tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303616362929302466.post3805574925675786085..comments2024-03-28T19:42:22.044-04:00Comments on Trashpaddler: Sudbury River - River Rd. to Power Lines & BackAlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10069551145364947240noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303616362929302466.post-37105313991820110162009-08-31T18:24:37.128-04:002009-08-31T18:24:37.128-04:00Bean counters are not supposed to look up! -- For ...Bean counters are not supposed to look up! -- For any reason! -- Think? -- Huh?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303616362929302466.post-15131506359310311622009-08-29T15:25:24.556-04:002009-08-29T15:25:24.556-04:00I get it - forgot about the rain-easy to remember ...I get it - forgot about the rain-easy to remember it today. By the way - on our vacation we visited Ashakon Reservoir out in the Catskills - same deal as the Quabbin - gov't flooded a bunch of towns to get water to NYC. Beautiful spot to run though - complete with bald eagle watching.Lisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303616362929302466.post-63614199598514206312009-08-28T18:34:18.516-04:002009-08-28T18:34:18.516-04:00Lis, Again, I am not any kind of an expert so I a...Lis, Again, I am not any kind of an expert so I am only expressing my understanding of the issue.<br /><br />Every watershed is replenished through the hydrologic cycle (aka rain) at an irregular rate. Therefore some kind of storage is needed to allow for times when there is little rainfall. The amount of water that can be removed from an underground aquifer without drawing it down too far is called its safe yield. Determining what is 'too far' can be subjective rather than purely scientific.<br /><br />Greater Boston uses surface water collected and stored in the Quabbin and Wachsett reservoirs for its drinking water. They are manmade storage facilities created by damming the Swift River for Quabbin and the Nashua River for Wachusett and the levels in both reservoirs fluctuate based on rainfall received in the respective watersheds.<br /><br />I guess it sort of like a checking account with overdraft protection. AlAlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10069551145364947240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303616362929302466.post-24968593092369293292009-08-28T17:34:44.740-04:002009-08-28T17:34:44.740-04:00I think I understand - they want to use their wel...I think I understand - they want to use their wells to pull water from the aquifer, but not replace it with their own treated wastewater. So given that concept why doesn't the Quabbin get drained down? Doesn't the same apply to all the water that goes to the MWRA region and never goes back into that aquifer? Tough stuff for us accountants to understand :)Lisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303616362929302466.post-88195145987211674562009-08-28T13:11:24.341-04:002009-08-28T13:11:24.341-04:00Lis, I read the article you mentioned and found i...Lis, I read the article you mentioned and found it interesting. I don't claim to be an expert in this matter but think the answer may be fairly simple.<br /><br />Over the past decade there has been a growing awareness that when possible water should stay within the watershed where it originated. This keeps the underground aquifers from becoming depleted and maintains a sort of balance.<br /><br />Framingham's plan, if I understand it correctly, would have 3.5 million gallons a day being withdrawn from the aquifer and nothing being put back in. The 3.5 million gallons would end up being transported to Boston Harbor via the MWRA. <br />Thus, while the plan may save ratepayers money, the aquifer ends up losing.<br /> <br />The town's plan would make more sense to me if it allowed for treating the generated wastewater and then discharging it back into the aquifer. Otherwise the net aquifer deficit could seek replenishment from local surface waters such as Lake Cochituate and the Sudbury River.<br /><br />To my way of thinking, the best balance would be MRWA drinking water going hand and hand with MWRA wastewater disposal or, as an alternative, town supplied drinking water (from local aquifer) and town wastewater disposal (within same aquifer). AlAlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10069551145364947240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303616362929302466.post-58343376480093462402009-08-28T06:49:43.417-04:002009-08-28T06:49:43.417-04:00Love today's pics - some really good ones. Wh...Love today's pics - some really good ones. What are your thoughts on yesterday's news story about Framingham's plans to reopen their town wells to unplug from the MWRA? Do you buy their claims that it won't have a negative impact on the Sudbury river?http://www.boston.com/yourtown/natick/articles/2009/08/26/critics_say_rush_for_stimulus_money_puts_watershed_at_risk/Lisnoreply@blogger.com