Water Quality & Watershed Management Planning
Water Quality & Watershed Management Planning
The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission is the Merrimack Valley’s State Designated Water Quality Management Planning Agency. Through this work, MVPC coordinates and leads numerous water resource planning and implementation projects in the Merrimack, Parker, Ipswich, North Coastal and Shawsheen River basins. Projects focus on mitigating inland and coastal flood events, non-point source and point source pollution, and restoring degraded habitats adjacent to the region’s waterways. Projects leverage numerous funding sources including but not limited to DEP’s 319 and 604(b) program, Massbays funds, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness action grants, and DER priority project funding.
Getting Involved
If you or someone in your community has a priority waterbody, project idea, or simply a general concern for water resources, please reach out to MVPC’s Environmental Program, Coordinator, Cece Gertstenbacher ([email protected]) to learn about pursuing watershed-level planning and implementation projects in your community.
Current Projects
The Spicket River Project
MVPC, in partnership with the Merrimack River Watershed Council, and the Cities of Methuen and Lawrence, is currently working to develop a comprehensive watershed-based plan for the Spicket River subwatershed – a tributary of the Merrimack River. This river is an urban watershed that is impaired for nutrients including Phosphorous due primarily to non-point source pollution runoff. Funded through DEP’s 604(b) program, project partners have
- Developed and enacted a robust water quality monitoring program for the Spicket River subwatershed to pinpoint areas of high nutrient pollution
- Conducted a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based land use analysis for the watershed to highlight parcels for ideal placement of Green Infrastructure to mitigate non-point source pollution
- Worked with a consultant to visit high-priority parcels and design preliminary Green Infrastructure Best Management Practices on selected parcels
- Written a DEP 9-step Watershed-Based Plan to become eligible for subsequent DEP 319 implementation money
The Shawsheen River Project
MVPC and their partners at the Merrimack River Watershed Council and the Town of Andover have just begun developing a comprehensive watershed-based plan for the Shawsheen River watershed, which will mirror that of the Spicket Rivers. This river is partially urban and impaired by E. coli. Funded through Massbays, project partners have
- Developed a robust water quality monitoring program for the Shawsheen River, including points above and below Ballardvale Dam, to monitor water quality in the circumstance that the dam is removed
- Collaborated with the town to ensure watershed-based plan development is in line with other MVP-funded efforts along the river.
The team will now work to enact the developed water quality monitoring program, and a subsequent watershed-based plan to ensure eligibility for subsequent DEP 319 implementation money.