RIVER CURRENT
Your source for the latest news, updates, & events.
CRWA Secures $39,000 State Grant To Advance Drought Resiliency Planning Amid Ongoing Drought (Press Release)
Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) was awarded $39,000 from the Drought Resiliency and Water Efficiency (DRWE) Grant Program to help watershed communities reduce outdoor water use on municipal property to effectively prepare for future drought conditions.
The MWRA cleaned up Boston Harbor. It’s time for it to do the same for the Charles and Mystic rivers. — Op-Ed in The Commonwealth Beacon
Read the new opinion piece in The Commonwealth Beacon by CRWA Executive Director Emily Norton and CRWA Board President Paul Levy.
CRWA In The News: ‘Environmental Groups Push Back on MWRA Plan Allowing Sewage Overflows Into Charles’
A new article in The Harvard Crimson mentions CRWA alongside Save the Alewife Brook and the Mystic River Watershed Association, expressing disappointment in the MWRA’s recent decision to continue dumping sewage into our waterways.
MWRA Decides It’s Too Expensive to Stop Discharging Sewage into the Charles
On February 25, 2026, a vote was taken to continue sewage discharges into the Charles River forever. The reason? MWRA says it would be too costly. But how much would it actually impact ratepayers?
Watch it Now: Reconnecting Rivers
We’re excited to announce the public release of Reconnecting Rivers, a short film exploring dam removal efforts in the Charles River watershed and beyond to restore ecosystem health, wildlife habitat, and Indigenous sovereignty.
Volunteer Spotlight: Daniel Reeves
We want to take a minute to thank longtime volunteer Daniel Reeves, who began volunteering for CRWA in 2020 through Code for Boston, a volunteer organization that connects software developers to non-profits.
MWRA Board Votes To Continue Dumping Sewage Into The Charles For Decades (Press Release)
On February 25, 2026, the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) voted to approve an infrastructure plan that would allow sewage discharges into the Charles River forever.
Partner Spotlight: X-Cel Conservation Corps
We want to take a moment to congratulate our partner, X-Cel Conservation Corps, on the release of its very impressive 2025 Program Report.
Clearing the Current of Invasive Species
This week (February 23-27) is National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW)!.
CRWA In The News: As snowbanks begin to melt, road salt poses a threat to New England’s freshwater ecosystems (The Boston Globe)
Read the new article by The Boston Globe featuring CRWA’s Climate Resilience Director Julie Wood on the impact of road salt on our tributaries.
Welcome, Amanda, CRWA's Rita Barron Fellow
We are excited to welcome Amanda Darby as our new Rita Barron Fellow! In this role, she will support the River Science and Restoration programs.
Celebrating Black History Month
Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate and uplift Black history, Black stories, and Black joy in our watershed and beyond. February isn’t just a time to celebrate Black history; it’s also a time to uplift Black futures by highlighting contemporary voices. Looking for resources or ways to celebrate? We have some ideas to get you started!
Thank you for joining us! Boston Climate Social
On February 3, we joined the City of Boston and other community partners for a Green Infrastructure Planning & Flood Mapping Climate Social.
Water Authority Proposes Another Weak Plan That Would Continue Sewage Dumping in Charles River (Press Release)
BOSTON, MA – Following a wave of public outrage in October over a proposed plan to allow for sewage to continue to be dumped into the Charles River forever, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) proposed a new plan to its Board of Directors today, representing an improvement but falling short of eliminating combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and subjecting Boston area residents to a future of sewage dumping in larger rain storms.
Registration Opens for 27th Annual Charles River Earth Day Cleanup (Press Release)
The 27th Annual Charles River Earth Day Cleanup will take place on Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25, 2026, and volunteer registration is now open at CharlesRiverCleanup.org!
Welcome, Interns
We’re happy to welcome our new interns!
Cheesecake Brook Timelapse
With the help of the City of Newton, we installed two chronolog photo stations by the tributary.
Thanks to YOU, Pressure Builds on MWRA to Eliminate CSOs
Nearly 350 community members joined CRWA, Save the Alewife Brook, Mystic River Watershed Association, and Green Cambridge on January 11 for a public meeting on plans to address combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in Boston’s waterways.
Thank you for joining us! Reconnecting Rivers Screenings
This month, we hosted two screenings of our new short film, Reconnecting Rivers, which we produced with Turnaround Films.
CRWA Awarded $500K in Federal Funding to Help Protect Watershed Communities from Flooding (Press Release)
BOSTON, MA – Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is excited to announce that it will receive $500,000 in federal funding to work with communities to identify and advance effective flood reduction opportunities in the Charles River watershed. The funds are a part of a congressionally-directed spending bill for FY 26, and were secured by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.