Achievements
Awards and Honors

• Reached proposed settlement in a lawsuit with the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to strengthen stormwater protections in the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) general permit.
• Establishment of the Charles River Climate Compact in 2019.
• Removal of the Old Mill Dam in Bellingham in 2016.
• National recognition of the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup from American Rivers for the last 4 consecutive years. We have had the Most Pounds of Trash Collected and Most Volunteers Mobilized.
• Implementation of the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority Long-Term Combined Sewer Overflow Plan, which minimizes sewage overflows into the river during storms.
• Introduction of the American Shad Restoration Program and the return of the American shad to the Charles.
• Development of Charles River Nutrient TMDL "total maximum daily load" studies.
• Creation of the Blue Cities Initiative for water-sensitive urban development demonstration projects.
• Issuance of 13 Charles watershed conservation-oriented public water supply permits with mitigation offset feasibility requirements.
• New draft municipal stormwater permits and EPA’s pilot exercise of Residual Designation Authority to control private property stormwater runoff in the towns of Milford, Bellingham, and Franklin, MA.
• Boston’s Complete Streets Guidelines with goals for “greening” City streets and achieving stormwater targets.
• Winner of the 2011 Thiess International Riverprize for visionary and sustainable excellence in river management.
• Fish ladder repair and replacement and Bleachery Dam Fish Passage Improvement Project in 2005.
• Creation of the Natural Valley Storage Area in 1974; 8,000 acres of protected wetlands prevent downstream flooding, provide extensive natural habitat, replenish water supplies, and filter out many pollutants from entering the Charles.