Taunton River - Massachusetts
Time of Travel Studies
1969 - 1970

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region I
Surveillance and Analysis Division
240 Highland Avenue
Needham, Massachusetts

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Acknowledgemen t s
This paper was prepared with the aid and cooperation of the
U.S. Geological Survey, Boston, Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts
Department of Natural Resources.

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245 0 0 Taunton River -Massachusetts time of travel studies/ #c U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Region I, Surveillance and Analysis Division.
264 1 Needham, Massachusetts : *b U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region I, Surveillance and
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651 0 Taunton River (Mass.)
650 0 Stream measurements #z Massachusetts #z Taunton River.
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TAUNTON RIVER BASIN
TIME OF TRAVEL STUDIES
By definition, the Taunton River is said to extend from the
Massachusetts-Rhode Island State boundary to the confluence of the
Hatfield and Town Rivers, at which point the Matfield, and later
the Salisbury Plain River, become extensions of the Taunton River.^
Therefore, figures and tables relating to the Taunton River will
also contain reference points along the Matfield and Salisbury
Plain Rivers. Similarly, for the purpose of the report, the Rumford
River is considered to be an extension of the Three Mile River.
Tables I and II provide river mile reference points and selected
drainage areas in the basin.
During September-October 1969 and March-April 1970, time of
travel studies were conducted in the non-tidal portion of the Taunton
River Basin. A fluorescent dye, Rhodamine BX, was injected and
traced to determine the time required for dissolved or suspended
materials to be transported downstream. Starting at a downstream
river reach, the dye was added at the head of the reach and a
fluorometer was used at the downstream end to measure the dye
concentrations passing out of the reach. This procedure was
followed in a step-wise fashion to the headwaters. In this manner,
simultaneous dye dosings in several reaches could be traced without
causing dye patterns to overlap. Studies were conducted in only
those sub-basins which were considered to have a significant effect
on the water quality of the major basin.
1-See Figure 1.

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2
The periods of study were selected to gain information about both
the low and high flow conditions. The September-October period was the
low flow condition, and the March-April study was the high flow condition.
During these study periods, dye dosings were restricted to periods of
stable river flow. If precipitation interrupted a study, the study was
not resumed until surface runoff had returned to a near constant level.
During the March-April studies, the U.S. Geological Survey made flow
measurements at selected sites throughout the basin. Using the results
of these measurements and established gages in the basin, flows were
projected back for the low flow period. The Massachusetts Division of
Water Resources used measured flows to develop the one-in-ten year, 7-day
low flows which are shown in Figure 2. Table III contains U.S. Geological
Survey flow data which has been adjusted and projected. It also contains
time of travel data.
Limited time of travel and flow data for the Town, Nemasket, and Wading
Rivers are included in the tables.
Figures 3 and 4 are time of travel for the Taunton and Three Mile
Rivers, respectively. The time of travel curves may be used to predict
transport times at stream discharges which are greater than the 1969
flow regime and less than the 1970 one. The curves are based upon
incremental flows being added to the stream from the surrounding drainage
area as the initial unit of water moves downstream. Because the flows from
the wastewater treatment plants do not fit this criterion, because
they constitute a major portion of the flow in the headwaters during low
flow conditions, and because their flows are relatively constant, all
river flows in Table III and in Figures 3 and 4 were corrected to eliminate

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3
contributing flows from wastewater treatment plants. In effect, the
flows from the treatment plants are a water sub-layer which, for the
purposes of this report, are being treated as the stream bed.
Directions for the use of Figures 3 and 4 are appended.

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4
TABLE I
TIME OF TRAVEL STUDY
TAUNTON RIVER BASIN
SELECTED REFERENCE POINTS


REFERENCE
POINTS U
RIVER
LOCATION
KILOMETER
MILE
Taunton
Brightman's Bridge
6.1
3.8

Pierces Point
15.2
9.5

Berkley Bridge
20.9
13 .;0

Confluence w/Three Mile River
23.7
14.7

Taunton Waste Water Treatment Plant
25.9
16.1

Mass. Rte, 24
34.9
21.7

East Taunton Bridge
39.7
24.7

Confluence w/Nemasket River
54.5
33.9

Confluence w/Town & Matfield River
66.8
41.5
Matfield
Confluence w/Satucket River
4.2
2.6

Confluence w/Salisbury Plain R.&Beaver Brook 9.3
5.8
Salisbury
Brockton Waste Water Treatment Plant


Plain
4.2
2.6
Three Mile
Harodite Finishing Company Dam
1.9
1.2

Oakland Reservoir Dam
11.3
7.0

Confluence w/Wading &• Rumford River
19.5
12.1
JL/ Taunton River reference points are from the Mass. - R.I. State line. All
other mile points are from the stream's confluence with its main stem.

