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Massachusetts Chicopee River Watershed
The Chicopee River Watershed is a major Massachusetts watershed.
[edit] Description
The Chicopee River Watershed - the largest of the 27 major drainage basins in Massachusetts - drains more than 720 square miles (1864.8 km²) of central Massachusetts before joining the Connecticut River in the city of Chicopee[1]. It includes all or part of 39 cities and towns and a population of almost 200,000 people (based on 2000 U.S. Census data)[1]. The watershed has a drainage area of approximately 720 square miles (1864.8 km²) and includes approximately 135 rivers, 842 miles (1355 km) of brooks and streams, and 170 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs that collectively cover more than 48 square miles (124.3 km²)[1]. It is comprised of three major river systems: the Swift, Ware, and Quaboag Rivers that each drains approximately 200 square miles (518 km²) of land[1]. The three rivers join to form the Chicopee River in the aptly named village of Three Rivers[2].
[edit] Major watershed components
Because the Chicopee River Watershed comprises so many elements, some criteria was necessary for selecting its major components. Certainly, there should not be an encyclopedia entry for every book and stream. The criterion used was visibility, i.e., if an item is missing, its effect upon other items should be minimal.
[edit] Major river systems in the basin
Chicopee River Basin
| River System |
Drainage Area |
Communities |
| Swift River |
215 mi² (556.9 km²) |
Barre, Belchertown, Hardwick, New Salem, Orange, Pelham, Petersham, Phillipston, Shutesbury, Ware, Wendell |
| Ware River |
218 mi² (564.6 km²) |
Barre, Hardwick, Hubbardston, New Braintree, Oakham, Palmer, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Templeton, Ware, Warren, West Brookfield, Westminster |
| Quaboag River |
212 mi² (549.1 km²) |
Brookfield, Brimfield, Charlton, East Brookfield, Leicester, Monson, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Palmer, Paxton, Rutland, Spencer, Sturbridge, Wales, Ware, Warren, West Brookfield |
| Chicopee River |
76 mi² (122.3 km²) |
Belchertown, Chicopee, Granby, Hampden, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, Springfield, Wilbraham |
|
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Chicopee River watershed data. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
- ^ Chicopee River. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
