[[Image:GiantStumpCalaverasNorthGrove.jpg|thumb|right|Discovery Tree stump]]
[[Image:CalaverasBigTrees2.jpg|right|thumb|Human compared to tree height]]

'''Calaveras Big Trees State Park''', located 4 miles (6 km) northeast of [[Arnold, California]] in the middle altitudes of the [[Sierra Nevada (US)|Sierra Nevada]] in [[Calaveras County, California|Calaveras County]], became a [[State Park]] in [[1931]] to preserve the North Calaveras Grove of [[Giant Sequoia]]s. It has been a major tourist attraction since [[1852]], when the existence of the trees was first widely reported, and is considered the longest continuously operated tourist facility in [[California]].

Over the years, other parcels of mixed conifer forests, including the much larger South Calaveras Grove of Giant Sequoias (purchased in [[1954]] for $2.8 million [[United States dollar|USD]]), have been added to the park to bring the total area to about 2600 ha (6,500 [[acres]]). The North Grove contains about 100 mature Giant Sequoias; the South Grove, about 1,000.

The North Grove included the 'Discovery Tree' noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852 and felled in [[1853]], leaving a giant stump which is the only remainder of the tree. It measured 24 [[foot (unit)|feet]] (7.3 [[metre|m]]) in diameter at its base and was counted by ring count to be 1,244 years old when felled.

In addition to the popular North Grove, the Park also now includes the South Grove, with a 5 mile (8 km) hiking trip through a spectacular grove of Giant Sequoias in their natural setting. The South Grove includes the 'Agassiz' tree, 74 m tall and 6.8 m diameter 2 m above ground (7.6 m diameter at the base), the largest tree in the Calaveras groves. It is named after zoologist [[Louis Agassiz]] (1807-1873).

Other attractions in the Park include the [[Stanislaus River]], Beaver Creek, the Lava Bluff Trail and Bradley Trail.

The Park also houses two main campgrounds with a total of 129 campsites, six picnic areas and hundreds of miles of established trails.

Other activities include cross-country skiing, evening ranger talks, numerous interpretive programs, environmental educational programs, junior ranger programs, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching and summer school activities for school children. Dogs are welcome in the park on leash in developed areas like picnic sites, campgrounds, roads and fire roads (dirt). Dogs are not allowed on the designated trails, nor in the woods in general.

<gallery>
Image:DiscoveryTree1.jpg|Discovery Tree stump and part of the felled tree
Image:DiscoveryStumpInfo.jpg|Discovery Tree information
Image:CalaverasBigTrees1.jpg|Human compared to base of tree
Image:CalaverasTreeTunnel1.jpg|Tunnel cut into a "smaller" tree which was dead before the tunnel was carved.
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[List of sequoia groves]]
* [[List of California state parks]]

==External links==
* [http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=551 Calaveras Big Trees State Park Homepage]
* [http://www.bigtrees.org/ Calaveras Big Trees Association]
* {{Geolinks-US-cityscale|38.272833|-120.290495|10}}

[[Category:California state parks]]
[[category:Calaveras County, California]]

User talk:NX1Z

2006-11-23T15:33:41Z

NX1Z:

==Welcome==
Hi y'all, Let me be the first to write in your '''Talk''' page! 
Check out [[Groveland, Massachusetts]], my latest project. Get out your camera and update your town too! 73s, 
[[User:LymanSchool|LymanSchool]] 13:47, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

:Hey Dick, The cops in my town carry bigger guns than the cops in your town. I dont want to take any pictures to make then mad!
:[[User:NX1Z|John/NX1Z]] 21:32, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

::Let me be the second. Welcome to Wiki where web wizards wistfully wander wondering what whenever.
::[[User:Botteville|Dave]] 22:24, 7 November 2006 (UTC)
::PS I get this great signature time and date by typing 4 tilde.

