Why is it only Southwick has mandatory water restrictions implemented every summer? Fish

SOUTHWICK — For over a decade town's residents have come to expect mandatory water restrictions, but most are never happy when implemented and then again ask ever summer: Why us and nobody else?

"It's the fish," said Jon Goddard the assistant director of the town's DPW.

It's been a summer of fits and starts for town residents dealing with the restrictions.

In early May, the state mandated the restriction statewide because of the ongoing drought, but after heavy rain that month, it was lifted, only to be reinstated in late May by the town.

And in early July they were lifted, reinstated a week later, then lifted a week later, and then reinstated again on Aug. 11, and have been in effect since then.

After the drought induced restriction in May, they've been based solely on the flow rate of the Westfield River.

It's no secret that the restrictions are triggered by the flow rate of the Westfield River, but it seems counterintuitive for a river fed by four main tributary branches that originate in the Berkshires and other areas including East branch that begins in Savoy, the Middle branch that originates in Peru, and West branch that begins in Washington and Beckett.

Essentially, between May 1 and June 30, the river must have a flow rate below 502 cubic feet per second for three consecutive days to implement restrictions, and between July 1 and Sept. 30 the flow must be below 174 cfs for seven consecutive days for the restrictions to be implemented. Lifting it requires a flow above 174 cfs for seven days to be lifted.

Those flows are mandated by the town's water permit issued in 2014 by the state Department of Environmental Protection and has been renewed every five years since.

And in the permit, it spells why the flows matter.

"May 1 through June 30: 502 cfs based on minimum flow that are protective of habitat for fish spawning during the spring bioperiod (which is the period during which certain biological processes dependent on stream flow rates occurs or is likely to occur)," according to the permit.

And for July 1 through Sept. 30, when the stream flow trigger drops from 502 cfs and 174 cfs, it is to protect the fish habitat for fish rearing and growth, according to the permit.

Restrictions are lifted on Sept. 30 regardless of the river's flow.

While protecting the fish habitat is a factor, the river's flow rate is used to determine the daily maximum withdrawal of water for the town.

It's not water withdrawal as one might think -- a piece of intake equipment on the river -- it is the water withdrawn from the Great Brook Aquifer which is recharged by the Westfield River Basin.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Westfield River is currently "extremely below" what is considered the average flow for this time of the year. As of Sept. 3, the flow was 75.3 cfs.

Interestingly, those triggers are only included in the permit because water use by each town resident has historically been above 65 gallons per customer per day annually.

While theoretically possible, former DPW Director Randy Brown said the usage has never dropped below the 65 gpcd threshold.

The Water Commission is in the process of renewing the withdrawal permit, but the commissioners aren't planning to question the river's flow rate, Goddard said.

The commission, he said, is trying to reduce the town's reliance on purchasing water from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission.

The town must supplement the water it pumps from its two wells that are fed by the Great Brook Aquifer by Springfield Water, whichh "is very expensive," he said.

To accomplish this, Goddard said the commission will attempt to include the areas of town where sandy soil is prevalent and extremely permeable, like the areas where the schools are located, Whalley Park, and the Wick 338, as a component of recharging the aquifer.

"We're trying to lessen our reliance on Springfield Water," Goddard said.

For those who want to monitor the stream flow of the Westfield River, visit the https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ma/nwis/current/ .

Read the original article on MassLive .