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

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.