Assabet River NWR Final CCP - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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Forested Wetland: Photo By
Emily Holick
Chapter 3: Refuge and Resource Descriptions
The Refuge Revenue Sharing Payments are based on one of three different
formulas, whichever results in the highest payment to the local taxing
authority. In Massachusetts, the payments are based on three-quarters of
one percent of the appraised market value. The purchase price of a
property is considered its market value until the property is reappraised.
The Service reappraises the value of refuge lands every five years, and the
appraisals are based on the land’s “highest and best use”. On wetlands and
formerly farmland-assessed properties, the full entitlement Refuge
Revenue Sharing Payments sometimes exceed the real estate tax. In other
cases, Refuge Revenue Sharing payments may be less than the local real
estate tax.
Table 3-1: Revenue Sharing Payments to Towns within Assabet River NWR
Year Hudson Maynard Stow Sudbury*
2003 $775 $13,823 $19,112 $35,474
2002 $806 $14,382 $19,885 $36,909
2001 $863 $15,395 $21,286 $39,510
2000 $846 $15,083 $20,854 $33,393
*Refuge revenue sharing payments for Sudbury include payments for lands in Great
Meadows NWR.
The fact that refuges put little demand on the infrastructure of a
municipality, must be considered in assessing the financial impact on the
municipality. For example, there is no extra demand placed on the school
system or utilities; and little demand on roads, police and fire protection,
etc. However, visitation to the refuge often benefits local businesses. The
refuge controls uses only on the properties it owns.
Refuge Resources
Climate
Assabet River NWR experiences moderately cold, moist winters and warm,
damp summers with an annual mean precipitation of 44 inches per year.
Precipitation is fairly well distributed throughout the year. The driest
months are July and October, with mean precipitation of 3.3 inches, and the
wettest months are March and November with mean precipitation of 4.7
inches. Winter precipitation is usually in the form of snow and ice storms.
Due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the refuge experiences the
influence of tropical storms and hurricanes and their associated gusty
winds and torrential rains. July is the warmest month, with an average
temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit (U.S. Army 1995).
Topography
The refuge is located near the western boundary of the seaboard lowlands
of the New England-maritime province, and is dominated by broad flat
plains with elevations of 190-200 feet above mean sea level (msl). Overall,
Assabet River NWR