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.

  • Meets MA DEP state-designated Outstanding Resource Water Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards [314  CMR 4.04(3)

  • Is included in the Squannacook-Nissitissit Rivers Sanctuary Act (MGL, Part I, Title XIX, Chapter 123A, Section 17)

  • Is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries “Essential Fish Habitat”

  • Is a MA DFW Wildlife Management Area Reference Stream

  • 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.

  • ~50 acres of Shirley Zone 1 Municipal Wellhead Protection Area (a 1,000 foot zone extending from wellhead)  

  • 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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Chapter 4 Providing Education video link

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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  Pulling invasive water chestnut by hand from a canoe

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.

Protecting Today’s Water for Tomorrow Project

In 2004, the NRWA and three partner organizations were awarded a Targeted Watershed Initiative grant of $770,192 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – one of only fourteen awarded nationwide that year. Along with Beaver Brook Association, New England Forestry Foundation, and the Trust for Public Land, the NRWA has been undertaking the "Protecting Today's Water for Tomorrow" project to proactively combat threats to drinking water in the Squannacook-Nissitissit sub-basin for the past three years.

The Squannacook-Nissitissit sub-basin covers about twenty-five percent of the entire Nashua River watershed, and includes all or part of the Massachusetts towns of Ashby, Groton, Pepperell, Shirley, and Townsend and the New Hampshire towns of Brookline, Greenville, Hollis, Mason, Milford, New Ipswich, and Wilton.

Dozens of state and local organizations, businesses, municipalities, and professional individuals are providing in-kind services and support valued at an additional $400,000+, making the total project worth over $1.1 million.

The four-year effort was comprised of seven distinct project components, each of which contributes to the overarching approach of protecting key water resources by conserving key land parcels.

Project #1- Land Stewardship & Land Protection Project identified priority land parcels and presented information to the landowners in an effort to increase their willingness to permanently protect their land and/or enhance their stewardship of it – thereby increasing protection of key water resources.

Project #2- Market-Based Forestry Cooperative Project studied the feasibility of starting a market-based forest cooperative in this area that would assist forest landowners to derive forestry-related income and thus dissuade landowners from selling off or developing their properties, which might negatively impact water resources.

Project #3- Forester Training Project trained foresters and loggers regarding the positive impact of forestland on water resources so that these values can be effectively communicated to the foresters’ clients and thus increase the clients’ understanding and willingness to undertake best management practices that protect water quality.

Project #4- Conservation Restoration & Demonstration Project demonstrated relevant Best Management Practices to landowners and resource managers who need to be aware of the role of their actions in protecting water quality. Project #4 also undertook restoration of lands whose water quality is negatively impacted by invasive plant species.

Project #5- Smart Growth Policy Project researched innovative approaches and policies on the local and state level that will help protect water resources. Project #5 additionally educated and trained municipal boards and other policy makers in the approaches and regulations that protect water resources and also alerted them to conservation finance options.

Project #6- Public Surveying and Messaging Project surveys public attitudes toward financing land protection that protects water quality and also shapes messages that can be more readily communicated to the public on various related topics.

Project #7- Water Quality Sampling Project studied pollution dispersion in the sub-basin, which will help illuminate which specific land areas are likely causing water quality problems. Project #7 also studied water quality, including stormwater, at targeted sites, which will provide baseline data against which to measure future results from the overall land protection effort.

Each of the seven projects addressed the main environmental problem that water quality and quantity will be severely compromised in the future unless key land parcels are well stewarded and/or proactively protected. The projects used a variety of approaches to address institutional, social, and economic issues that contribute to the main problem. In combination, the seven projects proactively increased the protection and stewardship of land parcels that are key to improving water quality and protecting the water resources and drinking water upon which we, the public, depend.