Nashua River Watershed Five Year Action Plan 2003-2007. The plan was developed with the former Massachusetts Watershed Initiative Nashua Team, a collaboration of watershed interests consisting of state and federal environmental agencies, municipal agencies, non-profit organizations, citizens, and other interested parties. The plan was approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The maps, data, goals, and general information in the Plan are still of great value in learning about our watershed, its sub-basins, its resources, and its character.
Visit What We Do to learn more about our current work to protect our natural resources.
What is a watershed?
A watershed is a geographic area of land in which all surface and ground water flows downhill to a common point, such as a river, stream, pond, lake, wetland, or estuary.
Water from falling rain and melting snow generally drains into ditches, streams, wetlands, lakes, and coastal waters, or seeps into the ground. As water moves over the land it picks up sediment and dissolved materials and transports them to lakes, rivers, ponds, streams and coastal bays. Vegetation, leaf litter, fallen logs, and the naturally uneven terrain of forests and other natural areas slow down and filter runoff. Water flowing over parking lots and other developed areas speeds up and can pick up a variety of pollutants on route to water bodies.
The Nashua River Watershed is where we live, work, and play.
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