IV. ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS

A. Soils and Geology

The Ten Mile and Narragansett Bay Watersheds' soils and geology are reflective of its location within a large glaciated region (Massachusetts and Rhode Island being part of the larger Glaciated Appalachians region).

Upper bedrock and outcrops consist primarily of shales, sandstones and conglomerates (referred to locally as pudding stone). These sedimentary rocks are particularly characteristic of the Dighton-Rehoboth-Swansea area. The red felsite ledge formations in North Attleborough represent a very unusual and limited geologic occurrence in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The soils in the watersheds are largely a product of other areas of significant glacial till, with sand and gravel resulting from glacial outwash. Additional silts and clays are found in floodplain deposits.

The major soils associations found throughout the watersheds are Hinckley-Medisaprists-Windsor, Paxton-Woodbridge-Ridgebury, Paxton-Woodbridge-Whitman and Charlton-Rock outcrop-Paxton.

The Hinckley-Medisaprists-Windsor soils range from nearly level to steep, excessively drained soils that form in glacial outwash, and very poorly drained organic soils.

The Paxton-Woodbridge-Ridgebury soils range from nearly level to moderately steep, well drained to very poorly drained soils on glaciated uplands.

Paxton-Woodbridge-Whitman association: nearly level to moderately steep soils that are well drained, moderately well drained, and very poorly drained; on glaciated uplands.

Charlton-Rock outcrop-Paxton: nearly level to steep, well drained soils and Rock outcrop on glaciated uplands.

"Agricultural Soils"

Within the Ten Mile and Narragansett Bay Watershed areas, hundreds of parcels of land are devoted to agriculture and agricultural pursuits.

Many of the farms in this area have developed soil conservation and management plans in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). These plans, when actively applied to the land, promote soil and water conservation while curbing the effects of surface runoff (including erosion, sedimentation, water pollution, etc.). For example, it is not uncommon to see farmers terrace their lands in order to best maintain a workable field in areas of the Palmer River Watershed in Rehoboth.

The NRCS has developed maps which indicate areas that have been designated as prime or unique farmland, or farmland of statewide importance. The designated areas are presently available for growing crops, although some will require clearing of trees or stones. Soil surveys and national or state criteria are the basis for making these designations.

Prime farmland is the land that has the best combination of soil properties for growing crops. National NRCS criteria are used to assess these soil qualities and determine which areas qualify as prime farmland.

Prime farmland soils retain and provide ample moisture for crops, have favorable temperature, growing season, acceptable salt content and acidity, and have few or no surface stones. They are permeable to water and air, are not excessively erodible, are not saturated with water for long periods of time, and do not flood frequently.

Unique farmland is land other than prime that is used for production of specific high-value crops. It has the special combination of soil quality, location, growing season, and moisture to produce high quality specialty crops. Cranberries are a good example.

Farmland of statewide importance is the land that is also important for growing crops, but it has one or more soil properties which do not qualify for prime farmland. The soils of such land may be moderately erodible, may not provide ample moisture for crops, or may be less permeable to water and air.

B. Wildlife and Vegetation

The diversity of habitat in the Ten Mile and Narragansett Bay Watersheds provides good to excellent habitat opportunities for numerous wildlife and vegetative species. Large undeveloped areas of swamp, forest, river corridor and agricultural/agricultural support land, attract a variety of wildlife species, indigenous and migratory, to these watersheds.

Below are brief lists of indigenous, observed and reported flora and fauna in the watershed(s) communities. While this is not a comprehensive listing, it is representative of what one might observe on a journey through the watersheds.

TRIBUTARY

"Protecting A Species … Conserving a Habitat"

Biodiversity is a term that was brought to the fore in communities throughout southeastern Massachusetts during the spring and summer this year. Spearheaded by Secretary of Environmental Affairs, Bob Durand, students, teachers, naturalists and interested citizens traversed the forests, hills, meadows, riverfronts and pond shores of their communities in an effort to catalog flora and fauna during "Biodiversity Days".

Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of all living creatures and the ecosystem which they inhabit. Biodiversity is all inclusive, from the simplest single-celled lifeform to the most complex … from isolated land subject to flooding, to vast expanses of forest, forested wetland and sand dunes.

Species diversity, or the variety of living creatures within a specific ecosystem, is a marker of the overall health of that ecosystem. Ecosystem diversity, or the variety of habitats within a region housing and conserving a diversity of species, is a marker of the environmental and ecological health of a region. These two concepts represent interdependent levels of biodiversity and reinforce the argument that we must conserve our habitats, intact, in order to conserve species variety and our "biodiversity".

C. Scenic Resources and Unique Environments

The Ten Mile and Narragansett - Mount Hope Bay Watersheds offer a variety of scenic resources and unique environments. While many of these areas are highlighted in local Open Space Plans, some remain relatively unknown outside of the region and merit special discussion for their regional, statewide and global significance.

Perhaps one of the most locally recognized areas in the Ten Mile River Watershed is the "Red Rocks" area in North Attleborough. Named for its distinctive red felsite ledge, this particular land form represents a very limited occurrence in Massachusetts and neighboring Rhode Island. The surrounding area also supports several very uncommon and high priority natural communities, including: Southern New England Rich Mesic Forest, which is characterized by its hardwoods on nutrient rich soil, a mature canopy (including sycamore and basswood) with hop hornbeam in the understory (this rare forest type is more common to Massachusetts' four western counties); areas of Rock Outcrop Pine Barrens; circumneutral rock outcrop community; talus slope; several rare plants and vernal pools. This is one of the most important natural resource areas in the Ten Mile Watershed.

Pitch Pine Scrub Oak Barrens, North Attleborough Town Forest. Equivalent to the more familiar Cape Cod Pine Barrens, it is globally rare and threatened habitat type. The best examples of pine barrens remaining in the world are New Jersey, Long Island, and Southeastern Massachusetts. The barrens in North Attleborough represent an isolated patch of this rare habitat, which persisted on the droughty soils probably due to periodic fires (every 5 to 20 + years). This habitat is threatened because of its vulnerability to residential development and also natural change resulting from fire suppression - the habitat requires fire to be sustained. Apparently, much habitat may have been lost to the gravel mining operation in the surrounding area. Aside from being a rare vegetative community, there are several rare plants and animals which are found in pine barrens in Massachusetts, including over 12 rare moth species, which feed primarily on the scrub oak. It is unclear how important a small (less than 100 acres) remnant may be, however, these smaller barrens may provide stepping stones to other barrens in Rhode Island and New York. The species of the larger barrens would become isolated without the smaller barrens in-between. Regardless, it represents a remarkable natural feature in the Town of North Attleborough.

The "Cascades," as it is known locally, is a unique forested wetland area north of the Emerald Square Mall. Its name derives from its natural waterfall which occurs at a drop in the topography as the wetland emerges on the fringe of the more open and developed land.

The Bungay River, in Attleboro and North Attleborough, is home to an unusual streamside Coastal Atlantic White Cedar Swamp. This area is also characterized by its very mature Red Maple swamp forests and valuable habitat.

The Palmer River is contained primarily within Rehoboth and North Swansea. The Palmer River corridor contains tidal freshwater marsh and tidal brackish marsh, and is home to several rare and one globally rare plant species. The East Branch of the Palmer is perhaps one of the most undisturbed streams in this part of the state. The East Branch is home to Native Eastern Brook Trout, unusual stream-side Cedar Swamps and an overall rich aquatic habitat. The Palmer is also part of one anadromous fish run, including one of only two shad runs in eastern Massachusetts.

The Narragansett Bay Basin, including Swansea, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Fall River, is part of a large geographic area referred to as the Southern New England Acidic Basin Fen. Within this area, wetland communities are characterized by acidic conditions which combine with the soils structure, vegetative cover and high or exposed water tables (for much of the year) to produce a slow decay of organic matter. This combination of conditions creates peat bog/swamp areas populated predominantly by sedges. The Massachusetts Natural Heritage Program has surveyed this area and strongly recommends that these wetland areas be protected for their ecological significance.

