canoe

Tri-State Connecticut River

Targeted Watershed Initiative

 canoe

Tri State Connecticut River Initiative Main Site

Project Background

This  water quality monitoring project isconducted by the University of Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center in partnership with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Franklin Regional Council of Governments, and the Connecticut River Joint Commissions.  The project is one of ten Connecticut River projects funded under a $953,000 Targeted Watershed Initiative grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, matched by $458,000 in local funding commitments. 

Until now only limited water quality information has been available for the Connecticut River. This information has indicated that in many urbanized areas the river’s bacterial contamination is so high during wet weather events—due to combined sewer overflow discharges and to urban stormwater flows—that it does not meet standards for recreational uses. 

This monitoring project examines water temperature and bacteria at 26 sites along the river, on river stretches between Turners Fall and Greenfield, Massachusetts, between White River Junction, New Hampshire, and Hartford, Vermont, and between Chicopee and Holyoke, Massachusetts (starting soon). Data will provide a more complete picture of the river’s health and understanding about sources of contamination. This will be useful not only to recreational users who have direct contact with the waters, but to local, state, and federal officials in addressing combined sewer overflow discharges and stormwater flows. 

Bacteria Monitoring

The results are updated after sampling is completed on Mondays and Thursdays. The results are posted in the results table and are color coded according to New Hampshire and Massachusetts Criteria for E. coli levels (see below). The results for each reach are color coded according to their state's specific standards for Class B waters and the level of E. coli detection in the sample. The state of Massachusetts does not have E. coli criteria in place for secondary contact recreation, thus the New Hampshire water quality standards will be used.

New Hampshire Criteria1  for E. coli (Escherichia coli; units = colonies/100ml):
Geometric mean2
Single sample maximum
Appropriate Recreational Use3
<  126
406
suitable for primary water contact (swimming)
126 - 630
407-2030
suitable for secondary contact only (boating, but no swimming)
> 630
2030
unsuitable for recreation (no boating or swimming)
Massachusetts Criteria  for E. coli (Escherichia coli; units = colonies/100ml):
Geometric mean
Single sample maximum
Appropriate Recreational Use 3
<  126
235
suitable for primary water contact (swimming)
< 126
235
suitable for secondary contact only (boating, but no swimming)
>630
12604
unsuitable for recreation (no boating or swimming)

1. The Connecticut River as it flows between Vermont and New Hampshire is by law considered to be within New Hampshire boundaries, and therefore subject to New Hampshire’s water quality standards and criteria. State of New Hampshire 2008 Section 305(b) and 303(d) Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology.
2. Geometric mean of 3 or more samples taken within a 60 day period for New Hampshire, and geometric mean of 5 or more samples taken within a 60 day period for Massachusetts.
3. Levels are indicated for Class B waters. The Connecticut River in New Hampshire and Massachusetts is designated as a class B waterway. 
4. 10% of all samples should not exceed 1260 colonies / 100 ml. See Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Pollution Control: 414cmr4.05(3)(b)4

Results Updated September 14, 2009
 
Site
 7/30/09 8/3/09 8/6/09 8/10/09 8/13/09 8/17/09 8/20/09 8/24/09 8/27/09 8/31/09 9/3/09 9/8/09 9/10/09
Wilder Picnic Area, Wilder VT
ns 140 ns
ns
ns
 10 ns 104 ns 36 ns 4 ns
E. Wilder Boat Launch, Lebanon NH
146w ns 46
ns
ns
 ns 12 ns ns ns 4 ns 4
Lyman Point Park, Hartford VT
ns ns ns
ns
ns
 ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns

Lebanon Public River Access, Lebanon NH

 50w ns 54
ns
ns
 ns 4 ns ns ns 4 ns 2
Blood Brook, Lebanon NH
 416w ns 50
ns
ns
 ns 8 ns ns ns 4 ns 10
Hanchett Brook, Plainfield NH
 ns ns ns
ns
ns
 ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
Riverview Farm, Plainfield NH
232w ns 28
ns
ns
 ns 20 ns ns ns 6 ns 6
Sumner Falls, Hartland VT
ns 236 ns
ns
ns
 17 ns 58 ns 42 ns 6 ns
Cornish Boat Launch, Cornish NH
 ns 320 ns
ns
ns
 4 ns 96 ns 96 ns <1 ns
North Star Canoe Rentals, Cornish NH
ns ns ns
ns
ns
 ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
Wilgus State Park, Ascutney VT
 ns 196 ns
ns
ns
 9 ns 104 ns 102 ns 2 ns
Northfield Boat Ramp MA
1467w ns 70 ns 63 ns 52 ns 26 ns 20 ns ns
Munn's Ferry, Northfield MA
778w 76.7 33 58 14 21 14 71 25 110 12 ns ns
Barton Cove,
Gill MA
350w <10 83 2133 1133 40 78 93 42 160 16 ns ns
Rock Dam,
Turners Falls MA
ns 44 ns 28 ns 22 ns 170 ns 97 ns ns ns
Sunderland Bridge, Sunderland MA
ns 76.7 ns 21 ns 16 ns 81 ns 53 ns ns ns
Hatfield Boat Ramp, Hatfield MA
230w ns 12 ns 10 ns 30 ns 21 ns 10 ns ns
Brunelles Marina, South Hadley MA
TNTCw
 63 174 80 63 49 24 71 66 90 ns ns ns
Willamansett Bridge, Holyoke MA
153w 92 58 124 80 123 ns 100 54 197 42 ns 127
Jones Ferry, Holyoke MA
44w 70 33 29 59 49 25 139 24 113 26 ns ns
Medina St. Boat Ramp, Chicopee MA
>800w 85 52 22 32 240 ns 166 90 167 46 ns 119
Davitt Bridge Route 116, Chicopee MA
470w 117 224 65 114 104 ns 720 109 90 48 ns 76
Bassett Marina, Springfield MA
>8000w 380 210 156 210 200 ns 425 410 530 92 ns 460
Pynchon Park, Agawam MA
472w 251 125 73 84 49 54 540 16 137 40 ns ns
Pioneer Valley Yacht Club, Longmeadow MA
75 77 92 66 87 82 114 633 45 116 32 ns ns

"w" next to E. coli count signifies wet weather event (>0.1 inches of rain in 24 hours)
ns = not sampled, nd= no data, TNTC = too numerous to count
† sample taken on 7/23/08 for demonstration purposes

Early 2008 Results
Late 2008 Results

Early 2009 Results

The above table presents 2009 E. coli bacteria data in number of colonies per 100ml of water. The sites are listed from upstream (top of the table) to downstream (bottom of the table), so you can visualize how E.coli counts vary from the northern most reach to the southern most reach of river we are sampling. The three reaches are Hartford, VT/Cornish, NH, Turners Falls/Greenfield, MA and Chicopee/Holyoke, MA. Color codes indicate which single sample maximum value range each result falls into, as listed in the New Hampshire/Massachusetts Criteria  for E. coli table.

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