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Grant will fund a 'find it and fix it' program in the Charles and Mystic Rivers to determine water quality impairments and the actions needed to restore watershed health Waltham, MA - The Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) have received a $300,000 grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust that will enable the two organizations to work together to improve water quality polluted by stormwater runoff in the Charles and Mystic River watersheds. The project will address improving the quality of the watersheds by identifying and removing pollution caused by stormwater (non-point source pollution) that threatens public and aquatic health. "Both the Charles River and the Mystic River Watershed Associations have strong existing water monitoring programs that will be greatly enhanced through the grant we have received from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust," said Anna Eleria, project leader and senior scientist at the Charles River Watershed Association. "The focus of the program is to conduct a 'Find It and Fix It' program in the Charles and Mystic River watersheds, directing attention to the most important problems, increasing public awareness of these problems through their participation in conducting visual surveys and water quality monitoring, and creating a guide that can be used by other watershed organizations." According to Eleria, the project will address the need for eliminating high levels of bacteria and other pollutants that are the result of stormwater runoff, illicit connections of wastewater to the storm sewer systems and broken sewer pipes. The focus of the project is to identify and remove -more- the non-point source pollution that is presently impairing water quality. "Now we can identify the problems through visual surveys and water quality monitoring, share this information with federal, state and municipal officials and work with them to put control actions in place to fix the problems," she said. Nancy Hammett, Executive Director of the Mystic River Watershed Association, agrees. "We are very grateful to the Massachusetts Environmental Trust for giving us this grant," she said. "By collaborating with CRWA, we can share ideas and resources, develop common strategies for addressing similar non-point source problems, and avoid duplicated efforts in those communities that cross our watershed boundaries." The project in the Charles River watershed will focus on twelve towns: Boston, Cambridge, Brookline, Watertown, Brighton/Allston, Newton, Waltham, Wellesley, Needham, Dedham, Natick and Westwood. The Massachusetts Environmental Trust protects and preserves the Commonwealth's water resources and their ecosystems through its unique and diverse grant making programs. The ability to support critical environmental initiatives throughout Massachusetts stems primarily from the sales of specialty environmental license plates and the proceeds from environmental litigation settlements. The three-year project will identify potential sources of non-point source pollution, track and monitor suspected 'hot spots', support remediation of pollution problems, guide water quality enforcement, and provide public education and knowledge transfer. ### Charles River Watershed Association's uses science, advocacy and the law to protect, preserve and enhance the Charles River and its watershed. One of our country's first watershed organizations, CRWA was formed in 1965 in response to public concern about the declining condition of the Charles River. Since its earliest days of advocacy, CRWA has figured prominently in major clean-up and watershed protection efforts that have dramatically improved the health of the Charles. The Mystic River Watershed Association's mission is to protect and restore clean water and related natural resources in the Mystic River basin's communities and to promote responsible stewardship of our natural resources through educational initiatives. Our overarching goal is to make the Mystic River fishable and swimmable by 2010.
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