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5
TABLE I (continued)
REFERENCE POINTS 1/
RIVER LOCATION	KILOMETER	MILE
Rumford Cross St. Bridge	4.2	2.6
Norton Reservoir Dam	7.4	4.6
Mass. Rte. 140, Entrance to Norton Res. 10.0	6.2
Mass. Rte. 140 at Fulton Pond Dam	13.7	8.5
Wading Mass.Rte.140, Norton near USGS gage	1.6	1.0
Barrowsville Pond Dam	5.1	3.2
Confluence w/Chartley Brook	8.0	5.0
Nemasket	Murdock St. Bridge
U.S. Rte. 44, Middleborough
4.0
8.5
2.5
5.3

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6
TABLE II
TAUNTON RIVER BASIN
TITLE DRAINAGE AREAS
AREA
WATERSHED	SQ. KILOMETER SQ. MILES
Matfield River and Salisbury Plain River	200	77.3
Town River	157	60.8
Winnetuxet River (+ a small amount of Taunton River)	125	48.1
Nemasket River	189	72.8
Mill River	116	44.7
Taunton River - State Farm gage to confluence with
Three Mile River	161	62.1
Rumford River	57	22.0
Wading River	111	42.7
Three Mile River	57	22.2
Assonet River	90	34.9
Taunton River - mouth to Three Mile River	107	41.5
DRAINAGE AREA ALONG TAUNTON RIVER
REFERENCE	POINT AREA
LOCATION KILOMETER	MILE SQ. KILOMETER SQ. MILES
Taunton at head 66.3	41.2 358	138.1
Taunton at State Farm Gage 52.9	32.9 673	260.0
Taunton at confluence with
Three Mile River 22.0	13.7 1157	446.6
Taunton near Battleship Cove 6.0	3.7 1354	522.9

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TABLE III
TIME OF TRAVEL STUDIES
TAUNTON RIVER BASIN
1969	1970


Flow

Flow

Station to
Station
jirVsec.
(cfs)
Time of Travel
m /sec.
(cfs)
Time of Travel
(R.M.)
(R.M.)
In
Out
(hours)
In
Out
(hours)
Brockton WWTP
Confluence of Matfield
.08
.85

2.3
10.4


& Satucket R.
(2.8)
(30)
23.2
(82)
(368)
•
00
Confl. of Hatfield
High St. Bridge
.85
.88

10.4
10.8

& Satucket River

(30)
(31)
31.4
(368)
(383)
5.4
High St. Bridge
Geo.O.Jenkins Dam
.88
1.44

10.8
17.8



(31)
(51)
32.4
(383)
(628)
3.9
Geo.O.Jenkins Dam
Confl. of Taunton &
,1.44
1.52

17.8
18.9


Nemasket R.
(51)
(54)
42.6
(628)
(668)
10.3
Confl. of Taunton
East Taunton Bridge
1.76
2.03

24.0
27.0

& Nenasket River

(62)
(72)
48.8
(848)
(954)
10.0

1
HREE MILE
RIVER BAS
IN





.11
.12

1.6
1.6

Norton Reservoir Dam
Cross St.,Norton
(3.9)
(4.2)
15.0
(57)
(58)
4.5
Cross St.
Confl. of Wading &
.12
.17

1.6
2.8


Rumford River
(4.2)
(6.0)
13.0
(58)
(98)
9.1
Conf. of Wading &
Norton Avenue
.51
.65

5.5
6. 6

Rumford River

(18)
(23)
27.0
(195)
(234)
7.8
Norton Avenue
Oakland Reservoir Dam
.68
.90

6.6
7.5



(24)
(32)
*39.0
(234)
(265)
6.0
^Estimate - dye dissipated in weeds and was not c
etected a
t the dam.




m^/sec - cubic meters per
second






cfs - cubic feet per second
(






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TIME OF TRAVEL STUDIES
TAUNTON RIVER BASIN
1969	1970


Flow

Flow

Station to
Station
pa^/sec.
(cfs)
Time of Travel
m /sec.
(cfs)
Time of Travel
(R.M.)
(R.M.)
In
Out
(hours)
In
Out
(hours)


.90
.99

7.5
8.3

Oakland Reservoir Dam
Route 44, Taunton
(32)
(35)
14.0
(265)
(292)
6.1
Rte. 44, Taunton
Harodite Fin.
.99
.99