The Wattuppa Ponds complex in the City of Fall River is one of the largest natural lakes in the state and is used as the primary water supply for the city. The Wattuppa Ponds area contains over three thousand acres of land consisting largely of unfragmented forest habitat. The ponds are home to a globally rare plant species, several rare plants and invertebrates and nesting Bald Eagles.

D. Historic Resources

Communities within the Ten Mile and Narragansett Bay Watersheds have demonstrated a strong commitment to historical inventory, preservation and designation related work over the past three decades (and in some instances, longer). Many of the municipalities within the watersheds are known to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for their very active historical commissions and/or societies and their detailed survey work.

Amongst the municipalities in southeastern Massachusetts, Rehoboth, Attleboro, North Attleborough and Swansea have been some of the most active in terms of identifying Multiple Resource Areas (MRAs) and pursuing National Register designations. Overall, the municipalities within the Ten Mile and Narragansett/Mount Hope Bay Watersheds have approximately one hundred listings with the Massachusetts Historical Commission, including ninety-four National Register designations involving four hundred properties and seventeen designated historic districts. The Massachusetts Historical

Commission also considers portions of this area, particularly around Seekonk and Rehoboth, an extremely sensitive Native American cultural, historical and archaeological resource area.

Historic districts throughout these municipalities highlight the region's: industrial history (Attleboro and North Attleborough, jewelry); agricultural history and rural agrarian landscapes (Seekonk, Swansea and particularly, Rehoboth) and; farming, fishing, industrial and transitional landscapes and activities (Swansea).

The Watershed Team is also currently involved in the Department of Environmental Management's (DEM) Historic Landscape Inventory project - the first of its kind in the nation.

Salt Marsh, Tidal Flats and Tidal Shoreline

Salt marshes are generally characterized by salt meadow cord grass (Spartina patens) and/or salt marsh cord grass (Spartina alterniflora). Salt marshes are generally flat, open grassy areas along tidal waters and are found in areas protected from the open water (salt ponds, estuaries, etc.). Salt marshes provide key habitat and are important to the base of the marine food chain as well as for natural pollution mitigation.

Tidal flats are nearly level parts of coastal beaches which may extend from the mean low water line landward to a more steeply sloping face of the beach or may be separated from the beach by an area of deeper water. Tidal flats are exposed at low tide and can be found along the shoreline on the open ocean or within estuaries. Tidal flats help to lessen storm impacts, provide important shellfish habitat, provide material to down-current beaches and expedite the flow of plant materials and other nutrients from adjacent salt marshes.

Within the Ten Mile River and Narragansett Bay Watersheds, Swansea has approximately 185 acres of salt marsh; Rehoboth 88 acres; Seekonk 53 acres, and; Fall River 4 acres. Only Swansea, with 11 acres, has any tidal flats within the Narragansett Bay Watershed.

Swansea also contains approximately 13.5 miles of tidal shoreline which includes 33 acres of barrier beach. Fall River contains approximately 10 miles of tidal shoreline, but no barrier beach areas.

E. Environmental Problems

"Hazardous Waste Sites"

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Bureau of Waste Site Clean-up currently lists ninety-four (94) sites within the Ten Mile River and Narragansett Bay Watershed communities. An additional forty-seven (47) sites are listed by DEP as being in non-compliance.

Attleboro and North Attleborough have been very active in the proposed reuse of industrial sites. Attleboro successfully converted the former Balfour jewelry manufacturing site into a downtown park and riverwalk. North Attleborough is working on the conversion of the Barrows Building, a former jewelry manufacturing facility at the edge of the downtown, into a Criminal Justice Center.

