Trickling down from high in the mountains, bubbling up through underground springs and collecting in wetlands, freshwater ecosystems in Massachusetts nourish millions of residents and give rise to diverse habitats and countless forms of life.

When a leaf drops into a river’s headwaters and breaks down, it provides food for insects that will later feed a fish. Further downstream, that fish may make a meal for a river otter, black bear or a fisherman’s family.

As rivers like the Westfield, the Connecticut and the Taunton traverse our landscapes, they nourish floodplains and deliver the lifeblood of fresh water to cities and towns across the Commonwealth.

Navigating Changing Waters

But over time, these aquatic lifelines have been dammed and divided. Many forests along riverbanks have been cut down or converted to agriculture. Some farmlands have since returned to forests, but many thousands of acres have been lost to development — exacerbating habitat loss, pollution, flooding and erosion.

And with climate change poised to bring intense seasonal rain, drier summers and more pollution in our waterways, we have to be forward thinking. Water systems that most closely maintain or emulate natural conditions will be best able to adapt.

Science for Sustainability

The good news is: We know what it takes to keep our waters healthy and resilient.

Rivers, lakes and streams need protected headwaters, river corridors and floodplains that capture rain and filter pollutants. They need naturally flowing water — with seasonal highs and lows — to recharge aquifers and trigger the reproduction of plants and animals. And they need to be connected so that animals can travel freely between the places where they live, spawn and feed.

The Nature Conservancy has designed a suite of strategies to safeguard each component of these vital systems, bolstering their ability to support wildlife and provide for communities. Many of the same actions that safeguard biodiversity will ensure that we have fresh clean water to quench our thirst and enrich our lives.

A New Way for Water 
Read more about The Nature Conservancy's vision to protect 750,000 acres of land, reconnect 5,000 miles of river and restore stream flows across Massachusetts. (pdf, 2.82MB)




 

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Jerry and Marcy Monkman (West branch of the Westfield River in Chester, Massachuetts along the Keystone Arch Bridge Trail); Photo © Cheryl Rose (frog).