REGATTA ROWERS TO RACE ON A CLEANER CHARLESBoston, MA - Rowers in this year’s Head of the Charles Regatta will be competing on a cleaner Charles River than in past years, according to the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA). Water quality data from the Charles River Basin, site of the world-class event, shows that the regatta course met state standards for boating 92% of time over the past five months — up from 84% over the same period in 1998. "We are pleased that the basin is generally safer for boaters due to a drop in bacterial levels over recent months," said CRWA’s Project Director Kathy Baskin. “A dry summer certainly helped minimize polluted runoff into the river, but even our wet weather data indicate an improvement in water quality. Progress has been measurable since the mid-1990’s, and that’s good news for rowers.” Water quality monitoring is part of CRWA’s real-time pollution warning program for boaters in the heavily-used, 10-mile segment between Boston and Cambridge. Fecal coliform levels are tested five days a week from May to October and reported back to nine boating facilities along the basin where red or blue flags are hoisted. Blue flags signal that the river meets acceptable bacteria levels. Red flags tell boaters that bacteria concentrations have reached unhealthy levels. Red flags typically fly after heavy rainfall when stormdrains and sewer system overflows discharge pollutants into the river. Rainy conditions resulted in some red flags this week. However, since the basin normally flushes itself out quickly, CRWA expects to be flying all blue flags by the weekend as rain tapers off. Generally in recent months, the basin met boating standards 87% of the time after heavy rain, compared to 99% in dry weather. Last year, those numbers were 72% and 97% respectively. CRWA’s flagging program relies on assistance from volunteers at Boston University Sailing Pavilion, Charles River Canoe and Kayak, Community Rowing Inc., Northeastern University’s Henderson Boathouse, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sailing Pavilion, Newton Yacht Club, Riverside Boat Club, and Harvard University’s Weld Boathouse. The program is funded primarily by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — New England with additional support from Metropolitan District Commission. Established in 1965, CRWA is the only organization whose sole mission is to protect the health, beauty and accessibility of the Charles River. The association also conducts a monthly water quality monitoring program along the entire length of the Charles, and promotes sustainable watershed management practices in 35 municipalities. Water quality data is posted on CRWA’s website at www.crwa.org. |