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The last ARM sampling date was April 7, 2019! The next sampling date is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, April 5, 2020

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer sampler, or if you have any questions about ARM, please contact the ARM statewide coordinator Cameron Richards at cameronr[at]umass[dot]edu or by phone at (413)545-5979.

2019 ARM Site Map

Check out the map below to see which sites (indicated by the red symbols) still need volunteers for 2019 (dated information, we will post a new map with 2020 needs in March 2020).

Site Directions



You can view the list above in your browser. It includes coordinates and map links for every site.

Site maps are also available in PDF format by county:

Sampling Directions

If sampling by a bridge, try to collect sample upstream of the bridge.

If you can do so safely, wade into stream, walking upstream. Take sample upstream of your body. For lakes, sample at dam or shore.

Uncap bottle, fill it partly, cover with cap, shake to rinse inside bottle and cap, and empty behind you.

Repeat twice (rinse 3 times)

Then completely immerse bottle in water, let it fill completely, and cap under water.

Put in cooler with ice or frozen ice pack.

Fill out field data sheet with your name, date and time of sampling, and samples taken.

Deliver to lab and sign bottom of field data sheet at that time.

Downloadable Forms and Letters

Collector Data Sheet/Chain of Custody Sheet

2019 Volunteer Letter for Landowners



2019 Laboratories

Analysis Method for pH and alkalinity - Care and maintenance of electrodes

Barnstable County

Contact: Sophia Fox

Phone Number: 508-487-3262 ext 0504

Address:

Cape Cod National Sea Shore

99 Marconi Site Rd.

South Wellfleet, MA

Bristol County

Contact: Kimberly Newton and Mary Rapien

Phone Number: 508-654-9608 (Kimberly) or 401-525-1931 (Mary)

Address:

Bristol Community College

Building L, Room L-201

777 Elsbree Street

Fall River, MA 02720

Drop-off times: 10am to noon on Sunday April 7, 2019. Contact Mary or Kimberly if other arrangements need to be made.

Essex County

Contact: Joseph Ciccotelli or Phil McCarthy

Phone Number: (978) 356-6639

Address:

Ipswich Water Treatment Plant

274 High St

Ipswich, MA 01938

Drop-off times: after 7AM Monday April 9, 2018

Franklin County

Contact: Cathy Wilkins

Phone Number: (413) 337-5717

Directions:

7 Underwood Hill Rd

Heath, MA 01346

Drop-off times: Sunday April 7, 2019. Cooler will be left on porch. Alternatively, samples may be left at Françoise’s house in Greenfield: 63 Washington St, Greenfield, MA

Hampshire/Franklin Counties

Contact: Travis Drury

Phone Number: (413) 545-5979

Address:

5 Goessman Hall

UMASS

Amherst, MA 01003

Directions from route 63

Map of campus

Drop off Times: 8am - 5pm Sunday April 7, 2019. There will be a cooler outside of the lab.

Southern Hampshire and part of Worcester County

Contact: Mark Putnam

Phone Number: (413) 213-7922

Address:

MWRA Quabbin Lab

485 Ware Road

Belchertown, MA 01007

Directions:

Route 9 to 485 Ware Road. Brick building. Go to front door. Lab is upstairs.

Drop off Times: By 1pm Sunday April 7, 2019

Hampden/Berkshire Counties

Contact: Dr. Dave Christensen

Phone Number: (413) 572-5373

Address:

Westfield State University

577 Western Ave

Ecology and Research Lab

Science and Innovation Building, Room 207

Westfield, MA 01086

Map of campus

Drop off times: 10am - 2pm Sunday April 7, 2019

Contact: Sue Tower

Phone Number: (413) 537-6429

Address:

Springfield Water and Sewer Commission

1515 Granville Rd

Westfield, MA 01085

Directions:

Volunteers should come through Gate #3, it will most likely be closed but there is an intercom by the gate. Once through the gate the first white large building on the left houses the lab and operations. There is a doorbell to the left of the main door. Lab is on the second floor.

Drop off times: Preferably 12:30pm - 2:30pm on Sunday April 7, 2019, but staff will be available outside that time as well.

Norfolk County

Contact: Amy Johnston, UMass Boston

Phone Number: 207-557-0962

Drop-Off Location:

10 Curtis St, Unit 5

Quincy, MA 02169

There will be a cooler left outside for the samples.

Drop off Times: Sunday, April 7, 2019. Samples should be dropped off before late afternoon. The top left apartment all the way at the top of the left staircase. There will be a labeled cooler outside the door with a clipboard. For any questions, contact Amy at the number or email address above.

Plymouth County

Contact: Bob Bentley and Jim Hoberg

Phone Number: Bentley: (508) 946-2225 Hoberg: (508) 295-2550

Analytical Balance Lab

422 W Grove St, F

Middleborough, MA 02346

Worcester North

Contact: David Bennett

Phone Number: (978) 827-7065 (978-827-7063 home)

Address:

Cushing Academy

39 School St

Joseph R. Curry Academic Center, Room 104

Ashburnham, MA 01430

Directions:

Please deliver your samples to: Room 104, Joseph Curry Academic Center, which is the first building on the left on Academy Street.

Drop off Times: 12-4pm (if earlier, there will be a tub outside the lab door) Sunday April 7, 2019

Worcester South

Contact: Timothy Loftus

Phone Number: (508) 755-1286 ext.14

Address:

Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District

50 Route 20

Millbury, MA 01527

Directions:

If using a GPS device, enter the address as 7 Nippnapp Trail, Millbury, MA. From Route 20, turn onto Nippnapp Trail and go through the gates. Take a right after the gates and follow sign to the administration building.

Drop-off times: 7am-noon preferred on Sunday, April 7, 2019. Contact the lab prior to the sampling date if other times need to be arranged.

Lake and Stream Sensitivity Explained

How aquatic environments respond to acid deposition depends on their sensitivity to acids and the quantity of acids received. Most environments are naturally buffered against acid input by neutralizing materials such as limestone. If sufficient buffering capacity exists in an environment, excessive acid input does not change the pH of the water, although it will progressively deplete its acid neutralizing capacity (ANC). The soils, bedrock, and vegetation of watersheds largely determine the capacity of aquatic resources to accommodate acid deposition, but other factors play an important role. Acid neutralizing capacity can have its full effect only when the incoming precipitation has sufficient contact time with the neutralizing material. Areas with steep slopes, shallow soils or frozen ground tend to minimize contact time, resulting in incomplete neutralization of water entering lakes and streams. Additional neutralization is provided by the biota. For example, algae generate buffering materials during photosynthesis, and microbes living in bottom sediments reduce sulfur compounds to inert forms.ANC and pH interact in an unusual way: as acid is added to a buffered system, pH changes little until the ANC approaches zero. Then, small additions of acid cause large changes in pH. Finally, pH drops precipitously and permanently to levels that few aquatic organisms can tolerate.

With lower pH, levels of toxic metals leached from the watershed increase, aquatic growth is reduced, and sensitive species ranging from fish to algae disappear. If this occurs in a drinking water supply, metals will dissolve from distribution pipes resulting in high levels of iron, copper, lead and other metals.