Watershed Description

Watershed Action Plan

Towns in SuAsCo

Tributary Watersheds

Biodiversity Sites

Greenways Plan

"SuAsCo" stands for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers.

Any rain falling within the SuAsCo watershed eventually drains into these rivers. Do you live in the SuAsCo watershed? The watershed is defined by water flow, not by political boundaries. It is a 377-square mile area encompassing, partially or wholly, 36 Massachusetts towns. Acton, Carlisle, Framingham, Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Northborough, Southborough, Stow, and Sudbury all lie completely within the watershed. The following towns are partially within the SuAsCo watershed: Ashland, Bedford, Berlin, Billerica, Bolton, Boxborough, Boylston, Chelmsford, Clinton, Concord, Grafton, Harvard, Holliston, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Natick, Sherborn, Shrewsbury, Tewksbury, Upton, Wayland, Westborough, Westford, and Weston.

The SuAsCo Watershed boasts historic sites of national significance, such as the Old North Bridge, and is prominently featured in the works of the 19th century authors Hawthorne, Emerson, and Thoreau. In close proximity to metropolitan Boston, the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers and their watershed provide a popular area for canoeing, fishing, hiking, biking, bird watching and other recreational activities. Seventeen miles of the Sudbury River, four miles of the Assabet, and eight miles of the Concord are federally designated as "wild and scenic rivers" based on their free-flowing condition and outstanding scenic, recreational, wildlife, cultural, and historic values.

Retaining the natural beauty and rural character of the SuAsCo Watershed is challenged by growth and development, as this area is one of the most rapidly growing in Massachusetts and, as such, is facing severe resource challenges. Rapid growth and development have placed land prices at a premium, making open space and habitat protection ever more difficult. Many stretches of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers routinely fail their water quality standard for nutrient enrichment and experience both severe flooding and low flow concerns. Water shortages are evidenced as many towns post water bans during the summer. The rivers' assimilative capacity to handle nutrients is severely stressed by non-point sources (storm water) and wastewater treatment plant discharges. Throughout much of the Sudbury River downstream into the Concord River, fish consumption is banned due to mercury-laden sediments from the Nyanza Superfund Site. Invasive aquatic plant species compromise the river habitat for native species, and impair the recreational experience for boaters and anglers.

To rise to these challenges, the watershed community has formed the SuAsCo Watershed Community Council to bring together the expertise and vantage points of diverse interest groups to collaboratively tackle the critical challenges facing this important watershed region. The Community Council is comprised of representatives from business and industry; municipal government; environmental organizations; and state, federal and regional agencies. This community-based alliance is a unique non-profit organization, whose mission is to promote the sustainable economic and environmental well being of the watershed region. For more information about the SuAsCo Watershed Community Council, please call Nancy Bryant, Executive Director at 978-461-0735 or via email at info@suasco.org.