RIVER CURRENT
Your source for the latest news, updates, & events.
Release: Question 6, the Protect Water and Nature Ballot Initiative, Passes Overwhelmingly
130+ Conservation Groups, Land Trusts, & Community Organizations Supported Ballot Question 6 to Create Dedicated Nature for All Fund for Water and Land Conservation in Massachusetts — Without Raising Taxes.
Join the first Metro Boston Restoration Partnership Meeting on November 16!
We’re looking forward to the inaugural meeting of the new Metro Boston Restoration Partnership on Monday, November 16th, from 4 - 5 PM. We hope you’ll join us!
Happy Halloween from CRWA!
Happy Halloween!
Apply Today: Teen Environmental Writing Competition
New opportunity for teens to share their passion for nature and the environment: Teens ages 13-19 can enter Write the World’s writing competition for free, from November 2-23.
Biological Monitoring with MassBay and CRWA
CRWA is partnering with MassBay Community College students for our Benthic Macroinvertebrate program, which allows us to efficiently collect high-quality data for multiple streams while also providing students with an opportunity to gain real-world environmental experience.
Join CRWA’s Young Professionals Board
CRWA is seeking passionate young professionals (ages 25 - 40) to join our Young Professionals Board for its second year.
New Drought-Resilient Landscape Designs To Help Watershed Municipalities & Residents Combat Drought
Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and the Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC) recently released the Drought-Resilient Landscape Design Guide: A Toolkit for Massachusetts Communities. Check out the guide!
Northeastern Co-ops Earn 2nd Place in Charitable Giving Pitch
Congratulations to William Leavitt, Arabella Hubbauer, and Izzy Heide, Northeastern students completing a co-op with MFS, for earning 2nd place in MFS Investment Management’s Charitable Giving Pitch Program!
A victory toss at the Head of the Charles could mean an E. coli bath (Boston Globe)
The iconic Head of the Charles Regatta highlighted the Charles’ lingering water quality challenges. We’re thankful for Boston Globe coverage featuring CRWA’s Clean Water Director Max Rome and board member and Head of the Charles rower Susie Klein
Back In The Boat: A Q&A with Lee Cole-Chu, Rower of the 2026 and Inaugural 1965 Head of the Charles Regatta
In 1965, at just 16 years old, Leeland “Lee” Cole-Chu competed in the first-ever Head of the Charles (HOCR). It was the same year CRWA was founded, and The Standells released their iconic song “Dirty Water”. Now, 61 years later, Lee returns to the Charles to compete in the world’s largest three-day regatta once again. We sat down with Lee ahead of the 2026 HOCR to learn more about his lifetime of rowing.
Letter to the Editor: Magazine Beach plan is problematic for the Charles River Watershed Association too. (Cambridge Somerville Independent)
We’re grateful to the Cambridge Somerville Independent for publishing our Letter to the Editor in response to MWRA’s recent proposal to take away Magazine Beach sports field for a stormwater tank.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 to October 15 was National Hispanic Heritage Month, a month-long celebration of Hispanic history and culture! Here are just some of the activists with Hispanic heritage who have made invaluable contributions to the environmental movement:
Meet Our Fall Interns
We’re excited to welcome our fall 2026 cohort of interns at CRWA!
Welcome, New Staff!
We are pleased to announce the addition of two new staff members to our growing team.
Inaugural Clean Charles Convening November 19
We’re excited to announce the inaugural Clean Charles Convening, a free, interactive opportunity to hear from the scientists, resource managers, and advocates working to understand, protect, and improve the Charles River ecosystem.
CRWA Talks Sustainability with EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper
On September 29, CRWA’s Executive Director Emily Norton joined fellow environmental advocates and Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper and her leadership team for a discussion on the progress made toward a sustainable, healthy Commonwealth over the last few years and how we can collaborate to accomplish more in the future.
Snapshots from Across the Watershed
This month, we hosted eight free ‘Meet Your Watershed’ events, providing residents with opportunities to explore the Charles River and its watershed in new ways or deepen the relationship they already have.
9,700 Pounds of Water Chestnut Removed
Over the last three summers, CRWA has helped manage the invasive water chestnut (Trapa natans) presence in the Redwing Bay area of the Charles River in Dover and Needham. This summer, regrowth was severely reduced at the start of the season, allowing us to clear both coves completely after only the first few weeks.
Cheers to the Charles! Sunset Soirée
On September 22, we celebrated the friends and supporters who make our work possible while cruising through Boston Harbor at sunset.
September 22, 2026: Cyanobacteria Bloom Advisory Lifted!
On September 22, the Cyanobacteria Bloom Advisory in the Lower Basin of the Charles River, downstream of the Boston University Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences Building (aka “Jenga Tower”), was officially lifted.