"Landfills"

The Committee was concerned about the threats posed by older unlined, uncapped landfills. This is a common concern throughout the Commonwealth, one the state has been addressing through its closure program (North Attleborough was a recent funding recipient). As a part of the closure process, where feasible, the Committee saw a need for community reuse planning, particularly where passive open space and trails connections are concerned.

Seekonk has been attempting to cap its 3 closed, unlined landfills. One of these landfills, located off of Route 152, is part of a capping and reuse funding proposal. The reuse plan would involve the library expansion project and construction of the first public park in Seekonk.

"Water Quality"

The fact that nearly all region's rivers and streams are not presently meeting their water quality assignments (classifications), according to the DEP, is of uniform concern. There are numerous factors contributing to water quality problems, including: failed septic systems; non-point source pollution; erosion and sedimentation; etc.

Amongst the longest and most involved water quality improvement projects within the Ten Mile and Narragansett Bay Watersheds is the Runnins River Task Force. The Runnins River meanders between Seekonk, MA and East Providence, RI, forming a shared boundary on its way to Barrington, RI, on its way to Narragansett Bay. Water quality problems in the Runnins have been a topic of concern in both municipalities, states and with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for over a decade. Virtually every federal, state and local water quality-related agency has had a hand in the collection, analysis and dissemination of data to date. The Pokanoket Watershed Alliance, based in Barrington, RI, has had an ongoing water quality monitoring program since 1990.

The process has led to a greater level of cooperation between the MA and RI state agencies involved, and complemented the multi-jurisdictional efforts undertaken by the EPA in coordinating the Task Force for several years. The Ten Mile River and Narragansett Bay Basin Team Leader has, of late, assumed a coordinating and facilitating role for the Task Force.

The Regional Open Space Committee members and their communities, both individually and through partnering, are involved in a number of activities focused upon improving water quality, such as:

· Seekonk has employed a septic system improvement loan program for the past three years;
· Swansea employed a similar program in critical areas during 1997-98;
· The Ten Mile River Watershed Alliance has conducted monitoring, education and clean-up activities over a number of years;
· Swansea has been involved in the "River Aware" monitoring program involving volunteers and the Basin Team Leader;
· North Attleborough is working with the state Wetlands Restoration and Banking Program, through a grant from the Watershed Initiative, to restore two former open water wetlands, adjacent to Route 1, that had become almost completely pitted-in and overrun with vegetation;
· Seekonk has worked through the Mass Highway Efficiency Act, (ISTEA) Enhancements Program and the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Office's Coastal Pollution Remediation grants program to improve catch basins along several streets and roads adjacent to the Runnins River (as part of the Runnins River Task Force's projects), and;
· The Ten Mile River and Narragansett/Mount Hope Bay Basin Team, through the Watershed Initiative, is spearheading the preparation of a Watershed Action Plan for the Ten Mile River Watershed.

"Dams"

The region's dams and the problems associated with them, such as: structural integrity and overall safety; flooding; erosion and sedimentation; barriers to fish conveyance due to non-functioning or obsolete technology; unknown ownership and the related problems of liability, maintenance and responsibility.

While some of the municipalities have worked to repair or study and assess their dams (Rehoboth, Attleboro, North Attleborough), the needs, as is the case throughout the Commonwealth, are great. The Regional Open Space Committee envisions working through the Basin Team and Watershed Initiative to begin addressing these needs on a regional basis.

Save the Bay is also working with the Basin Team to bring anadromous fish back to the Ten Mile River in conjunction with necessary dam restoration efforts.

"Flooding"

The most pronounced flooding problems within the Ten Mile River and Narragansett/Mount Hope Bay Watershed have historically occurred in the Ten Mile River Corridor, from Plainville to northern Seekonk. The flooding problem has been particularly severe in the North Attleborough - Attleboro area.

