Page Loading - Please Wait...
ICE EFFECTS ON STREAMFLOW
The formation of ice on rivers can cause discharge values to appear unusually high. Display of these erroneous discharge data may result in improper assessment of flow conditions and misuse of the data. For this reason, display of discharge values for streams significantly affected by ice may be disabled from view. Display of discharge data will resume when ice conditions are no longer present. Discharge values for streams minimally affected by ice will continue to be displayed. Flows for streams with these conditions appear to increase during the night and decrease to near-base-line conditions around midday. To estimate the correct discharge for these streams, use the flow rate that corresponds to the bottom of the discharge curve, rather than the peak that corresponds to the top of the curve. Note that this method of estimation is possible only when no surface runoff is occurring. Daily mean discharges for periods of both significant and minimal ice-effect will be estimated and published in the Annual Water-Data Report for the water year in which they occurred.
LOCATION--Lat 42° 40’03", long 71°
34’32", Middlesex County, Hydrologic Unit 01070004, on right
bank 200 ft downstream from powerplant of James River–Pepperell
Co. at East Pepperell and 0.8 mi upstream from Nissitissit River.
DRAINAGE AREA--Total above gage, 435 mi2, net above
gage, 316 mi2, excludes 119 mi2 for use of Boston
metropolitan district and city of Worcester.
PERIOD OF RECORD--Discharge: October 1935 to current year.
Water-quality records: Water years 1952–53, 1973–74.
REVISED RECORDS--WDR MA-RI-84-1: drainage area.
GAGE--Data Collection Platform with satellite telemeter. Datum
of gage is 168.28 ft above NAVD 1988. Prior to May 13, 2020 datum of
gage reported as 169.04 ft above NGVD 1929.
REMARKS--Extremes and daily discharge include water released
while diverting flow of Nashua River for use of Boston metropolitan
district and water diverted into basin from Ware River Basin since 1955
for municipal use of Fitchburg. Prior to October 1981, water diverted
around station through plant of James River–Pepperell Co. was
added to daily figures. Flow regulated by powerplant immediately
upstream.
COOPERATION BY--Massachusetts Department of
Conservation and Recreation,Office of Water
Resources.
Boating safety tips |
Min (1957) | 25th percen- tile | Most Recent Instantaneous Value Feb 24 | Median | Mean | 75th percen- tile | Max (1996) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12.0 | 377 | 542 | 654 | 746 | 928 | 2840 |