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Rivers Resources
General Information on Massachusetts Rivers
The following Web Sites contain general information on Massachusetts rivers:
U. S. Geological Survey Massachusetts Water Resources Links
DCR Rainfall Program
MA. Riverways Program
MA. Watershed Coalition
American Whitewater Massachusetts Rivers Page
MA Dept. of Environmental Protection Rivers Protection Act Page
Waterwatch Partnership link
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General River Information
The following Web Sites contain general river information:
American Rivers
The Nature Conservancy's Sustainable Waters Website
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency American Rivers Homepage
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State and Federal Agencies involved in river research, management, and protection.
Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection
Massachusetts Water Resources Commission
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1
Massachusetts Riverways Program
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game
United States Geological Survey
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Massachusetts Watershed Associations
Massachusetts Riverways Program Watershed Contacts - provides a detailed list of watershed associations in the state.
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Environmental Organizations
The Environmental League of Massachusetts
National Wildlife Federation
American Rivers
The Nature Conservancy’s Freshwater Resources
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Landscaping Information
The following web sites contain information on river-friendly landscaping:
The Ecological Landscaping Association
U. S. EPA Sourcebook on Natural Landscaping for Public Officials
Smaller American Lawns Today
New England Wild Flower Society
The Wildlife Habitat Council
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
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Education and Outreach Links
New England Water Works Association
American Water Works Association Waterwiser
Water: Use It Wisely Site
Water Conservation - The Water Page
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Model Bylaws and Regulations
Model bylaws and regulations for creating water efficient communities:
Growing Greener: Putting Conservation Into Local Codes
Cape Cod Mission Model Lot Clearing Bylaw
Open Space Residential Design
Cape Cod Commission Cluster Development Bylaw
U. S. EPA Model Ordinances to Protect Local Resources
Model Water Use Restriction Bylaw/Ordinance
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Interbasin Transfer Act
The following website describes the Massachusetts Interbasin Transfer Act:
Interbasin Transfer Act
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Imperviousness and Watershed Development
Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO)
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater Information
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source) Information
The Center For Watershed Protection
Stormwater Resources Page
Nonpoint News/Notes
Low Impact Development
Stream Corridor Restoration
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Drought and Drought Management
The following Web Sites are devoted to the subject of drought and drought management:
National Drought Monitor
NOAA/NWS Drought Information Center
USGS WaterWatch
Northeast River Forecast Center
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Indoor Water Conservation
For information on water efficient toilets:
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
US EPA WaterSense
For general tips on saving water in the home:
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Home Water Saving Tips
CA Urban Water Conservation Council Water Saver
For information on high efficiency appliances:
US EPA/US DOE Energy Star website
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River Glossary
Aquifer: Water bearing soils or other materials beneath the surface of the ground. Many public water supplies use wells to draw water from aquifers.
Baseflow: The portion of streamflow not derived from runoff. Baseflow is typically derived from the discharge of groundwater into the river or stream bed or adjacent wetlands.
Drainage Basin: An area of land where all surface water drains to a particular river or stream.
Floodplain: The area of land along the margins of rivers and streams that is covered with water when the river or stream floods. Floodplain soils typically consist of sediments deposited by floods.
Groundwater: Water beneath the surface of the earth. The portion of precipitation that infiltrates into the soil rather than flowing along the surface of the land.
Hydrology: The science of water, including the study of the properties, distribution, and effects of water on the earth's surface.
Impervious: A surface through which water cannot pass. Roads, driveways, parking lots, and buildings create impervious surfaces in watersheds.
Nonpoint source pollution: Pollution originating from diffuse sources rather than a single location such as a pipe. Polluted runoff from roads, fields, or lawns is a type of nonpoint source pollution.
Riparian: Of or situated on the banks of a river or stream. Pertaining to anything connected with or immediately adjacent to a river or stream.
Runoff: The portion of rainfall that flows along the surface of the land. The amount of water that becomes runoff varies with topography, soils, and geology.
Watershed: An area of land from which water drains into a particular stream or river. The total area of land above a given point on a river or stream that contributes surface water flow at that point.
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A River Reading List
To learn more about rivers, river conservation, and river-friendly landscaping, check out the following references:
Walter Bickford and Ute Janik Dymon, An Atlas of Massachusetts River Systems, (MA Division of Fisheries,
Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement, 1990)
F. Herbert Bormann et al, Redesigning the American Lawn, 2d ed. (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press,2001)
William Cullina, The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada, (Framingham, MA: New England Wild Flower Society,2000)
Robert Glennon, Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America's Fresh Waters, (Island Press, 2002)
Christopher Leahy, The Nature of Massachusetts, (Massachusetts Audubon Society, 1997)
Luna B. Leopold, Water, Rivers and Creeks, ( Sausalito, CA: University Science Books, 1997)
S. B. Stein, Planting Noah’s Garden: Further Adventures in Backyard Ecology, (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company,1997)
Amy Vickers, Handbook of Water Use and Conservation, (Amherst, MA: Waterflow Press, 2001)
Andy and Sally Wasawski, The Landscaping Revolution, ( Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books, 2000)
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