Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 313 CMR - DIVISION OF WATER SUPPLY PROTECTION › Title 313 CMR 4.00 - Interbasin Transfer › Section 4.03 - Delineation of River Basins

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
River Basins are those basins more particularly described as
				follows, and which are generally shown on the River Basin Map:
Blackstone River Basin
. The Blackstone
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Blackstone River.
Boston Harbor Basin
. The Boston Harbor
				Basin includes that area lying above mean high water which by virtue of its
				topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and mainstems of the
				Mystic, Neponset, and Weymouth and Weir Rivers and other coastal drainage
				emptying into Boston Harbor or the Atlantic Ocean south of the North Coastal
				Basin and north of South Coastal Basin; excluding the Charles River
				Basin.
Buzzards Bay Basin
. The Buzzards Bay
				Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which by
				virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of all coastal rivers and streams emptying into Buzzards Bay south of
				the Taunton River Basin and the Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope Bay Shore
				Basin, and north of the Cape Cod Basin and the Islands Basin. In areas where
				these tributaries and rivers are tidal, those areas lying above the mean high
				tide elevation are considered part of the Buzzards Bay basin, while those lying
				below the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the Massachusetts
				Coastal basin.
Cape Cod Basin
. The Cape Cod Basin
				includes all of the Cape Cod peninsula southeast of the Cape Cod Canal
				surrounded by Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Sound, Buzzard's Bay, Cape Cod Bay or
				the Atlantic Ocean. Only areas lying above the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Cape Cod basin, while those lying below the mean high
				tide elevation are considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Charles River Basin
. The Charles River
				Basin includes that area which by virtue of its topography contributes surface
				water to the tributaries and mainstem of the Charles River. In areas where the
				Charles River is tidal, those areas lying above the mean high tide elevation
				are considered part of the Charles River Basin, while those lying below the
				mean high tide elevation are considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal
				Basin.
Chicopee River Basin
. The Chicopee
				River Basin includes that area which by virtue of its topography contributes
				surface water to the tributaries and mainstem of the Chicopee River above its
				confluence with the mainstem of the Connecticut River.
Concord River Basin
. The Concord River
				Basin includes that area which by virtue of its topography contributes surface
				water to the tributaries and mainstem of the Concord River, Sudbury River and
				Assabet River above its confluence with the mainstem of the Merrimack
				River.
Connecticut River Basin (Mainstem)
.
				The Connecticut River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of
				Massachusetts which by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to
				the tributaries (exclusive of tributaries delineated as separate River Basins)
				and mainstem of the Connecticut River.
Deerfield River Basin
. The Deerfield
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Deerfield River above its confluence with the mainstem of the
				Connecticut River.
Farmington River Basin
. The Farmington
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Farmington River.
French River Basin
. The French River
				Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which by
				virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the French River.
Housatonic River Basin
. The Housatonic
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Housatonic River.
Hudson River Basin
. The Hudson River
				Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which by
				virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Hoosic River, Kinderhook Creek and Bashbish Brook.
Ipswich River Basin
. The Ipswich River
				Basin includes that area which by virtue of its topography contributes surface
				water to the tributaries and mainstem of the Ipswich River and other coastal
				drainages emptying into Ipswich Bay south of the Parker River Basin and north
				of the North Coastal Basin. In areas where the Ipswich River is tidal, those
				areas lying above the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the
				Ipswich River Basin, while those lying below the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Islands Basin
. The Islands Basin
				includes the islands of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabethan Chain.
				Only areas lying above the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the
				Islands basin, while those lying below the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Massachusetts Coastal Basin
. The
				Massachusetts Coastal Basin includes those areas within the Commonwealth lying
				below the mean high tide elevation.
Merrimack River Basin
. The Merrimack
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries
				(exclusive of tributaries delineated as separate River Basins) and mainstem of
				the Merrimack River. In areas where the Merrimack River is tidal, those areas
				lying above the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the Merrimack
				River Basin, while those lying below the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Millers River Basin
. The Millers River
				Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which by
				virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Millers River above its confluence with the Connecticut
				River.
Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope Bay Shore
				Basin
. The Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope Bay Shore Basin
				includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which by virtue of
				its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and mainstems of
				all coastal rivers and streams emptying into Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope
				Bay Shore south of the Ten Mile River Basin and north of the Buzzard's Bay
				Basin, excluding the Taunton River Basin. In areas where these tributaries and
				rivers are tidal, those areas lying above the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope Bay Shore Basin, while
				those lying below the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the
				Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Nashua River Basin
. The Nashua River
				Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which by
				virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Nashua River.
North Coastal Basin
. The North Coastal
				Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which by
				virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of all coastal rivers and streams draining into the Atlantic Ocean
				north of the Mystic River Basin; excluding the Merrimack, Parker and Ipswich
				River Basins. In areas where these tributaries and rivers are tidal, those
				areas lying above the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the North
				Coastal Basin, while those lying below the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Parker River Basin
. The Parker River
				Basin includes that area which by virtue of its topography contributes surface
				water to the tributaries and mainstem of the Parker River and other coastal
				drainages emptying into Plum Island Sound south of the Merrimack River Basin
				and north of the Ipswich River Basin. In areas where the Parker River is tidal,
				those areas lying above the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the
				Parker River Basin, while those lying below the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Quinebaug River Basin
. The Quinebaug
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Quinebaug River.
Shawsheen River Basin
. The Shawsheen
				River Basin includes that area which contributes surface water to the
				tributaries and mainstem of the Shawsheen River above its confluence with the
				mainstem of the Merrimack River.
South Coastal Basin
. The South Coastal
				Basin includes that area lying above mean high water which by virtue of its
				topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and mainstems of the
				North River and South River and of all other coastal rivers and streams
				draining into the Atlantic Ocean south of the Boston Harbor Basin and north of
				the Cape Cod Basin.
Taunton River Basin
. The Taunton River
				Basin includes that area which by virtue of its topography contributes surface
				water to the tributaries and mainstem of the Taunton River. In areas where the
				Taunton River is tidal, those areas lying above the mean high tide elevation
				are considered part of the Taunton River Basin, while those lying below the
				mean high tide elevation are considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal
				Basin.
Ten Mile River Basin
. The Ten Mile
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Ten Mile River southeast of the Blackstone River Basin, west of
				the Taunton River Basin, and north of the Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope Bay
				Shore Basin. In areas where these tributaries and rivers are tidal, those areas
				lying above the mean high tide elevation are considered part of the Ten Mile
				River Basin, while those lying below the mean high tide elevation are
				considered part of the Massachusetts Coastal Basin.
Westfield River Basin
. The Westfield
				River Basin includes that area within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which
				by virtue of its topography contributes surface water to the tributaries and
				mainstem of the Westfield River above its confluence with the mainstem of the
				Connecticut River.