What We Do

HooRWA has been monitoring water quality since 1996. Under the direction of our first Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator, Dick Schlesinger, staff and volunteers took water samples at up to 20 locations on the Hoosic's branches or mainstem, several times a year. These were analyzed (in our lab or in state-certified labs) for bacteria, common pollutants, and suspended solids.

In addition, we tracked temperature and oxygen levels, which are important indicators of habitat quality for trout.

Our current Monitoring Coordinator, Kelly Nolan, emphasizes sampling the population of benthic macroinvertebrates, the aquatic insects and other invertebrates that live on stream bottoms. If highly pollution-sensitive species are present, that gives some assurance that the water is generally clean most of the time. (To learn more about benthic macroinvertebrates, click here.)

HooRWA is also in the process of assessing the watershed as a whole in Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York by examining existing data on land use, pollution sources, and other critical factors. This information will help us identify those parts of the river that most need to be monitored.
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Results from HooRWA’s monitoring

The following reports are PDF files and require Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download Acrobat Reader here if you don't have it.

2007 Hoosic Report

Field Summary 2006. Contains the preliminary results of sampling benthic macroinvertebrates at sites in MA, VT, NY in September 2006. It provides general categories of water quality (e.g., "very good", "fair", etc.) for each sample site. A more detailed analysis for each site will be available in late winter 2007.

Monitoring the South Branch in 2004 --summary

Monitoring the South Branch in 2004 -- full report

How Clean the Green? Part I. Reports the results from 2001 monitoring of the Green River near the Water St. Mill in Williamstown and Christmas Brook. The Green River is a major tributary of the Hoosic River in Massachusetts. Variables measured were dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, nitrate nitrogen, orthophosphates, temperature, and turbidity.

Monitoring the Hoosic: North Branch and Main Stem in 2001. Reports the results from 2001 monitoring for bacteria (fecal coliform) in the main stem of the Hoosic and in the North Branch, a major tributary. Eight sites were sampled on the main stem, starting at Farnams Causeway between the middle and north basins of Cheshire Lake and continuing downstream to the USGS flow gauge at the downstream end of the flood control structures in North Adams. Also, eight sites were sampled on the North Branch starting at the Bridge at the Lane in Stamford, Vt. and continuing downstream to Marshall St. in North Adams.

Other reports

HooRWA reports, 2000 and earlier. This Word document lists and describes various HooRWA water quality studies. Copies are available on request.

Hudson River Basin 2002 Water Quality Assessment Report.
Hudson River Basin 1997 Water Quality Assessment Report.
Massachusetts DEP publications, reporting on MA portions of the Hoosic, Kinderhook, and Bashbish. Available as PDF files. Scroll down to "Hudson River Basin" at http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/resources/ wqassess.htm

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Small lab, big job!