Ware River Diversion facts for kids
The Ware River Diversion is a special dam built on the Ware River. It's a really important part of the water system that brings fresh drinking water to Boston, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) takes care of it. You can find this dam in Worcester County, near the town of Barre, close to Oakham.
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What is the Ware River Diversion?
The Ware River Diversion is a key part of how water moves from one large reservoir to another. Water travels from the Quabbin Reservoir to the Wachusett Reservoir through a long underground tunnel. This tunnel is called the Quabbin Aqueduct, and it's one of the longest in the world!
How the Diversion Works
The highest point of this tunnel is at the Ware River in South Barre, Massachusetts. This is where the Ware River Diversion facility is located. It's near State Route 122 and Coldbrook Road.
This facility has a dam and special controls. Its main job is to direct water from the Ware River into the aqueduct. It can either help start a natural siphon (like when you use a straw to move water) or store extra Ware River water in the Quabbin Reservoir. The Ware River Diversion is part of the larger Chicopee River Watershed, which is an area where all the water drains into the Chicopee River.
On June 15, 1987, the part of the facility where water enters, called the Ware River Intake, was given a new name. It was renamed the Roger H. Lonergan Intake.
How Water Moves Through the System
The Ware River Diversion helps control where the water goes. It can send water in different directions depending on what is needed for Boston's water supply.
Sending Water to Quabbin Reservoir
Sometimes, the path from the Ware River Diversion to the Wachusett Reservoir is closed. If this happens, water from the Ware River can flow backwards through the aqueduct. It goes all the way to the Quabbin Reservoir for storage. This usually happens when the Wachusett Reservoir already has a lot of water. This extra water comes from rain and snow melting in its own watershed.
Starting the Siphon to Wachusett Reservoir
If the path from the Ware River Diversion to the Wachusett Reservoir is open, water from the Ware River can be sent into the aqueduct. This water helps to start the siphon action. Once the siphon begins, water from the Quabbin Reservoir naturally flows through the aqueduct to the Wachusett Reservoir. At this point, the Ware River Diversion stops sending its own water. The water from Quabbin continues to flow on its own.
