CRWA and Milford Secure $600K State Grant to Restore Godfrey Brook and Reduce Flood Risks (Press Release)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 23, 2025
Contact: Stefan Geller, Senior Communications Manager
Email: sgeller@crwa.org
Phone: 781.572.9341
MILFORD, MA – Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), in partnership with the Town of Milford, has secured nearly $600,000 in funding through the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant Program to lead flood mitigation and climate resilience work in the Town’s Godfrey Brook subwatershed.
The MVP grant will fund a multi-year effort to study and address flooding and water quality challenges along Godfrey Brook and its tributaries, Hospital and O’Brien Brooks. As part of the project team, CRWA will assess existing brook conditions and propose and design nature-based solutions, such as wetland restoration, floodplain reconnection and stream daylighting. This project will result in permit-ready designs for priority projects that will protect residents, businesses, and infrastructure from worsening climate-driven storms while enhancing the ecological health of the Charles River.
“Godfrey Brook has been overlooked for too long, even though it runs right through the heart of Milford and affects so many people,” said Executive Director Emily Norton. “This funding gives us the chance to not just fix flooding problems, but to reimagine the brook as something healthier and more valuable for the community.”
Godfrey Brook flows through densely developed parts of Milford, including areas near Milford Regional Medical Center and discharging upstream of the Town’s wastewater treatment plant. Over the decades, the brook has been channelized and buried, leaving it prone to flooding during heavy rains. With climate change bringing more intense storms, Milford faces increasing risks without intervention.
“This project is a great example of how partnership between municipalities and nonprofits can deliver real benefits for communities,” Norton added. “Thanks to state support, we can move Milford toward solutions that protect public health and infrastructure while restoring natural habitats.”
The MVP Program provides support for communities across Massachusetts to identify climate hazards, increase resilience, and implement priority projects.
###
Charles River Watershed Association’s mission is to protect, restore and enhance the Charles River and its watershed through science, advocacy, and the law. CRWA develops science-based strategies to increase resilience, protect public health, and promote environmental equity as we confront a changing climate.