Water:
According to the Massachusetts Water Resources Commission the Ipswich River and the Parker River are highly stressed watersheds based on water quantity, quality and habitat criteria. For these two major rivers and for other Essex County water supply areas, net outflow equals or exceeds natural summer median flow.
Ipswich River, from Killam Island, Boxford
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For the most part municipal water with-
drawals directly account for low stream flows. Municipalities are struggling to keep up with the demand from residential water users especially in summer when lawn watering is especially high.
With suburban population rates growing faster than ever before, water boards are searching frantically for new water supply sources. New well proposals are on the table in many communities including, Newburyport, Rockport, Rowley, and West Newbury, placing a financial and logistical burden on municipalities and their taxpayers.
Habitat:
With the rapid growth of residential and commercial units and miles of new roads, natural habitats are experiencing detrimental and irreversible change in Essex County. Development degrades habitat by directly converting it to non-natural conditions.
Glasswort, The Great Marsh, Rowley
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Poorly planned sprawl also impacts habitat indirectly. Indirect impacts include habitat fragmen-
tation and an increase in non-point source pollution.
Sensitive habitats such as vernal pools, grasslands, freshwater wetlands and mature forests are under direct threat in Essex County. For example according to an ornithologist at the Massachusetts Audubon Society the Lynnfield Marshes have seen a rapid decline in nesting birds such as rails and bitterns. The decline has been attributed to indirect impacts of adjacent development. Similarly along the county's coastline once abundant fish, such as white perch and rainbow smelt, are in serious decline due to what many feel is excess nutrients in Essex County watersheds that adversely affect spawning habitat.
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Community:
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Lawrence, MA |
Rapid con- version of farmland to residential and com- mercial uses in Essex County has resulted in the disappearance of a traditional, historic land use. According to BuyFresh.org Essex County supports approximately 400 farms on 25,000 acres but with dramatic increases in land value farmland is dwindling.
Sprawl has also affected the village center and city center in Essex County. Small towns like Rowley and Boxford have experienced rapid growth with little or no growth planned around town centers to promote the classic New England village.
Likewise cities such as Gloucester, Lawrence and Lynn have seen only modest downtown revitalization as most of the new development is focused on undeveloped land located in suburban and exurban communities.
Infrastructure:
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Route 1, Saugus |
While Essex County is known for its rich cultural history, its trans-
portation and physical infrastructure is considered by many to be "historic".
According to a 1995 congestion study done by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission in the Merrimack Valley some of the most severe problem roadways included: Interstate 93 Route 125, Haverhill from I-495 to New Hampshire border and Route 110 Rotary, Methuen. The study also found that public transportation (Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority) was not under stress with no significant transit congestion problems, with one possible exception of the Haverhill-Methuen-Lawrence intercity route.
Demand for other infrastructure improvements are constant including upgrades to wastewater treatment plants, construction and improvement of water filtration facilities, expansion of sewer and water lines and new school construction. Many of these upgrades are due to increased demand directly related to sprawl. Almost every community in the County is funding a major overhaul of some aspect of their infrastructure.
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