8.3
8.3


Tidal Dam
(35)
(35)
37.0
(292)
(294)
5.7


NEMASK
:et RIVER




Rte. 44
Murdock St.
.28
.28

5.1
5.1

Middleborough

(10)
(10)
*14.0
(180)
(180.)
3.8
Murdock St.
Conf 1." with
.28
.31

5.1
5.2


Taunton River
(10)
(11)
46.6
(180)
(182)
4.5


TOMS
RIVER




Bridgewater WWTP
Geo.O.Jenkins Dam
.48
1.44

5.9
16.1



(17)
(51)
66.0
(209)
(640)
7.8


WAD If
G RIVER




Rte. 123, Chartley
Dam at Barrowsville



2.2
2.9


Pond
-
-
-
(77)
(101)
14.5
Dam at Barrowsvi-lle
USGS Gage, Norton



2.9
3.1

Pond




(101)
(111)
3.2
*Approximate value

t
i




oo

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9
I WEYMOUTH
TAUNTON RIVER BASIN
HOLBROOK
v AVON
SHARON
'STOUGHTON
BROCKTON
FOXBOROUGH
WRENTHAM I
0RIDGEWATER >
^ MANSFIELD
I
EASTON
WEST
BRIDGEWATER
HANSON
PLAINVILLE I
8RI0GEWATER
NORTON
ATTLE80R0'\
L
TAUNTON
MIDDLEBOROUGH \
CARVER
DIGHTON (0
MSt*"ommser
POHO
REHOBOTH I
BERKLEr
COLE, KICKAMU1T AND
LEE RIVER BAS/N
/ LAKEV1LLE
r
eurmcAS
PQMOfSj I
ROCHESTER
SWANSEA
FREETOWN
WARREN *
FALL f RIVER
BRISTOL
r XOOfOutCM**
¦rvCR unoimaowO
WATUPPA PONDS
DRAINAGE BASIN
WESTjPORT \
7
LOCATION UfAP
SCALE IN MILES
TIVERTON
LIMIT/OF STUOY
PRUDENCE IS.
PORTSMOUTH
(^-indicates River Mile
To convert to kilometers multiply by 1.6,
T. HOPE BAY WATERSHED
TAUNTON RIVER STUDY AREA
with Reference Points
FIGURE 1

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I A 30
f.Z
/.o
S
JJ
o
OA
o.Z
BROCKTON WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT
NEMASKET RIVER SAWMILL BROOK	TAUNTON WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT J_HREE MILE RIVER ASSONET RIVER BRIGHTMANS BRIDGE
ii ^ i
groundwater inflow-
~\
4 I 2 0 4 I 2 0 40
SALIS8URY PLAIN RIVER-j	MATFIEl^O RtVER	J	
5	0	3	0
38 36 34 32
—
i« • " " — —
I
€0
I
50
28 26 | 24 22 20
	TAUNTON RIVER	
18	18	14	12	10
i" 1 r"ir
40
*
30
I
20
I
to
SVST. HOPE BAY WATERSHED
I - IN-10 YEAR, 7 DAY LOW FLOW
TAUMTOM RIVER STUDY
4 RIVER MILES
5 KILOMETER
O

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TIME OF TRAVEL STUDY	""
TAUNTON RIVER
TIME OF TRAVEL vs DISCHARGE
1969- 1970
400
300
200
100
60
60
40
30
20
Brockton WWTP
(cfs+ i.o) 3 |
(mVsec+0.03) 0.1
20
40
60 80 100
2.0 3.0
200 300
600
ICOO
0.2 0.3
0.5
5.0
10.0
20.0
DISCHARGE
FIGURE 3

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TIME OF TRAVEL STUDY
THREE MILE RIVER
TIME OF TRAVEL vs DISCHARGE
1969- 1970
300
200
100
80
60

}v/
20

Norton Reservoir dam
1000
20
30
40
60
80 100
200 300
600
10.0
3.0
5.0
20.0
2.0
0.2 0.3
0.5
DISCHARGE
FIGURE 4

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13
APPENDIX A
Directions for Use of Graphs
Assume one wishes to determine the time of travel from the Brockton
Wastewater Treatment Plant to a point one third the distance from
the confluence of the Matfield and Tovm Rivers to the confluence
of the Nemasket River. In addition, the river flow just downstream
from the confluence of the Town and Matfield Rivers is 2.8 m^/sec (99 c
after correction to eliminate the contributing flows from wastewater
treatment plants. See Figure A-l.
On each of the curves provided, locate a point which is one-third the
curve length between the Town and Matfield confluence and the Nemasket
River confluence. Connect the two points.
Locate the 2.83 m^/sec (2.8 + 0.03 [100 cfs (99 +1)] discharge point
on the downstream side of the Town and Matfield River confluence.
From this point draw a curve which parallels the two curves provided.
Locate the intercept of the drawn curve and the line drawn in Step 2.
On the ordinate, read the time of travel for the intercept point.
Read the time of travel at Brockton WWTP and subtract the two. The
result is the time of travel to the point in question at the flow
specified.
Answer: 50 hours - 1 hour - 49 hours

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TIME OF TRAVEL STUDY
TAUNTON RIVER
TIME OF TRAVEL vs DISCHARGE
1969- 1970
14
+

<
a
h-
U-
O
IxJ
2
50 Hrs
Brockton WWT
80 100
(cfs + 1.0) 3
(mVsec.+¦ 0.03) 0.1
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I I
0.2 0.3
0.5
DISCHARGE
200 300j
5.0	10.0
1000
20.0
CirsilDC A.I

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