The Quabbin, which provides water to Boston, contains remarkably pure water. It is the only reservoir of its size that doesn't require further filtration before entering into the water supply. The Quabbin owes its purity to the forest hydrology of the surrounding watershed which effeciently holds back sediment and undesirable elements from reaching the reservoir. Management at the Quabbin focuses on keeping the reservoir as pure as possible. Currently, the Quabbin supplies water for Boston, and is the largest reservoir of surface water in the world. The forest covering the Quabbin watershed is managed with the aim of preventing water erosion which would wash silt into the reservoir. Deer also pose a threat to the purity of the Quabbin, both because of defoliation caused by over-browsing, and the potential that the water could be contaminated by their fecal matter. While the watershed around the Quabbin remains an "accidental wilderness" and a haven for wildlife, management is always conducted with an eye for protecting Boston's precious water supply. Even the logging and thinning activity that is permitted in some areas is carefully planned and monitored to avoid soil erosion. Water quality is frequently monitored. + Click here to learn more about Hydrology from Professor Anna Martini of the Amherst College Geology Department.

Click here for an explanation on Continuous Forest Inventory   More Info on Hydrology: Drinking Water Supply for Massachusetts: Fact Sheet http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/FS-054-97/ Hydrology: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrology Natural organic matter fate and transport in Quabbin Reservoir http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/9988785 THE WATER CYCLE http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/watercyclehigh.jpg Quabbin Reservoir Water System http://www.mass.gov/dcr/waterSupply/watershed/images/Systemsm.gif Forests, Hydrology, and Water Quality: Impacts of Silvicultural Practices http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FR009