==Your [[Quinapoxet River]] edits==
*If you want to align images, you really need to do something like this:
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" align="left" width="500px" align=right>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#efefef" align="center">Quinapoxet Dam at Holden</td>
<td bgcolor="#efefef" align="center">Quinapoxet Dam Spillway</td>
</tr>
<td align="center">[[Image:.jpg|240px]]</td>
<td align="center">[[Image:.jpg|240px]]</td>
</tr>
</table>
This is because not everybody has the margins on their screen plus the screen resolution set up like your computer is!! --- [[User:LymanSchool|LymanSchool]] 00:07, 20 November 2006 (UTC) 

::Hey Dick, good point. I am surprised that i did not think of that!

==Mount Watatic photo==
Hi John. Let me be the third to welcome you to Wikipedia. I just noticed the great image that you uploaded, [[:Image:Watatic Fire Tower.jpg]]. You attribute it to Henry Isenberg, but do not indicate why you believe he has agreed to release it under the [[GNU Free Document License]] (GFDL). It is important that we record as much information as possible about images' copyright status on their [[WP:IDP|description pages]]. If the this image is from a web page that references the GFDL, give the url; if you spoke to Henry about the license, recount that conversation; if you emailed Henry about the license, then post your email and his reply. Let me know if you have any questions, or need any help with this or anything else. Best regards '''''×'''''[[User:Meegs|Meegs]] 19:40, 21 November 2006 (UTC)
:''I am in the process of getting written permission for use. I will post the written confirmation ASAP.''
::Hello again. Take a look at [[Wikipedia:Requesting copyright permission]] and [[Wikipedia:Example requests for permission]]. It is a common mistake to request permission from the copyright holders merely to use the image in Wikipedia, when what is required is agreement to a license that allows anyone to use the image. As the GFDL is very complicated, you may wish to suggest release under the [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Creative Commons Attribution License], whose terms are are fairly straightforward. Copyright issues can be overwhelming when you're not used to them; if I can help you at all, let me know. '''''×'''''[[User:Meegs|Meegs]] 21:40, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

:::Well, I now have an email that gives the go-ahead. But I guess this is not good enough. So, just delete the image please.
:::[[User:NX1Z|John/NX1Z]] 15:33, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

User talk:NX1Z

2006-11-23T15:32:30Z

NX1Z:

User talk:NX1Z

2006-11-23T15:29:41Z

NX1Z:

User:NX1Z

2006-11-21T21:15:39Z

NX1Z:

[[Image:My Truck Climbing.jpg|left|thumb|My commute to work]]
[[Image:NX1Z Radio.jpg|left|thumb|My Amateur Radio Station]]

{{Boxboxtop|My Boxes}}
{{User USA}}
{{User New England}}
{{User Massachusetts}}
{{User en}}
{{User pt-0}}
{{User Pilot-1}}
{{user pro pilot}}
{{User militaryac}}
{{user amateur radio}}
{{user AM Radio}}
{{user FM Radio}}
{{user SW Radio}}
{{user hobby:Electronics}}
{{User:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Physics}}
{{User:Sushant/Userboxes/User Natural Sciences}}
{{user skygazing}}
{{user backpacking}}
{{user geocaching}}
{{user birder}}
{{User photography}}
{{User cigars}}
{{User:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Geology}}
{{user redundant}}
{{User overuse}}
{{Boxbottom}}

==Introduction==
Hello! My name is John O'Brien. I am a ham radio operator, hence my strange user name.

I like to play with radio. I have earned the highest class of license from the Federal Communications Commission to operate radios on the ITU and WARC Amateur radio bands. This makes me a "Ham" radio operator. My radio callsign is NX1Z. The coolest thing that I have ever done on the radio is talk to the Astronauts and Cosmonauts on the International Space Station. My other big hobbies are hiking and taking my truck off-road. I like to combine radio with my other hobbies, so I have radios that I take hiking with me and I have radios installed in my truck. Many people that I have met on the air (radio) have become life-long friends. Radio is the original internet (and it’s always been wireless) but there is no spam or viruses to slow things down.

