Code of Massachusetts Regulations
310 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Title 310 CMR 36.00 - Massachusetts Water Resources Management Program
Section 36.14 - Streamflow Criteria
Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
(1) Streamflow criteria are established by the categories described at 310 CMR 36.14(1)(a) through (c), which describe the modeled 2000-2004 existing conditions at the subbasin scale across a gradient of alteration from least to most altered for five bioperiods: early summer (May-June), late summer (July through September), fall (October and November), winter (December through February) and spring (March and April). The streamflow criterion for each category is the upper limit of the ranges shown at 310 CMR 36.14(1)(a) through (c). Withdrawals that contribute to a subbasin changing to a more altered category do not meet streamflow criteria and will only be permitted if the permittee demonstrates that there is no feasible alternative available to meet demonstrated water needs, and the permittee undertakes mitigation commensurate with the impacts of the withdrawal to the greatest extent feasible.
Simulated Alteration of Fluvial Fish Community Characteristics.
Biological Category 1: |
0% to 5% |
Biological Category 2: |
>5% to 15% |
Biological Category 3: |
>15% to 35% |
Biological Category 4: |
>35% to 65% |
Biological Category 5: |
>65% |
Simulated Groundwater Withdrawal Ratio for the Late Summer Bioperiod.
Groundwater Withdrawal Category 1: |
0% to 3% |
Groundwater Withdrawal Category 2: |
>3% to 10% |
Groundwater Withdrawal Category 3: |
>10% to 25% |
Groundwater Withdrawal Category 4: |
>25% to 55% |
Groundwater Withdrawal Category 5: |
>55% |
Seasonal Groundwater Withdrawal Ratios for Additional Bioperiods
Fall (Oct-Nov) |
Winter (Dec-Feb) |
Spring (March-April) |
Early Summer (May-June) |
|
Seasonal Category 1: |
0% to 3% |
0% to 3% |
0% to 3% |
0% to 3% |
Seasonal Category 2: |
>3% to 5% |
0% to 3% |
0% to 3% |
>3% to 5% |
Seasonal Category 3: |
>5% to 15% |
>3% to 10% |
>3% to 10% |
>5% to 15% |
Seasonal Category 4: |
feasible mitigation and improvement/no numeric criteria |
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Seasonal Category 5: |
feasible mitigation and improvement/no numeric criteria |
(2) Streamflow criteria have not been established for groundwater-driven water sources (the southern portion of South Coastal, Cape Cod, Islands, and portions of Buzzards Bay).