Flooding in 2023 made it clear: Williamsburg needs a plan for a healthy Mill River watershed.
A watershed is the area of land draining to a body of water – and a healthy watershed isn’t just about a river, it’s about everyone who lives here. Almost all of Williamsburg, MA drains to the Mill River, a vital force flowing through our town.
A two-year state grant has helped the town of Williamsburg study the watershed and develop recommendations for a healthy, sustainable community.
What’s our watershed?
The red outline shows all the land that drains to the Mill River: the Mill River Watershed. The town is studying the whole watershed in addition to the main riverbed, because what happens upstream matters downstream.
The watershed covers most of Williamsburg, MA, but also covers portions of Goshen, Ashfield, Conway, Whately, Hatfield, Westhampton, Chesterfield, and Northampton.
The Mill River feeds into the Connecticut River in Northampton.
Collaborators
The town of Williamsburg is working with residents, volunteers, the state, and local organizations to study the watershed.
This project is funded by the Commonwealth’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, a program of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