Ham radio operators are always there to help in emergencies. They bridge the communication gaps when catastrophe strikes. Whether it’s a hurricane, earthquake, Tsunami or anything that disrupts the communications of the authorities, the ham radio operators step-up to keep the lifesaving communications going in times of disaster. When hams are not helping with emergencies, they communicate with each other just for the fun of it!

My new thing is flying. I plan on getting my private pilots license. I just want to fly for the fun of it and because it is an achievement that I would be proud of. I have only managed a few lessons, but I love what I have experienced so far.

==Family==
My best friend is my beautiful wife Licia. She is exactly opposite me, but that keeps things interesting. She is a Gemini so she has two personalities; I am the only one that knows them both. She makes fun of my radio hobby all the time even though she thinks that it is cool that I can talk to the Space Station. But she likes to talk to some of my friends on the radio too.

==Intentions==
As for Wikipeadia stuff, I want to contribute without stepping on peoples toes. I am not here to show people how smart I think I am about the things that I know about and will never claim to be expert of any topic. I am certainly not here to fight with people or ruin the hard work of other users. When I add photos to articles, I am NOT promoting myself. It’s just easier for copyright purposes to use pictures that I have taken myself.

==Articles created by NX1Z==
*Non Yet. Relax, I am working on it.

==Articles NX1Z contributed to==
*I copy edited some sections of [[Radio]] and added a pic of my amateur radio station.
*I added a picture to [[Rock crawling]] because it had no photos of rock crawling. Good article though!
*I added a picture to [[QSL card]] because there was no example of an Amateur (Ham) Radio QSL card.
*I added a picture to [[Monterey Bay Aquarium]] to show that there is an area for visitors to handle small animals like starfish.
*I added 5 pictures to [[Calaveras Big Trees State Park]] which show tree size, the tree tunnel and Discovery Tree info.

==Images NX1Z uploaded==
*[[:Image:My Truck Climbing.jpg|My Truck Climbing.jpg]]
*[[:Image:NX1Z Radio.jpg|NX1Z Radio.jpg]]
<gallery>
Image:NX1Z QSL.jpg|NX1Z QSL card example.jpg
Image:MonterayBayAq1.jpg|MonterayBayAq1.jpg
Image:FriendsOfWapackPatch1.jpg|FriendsOfWapackPatch1.jpg
Image:CalaverasBigTreesPatch1.jpg|CalaverasBigTreesPatch1.jpg
Image:DiscoveryTree1.jpg|DiscoveryTree1.jpg
Image:DiscoveryStumpInfo.jpg|DiscoveryStumpInfo.jpg
Image:CalaverasBigTrees1.jpg|CalaverasBigTrees1.jpg
Image:CalaverasBigTrees2.jpg|CalaverasBigTrees2.jpg
Image:CalaverasTreeTunnel1.jpg|CalaverasTreeTunnel1.jpg
Image:Watatic Fire Tower.jpg|Watatic Fire Tower.jpg
</gallery>

<center>
{{Pic of the day}}

User:NX1Z

2006-11-21T20:45:34Z

NX1Z:

[[Image:My Truck Climbing.jpg|left|thumb|My commute to work]]
[[Image:NX1Z Radio.jpg|left|thumb|My Amateur Radio Station]]

{{Boxboxtop|My Boxes}}
{{User USA}}
{{User New England}}
{{User Massachusetts}}
{{User en}}
{{User pt-0}}
{{User Pilot-1}}
{{user pro pilot}}
{{User militaryac}}
{{user amateur radio}}
{{user AM Radio}}
{{user FM Radio}}
{{user SW Radio}}
{{user hobby:Electronics}}
{{User:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Physics}}
{{User:Sushant/Userboxes/User Natural Sciences}}
{{user skygazing}}
{{user backpacking}}
{{user geocaching}}
{{user birder}}
{{User photography}}
{{User cigars}}
{{User:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Geology}}
{{user redundant}}
{{User overuse}}
{{Boxbottom}}

==Introduction==
Hello! My name is John O'Brien. I am a ham radio operator, hence my strange user name.

