Table Of ContentIn cooperation with the
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Preliminary Assessment of Streamflow
Requirements for Habitat Protection for
Selected Sites on the Assabet and
Charles Rivers, Eastern Massachusetts
Open-File Report 02-340
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Preliminary Assessment of Streamflow Requirements for Habitat
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Protection for Selected Sites on the Assabet and Charles Rivers, Eastern
Massachusetts 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER
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Cover photo:
Looking downstream, Mine Brook near Franklin,
Massachusetts
Photo by G.W. Parker
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Preliminary Assessment of Streamflow
Requirements for Habitat Protection for
Selected Sites on the Assabet and
Charles Rivers, Eastern Massachusetts
By GENE W. PARKER and DAVID S. ARMSTRONG
Open-File Report 02-340
In cooperation with the
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Northborough, Massachusetts
2001
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
GALE A. NORTON, Secretary
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Charles G. Groat, Director
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Parker and Armstrong—PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF STREAMFLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR HABITAT PROTECTION FOR SELECTED SITES ON THE
ASSABET AND CHARLES RIVERS, EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS—OFR 02-340
CONTENTS
Abstract................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Purpose and Scope...................................................................................................................................................... 2
Description of Study Area........................................................................................................................................... 2
Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Methods for Determining Streamflow Requirements for Habitat Protection........................................................................ 4
R2Cross Method.......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Wetted-Perimeter Method........................................................................................................................................... 5
Water-Surface-Profile Modeling................................................................................................................................. 6
Preliminary Streamflow Requirements for Habitat Protection.............................................................................................. 6
Danforth Brook at Hudson.......................................................................................................................................... 6
Great Brook near Bolton............................................................................................................................................. 8
Elizabeth Brook near Stow.......................................................................................................................................... 9
Mine Brook near Franklin........................................................................................................................................... 11
Charles River at Medway............................................................................................................................................ 12
Comparison of Streamflow Requirements and Methods....................................................................................................... 14
Summary and Conclusions.................................................................................................................................................... 19
References Cited................................................................................................................................................................... 21
FIGURES
1. Map showing location of habitat-assessment riffle reaches in and five streamgaging stations near the
Assabet River and Charles River Basins, Massachusetts...................................................................................... 3
2. Diagram showing (A) stream channel for River Station 173.65 and (B) relation between wetted perimeter
and discharge at Mine Brook near Franklin........................................................................................................... 5
3–7. Photograph showing:
3. Danforth Brook at Hudson, looking upstream.............................................................................................. 7
4. Great Brook near Bolton, looking upstream................................................................................................. 10
5. Elizabeth Brook near Stow, looking downstream......................................................................................... 10
6. Mine Brook near Franklin, looking downstream.......................................................................................... 11
7. Charles River at Medway, looking downstream. Photo (A) is of the upstream riffle and (B) is of
the downstream riffle study reach.................................................................................................................. 13
8. Box plots showing distribution of streamflow requirements determined by R2Cross and
Wetted-Perimeter methods..................................................................................................................................... 15
9. Graph showing daily discharge for the streamgaging station at Nashoba Brook near Acton (01097300)
for the period 1963 to 2001 compared to median streamflow requirements estimated by the R2Cross and
Wetted-Perimeter methods, Assabet and Charles Rivers....................................................................................... 16
10. Box plots showing distribution of mean monthly discharges for the period 1969–98 for streamgaging
stations 01096000, 01097300, 01105600, 01111500, and 01175670 compared with median streamflow
requirements estimated by the R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter methods for five riffles in the Assabet and
Charles River Basins.............................................................................................................................................. 18
TABLES
1. Location and characteristics of riffle reaches, Assabet and Charles Rivers, Massachusetts................................... 3
2. R2Cross hydraulic criteria for protection of aquatic habitat................................................................................... 4
3. Required streamflows for habitat protection determined by means of the R2Cross method.................................. 8
4. Required streamflows for habitat protection determined by means of the Wetted-Perimeter method................... 9
Contents III
5. Summary of R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter method streamflow requirements for five riffle sites,
Assabet and Charles Rivers..................................................................................................................................... 14
6. Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration for the 1969 to 1998 period for the streamgaging station at
Nashoba Brook near Acton (01097300)................................................................................................................. 17
7. Median streamflow requirements estimated by the Tennant technique from the combined records
of streamgaging stations 01096000, 01097300, 01105600, 01111500, and 01175670.......................................... 19
8. Hydraulic variables simulated by the HEC-RAS model for Danforth Brook at Hudson....................................... 25
9. Hydraulic variables simulated by the HEC-RAS model for Great Brook near Bolton.......................................... 26
10. Hydraulic variables simulated by the HEC-RAS model for Elizabeth Brook near Stow....................................... 28
11. Hydraulic variables simulated by the HEC-RAS model for Mine Brook near Franklin........................................ 30
12. Hydraulic variables simulated by the HEC-RAS model for Charles River at Medway......................................... 32
CONVERSION FACTORS AND VERTICAL DATUM
CONVERSION FACTORS
Multiply By To obtain
cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)
cubic foot per second per square mile (ft3/s/mi2) 0.01093 cubic meter per second per square kilometer (m3/s/km2)
foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)
foot per second (ft/s) 0.3048 meter per second (m/s)
mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)
square foot (ft2) 0.09290 square meter (m2)
square mile (mi2) 259 hectare
square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2)
VERTICAL DATUM
Datum: Local datums used in this report were arbitrarily set at the time of the fieldwork and are not referenced
to any National Geodetic Vertical Datum.
