RIVER CURRENT
Your source for the latest news, updates, & events.
‘New initiatives aim to make Charles River and Mass. beaches more swimmable” —Read More in The Boston Globe
CRWA featured in a new Boston Globe article highlighting state-wide initiatives to increase waterbodies’ swimmability.
Stormwater Infiltration Basin Installed at Crafts St in Newton
Earlier this month, the City of Newton completed installation of a 50,000 cubic foot subsurface infiltration system along Cheesecake Brook at Crafts Street.
MA Appeals Court Defends Common-Sense Outdoor Watering Restrictions During Droughts (Press Release)
BOSTON, MA– The Massachusetts Appeals Court issued a ruling today that will allow state regulators to continue limiting non-essential outdoor watering during periods of drought, a critical tool to protect rivers and streams from running dry.
Cyanobacteria Bloom Reported in Lower Basin of Charles River (Press Release)
BOSTON, MA – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) this afternoon confirmed a significant cyanobacteria bloom in the lower basin of the Charles River and recommended a public health advisory.
Meet Your Watershed Rose Mallow Kayak Tour
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Rose Mallow Kayak Tour led by Boston University plant biologist Richard Primark!
Sick of Sewage in the Charles? It’s Time to Cut the Crap
Sick of sewage in the Charles River? Us too. Join us in telling officials to Cut The Crap. Sign our petition and send a pre-written message at cutthecrapcharles.org
Meet Your Watershed Plant Identification Walk in Dedham
On July 17, Russ Cohen led a walk in Dedham for community members to learn about local edible plant species found in the Charles River watershed.
Successful BioBlitz at Fuller Brook in Wellesley
On July 16, 2025, we hosted the first of two community science environmental surveys. How many observations do you think we logged?
Mid-Season Water Chestnut Removal Update
Two months into the invasive removal season, and our canoe-based efforts to remove water chestnut, focused on Red Wing Bay in Needham/Dover, have been extremely successful. So far, we’ve removed 35,297 pounds of invasive water chestnuts from the Charles River (1,680 baskets) thanks to the help of our incredible volunteers!
2025 Herring Run in Review!
Summer is in full swing, and the annual herring run is finished. Last month marked the end of CRWA’s fish monitoring field season, and the numbers are in!
A Boatload of Fun: Third Annual Indigenous Paddle
In June 2025, CRWA co-hosted the third annual Quinobequin Intertribal Paddle with Indigenous Peoples Day Newton along the Auburndale stretch of the Charles River (originally named the Quinobequin). Watch the video here!
Cheesecake Brook Restoration Project Receives National Attention—Read More In Yale Climate News
Thanks, Yale Climate Connections, for highlighting CRWA's Cheesecake Brook project in Newton this week!
Summer Means Cyanobacteria Season…Here’s What To Look For
Hot, dry summer conditions create ideal conditions for cyanobacteria blooms in the Charles River, and we need your help finding them. CRWA's Visual Cyanobacteria Monitoring program is an opportunity to be on the front lines of protecting public health in our watershed!
Massachusetts Municipal, Regional Planning, Watershed, and Conservation Organizations Support “Mass Ready Act” Climate Resilience Funding
The Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (Mass MVP) Coalition welcomes a substantial increase in proposed funding to the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant program, included in the “Mass Ready Act,” filed on Tuesday, June 24th.
Celebrating Nature-Based Solutions with Milford
This past weekend, Rita Barron Fellow Alfredo Con represented CRWA at the Milford Town Park Celebration, talking to community members about stormwater infrastructure and a healthy Charles River.
What’s under this parking lot? Stormwater Infiltration System Installed in Milford!
This may look like a normal parking lot, but beneath the surface lies a large underground infiltration system located near Fino Field in Milford.
Boston rivers are cleaner. But sewage, climate change threaten progress. —WBUR
“School’s out, and grades are in for Boston’s three major rivers,” writes WBUR Environmental Reporting Fellow Vivian La on this year’s Charles River Water Quality Report Card Grades. Read the full article
CRWA Urges Legislators To Eliminate Combined Sewer Overflows (Press Release)
BOSTON, MA – Joined by concerned residents dressed as poop emojis, members of Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) testified before the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources today, urging lawmakers to adopt critical legislation to eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in Massachusetts water bodies by 2050.
Deep Dive Into The Grades—2024 Charles River Report Card
On June 17, 2025, CRWA gathered with Mystic River Watershed Association, Neponset River Watershed Association, state and local leaders, and community partners to announce the 2024 Water Quality Report Card Grades for the three rivers that flow into Boston Harbor––the Neponset, the Charles, and the Mystic. What do the grades tell us?
Local Watershed Groups Announce 2024 Water Quality Report Card Grades for Boston’s Urban Rivers (Press Release)
Boston, MA – On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, watershed associations representing the Charles, Mystic, and Neponset river watersheds announced the latest Water Quality Report Card grades for the rivers that flow into Boston Harbor.