To be honest, I am a geek. My favorite thing to do is play with my radios. I have earned the highest class of license from the Federal Communications Commission to operate radios on the ITU and WARC Amateur radio bands. This makes me a "Ham" radio operator. My radio callsign is NX1Z. The coolest thing that I have ever done on the radio is talk to the Astronauts and Cosmonauts on the International Space Station. My other big hobbies are hiking and taking my truck off-road. I like to combine radio with my other hobbies, so I have radios that I take hiking with me and I have radios installed in my truck. Many people that I have met on the air (radio) have become life-long friends. Radio is the original internet (and it’s always been wireless) but there is no spam or viruses to slow things down.

Ham radio operators are always there to help in emergencies. They bridge the communication gaps when catastrophe strikes. Whether it’s a hurricane, earthquake, Tsunami or anything that disrupts the communications of the authorities, the ham radio operators step-up to keep the lifesaving communications going in times of disaster. When hams are not helping with emergencies, they communicate with each other just for the fun of it!

My new thing is flying. I plan on getting my private pilots license. I just want to fly for the fun of it and because it is an achievement that I would be proud of. I have only managed a few lessons, but I love what I have experienced so far.

==Family==
My best friend is my beautiful wife Licia. She is exactly opposite me, but that keeps things interesting. She is a Gemini so she has two personalities; I am the only one that knows them both. She makes fun of my radio hobby all the time even though she thinks that it is cool that I can talk to the Space Station. But she likes to talk to some of my friends on the radio too.

==Intentions==
As for Wikipeadia stuff, I want to contribute without stepping on peoples toes. I am not here to show people how smart I think I am about the things that I know about and will never claim to be expert of any topic. I am certainly not here to fight with people or ruin the hard work of other users. When I add photos to articles, I am NOT promoting myself. It’s just easier for copyright purposes to use pictures that I have taken myself.

==Articles created by NX1Z==
*Non Yet. Relax, I am working on it.

==Articles NX1Z contributed to==
*I copy edited some sections of [[Radio]] and added a pic of my amateur radio station.
*I added a picture to [[Rock crawling]] because it had no photos of rock crawling. Good article though!
*I added a picture to [[QSL card]] because there was no example of an Amateur (Ham) Radio QSL card.
*I added a picture to [[Monterey Bay Aquarium]] to show that there is an area for visitors to handle small animals like starfish.
*I added 5 pictures to [[Calaveras Big Trees State Park]] which show tree size, the tree tunnel and Discovery Tree info.

==Images NX1Z uploaded==
*[[:Image:My Truck Climbing.jpg|My Truck Climbing.jpg]]
*[[:Image:NX1Z Radio.jpg|NX1Z Radio.jpg]]
<gallery>
Image:NX1Z QSL.jpg|NX1Z QSL card example.jpg
Image:MonterayBayAq1.jpg|MonterayBayAq1.jpg
Image:FriendsOfWapackPatch1.jpg|FriendsOfWapackPatch1.jpg
Image:CalaverasBigTreesPatch1.jpg|CalaverasBigTreesPatch1.jpg
Image:DiscoveryTree1.jpg|DiscoveryTree1.jpg
Image:DiscoveryStumpInfo.jpg|DiscoveryStumpInfo.jpg
Image:CalaverasBigTrees1.jpg|CalaverasBigTrees1.jpg
Image:CalaverasBigTrees2.jpg|CalaverasBigTrees2.jpg
Image:CalaverasTreeTunnel1.jpg|CalaverasTreeTunnel1.jpg
Image:Watatic Fire Tower.jpg|Watatic Fire Tower.jpg
</gallery>

