Acid Rain Monitoring Project
A long term monitoring project to assess the effects of acid precipitation on surface waters in Massachusetts.
Blackstone River Water Quality Study
The UMass Amherst Blackstone River Water Quality Study was initiated in 2004 to develop a watershed management tool for the Blackstone River basin. This effort was funded by the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District (UBWPAD) and was conducted with the support of the Cambridge, MA office of Camp Dresser and McKee (CDM), now CDM-Smith.
The Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership
The Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership (MassWWP) provided training and other technical assistance to citizen organizations who conduct water quality monitoring programs on the lakes, rivers, and estuaries of Massachusetts.
Agricultural Water Security And Resilience Under Uncertainty: Conversations On The Evolving Roles Of Blue, Green And Grey Water
One of the three 2014 National UCOWR/NIWR/CUAHSI Conference tracks, to provide state-of-the-science concepts and stakeholder input to USDA-NIFA regarding global challenges and opportunities in water-related research, extension programming and education related to food and agriculture. A particular focus will be placed on blue, green and grey water issues related to agriculture.
Development of Pilot Extreme Flood Vulnerability Assessment Protocols Under Present and Future Climatic Conditions for Roadway Stream Crossing Structures within the Deerfield River Watershed, Massachusetts
Storm-resilient and critter-friendly culverts: assessing the vulnerability of critical transportation infrastructure
Massachusetts Stormwater Technology Evaluation Project (MASTEP)
MASTEP was a "Stormwater Clearinghouse" web site, with a searchable database of verified technical information on stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) to provide information on innovative technologies to BMP users. It was funded by MassDEP until 2014. As it is now out-of-date and no longer funded, we have pulled out the website. We apologize for the inconvenience and suggest looking for similar information in the International Stormwater BMP Database.
SeeTrees
The Water Center has collaborated since 2010 with the Center for Educational Software Development, the Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Department, and the Biology departments of UMass Amherst and UMass Boston on “SeeTrees” project, that uses modern information technology to enhance undergraduate education in field courses focused on plant identification. This is funded under the National Science Foundation’s Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM (TUES) program.
Springfield Water and Sewer Commission Water Monitoring
The Center worked with the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission (SWSC) to provide a better understanding of the overall dynamic sub-watershed yields and water quality loadings to their reservoirs. During the Summer of 2012, UMass assisted SWSC staff with the installation of in-situ sensors at two locations to monitor discharge, temperature and conductivity. This information can be paired with water quality data collected monthly by SWSC staff to determine watershed loadings. We will also be working with SWSC to develop methodologies to infer flow volumes at unmonitored watersheds, based on the continuous data collected at the two in-situ sites. Recommendations for the methodologies, including an overview of their associated strengths and weaknesses, for the SWSC watersheds will be made.
The River's Calendar
The Water Center is partnering with Trout Unlimited, the USA National Phenology Network and others to develop The River’s Calendar(link is external) project, a community science program that examines the impacts of climate change on the phenology of our nation’s coldwater riparian areas.
Tri-State Connecticut River Initiative
This is a $1.4 million, two-year project to improve the Connecticut River in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont that WRRC is participating in along with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission with the Connecticut River Joint Commissions, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, and the US Geological Survey. The project includes:
Real-time water quality monitoring with genetic bacteria-source identification,
Bioengineering and riparian buffer planting for streambank erosion control,
Innovative financing for controlling stormwater and CSOs,
Smart growth tools to protect public water supplies, and
Low impact development tools to control agricultural runoff.