Water Resources Committee

Drought Conditions

Up-to-date information on drought conditions in the region is available at: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

 

Membership

The committee was established by the Selectboard in 2009, appointing 7 members to represent the Board of Health, Planning Board, Conservation Commission or Open Space Committee, Lake Wyola Advisory Committee, and 3 members of the Community-at-Large.

Committee Charge

The Committee was given the following charge:

  • The first charge of the Water Resources Committee (WRC) is to assess the Town's water resources, both with respect to quality and quantity.
  • The second charge of the WRC is to research appropriate solutions to any risks to the Town's water resources, which may include policy, regulatory or structural approaches.
  • The third charge of the WRC is to propose policy or regulatory changes or preparation of a capital improvement plan, including cost estimates.

Vision

The vision of the WRC was to develop a comprehensive understanding of the status and condition of Shutesbury's water resources and what actions would be needed to protect them.

Activity

  • Developed a detailed map of Shutesbury's water resources
  • Developed a conceptual model of Shutesbury's hydrologic cycle
  • Collected and analyzed soils, precipitation and existing water quality data
  • Participated in the evaluation of the Town's "O32" lot
  • Identified possible issues of concern:
    • road salt impacts on wells and aquatic ecology
    • nitrate loading (from septic systems)
    • adequacy of groundwater resources (impacts on future growth in town)
    • gravel road maintenance (and impacts on surface waters)
    • condition of Lake Wyola
  • Cooperated with Mount Holyoke College studies
  • Secured funding for, and established, a series of groundwater monitoring wells in Shutesbury
  • Contributed Action Items for protection of water resources in the 2022 Open Space & Recreation Plan submitted to Dept of Conservation Services for review (see Section 9: Seven-Year Action Plan)

 

Meetings

The WRC no longer meets regularly.  Data continues to be collected at the groundwater monitoring wells.