Join CRWA for the Watertown Dam Herring Festival on Saturday, June 8th! Come and celebrate the annual migration of Alewife, Blueback Herring, and American Shad from the ocean into the Charles River. This exciting event will feature live music, community art activities, an Indigenous performance, and engaging activities suitable for all ages.
Attend to learn about fish migration, dam removal, climate change, and resilience at stations throughout the festival. Join guided walks around the Watertown Dam and explore several booths, including a fishing demonstration by Trout Unlimited, a River of Dreams fish trivia booth, and an art build led by local artist Kari Percival. Exciting raffle prizes await lucky winners at the raffle station. Additionally, attendees can get creative with activities like making fish-themed hats and screen-printing commemorative t-shirts.
We hope to see you there! Each spring, the Charles River becomes a vital spawning ground for diadromous fish species such as the Alewife, Blueback Herring, and American Shad. These fish, beyond their cultural significance, are key players in the ecosystem. However, their migration is hindered by defunct dams, leading to a decline in their populations. The Watertown Dam removal project is a crucial step towards restoring their habitat and supporting biodiversity in the river.
Dam removal is a pressing issue in Massachusetts as aging dams disrupt river ecosystems and hinder fish migration. The 2016 inspection report deemed the Watertown Dam in "poor" condition. CRWA, in collaboration with the Department of Ecological Restoration, conducted the Watertown Dam Removal Feasibility Study, released in June 2021, demonstrating the urgency and feasibility of removing the dam and restoring the river.
Learn more about dam removal >
For more information on why removing defunct dams is critical to restoring the Charles, explore this StoryMap >