RIVER CURRENT
Your source for the latest news, updates, & events.
Massachusetts CSOs Make International News
AP News released an article on combined sewer overflows in Massachusetts, highlighting the grassroots organizations (like CRWA) that are fighting back!
CRWA in the News—“Advocates push for removal of ‘defunct’ Charles River dams that pose flood risk, disrupt ecosystems”
CRWA’s River Restoration Director Lisa Kumpf was interviewed this week by WBZ News Boston for a story on the importance of dam removal for river restoration. Watch it now or read the article.
“Wellesley High senior Riley Spangler honored by CRWA for environmental leadership” Read More in the Swellesley Report
“Wellesley High School senior Riley Spangler is proving that environmental stewardship doesn’t require a trip to a remote rainforest—it can begin right in one’s own backyard. Last month, at the Charles River Watershed Association’s (CRWA) annual meeting, Spangler was recognized for her years of dedication to the health of the Charles River, receiving the prestigious 2025 Young Leaders Award.”
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.
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.
CRWA in the News: Emily Norton on Jim & Margery
On December 8, CRWA's Executive Director, Emily Norton, appeared on GBH's popular radio show, Boston Public Radio, with hosts Jim Braude and Andrea Cabral (subbing in for Margery Eagan) to discuss MWRA's proposal to allow sewage to continue to be discharged into the Charles River.
Emptying Sewage into the Charles? (WBZ, Boston’s News Radio)
CRWA’s Executive Director Emily Norton was invited to NightSide with Dan Rea.
MWRA Postpones Vote on Proposal to Dump Sewage in Charles River— Read More in The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, and more!
CSOs are once again making headlines this month, following the MWRA Board of Directors' decision to table a scheduled vote on the proposal at its November 19 meeting after a wave of public outrage,.
Read press coverage in The Boston Globe, WGBH, and The Harvard Crimson—Water Authority Considers Removing Charles River’s Safe-to-Swim Status To Allow Sewer Overflows
On October 29, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) revealed its long-awaited plan for addressing combined sewage overflows (CSOs) in the Charles: do next to nothing! Read press coverage in The Boston Globe, WGBH, and The Harvard Crimson.
New FEMA flood maps prompt questions, concerns across Massachusetts— CRWA in the CommonWealth Beacon
In July, FEMA released updated flood maps across the Charles, Nashua, and Merrimack watersheds, and many residents are finding that their homes are now included in flood zones for the first time. Read the CommonWealth Beacon article featuring CRWA.
Charles River Watershed Association Named Official Charity Partner of the Boston Marathon (Press Release)
Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is excited to announce that it has been named an official charity partner of the 130th Boston Marathon® presented by Bank of America.
“Now you see it, now you don’t: Canterbury Brook could be key to flood mitigation efforts in Mattapan” —Dorchester Reporter
Check out this recent Dorchester Reporter article about the ongoing restoration of Canterbury Brook, “the Brook has seen better days, but its meandering underground and above-ground channel could become a critical piece in efforts to set up stormwater mitigation for a large portion of Mattapan.”
Fed up, groups demand solution to sewer overflows — State House News Service
Great to read this new article by State House News Service (SHNS) featuring local efforts to eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSOs) from Massachusetts waterbodies, featuring CRWA’s Cut the Crap campaign.
Governor Healey Launches Nation-Leading Biodiversity Initiative
Earlier this month, the Healey-Driscoll Administration launched a nation-leading 25-year biodiversity initiative that will help restore rivers, forests, and habitats across the state.
CRWA on Jim & Margery: "We need to be angry that we can't swim in the Charles River"
On Wednesday, August 20, Senior Stormwater Program Manager Max Rome was a guest on Boston Public Radio to discuss the water quality of the Charles River
Boston Takes On Dirty Stormwater — Sierra Club Magazine
A new Sierra article highlights the most significant challenge we’re experiencing regarding a clean Charles River: stormwater.
‘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.
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.