The following are excerpts from the Hardwick Open Space Plan: 2013 Please note: The fresh water aquifer mentioned here is located below the old landfill site, an aquifer that feeds a large portion of drinking water to Ware residents.
An important open space initiative, to preserve and protect up to 2,000 acres of the scenic Dougal Range in southwest Hardwick, is a goal shared by many landowners in Hardwick and neighboring Ware. A large aquifer in the Muddy Brook watershed feeds the Zone 2 Wellhead Protection Area that serves Ware. Efforts to add to the protected lands in this area (some are part of the Dougal Range Initiative) are vital to a continued supply of clean water for Ware. Preservation of this unique and special place would greatly benefit people from surrounding communities as one of the largest natural reservations in central Massachusetts, complementing the Quabbin Watershed. The Ware River is a part of the Chicopee River watershed, the largest watershed in the Connecticut River basin. Other significant Town water resources include the 60 acre Hardwick Pond, Moose Brook, and two vulnerable, high yield subsurface aquifers of the Muddy Brook and Ware River valleys. Approximately 4,000 acres of Hardwick lies within the Quabbin Reservoir watershed supplying the Boston area with pure drinking water.
Water resources in Hardwick occur both above and below the soil surface. The health and volume of these water resources are of great concern not only to the residents of Hardwick, but also to a much wider audience. Due to the presence of the Quabbin Reservoir, Hardwick’s land use decisions affect the residents of the Commonwealth who obtain their potable water from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Watershed Division. Additionally, the town of Ware sits downstream of the Muddy Brook Aquifer, from which it obtains some of its municipal water supply.
Quabbin Reservoir
A significant portion of Hardwick (4,278.3 acres) is owned by DCR for the purpose of watershed protection of the Quabbin Reservoir. The Quabbin Reservoir Watershed (including the reservoir itself) covers 120,000 acres. The Reservoir covers 24,705 acres and is Boston's major largest water supply area. The Reservoir contains 412 billion gallons of water across the towns of Hardwick, Ware, Belchertown, Pelham, Shutesbury, New Salem, and Petersham. The Quabbin Aqueduct flows from the Reservoir across north Hardwick to the Ware River Diversion in South Barre. Map 5 displays the Surface Water Supply Protection Areas, Zones A, B, and C, within the Quabbin watershed. The Commonwealth owns most of surface watershed of the Quabbin Reservoir in Hardwick, and few landowners will be subject to the provisions of the Mass. Watershed Protection Act. The presence of the extensive state landholdings for water supply protection has significant benefits for preserving environmental quality in Hardwick.
Aquifers
As shown on Map 4, two major areas of underground water exist in the two large valley regions of Hardwick. These are the Ware River (including Moose Brook) and the Muddy Brook valleys. These subsurface areas of permeable sands and gravel hold large volumes of clean water, an asset of great importance to Hardwick's future. Because surface water carries contaminants as it filters down through the soil above the aquifer, prevention of contamination in the soil above these aquifers is vital to insure the quality of this water. In addition, two deep wells tap the Ware Hardwick Open Space Plan, 2013 24 Hardwick Open Space Plan, 2013 25 River aquifer for the public water needs of Gilbertville and Wheelwright. A shallow well serves the water needs of Hardwick Center. These aquifer-related water supplies will undoubtedly be of increased importance if Hardwick continues to grow. Protection of the aquifer’s purity is of great economic importance as well as a public health concern. It is virtually impossible to remove contamination once an aquifer becomes tainted. Currently the recharge areas have no protection from development and the Town has not adopted zoning measures to insure ground water purity. Propose an aquifer protection zoning bylaw to regulate land use over aquifer recharge areas by the end of 2014. Lead agency: Planning Board
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