<center>
{{Pic of the day}}

Mount Watatic

2006-11-21T18:43:26Z

NX1Z: added photo of old Watatic fire tower

{{Infobox Mountain
| Name = Mount Watatic
| Photo =
| Caption =
| Elevation = 558 [[Metre|m]] / 1,832 [[Foot (unit of length)|ft]]
| Location = [[Ashburnham, Massachusetts|Ashburnham]] / [[Ashby, Massachusetts|Ashby]], [[Massachusetts]], [[USA]]
| Range = The Wapack Range
| Prominence =
| Coordinates = {{coor dms|42|41|48|N|71|53|33|W|type:mountain}}
| Type =
| Age =
| Last eruption =
| First ascent =
| Easiest route =
| Grid_ref_uk =
| Grid_ref_ireland =
| Listing =
| Translation =
| Language =
| Pronunciation =
}}
[[Image:Watatic Fire Tower.jpg|right|thumb|Old Watatic Fire Tower]]
'''Mount Watatic''' is a 1832 ft [[monadnock]] on the [[Massachusetts]]-[[New Hampshire]] border, near the southern endpoint of the [[Wapack Trail]]. Its base lies in [[Ashburnham, Massachusetts| Ashburnham]] and [[Ashby, Massachusetts]]. It was the site of several [[ski area]]s with [[ski tow|tow ropes]] that operated for several decades until closing in 1984. The bald summit of the mountain featured a [[fire lookout|fire tower]], open to the public, until its removal in 1997.

In 2000, the summit of the mountain was sold to Industrial Communications and Electronics for the development of a 150 ft [[Radio masts and towers|cellular telephone tower]] and a road to the summit. Prior to development, however, the mountain was purchased for $2,500,000 by the Ashby Land Trust, the Ashburnham Conservation Trust, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2002. The purchase resulted in the permanent protection of approximately 281 acres of the mountain, including the summit, as [[conservation movement|conservation land]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/rmp/rmp-mtWatatic.htm Mount Watatic State Reservation] – The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
*[http://www.nelsap.org/ma/watatic.html Lost Massachusetts Ski Areas]

==External links==
*[http://www.wapack.org/ Friends of the Wapack]
*[http://www.newenglandtrailreview.com/trail.asp?TID=156 Mount Wataic – New England Trail Review]

[[Category:Mountains of Massachusetts|Watatic, Mount]]

{{Massachusetts-geo-stub}}

{{Mapit-US-cityscale|42.697|-71.893}}

2006-11-14T19:15:29Z

NX1Z: Tweeked the placement of photos and created a gallery

[[Image:GiantStumpCalaverasNorthGrove.jpg|thumb|right|Discovery Tree stump]]
[[Image:CalaverasBigTrees2.jpg|right|thumb|Human compared to tree height]]

'''Calaveras Big Trees State Park''', located 4 miles (6 km) northeast of [[Arnold, California]] in the middle altitudes of the [[Sierra Nevada (US)|Sierra Nevada]] in [[Calaveras County, California|Calaveras County]], became a [[State Park]] in [[1931]] to preserve the North Calaveras Grove of [[Giant Sequoia]]s. It has been a major tourist attraction since [[1852]], when the existence of the trees was first widely reported, and is considered the longest continuously operated tourist facility in [[California]].

Over the years, other parcels of mixed conifer forests, including the much larger South Calaveras Grove of Giant Sequoias (purchased in [[1954]] for $2.8 million [[United States dollar|USD]]), have been added to the park to bring the total area to about 2600 ha (6,500 [[acres]]). The North Grove contains about 100 mature Giant Sequoias; the South Grove, about 1,000.

The North Grove included the 'Discovery Tree' noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852 and felled in [[1853]], leaving a giant stump which is the only remainder of the tree. It measured 24 [[foot (unit)|feet]] (7.3 [[metre|m]]) in diameter at its base and was counted by ring count to be 1,244 years old when felled.

In addition to the popular North Grove, the Park also now includes the South Grove, with a 5 mile (8 km) hiking trip through a spectacular grove of Giant Sequoias in their natural setting. The South Grove includes the 'Agassiz' tree, 74 m tall and 6.8 m diameter 2 m above ground (7.6 m diameter at the base), the largest tree in the Calaveras groves. It is named after zoologist [[Louis Agassiz]] (1807-1873).