Dense development on the flood plain and floodway of the Ten Mile River, particularly in the downtown areas of North Attleborough and Attleboro, along with several other related factors, have created chronic flooding problems in both municipalities. The problem is acute around the downtown area and Route 1 in North Attleborough, particularly along a relatively flat portion of the river. This area is characterized by older neighborhoods with small drainage pipes providing shorter lead time during flash or peak storm events. The problem is sometimes extreme in the Arnold Road and Summer Street areas.

In Attleboro, a low-lying area around the Manchester and Garden Street neighborhoods is referred to as "Back Bay." This area is characterized by small drains that are connected to a large drain in the Main Street area. When the large drain fills during peak or flash storm events, the stormwater backs up into these low areas and causes severe street flooding and property damage.

While Plainville and Seekonk do not experience the severe problems occurring in other portions of the Greater Attleboro area, they share other problems related to flood management being at the head and terminus of the floodway, respectively.

Other ongoing flood-related problems in the Ten Mile River corridor include: accumulation of debris; siltation, heavy in several areas; vegetative encroachment in several areas, large areas of impervious surface and; man-made channels. All of these factors have served to: increase the magnitude and frequency of flood problem; impact water quality through increased runoff, pollutant wash-off and sediment pulses; and; cause habitat impact and loss through deposition of runoff materials, vegetative encroachment, trash and debris jams, etc.

In July of 1998, a proposal was submitted by North Attleborough to the Army Corps of Engineers Public Assistance to States (PAS) program, as facilitated through the DEM Office of Water Resources, to study and develop mitigation measures for flood problems in the Ten Mile River Corridor. This proposal was accepted and field survey and conceptual work began in 1999.

Concurrently, North Attleborough and Attleboro are working on an emergency procedures plan for response and operation of flood control structures. This activity is being carried out in conjunction with the Basin Team and state's Flood Hazard Management Program.

"Development Impacts"

Growth is inevitable. Responsible growth is desirable. The impacts associated with growth are not unavoidable. These three statements were all part of a discussion on the impacts of development during a Committee session devoted to documenting regional environmental problems.

In addition to some of the environmental problems discussed above, the Committee saw the following as some of the most severe impacts associated with development over the past ten years:
· Fragmentation of natural land riparian corridors and habitat, including wildlife corridors and routes of conveyance;
· Loss of agricultural land and prime agricultural soils and the related impact to the amount and quality of open space, including edge, meadow and buffer areas;
· Loss of cultural landscape (historical, architectural, etc.), scenic views and vistas and, as a result, part of the regional character.

These issues, as well as the aforementioned environmental problems, can be addressed through cooperative planning. Communities are attempting studies like the North Attleborough-Plainville "West Side Study," funded under an EOEA Planning for Growth Grant, can serve as a model for such cooperative growth management planning efforts. "The Attleboro Land-Use Growth Management Study"

TRIBUTARY

Wrentham: "Sitting at the Head of the Shed"

One of the most frequently used phrases when discussing water quality with watershed areas is, "we all live downstream." Indeed, what proceeds from the headwaters of a river or steam can establish subsequent trends in water quality and water resource management.

Wrentham, although occupying a relatively small portion of the Ten Mile River Watershed, sits directly at the headwaters (the head of the shed). The 1995 Wrentham Open Space Plan contained a number of conservation and recreation initiatives which lend themselves to planning in a regional context. From solidifying connections to the Warner Trail, to mapping and assessing ecologically important lands; from working with state agencies and neighboring communities to purchase and preserve mutually beneficial lands, to develop zoning bylaws that encourage permanent protection of land, Wrentham was anticipating regional trends.

In 1999, the town formed a new Open Space Study Committee to help enact the initiatives and achieve the goals of the Open Space Plan. The Open Space Study Committee was also assigned to look at and target larger initiatives, such as regional open space and conservation planning.

Not only is the mission of the Open Space Study Committee consistent with what the Regional Open Space Committee has been doing over the past twelve months, but by participating on the Regional Committee, creates the link to the larger initiatives which support local actions. The purpose and commitment of the Wrentham Open Space Study Committee can, with continued state and regional support, ensure that the head of the watershed is being well cared for.