IV Contents
Preliminary Assessment of Streamflow
Requirements for Habitat Protection for
Selected Sites on the Assabet and
Charles Rivers, Eastern Massachusetts
By Gene W. Parker and David S. Armstrong
Abstract flow, streamgaging stations. The discharge range
defined by the median R2Cross and Wetted-
Streamflow requirements for habitat protec-
Perimeter streamflow requirements brackets the
tion were determined at several critical riffle
interquartile range for the median of monthly-mean
reaches in the Assabet River and Charles River
flows during the summer low-flow period, as
Basins. The R2Cross and Wetted-Perimeter
defined by the Range of Variability Approach anal-
methods yielded median streamflow requirements
of 0.75 cubic feet per second per square mile ysis of five streamgaging stations. The median
(ft3/s/mi2) and 0.13 ft3/s/mi2, respectively. Three R2Cross streamflow requirement for the five riffles
study reaches are on tributaries to the Assabet River compares very closely to the median Tennant 40-
(Danforth Brook, Great Brook, and Elizabeth
percent of the mean annual flow requirement for
Brook), two are on the mainstem of the Charles
good habitat condition. The median Wetted-
River, and one is on a tributary to the Charles River
Perimeter streamflow requirement compares
(Mine Brook). The strength of the R2Cross and
closely to the median Tennant 10-percent of the
Wetted-Perimeter methods is that they may be
applied at ungaged locations. mean annual-flow requirement for a poor habitat
condition. Tennant and Range of Variability
A Range of Variability Approach analysis
was conducted on a common 30-year period of Approach methods require continuous discharge
record from 1969 to 1998 for five mostly unaltered records for analysis.
Abstract 1
INTRODUCTION summer and fall of 2001. Hydraulic models were cali-
brated at six sites—two sites on the mainstem Charles
During the summer, when water levels are natu-
River, and one site each on Mine Brook in the Charles
rally low and the demand for water is high, water
River Basin and Elizabeth Brook, Danforth Brook, and
users are in competition for a limited supply of water.
Great Brook in the Assabet River Basin. Streamflow
Federal, State, local agencies, and private citizens’
requirements for habitat protection were determined
groups are concerned that streamflows altered by water
at five riffle sites—two riffle sites on the mainstem
withdrawals and returns could reduce the quality and
Charles River, and one site each on Mine Brook in
quantity of the habitat that supports the biological
integrity of the Assabet River and Charles River the Charles River Basin and Elizabeth Brook, and
systems. Danforth Brook in the Assabet River Basin.
It is generally recognized that the quantity and
quality of water may not be sufficient to meet all needs
and interests, and that any solutions to competing water Description of Study Area
needs and interests will require cooperation among
many stakeholders. The Massachusetts Department of
The Assabet River and Charles River are in adja-
Environmental Management (MADEM) determined
cent drainage basins in Eastern Massachusetts (fig. 1).
that the Assabet River and Charles River Basins could
The Assabet River study sites are in Middlesex County
serve as pilot areas in which to test methods for deter-
and Worcester County. The Charles River study sites
mining streamflow requirements for habitat protection.
are in Norfolk County. The Assabet River is a subbasin
The proposal development and funding requests were
presented through work plans of the Concord River of the Concord River and is bounded by the Nashua
Watershed and Charles River Watershed Teams for the River and Blackstone River Basins to the west, the
Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Sudbury River Basin to the East, and Charles River
Affairs (EOEA) Watershed Initiative program. The Basin to the south. The Charles River drains into
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Boston Harbor and is bounded by the Blackstone River
the EOEA Watershed Initiative program and MADEM,
Basin to the west, the Sudbury River and Assabet River
began a habitat assessment in 2001 to determine the
Basins to the north, and Taunton River and Neponset
streamflow requirements in the Assabet and Charles
River Basins to the south.
River Basins. An additional goal of the USGS is to
coordinate the habitat project with a ground-water The three Assabet River study sites are located
modeling project for the Assabet River Basin also on riffles on Elizabeth Brook, Great Brook, and
being conducted in cooperation with MADEM. The Danforth Brook (table 1). The Elizabeth Brook study
results of the modeling project will help to quantify site is just downstream of a ford on an unnamed road in
effects of water-use practices on streamflow and
Stow, MA, and about 0.72 mi upstream of the brook’s
habitat.
mouth into the Assabet River. The Great Brook study
site is located 1.3 mi east of I-495 near Bolton, MA,
and about 1.85 mi upstream of the brook’s mouth
Purpose and Scope
into Dudley Pond, which is in the Elizabeth Brook
This report provides preliminary estimates of Subbasin. The Danforth Brook study site is in Hudson,
streamflow necessary to maintain aquatic habitat in the MA, about 1.35 mi upstream of the brook’s mouth into
Assabet and Charles Rivers. The study area includes the Assabet River.
a reach of the mainstem Charles River and reaches
The two Charles River study sites are at two rif-
on tributaries to the Assabet and Charles Rivers in
fles on the mainstem upstream of the Walker Street
Massachusetts. The report describes streamflow
Bridge and the gage at Charles River at Medway
requirements determined by means of the R2Cross and
Wetted-Perimeter methods. Water-surface-profile (01103200). The Mine Brook study site is at a riffle
models were developed and calibrated from channel about 800 ft east of the intersection of Routes 140 and
surveys and discharge measurements made in the I-495 in Franklin, MA (table 1).
2 Preliminary Assessment of Streamflow Requirements for Habitat Protection for Sites on the Assabet and Charles Rivers, MA