Other attractions in the Park include the [[Stanislaus River]], Beaver Creek, the Lava Bluff Trail and Bradley Trail.

The Park also houses two main campgrounds with a total of 129 campsites, six picnic areas and hundreds of miles of established trails.

Other activities include cross-country skiing, evening ranger talks, numerous interpretive programs, environmental educational programs, junior ranger programs, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching and summer school activities for school children. Dogs are welcome in the park on leash in developed areas like picnic sites, campgrounds, roads and fire roads (dirt). Dogs are not allowed on the designated trails, nor in the woods in general.

<gallery>
Image:DiscoveryTree1.jpg|Discovery Tree stump and part of the felled tree
Image:DiscoveryStumpInfo.jpg|Discovery Tree information
Image:CalaverasBigTrees1.jpg|Human compared to base of tree
Image:CalaverasTreeTunnel1.jpg|Tunnel carved into a dead tree
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[List of sequoia groves]]
* [[List of California state parks]]

==External links==
* [http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=551 Calaveras Big Trees State Park Homepage]
* [http://www.bigtrees.org/ Calaveras Big Trees Association]
* {{Geolinks-US-cityscale|38.272833|-120.290495|10}}

[[Category:California state parks]]
[[category:Calaveras County, California]]

User talk:NX1Z

2006-11-13T21:32:45Z

NX1Z: /* Welcome */

Quinapoxet River

2006-11-13T21:01:41Z

NX1Z: Tweeked the placement of the dam and spillway images within the webpage so that they line-up.

{{Infobox_river | river_name = Quinapoxet River
| image_name = QuinapoxetHolden.jpg
| caption = View from Princeton Road in Holden
| origin = [[Princeton, Massachusetts]]
| mouth = [[Wachusett Reservoir]]
| basin_countries = [[USA]]
| length = 10.6 miles (17 km)
| elevation = 802 feet (244.4 m)
| discharge = 88 ft.³ /sec
| watershed = 57 square miles
}}
The '''Quinapoxet River''' is part of the [[Nashua River]] watershed. Its length is about 10.6 miles. It is part of the Massachusetts Water Resources Administration [[MWRA]] water system supplying drinking water to the greater [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] area.
==Description==
The Quinapoxet River heads in [[Princeton, Massachusetts]], the watershed generally known as the Upper Worcester Plateau, or the [[Mount Monadnock|Monadnock]] Upland. This watershed tops at [[Wachusett Mountain]], the highest feature in the area. Water flows east of this area feed the [[Nashua River]] Watershed and water flows west of this area feed the [[Ware River]] Watershed or the Millers River. This river flows through portions of Rutland and Holden before entering the confluence of the [[Stillwater River (Massachusetts)|Stillwater]] and [[Nashua River|Nashua]] Rivers at the [[Wachusett Reservoir]].

The Quinapoxet Dam in [[Holden, Massachusetts|Holden]] impounds 1,100.0 million gallons in the Quinapoxet Reservoir, a [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] drinking water supply, before being released to flow towards the [[Wachusett Reservoir]], joining the [[Stillwater River (Massachusetts)|Stillwater River]] (to become the south branch of the [[Nashua River]]) at the Oakdale section of [[West Boylston, Massachusetts|West Boylston]]. The city of Worcester can divert up to 36% of the Quinapoxet River water.
The Quinapoxet Dam is an earthen dam with a concrete spillway. The outflow is not adjustable so the reservoir only supplies excess water to the Quinapoxet River.
[[Image:QuinapoxetDam.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Quinapoxet Dam at Holden]]
[[Image:QuinapoxetSpillway.jpg|thumb|left|240px|The Quinapoxet Dam spillway]]
==Information==
The Quinapoxet and [[Stillwater River|Stillwater]] Rivers are the two major tributaries to the [[Wachusett Reservoir]]. The [[Wachusett Reservoir]] serves as the primary source of water for 2.5 million consumers in 43 communities of central and eastern [[Massachusetts]]. The U.S. Geological Survey ([[USGS]]), in cooperation with the [[Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)|DCR]] Department of Conservation and Recreation, operates stream-flow monitoring gages near the mouths of both rivers. This and other continuous monitoring serves to maintain the overall quality of water within the reservoir. The water of these tributaries to the [[Wachusett Reservoir]] has been of high quality for decades. [[Image:QuinapoxetHeadwaters.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Quinapoxet headwaters at Princeton]]

