RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

CRWA's Recent Accomplishments

River Protection Lawsuit Successful in Massachusetts Superior Court

After more than three years of legal battles, the Superior Court issued a landmark decision this summer affirming the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) broad authority to impose conditions to protect streamflow in water withdrawal permits.  The Court ordered DEP to develop a scientifically sound method for determining the safe yield of a river basin and to re-determine the safe yield of the Ipswich River basin.  The case, argued by CRWA’s General Counsel Margaret Van Deusen, sets the stage for improved water management and permitting in the Charles and across the state, and buys time to allow us to address necessary water infrastructure changes without further damaging the water environment. 

“Water friendly” Development Projects 

Harvard University’s Allston Campus -Working closely with Harvard’s Allston Development Group for over two years, CRWA has helped make water a focus of the University’s Science Complex and in the new Institutional Master Plan.  The new campus will include green roofs, rain gardens and water recycling, as well as public greenways providing access through the campus to the Charles River.

Green Streets - CRWA is working with the City of Boston to create the City’s first “green street” designed to use plants and soils to absorb and clean runoff from the roadway and sidewalks.  The Dorchester Peabody Square project will include permeable pedestrian plazas, street trees that absorb and clean runoff, and rain gardens.  CRWA also worked with the Allston-Brighton Greenspace Advocates to develop draft Green Street Guidelines, and organized neighborhood workshops on greening Everett, Market and Brook streets in Allston and Brighton. 

Water Budgets

CRWA is completing a Charles watershed-wide water budget analysis.  This ground-breaking work in water budgeting began in the Charles River watershed, but is applicable in other watersheds as well.  A water budget, comparable to balancing a checkbook, accounts for the amount of water that enters or leaves a watershed while quantifying human impacts on streamflow. Maps of streamflow stress will aid in prioritizing restoration efforts and could form the basis for initiating a trading program using water banking.

Phosphorus Loading Analysis

CRWA has just completed a five year analysis of the Charles from Echo Lake in Hopkinton to the Watertown Dam that determines the impacts of the nutrient phosphorus on the river, and then, via a complex computer model, assesses where the phosphorus pollution comes from.  Under contract to the MA Department of Environmental Protection, CRWA is the first nonprofit in the nation to undertake this sort of analysis.  Using the computer model to test land use solutions to the phosphorus problem, state and federal regulatory agencies (working with CRWA and Conservation Law Foundation) will be able to require dramatic reductions in phosphorus loading that will help restore the river and sustain water supplies.

Constant Vigilance

In many cases, CRWA is the only voice for the environment in the state’s environmental review process for development and redevelopment in the watershed. This year, CRWA advocated for stronger statewide water policy and protection of the Charles, and a reduction of stormwater impacts. We also brought attention to the Department of Environment Protection’s policies regarding the Water Management Act.  When the state issued the draft Charles River Bacteria TMDL, CRWA convened the technical advisory committee for this effort and assisted with field work and technical commentary.  Throughout the year, we have also commented on developments happening around the watershed, including proposals for docks under Chapter 91, Stone Ridge in Milford, and Chestnut Hill Square. Project proponents’ plans were changed in many cases to reflect our recommendations to minimize pollution and to recharge aquifers connected to the Charles. 

Finding Solutions to Stormwater Problems

CRWA and over 100 volunteers identified stormwater-related problems by conducting shoreline surveys and water quality monitoring of 40 river miles and eight tributaries to assess river corridor conditions, identify potential sources of pollution, and document pipe conditions.  All of the visual and water quality monitoring results, as well as recommendations to remediate the problems, were provided to the responsible  communities, landowners and federal and state regulators. In addition, CRWA developed an in-depth case study of three towns in New England that have developed stormwater utilities to help fund stormwater clean-ups.  South Burlington, Vermont, and Reading and Newton, MA now have reliable, regular income to pay for regulatory compliance and pilot programs.  CRWA shared the case study report with all 35 towns in the watershed, and is advocating for the development of dedicated funding programs for stormwater management.    

Water Quality Monitoring

Over 60 dedicated volunteers helped us complete our eleventh year of monthly water quality monitoring along the entire length of the Charles. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency uses the data for its annual Charles River “report card.” The data also guide the decisions of organizations and environmental agencies related to control of illicit connections, stormwater, and combined sewer overflows.

Color-Coded Water Quality Flags

Boaters in the Charles River Basin are currently benefiting from CRWA’s tenth season of signaling water quality conditions with color-coded flags from July through October. Red flags warn boaters of dangerous bacteria levels during warm weather months while blue flags signal suitable conditions. Flags were hoisted at nine boathouses and reported regularly on WBZ-4 newscasts, CRWA and boston.com websites, and CRWA’s hotline was publicized on the Boston Globe’s weather page.

 Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race

Over 1,500 competitors paddled in the 25th annual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race on April 29th, 2007. This popular event, which is North America’s largest flatbottom boat race, enhances public appreciation of the river as a recreational resource