Water Quality | A Look at the Water Quality of the Westfield River

Wild and Scenic River	Reporting Cycle	Miles by Water Quality Classification	Listed Impairments for the Westfield River
Westfied	2016	Good: 32 Impaired: 38.2 Unassessed: 15.6	Enterococcus bacteria; Water Temperature

Wild and Scenic Rivers, like all rivers, are protected under the Clean Water Act, which requires states to establish water quality standards for waters within their jurisdiction. Many stressors have the potential to impact water quality, this includes impairments due to a changing climate. Every two years, states are required to report whether these standards are being met. In 2018, NPS compiled information from the most recent state assessments to identify the water quality status of all designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. Based on the information available at the time, NPS determined that roughly 44% of all Wild and Scenic River miles did not meet their water quality standards, with temperature, mercury, and metals being the most common causes of impairment for all WSRs. Despite impairments, waterways may still meet other water quality criteria. For example, the Westfield River may still meet criteria for fisheries and be considered a high-quality cold-water fishery despite impairments. Want to learn more about Wild and Scenic River water quality? Read the full report found on the rivers.gov website here.

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