About 35% of the Quinapoxet sub-basin is protected open space ([[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]] reservoirs' surface water included). The City of [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]] owns the land that immediately surrounds each of its reservoirs and approximately 25% of its entire water supply watershed. It is a highly protected forest with no public access. Furthermore, the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority ([[MWRA]]) owns much of the land. The Town of [[Holden, Massachusetts|Holden]] owns over 600 acres as the Trout Brook Conservation Area, and Massachusetts [[Audubon Society]] owns several hundred acres in the Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary in addition to other properties within this sub-basin.

The lower Quinapoxet rates on alert for biology, chemistry and hydrology. Chaffin's Brook is considered a "moderately septic polluted stream" and its lower reach has noxious aquatic plants in an impoundment. Trout Brook in Holden is considered to be high quality habitat and have limited disturbance. There are a number of medium yield aquifers surrounding Holden center and to protect this resource the town has passed an aquifer protection bylaw.
{{MWRA overview}}
==References==
*[http://ma.water.usgs.gov/projects/Stillwater/stillwater.htm Stillwater River monitoring at Wachusett Reservoir]
*[http://www.nashuariverwatershed.org/5yr_plan/subbasins/quinapoxet.htm Quinapoxet River information]
*[http://ma.water.usgs.gov/projects/Stillwater/quinapoxet.htm Quinapoxet River monitoring at Canada Mills]
*[http://home.manhattan.edu/~walter.matystik/wcb/2/files/boston.htm Court order and statement of facts about MWRA facilities]
*[http://www.mwra.com/osu/whwtpfacts.htm The John J. Carroll Water Treatment Plant]

[[Category:Geography of Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Rivers of Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Water supply]]
{{Massachusetts}}

Monterey Bay Aquarium

2006-11-13T20:44:04Z

NX1Z: Rearanged pics to get rid of big blank space

{{Infobox zoo
|zoo_name=Monterey Bay Aquarium
|image=KelpAquarium.jpg
|image_caption=Kelp Forest Aquarium
|date_opened=[[October 20]], [[1984]]
|location=[[Monterey, California|Monterey]], [[California]], [[United States|USA]]
|num_animals=35,000
|num_species=623
|members=[[Association of Zoos and Aquariums|AZA]]
|website=http://www.mbayaq.org/
}}
[[Image:AquariumDiver.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A [[Surface supplied diving|surface supplied diver]] interacts with viewers while feeding the fish]]
[[Image:JellyfishAtMBA.jpg|thumb|300px|right|There are many special exhibits presented — such as these Spotted Jellies. (''[[Mastigias papua]]'')]]
[[Image:OuterBayEntrance.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Schooling fish in the Outer Bay exhibit.]]
[[Image:MonterayBayAq1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Exhibit allowing visitors to handle intertidal animals]]
The '''Monterey Bay Aquarium''', which is located in a former sardine cannery and a former brewery on [[Cannery Row]] in [[Monterey, California]], is one of the largest and most respected [[aquarium]]s in the world. It has an annual attendance of 1.8 million and holds 35,000 plants and animals representing 623 species.

Among the aquarium's numerous exhibits, two are of particular note. The centerpiece of the near shore wing is a 33-foot (10-m) high tank for viewing [[California]] coastal marine life. This tank was the first in the world to simulate tidal currents on a large scale, enabling the aquarium to keep live California Giant [[Kelp]] (water movement is a necessary precondition for keeping Giant Kelp, which absorbs nutrients from surrounding water and requires turbidity). The second exhibit of note is a one million gallon tank in the Outer Bay Wing which features the world's largest single paned window (crafted by a Japanese company, the window is actually 4 panes seamlessly glued together through a proprietary process).

