A. Water Quality

Nutrients

The Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers all have a Class B, 'fishable and swimmable' water quality classification, although none of the rivers meet this classification at present. The rivers are overloaded with nutrients, particularly phosphorus, which encourage plant growth in the warm summer months, leading to green blankets of algae and duck weed on the surface. This detracts from the beauty and recreational activities on the river, but more importantly it depletes the amount of oxygen in the water which is needed by fish and other living organisms to live. Later in the summer and fall when the plants begin to decay, they create a bad odor.

Nutrients enter the rivers from point sources such as wastewater treatment plants, and nonpoint sources which are carried over land and into the water by stormwater runoff. On the Assabet River, there are 7 municipal wastewater treatment plants upstream of the designated Wild and Scenic segment, which are major contributors to the nutrient load. On the Sudbury and Concord Rivers there are a few treatment plants, though nonpoint sources are a significant portion of the nutrient load as well. Because these rivers are slow moving, nutrients have also accumulated in the sediments and may be available for plant growth in the summer.

The RSC is working with many local, state and federal partners to improve water quality on these rivers. Funds have helped to support OAR's water quality program on the Assabet River (LINK). Under Section 7 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the RSC and NPS have spoken out on the draft wastewater treatment plant permits to ensure that phosphorus limits are scientifically based and are adequate to reach water quality standards. The RSC partners with local groups to educate local citizens about what they can do to help protect the water quality. LINK: www.sudburyriver.org, mass

What can you do to help?

There are many things that each of us, as individuals, can do to decrease water pollution in the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers. Each of these actions will help to decrease nutrients, phosphorus and nitrogen, from reaching the rivers...

1. Use phosphate free dish washing detergent. For more information click on, http://www.assabetriver.org/nutrient/detergents.html.
2. Minimize your lawn, and manage your lawn to minimize runoff of fertilizers. For more information click on http://www.assabetriver.org/nutrient/lawns.html.
3. Use organic lawn care services. Refer to section on RSC demonstration lawn.
4. Properly dispose of your pet waste. For more information click on http://www.assabetriver.org/nutrient/pets.html

Metals

Sediments in the Sudbury River are contaminated with mercury, emanating from a Superfund toxic waste site in Ashland, MA. The full length of the Sudbury's Wild and Scenic segment, to Egg Rock in Concord, is considered to be part of this site and contains high levels of mercury in the sediment. EPA continues to oversee the studies that will help to determine how the site will be remediated. Presently, fishing is not advised in the river because of mercury contamination.

Additional information is available at the following EPA website: http://yosemite.epa.gov/