RIVER CURRENT
Your source for the latest news, updates, & events.
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.
Community Members Come Together to Discuss I-90 Project: What We Learned
Thank you to the 30+ community members who joined us earlier this month to discuss the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project and share thoughts on design options to improve water quality and naturalize the riverbank. Here are the key takeaways.
Six Ways You Can Celebrate National Rivers Month
June is National Rivers Month, an opportunity to celebrate the beauty of our rivers and the importance of vital freshwater systems. Looking for ways you can help protect our watershed this June? We have some ideas to get you started!
Charles River Watershed Association Testifies at the State House
Earlier this week, Climate Resilience Director Julie Wood and Restoration & Engagement Associate Emilia Dick Fiora del Fabro testified before the state’s Environmental and Natural Resources Committee on behalf of two pieces of climate resilience legislation: the Flood Regionalization Bill and the Drought Management Bill.
Charles River Watershed Association and Indigenous Peoples Day Newton to Host Quinobequin Intertribal Paddle (Press Release)
Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and Indigenous Peoples Day (IPD) Newton are co-hosting the third annual Quinobequin Intertribal Paddle on Saturday, June 28 on the Auburndale section of the Charles River.
Volunteer Spotlight: Grant Secured for Biological Monitoring Program 🎉
Many thanks to Riley Spangler, who wrote and was awarded a $500 grant from the National Charity League (NCL) Wellesley Chapter to support CRWA’s Biological Monitoring program!
Mitigating Flooding in Needham Using Stormwater Solutions
An exciting flood mitigation project is coming to Needham! Thank you, Needham Channel News, for amplifying this story and featuring Community Organizer Arrianna Proia.
Thank you for joining us! 2025 Herring Festival
Huge thank you to the 200+ people who joined us in celebrating annual fish migration at our 2025 Herring Festival!
Herring Migration and Festival Coming to Charles River — Waltham Times
“The number of herring making the annual run is an indicator of whether the river is running as it should. To help determine that, the Charles River Watershed Association will work with volunteers to monitor the migration.”"
Charles River Watershed Association to Host 2025 Herring Festival on Sunday, May 18 in Watertown (Press Release)
WATERTOWN, MA – Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) will host its 2025 Herring Festival this Sunday, May 18 at the Watertown Dam, a family-friendly event celebrating the annual migration of fish from the ocean into the Charles River.
Charles River Watershed Association partners with Virridy to test Lume™ E. coli monitoring sensor in the Charles (Press Release)
The Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) has partnered with Virridy, a water quality monitoring and environmental data science company, to test Virridy’s Lume™ E.coli sensor in the Charles River as part of CRWA’s water quality monitoring program.
Clean Water Act Updates
CRWA Defends Drought-Related Water Conservation Measures in Court
CRWA was in the Massachusetts Court of Appeals on April 14 to defend common sense water conservation requirements during times of drought.
ACTION ALERT: Ensure Massachusetts Fully Funds The Agencies That Protect Our Environment!
Contact your legislator today and urge them to prioritize environmental funding!
Op-Ed: “A Swimmable Charles River? It’s possible.” (Boston Globe)
“In just the past two years, more than 100 million gallons of sewage flowed into the river from 63 storm events. Swimming is prohibited except by special permit, and even rowers, paddlers, and sailors are warned to stay out of the water for 48 hours after a sewage discharge.” Read more in the Boston Globe.
CRWA Hangs ‘Cut The Crap’ Banner Over I-90 To Protest CSOs In Charles River (Press Release)
Members of the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) donned poop emoji costumes and hung a banner reading “Cut The Crap” over Interstate 90 today, kicking off the organization’s campaign to help end combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the Charles River.
“Is MassDOT ready to admit that Allston needs more trains and fewer lanes?” CRWA Featured in Streetsblog Mass
We are thankful to Christian MilNeil for including CRWA in his Streetsblog Mass article, “The Path Forward for Allston’s Highway Megaproject Is Getting Narrower.”
CRWA at 35th Annual Nonpoint Source (NPS) Conference
CRWA’s Max Rome and Alfredo Con, joined by Leigh Munier (CREW), took the trip to Portland Maine to catch an April snowstorm and present on recent developments with the Charles River Climate Compact.