Sealife on exhibit includes [[stingray]]s, [[jellyfish]], [[sea otters]], and numerous other native marine species, which can be viewed above and below the waterline. For displaying [[jellyfish]], the MBA uses a circular aquarium called a [[Kreisel Tank]]. Visitors are able to inspect the creatures of the kelp forest at several levels in the building. Beginning in September 2004, the Outer Bay exhibit was the home to the first [[Great White Shark]] ever successfully kept on exhibit. The shark was at the aquarium for 198 days(the previous record was 16 days). The shark was released on [[31 March]] [[2005]] after she bit two soupfin sharks in the exhibit, both of which later died. The aquarium staff believe the shark may have been acting to defend territory as she didn't actually eat either of the sharks. On the evening of August 31, [[2006]] the aquarium intoduced a second shark to the Outer bay exhibit. The juvenile male was caught outside [[Santa Monica Bay]] on August 17.[http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/01/MNG1IKTP904.DTL]

The aquarium's original building was designed by the architectural firm [[EHDD]] (Esherick Homsey Dodge and Davis) and opened on [[20 October]] [[1984]]. The aquarium's mission is to "to inspire conservation of the oceans." The aquarium's initial financial backing was provided by the late [[David Packard]], co-founder of [[Hewlett-Packard]]. Packard, an avid [[blacksmith]], personally created several exhibits for the aquarium at his forge in [[Big Sur]], including the gears and pulleys of a simulated tide machine. His daughter, the marine biologist [[Julie Packard]], is currently CEO of the aquarium.

In January 1996, the aquarium opened the new Outer Bay wing to provide exhibits covering the open-water ecology of Monterey's Outer Bay. Besides the above-mentioned million-gallon tank, another of the new exhibits included a school of 3000 anchovies (a fish that was once the foundation of Monterey's economy), swimming against the endless current of a [[toroid|toroidal]] tank.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium maintains a close relationship with the [[Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute]] (MBARI). MBARI is located in [[Moss Landing, California]], at the head of the submarine [[Monterey Canyon]]. It is renowned worldwide for its research on deep-sea marine life and other programs in [[marine biology]].

Monterey Bay is located within the [[Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary]] (MBNMS) a Federally-protected marine area (the equivalent of a saltwater national park) off California's central coast.

Many of the visitors to the aquarium are families who bring their children, particularly on the weekends. Many high school and college [[biology]] and [[oceanography]] classes in northern California also commonly visit the aquarium.

The aquarium is also home to [[Seafood Watch]], which publishes [[consumer guide]]s for responsible seafood purchasing.

==Cultural references==
The Aquarium appeared in the 1986 film ''[[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]]'', where it appeared as the '[[Cetacean]] Institute of Biology' in [[Sausalito, California|Sausalito]]. The main aquarium was overlaid with special effects to appear to be the tank home of two [[humpback whale]]s.

[[Jim Carrey]]'s character, Stephano, in the film ''[[Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events]]'', makes a reference to the aquarium when trying to convince Uncle Monty, a herpetologist, of his experience with snakes.

==External links==
* http://www.mbayaq.org/
* [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/oceansinglass/index.html PBS Nature: "Oceans in Glass: Behind the Scenes at the Monterey Bay Aquarium"]
* [http://www.cityitinerary.com/montereybayaquarium.html Insiders Guide to the Monterey Bay Aquarium]
* [http://www.montereybiz.com/ Monterey Visitors Guide and Business Directory]
* [http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/california/monterey-aquarium.php Monterey Bay Aquarium Virtual Tour]

[[Category:Aquaria in the United States]]
[[Category:Monterey County, California]]
[[Category:Oceanaria]]
[[Category:Tourism in California]]

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