Quinebaug River, Connecticut and Massachusetts

Status: Completed

An Ecohydrology Study on the Quinebaug River in Massachusetts and Connecticut

Sponsored by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, the Millennium Power Project and the US Environmental Protection Agency

This project, conducted by the Insteam Habitat Program at Cornell University with Mark Bain, focused on the assessment of the Quinebaug River's biophysical conditions, the identification of deficits, and the determination of potential improvement measures for the Quinebaug River. It is part of a multidisciplinary investigation required by the US Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 permit and by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the Millennium Power Project in Charlton, Massachusetts.

The mesohabitat simulation model for the target fish community was established for the upper 34 km of the river. Five dominant species (fallfish Semotilus corporalis, common shiner Luxius cornutus, white sucker Catostomus commersoni, longnose dace Rininchtys cataractae, and blacknose dace Rininchtys atratulus) of the target fish community of the Quinebaug River were targeted in the model. The hydromorphology, fish habitat, fish density, invertebrate samples and temperature data were analyzed to determine present condition and restoration potential. The Quinebaug River is a fourth-order river with multiple impoundments and a history of industrial use. Within the study area, different sections of the river demonstrate a wide range in condition, type, and degree of environmental impact. A number of deficits comprising fish habitat, river morphology, and pollution, flow and thermal regime has been identified. The list of integrative restoration recommendations is provided to project management team for further consideration. The study will proceed with development of section specific catalogue of measures and restoration scenario.

Quinebaug River Study Final Report