WaterMarks Newsletter - Spring 2023
In this issue, we discuss how a new watershed-scale web tool is anticipated to help underserved communities meet stormwater pollutant requirements. We also share the 2022 New England Drought Report and outline its findings. Plus, learn about our ice-covered river training and a project characterizing highway runoff in Connecticut.
Meet our New Staff at the New England WSC - March 2023
Join us in welcoming our recently hired staff at the New England Water Science Center.
WSC Hosts Ice-Covered River Safety Training
Hydrologic technicians take discharge measurements year-round, which means trekking across an ice-covered river in winter and drilling down into the frozen top-layer to measure streamflow.
Delineating High-Resolution Urban Drainage Systems for Stormwater Management in the Mystic River Watershed
Characterizing hydrology and pollutant inputs in urban watersheds requires the consideration of both the natural and manmade environment. The Mystic River Basin is a highly urbanized, 76-square-mile watershed north of Boston, Massachusetts, that includes several underserved communities. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a watershed-scale web application of the Mystic River Basin to inform stormwater management. This is the first watershed-scale effort to represent urban hydrology by incorporating manmade infrastructure, such as storm drains and culverts, into the USGS’ StreamStats application. Methods developed in the study can be applied to any urban area, including underserved communities in urban settings.
Quality of Stormwater Runoff Discharged from Connecticut Highways
Existing highway-runoff data do not adequately address the informational needs of stormwater professionals in Connecticut because there have been relatively few studies of highway runoff in the Northeastern United States. Consequently, the U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, in cooperation with Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), is conducting a 4-year project to characterize highway runoff and constituent concentrations discharged from nine highways throughout the State.
New England WSC Products in the First Quarter of 2023
List of products from the New England Water Science Center released in the first quarter of 2023.