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Water-Quality Monitoring of the Merrimack River Watershed in Massachusetts

General Information Product 216
Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/gip216

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Mission

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been working in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) on a project to collect water-quality data from the Merrimack River watershed since April 2020. Twelve locations in the Merrimack River watershed are being sampled for nutrients (such as nitrogen), metals (such as aluminum), Escherichia coli bacteria, and other measures.

Photograph of the Merrimack River flowing through an urban area with historic brick mill buildings and a truss bridge.

The Merrimack River was historically important for transportation and industry in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Photograph by U.S. Geological Survey.

Goals

  • Provide water-quality data to MassDEP to help meet Clean Water Act of 1972 requirements, and describe water-quality conditions compared to the Massachusetts-designated use criteria of the Merrimack River and selected tributaries

    • Collect water-quality data for nutrients, selected metals, and water properties such as pH and dissolved oxygen

    • Monitor Escherichia coli bacteria in the Merrimack River

  • Build a database for future nitrogen modeling

    • Evaluate the need for long-term monitoring and calculate nitrogen loads

    • Excess nitrogen can cause overgrowth of invasive aquatic plants and algae, which reduces dissolved oxygen levels in the water and results in fish kills

  • Provide data on dissolved oxygen in marine and inland waters to:

    • monitor conditions important to the survival of endangered shortnose sturgeon

    • use when making environmental-planning decisions

Photograph of a small yellow buoy marked “USGS” floating in a wide bay, outfitted with a solar panel, lights, equipment, and high-visibility floats.

The U.S. Geological Survey uses water-quality monitoring stations and buoys like this one in the Merrimack River estuary to collect data about salinity, cloudiness, temperature, and more.

Work in the Merrimack River Estuary

  • Water-quality sample collection is planned for twice each month from May through October of each year.

  • Continuous water-quality monitoring equipment is planned to be deployed from May to October each year. Collected data can be viewed in real time, at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=011008745. Some of the real-time data collected include:

    • Water temperature

    • pH

    • Dissolved oxygen

    • Salinity

Photographic collage of employees wearing high-visibility clothing, life jackets, and waterproof waders while working on boats and bridges.

Collecting data and water samples requires expertise and specialized equipment. Technicians frequently work on boats or bridges to access the water. Photographs by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Map showing station locations. Most of the stations are clustered just south of the northern border of Massachusetts.
Figure 1.

Map of the Merrimack River watershed in northeast Massachusetts and southeast New Hampshire, with locations of water-quality monitoring stations and streamgages.

Table 1.    

U.S. Geological Survey water-quality streamgages and monitoring stations in the Merrimack River watershed.
Station number U.S. Geological Survey station name
01096500 Nashua River at East Pepperell, MA
01097050 Assabet River at Main Street near Concord, MA
01098530 Sudbury River at Saxonville, MA
01099500 Concord River below River Meadow Brook at Lowell, MA
01100000 Merrimack River Bl Concord River at Lowell, MA
01100564 Spicket River at Short Street, Lawrence, MA
01100627 Shawsheen River at Balmoral Street at Andover, MA
01096598 Beaver Brook at Lowell, MA
01096548 Stony Brook at Chelmsford, MA
01100845 Powwow River at Amesbury, MA
011006988 Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill, MA
011008745 Merrimack River Estuary upstream of Shad Creek, Salisbury, MA
Table 1.    U.S. Geological Survey water-quality streamgages and monitoring stations in the Merrimack River watershed.
Photograph of an employee wearing high-visibility clothes and a helmet. He is above a water body, smiling, and leaning on a metal box with a solar panel.

A technician stands next to a water-quality monitoring station, which collects data 24 hours a day. Regular trips are needed to maintain the station. Photograph by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Merrimack River Facts

  • The size of the watershed is 5,010 square miles.

  • It is the main supply of drinking water for about 500,000 residents in five Massachusetts communities.

  • The river is home to shortnose sturgeon, an endangered fish species.

  • Recreational uses include boating, swimming, and fishing.

Find out more at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/new-england-water-science-center/science/water-quality-monitoring-merrimack-river-watershed#overview.

Photograph of a wooden dock floating on plastic barrels, in a large bay that stretches from horizon to horizon.

Piers, docks, and boat launches are convenient places for U.S. Geological Survey scientists to access the water. Photograph by the U.S. Geological Survey.

For more information, contact:

Director, New England Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

10 Bearfoot Road

Northborough, MA 01532

dc_nweng@usgs.gov

or visit our website at

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/new-england-water

Publishing support provided by the Pembroke Publishing Service Center

Suggested Citation

Laabs, K.L., Roth, N.L., and Yates, L.K., 2022, Water-quality monitoring of the Merrimack River watershed in Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product 216, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/gip216.

ISSN: 2332-354X (online)

ISSN: 2332-3531 (print)

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Water-quality monitoring of the Merrimack River watershed in Massachusetts
Series title General Information Product
Series number 216
ISBN 978-1-4113-4484-6
DOI 10.3133/gip216
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) New England Water Science Center
Description 2 p.
Country United States
State Massachusetts
Other Geospatial Merrimack River
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details