CSREES New England Water Quality Programming in Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts (UMass) Cooperative Extension: Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation

University of Massachusetts (UMass) Cooperative Extension

University of Massachusetts (UMass) Arigultural Experiment Station

Agricultural Nutrient and Pest Management
State Contacts
UMass Extension Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
helps farmers and homeowners manage pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical
tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.
Pro New England
is a collaborative of the six New England Land Grant Universities and their Cooperative Extension
programs working together to communicate IPM research and information with a regional focus.
Related Research:
| Project ID |
Title |
Investigator(s) |
Affiliation |
0187874
 |
APPLICATION OF SEWAGE BIOSOLIDS TO AGRICULTURAL SOILS IN THE NORTHEAST: LONG-TERM IMPACTS AND BENEFIT USES |
Barker, A. |
UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS |
0157606
 |
PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER IN CRANBERRY PRODUCTION |
Bewick, T. and DeMoranville, C. |
UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS |
0133642
 |
INTEGRATED TURFGRASS MGT. FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION |
Ebdon, S. , Schumann, G. , Vittum, P. , and Bhowmik, P. |
UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS |
0188320  |
THE ROLE OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN THE IPM PROGRAM OF TURFGRASS MAINTENANCE |
Torello, W. |
UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS |
0170804
 |
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF NUTRIENT FLOWS IN DAIRY FORAGE SYSTEMS |
Herbert, S. |
UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS |
Animal Waste Management
State Contacts
University of Massachusetts
Soil and Plant Tissue Testing Laboratory
enables farmers to assess the condition of their soil so that they only add the fertilizer or manure needed.
Crops, Dairy, Livestock
New England Private Well Initiative
State Contacts
The New England Private Well Initiative
,
collaborating with US EPA New England, provides information about risks
and protection to private well owners throughout New England.
The Hazardous Materials Program
,
associated with Massachusetts Extension increases consumer knowledge and understanding of groundwater
as a resource and the effects of solid and hazardous material disposal to water quality
issues. The Barnstable County Hazardous Materials Program and Hazardous Materials Hot Line
(1-800-319-2783) offers technical assistance and educational support.
Tufts University researchers are engaged in severalCSREES projects related to pathogens in
groundwater. One study develops, evaluates, and streamlines several analytical methods required to
concentrate, separate, identify, and test for infectivity and/or viability of several waterborne pathogenic protozoa
in water samples. Another study is determining the
structural physiology of the Chryptosporidium parvum oocyst
wall in order to design new treatments for inactivating these oocysts in drinking water.
New England NEMO
State Contacts
Mill River Watershed Project
is piloting an approach to community-based watershed protection in the Mill River watershed.
The Connecticut River Watershed Monitoring Project
Professional Development Workshops
offers classes and training to the general public and local officials on the use of Geographic Information Systems.
The Green Valley Institute (GVI)
is a comprehensive new program of information management, continuing education, volunteer recruitment
and training, and technical assistance in natural resources and land use.
The Massachusetts Watershed Initiative (MWI)
is developing and implementing outreach plans on a statewide basis within the 27 designated watersheds.
Researchers are developing a
watershed-scale model
to identify sensitive watershed areas in the Connecticut River basin and evaluate the effects of
watershed land use and development practices and policies on water quality and ecological integrity.
Researchers collaborating with New Hampshire and Georgia institutes are trying to
measure use and nonuse values associated with groundwater quality protection
.
Sustainable Landscaping
State Contacts
Partnerships with the Massachusetts
Master Gardener Programs
provide water quality information for volunteers responding to consumer questions.
Master Gardeners participate in a variety of landscaping projects.
Researchers are developing a better understanding of the
fate of fertilizers and pesticides in turfgrass systems
in order to develop and evaluate BMPs that protect water quality. Other researchers are identifying
variables, such as turfgrass species, soil types, and management practices,
contributing or diminishing the biological control activity
of the test agent. By understanding these variables, Integrated Pest Management strategies can be
adjusted to minimize ground and surface water contamination.
Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
State Contacts
The Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership (MassWWP)
,
under the administration of the
Water Resources Research Center
at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Environmental Institute
,
provides training and other technical assistance to citizen organizations that conduct water quality
monitoring programs on the lakes, rivers, and estuaries of Massachusetts. MassWWP assists the
Urban Harbors Institute
and the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
in their efforts to aid volunteer monitoring groups operating in Massachusetts Bay and its contributing watersheds.
The New England Regional Monitoring Collaborative (NERMC)
,
with Extension volunteer monitoring programs as leading members, coordinates the delivery of training
and related services to volunteer watershed monitoring groups in New England.
Researchers are developing a new inexpensive and easy method,
transgenic reporter fish
,
for monitoring water quality of local streams, ponds, and reservoirs.
The MassWWP
cooperated with the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) and MA Dept. of Environmental Management on a
satellite ground truthing project
with the purpose of assessing lake health from LandSat images in the future. Refer to the
USGS report
for more information.
The MA Water Resources Center
has conducted the internationally recognized
Acid Rain Monitoring Project
which combines the efforts of hundreds of citizen volunteers and laboratories with
University coordination to produce high quality data.
Related Water Quality Information in Massachusetts
Digital Atlases
MASS GIS Homepage

Harvard's Massachusetts Electronic Atlas

USEPA's EnviroMapper for Massachusetts
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and 303(d) Programs
TMDL information from MA Department of Environmental Protection
Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP)
Overview of the Massachusetts Source Water Assessment Program

Storm Water Phase II Program
USEPA's Storm Water Regulations for New England

Buzzards Bay Project: Stormwater Management

Buzzards
Bay Project Fact Sheet: Phase II Storm Water Program