Geosyntec is part of a team that was recently awarded a project funded by the Massachusetts Water Management Act (WMA) Grant Program.

The primary goal of this unique project is to improve streamflow in Stony Brook in the towns of Littleton and Westford through operation of existing impoundments in a coordinated manner based on actual streamflow data and model results to inform operational decisions.

As part of the revised WMA regulations, the state had identified the Littleton and Westford water supply source sub‐basins as highly impacted by groundwater withdrawals in a number of categories. As residential and commercial development in these suburbs northwest of Boston has increased, along with accompanying groundwater withdrawals, water levels in Stony Brook have been impacted, particularly in the height of summer. As such, the towns need to minimize the impact of existing withdrawals to "the greatest extent feasible" to meet the regulations through development of a Streamflow Restoration Plan (SRP).

The Geosyntec team will develop this SRP to evaluate the ability to achieve improved streamflow in Stony Brook and determine if dam releases can be made to improve the timing, magnitude, and duration of downstream flows. The goal will be to be able to mimic natural conditions without causing significant impacts to water supply, recreation, or ecology.

Anticipated project outcomes include development of a regional surface water model calibrated by a streamflow monitoring network to enable informed and coordinated management of shared water resources within the Stony Brook watershed towards improvements in streamflow, water quality, habitat, and other objectives. The project will build upon the previous success of Geosyntec's internal research and development DAM Dashboard Pilot Project by leveraging data from the existing monitoring network for model calibration and expanding the network to include additional locations.

The WMA grant program, totaling seven grants and over $600,000 (of which the Stony Brook flow restoration project is one) is an effort by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to help communities and water suppliers with water conservation, source and demand management, and other water withdrawal planning and mitigation projects across the Commonwealth.

Geosyntec's team partners are the water departments of the towns of Littleton and Westford, and important collaborators include the Littleton Clean Lakes Committee, Friends of Forge Pond, the Westford Healthy Lakes and Ponds Collaborative, the Spectacle Pond Association, and a private dam owner/operator.

More Information

Learn more: Baker-Polito Administration Awards Grants for Water Management and Conservation.
For consultation regarding streamflow restoration, contact Andra Braga at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or David Roman This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Learn more about Andrea at: https://www.geosyntec.com/people/andrea-braga
Learn more about David at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-roman-pe-cfm-cpesc-b0172320/