Sunday, October 4, 2015

Assabet Brook and River

With yesterday's cloudy skies and raw winds out of the northeast it was a good day for staying local. In doing so I got my first look at the Delaney Flood Control Project in Stow and Harvard.  The project was built in the 1960s to hold back the waters of Elizabeth Brook during times of high water.  The brook is a tributary to the Assabet River. The project also created the Delaney Wildlife Management Area which is managed by Massachusetts Fish and Game.

Prior to the project being built Elizabeth Brook flowed through a large marsh which can be seen in this 1943 topo map...
On this map the brook is labeled Assabet Brook rather than Elizabeth Brook which it's known as today. Finn Road crosses at the map's upper end with Delaney Road crossing near the bottom.

The view in the opening photo was taken from the impoundment's north end (below Finn Road) and looks south towards the earthen dike and outlet structure. 

The boat launch is off of Harvard Road in Stow...

Signage for the Wildlife Management Area is nearby...

Several duck blinds such as this are maintained there and I imagine will be busy soon...

The outlet structure looks like it might lift off at any moment...

The foliage is just beginning to become colorful...


Some trash found while paddling around the impoundment...

Once packed up I made the short drive over to Magazu's Landing where some upriver paddling on the Assabet brought me to the spot where Fort Meadow Brook enters the river through a box culvert...
Beavers have built a dam on the other side of the culvert blocking out the light completely.  The sound of some water can be heard passing through the dam.

Further upriver at the narrow spot about a quarter mile below Gleasondale beavers took advantage of the summer's prolonged dry spell to build a dam across the channel...
It'll be interesting to see if they can maintain the structure.

Trash encountered in the river included a chrome wheel-cover that looked to have served during a skeet shoot...
...and 4 more mouthwash bottles.

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