Watuppa Ponds

Watuppa Ponds
USGS map of Watuppa Ponds
Location	Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts
Coordinates	41°41′00″N 71°07′00″W / 41.68333°N 71.11667°W / 41.68333; -71.11667Coordinates: 41°41′00″N 71°07′00″W / 41.68333°N 71.11667°W / 41.68333; -71.11667
Type	natural
Primary inflows	Spring-fed, also Sucker Brook, Stony Brook, King Philip Brook, Queen Gutter Brook
Primary outflows	Quequechan River
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	7.5 mi (12.1 km) (both ponds)
Max. width	1.0 mi (1.6 km) (average)
Surface area	North 1,805 acres (730 ha) South 1,551 acres (628 ha)
Average depth	15 ft (4.6 m) (South Watuppa)
Max. depth	22 ft (6.7 m) (South Watuppa) 25 ft (7.6 m) (North Watuppa)
Surface elevation	131 ft (40 m)
Sections/sub-basins	South Wattupa Pond, North Wattupa Pond

The Watuppa Ponds are two large, naturally occurring, spring-fed, glacially formed ponds located in Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts. Watuppa is a native word meaning "place of boats". The two ponds were originally one body of water (originally one lake), connected by a narrow rocky straight called "The Narrows" located on a thin strip of land between the two ponds which forms part boundary of between Fall River and Westport. The border between Fall River and Westport is also divided between the two ponds. Together, the ponds have an overall north-south length of about 7.5 miles (or 8 miles including the pond swamps), and have an average east-west width of about a mile. The ponds are drained by the Quequechan River, and flows in a westerly direction through the center of Fall River from South Watuppa Pond to Mount Hope Bay.

With a surface area of 1,805 acres, (1760 acres) The North Watuppa Pond is the second-largest naturally occurring body of water within Massachusetts. It is about 4.2 miles long in the north-south direction, and averages about a mile in width. The North Watuppa Pond has 12.4 miles of shoreline and has a maximum depth of 25 feet and is strictly off limits to the public for any recreation. It has been used as the City of Fall River's primary drinking water supply since 1873, when the Fall River Waterworks was built on its western shore, at the end of Bedford Street. It drains into South Watuppa Pond by a small channel at its southern end, in an area known as The Narrows. The northeastern shore of North Watuppa Pond, known as Copicut Reservation, is sparsely developed, and contains a vast area of protected land as part of the city's water supply. Several small streams drain into the pond, including King Philip Brook, Queen Gutter Brook, and Blossom Brook, among others. The north end of North Watuppa Pond is crossed by a stone causeway, at the end of Wilson Road. The western shore of the reservoir contains a man-made canal that diverts stormwater runoff from the city to South Watuppa Pond. Public access to North Watuppa Pond restricted, and the area is regularly patrolled by the City's Water Department. All activities including fishing, boating, swimming or skating are strictly prohibited. Including the pond swamp north of the causeway The North and South Watuppa Ponds together represent a complete 7.5 to 8 mile body of water.