WRWA’s goal is to keep people informed about topics regarding the health of the Westport River and its watershed. Many of these topics are interrelated and complex, yet addressing them is valuable in order to raise awareness and understanding of the concerns facing the Westport River and its environment.
Pollution in the Westport River
Currently, the most dominant problem affecting the Westport River is pollution, most significantly from nitrogen and bacteria. Both branches of the river, along with numerous tributaries, are considered impaired waters by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (Mass DEP) due to the high existing levels of bacteria and nitrogen. Mass DEP is responsible under Massachusetts General Law (MGL) Chapter 21 for monitoring the waters of the Commonwealth, identifying those waters that are impaired, and developing a plan to bring them back into compliance with the Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards. The list of impaired waters, better known as the “303d list,” identifies river, lake, and coastal waters and the reasons for impairment. Once a waterbody is identified as impaired, Mass DEP is required by the Federal Clean Water Act to essentially develop a “pollution budget” designed to restore the health of the impaired waterbody. The process of developing this budget, generally referred to as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), includes identifying the causes (types of pollutant) and source(s) (where the pollutants come from) of the pollutant from direct discharges (point sources) and indirect discharges (non-point sources), determining the maximum amount of the pollutant that can be discharged to a specific water body to meet water quality standards, and developing a plan to meet that goal.
Click here for more nitrogen pollution information.