Amherst Awarded Grant for Dredging of Atkins Reservoir Sedimentation Basins
Atkins Reservoir. Photo: amherstma.gov
Source: amherstma.gov
The Town of Amherst has been awarded a $260,000 grant to support the design and permitting of dredging three sedimentation basins at Atkins Reservoir. This grant funding is from the FY25 Inland Dredging Pilot Project of the Massachusetts Dredging Program coordinated by the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED).
“Amherst DPW Water Division is very pleased to receive this grant,” said Elizabeth Willson, Environmental Scientist for the Department of Public Works. “The Atkins Reservoir sedimentation basins have needed dredging for many years. Previous sedimentation rate studies at the basins showed they have minimal storage capacity left and will soon fail, causing sedimentation in the reservoir. Preserving the storage capacity and water quality of Atkins Reservoir is crucial to providing healthy drinking water to the residents of Amherst.”
The Atkins Reservoir dredging project involves removal of an estimated 1,800 cubic yards of material from three sedimentation basins that treat surface water prior to entering the Atkins Reservoir. All basins are currently at or near full capacity, impairing their ability to trap and divert material from the reservoir. The primary purposes of dredging the basins are to improve treatment of surface water before it enters the reservoir and to avoid sedimentation in the reservoir which diminishes its storage capacity.
This project builds on work completed under two Water Management Act Grants Amherst received in 2016 and 2018 to study stream flow in the Atkins Reservoir watershed and impacts to the Adams Brook from diverting water to the reservoir. The 2018 report recommended dredging of the sedimentation basins to allow stream flow diversion during high flow events and less during low flow times.
“Atkins Reservoir is a vital resource for our community, providing approximately one third of Amherst’s daily drinking water,” said Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek. “It not only ensures the availability of clean and safe drinking water for our residents but also supports our growth and sustainability efforts.”
Funding from this grant will be used to hire an environmental consulting firm to collect data including sediment sampling, topographic and bathymetric surveys, and wetland delineation, and to put together a sediment management plan and design drawings. The data and design plans will be used to complete and submit permit applications with various government agencies. The dredging will require rigorous environmental permitting including submittal to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office. Once the project design and permitting are complete the Town will seek additional funding for the work.
The Executive Office of Economic Development’s Massachusetts Dredging Program is a capital grant program that traditionally provides funding to coastal municipalities for saltwater dredging. Through this FY25 Inland Dredging Pilot Round, the Massachusetts Dredging Program offered design and construction grants to all Massachusetts municipalities to support dredging of freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and drinking water reservoirs, as well as dredging required for the removal of municipal dams.