2001 water quality assessment report

Recommendations WEST BRANCH WESTFIELD RIVER (MA32-01)

• 
  Conduct bacteria monitoring to assess the Primary and Secondary Contact Recreational uses.
  

• 
  Additional biological monitoring (macroinvertebrates and fish) is recommended to assess the status of the Aquatic Life Use. Long-term monitoring of fish populations in this segment of the Westfield River would be valuable to investigate possible impact of salmon stocking on reproducing wild trout populations.
  

Walker Brook (Segment MA32-20)

L

ocation: Headwaters, at outlet of Center Pond (north of YMCA Road) in Becket to confluence of the West Branch Westfield River, Chester.

Segment Length: 7.1 miles

Classification: Class B
The drainage area of this segment is approximately 18 square miles. Land-use estimates (top 3, excluding water) for the subwatershed (map inset, gray shaded area):

Forest 84%

Residential 9%

Open Land 2%

The impervious cover area for the individual sub-basins located in this segment is 2.3%, thereby classifying this subwatershed as a low threat to water quality from impervious surface water runoff (CWP 1998).
Walker Brook forms at the outlet of Center Pond in Becket. The brook flows southeasterly over moderately sloping terrain to Bonny Rigg Corners where it turns to the east paralleling Route 20 for much of its length. After passing through Becket State Forest the brook crosses into Chester and flows towards the northeast through a very narrow steep valley to its confluence with the West Branch Westfield River in Chester town center.
Based on the last evaluation of water quality conditions Walker Brook is listed in Category 3 of the 2002 Integrated List of Waters (MA DEP 2003a). This segment was not assessed for any uses.
MDFW has proposed that Walker Brook and its tributary Cushman Brook be listed in the next revision of the SWQS as cold water fisheries (MDFW 2003).

Wma water withdrawal

Based on the available information there are no WMA regulated water withdrawals in this subwatershed.

NPDES wastewater discharge summary (Appendix H, table H2)

The Town of Chester is authorized (NPDES permit MAG640035 issued December 1995) to discharge sand media filtered water from the Austin Brook Reservoir Slow Sand Water Filtration Plant in Chester to Austin Brook Reservoir. (It should be noted that MA DEP and EPA are deliberating the need for an NPDES discharge for slow sand water filtration plants, since no chemicals are used in the treatment process.)

Use Assessment

Aquatic Life

Biology

MDFW regularly stocks salmon fry and trout in Walker Brook.
In August 2001 MDFW conducted backpack electrofishing in Walker Brook adjacent to Route 20 (upstream from the confluence with Austin Brook near the Pine Hill Cemetery) in Chester (Richards 2003). Eight species were collected, including, in order of abundance, blacknose dace, longnosed dace, Atlantic salmon, slimy sculpin, brown trout, brook trout, white sucker, and a creek chubsucker. Multiple age classes of Atlantic salmon, brown trout, and brook trout were found. These species are all fluvial specialists/dependants.
The Aquatic Life Use for Walker Brook is assessed as support based on the fish population information and best professional judgment. The presence of four intolerant species of fish is indicative of excellent water and habitat quality.

Primary Contact and Secondary Contact RECREATION and aesthetics

DWM collected fecal coliform bacteria samples from Walker Brook near the Hampden Street Bridge (near Route 20) in Chester (Station WLKB00.4) in May and August 1996 (n=2) as part of the 1996 Westfield River Watershed monitoring survey (Appendix G, Table G4).
Too limited data are available so the Recreational and Aesthetics uses are currently not assessed.
Walker Brook (MA32-20) Use Summary Table

Aquatic Life	Fish Consumption	Primary Contact	Secondary Contact	Aesthetics
SUPPORT	Not Assessed	Not Assessed	Not Assessed	Not Assessed

Recommendations WALKER BROOK (MA32-20)

• 
  Conduct bacteria monitoring to assess the Primary and Secondary Contact Recreational uses.
  

• 
  Biological monitoring (benthic macroinvertebrate and fish) is recommended to assess the status of the Aquatic Life Use.
  

• 
  Walker Brook should be considered for designation as a Cold Water Fishery in the next revision of the Massachusetts SWQS.
  

Sanderson Brook (Segment MA32-31)

L

ocation: Source north of Chester Road in the Chester/Blandford State Forest, Blandford, to confluence with West Branch Westfield River, Chester.

Segment Length: 3.5 miles

Classification: Class B
The drainage area of this segment is approximately 4 square miles. Land-use estimates (top 3, excluding water) for the subwatershed (map inset, gray shaded area):

Forest 94%

Agriculture 3%

Residential 2%

The impervious cover area for the individual sub-basins located in this segment is 1.6%, thereby classifying this subwatershed as a low threat to water quality from impervious surface water runoff (CWP 1998).
The headwaters of Sanderson Brook begin just north of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Blandford and flow north into the Chester-Blandford State Forest. The brook then flows northeast into Chester soon joined by Griffin Brook. Sanderson Brook flows down very steep terrain to its confluence with the West Branch Westfield River in Chester.
Based on the last evaluation of water quality conditions Sanderson Brook is listed in Category 3 of the 2002 Integrated List of Waters (MA DEP 2003a). This segment was not assessed for any uses.
MDFW has proposed that Sanderson Brook and its tributary Griffin Brook be listed in the next revision of the SWQS as cold water fisheries (MDFW 2003).