Charles River Watershed Association

We are still buzzing with joy and gratitude after our recent Sunset Soirée cruise on the Charles River! A huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for such a memorable celebration on our beloved river. Your support makes our mission to protect, restore, and enhance the Charles River watershed possible. It was fantastic to hear about the important role of beavers from author Leila Philip, reconnect with friends and partners, and reflect on the work ahead to deliver a clean, resilient Charles River for generations to come. Here’s to continuing our work with the same commitment in the year ahead!

We are #hiring for the prestigious Rita Barron Fellowship! Named in honor of our esteemed second Executive Director, Rita Barron, who worked for fifteen years as a pioneering river and watershed protection leader, the Fellowship provides an opportunity for a qualified early career/career change candidate to work in an exciting organization under the direction of some of the country’s leading water resources scientists and advocates. Previous Fellows have transitioned to permanent roles at CRWA or gone on to pursue a range of careers in water resources, including working with the state and federal government, environmental non-profits, consulting, or pursuing further education. ?? Apply now and join a legacy of leadership in environmental stewardship: https://lnkd.in/e4ngntDN

Today, we worked with a team from Protobrand to remove invasive bittersweet from Cutler Park in Needham. This dedicated team relieved the stresses that Bittersweet was putting on the trees and plants in the area and helped reduce the amount to return by removing the berries from the area, which is their primary method of spreading. Learn more about the work we are doing to combat invasive plants at https://lnkd.in/ekhZmn9K

Great read by Boston Globe Media ?? Climate change is causing intense summer heat, yet our community lacks accessible swimming areas where residents can cool off. We commend New York for its investment and forward-thinking approach to such essential amenities! We are committed to making the Charles River safe for swimming, but this effort highlights a broader environmental justice issue: equitable access to recreational spaces: https://lnkd.in/entPg3VK

Thank you Eli Rosenberg and NBC Boston Stations for reporting on our latest grade on the cleanliness of the Charles River. We have been working with USEPA every year to use our data (collected by our amazing volunteer monthly monitors) to issue a grade of the Charles River, so that the public can see how close we are to achieving the promise of the Clean Water Act of "fishable, swimmable" rivers. We are not there but with public support for the necessary additional investments, particularly around reducing stormwater runoff and sewage discharges, we will get there. CutTheCrapCharles.org to take action! https://lnkd.in/esqsa_kv

The grades are in! We are excited to share the latest US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Quality Report Card grades for our beloved Charles River alongside the Mystic River Watershed Association and Neponset River Watershed Association. ?? This year’s report highlights our progress and ongoing challenges in ensuring clean and safe rivers across the Commonwealth. We acknowledge the strides made since our "Dirty Water" days, but there's more work ahead. Thank you to all our partners, volunteers, and community members for your continued support. Let’s keep striving for cleaner, healthier rivers! ?? https://lnkd.in/e7Hw2NeD

As tropical storm Debby moves past Boston with minimal impact, it's a crucial moment for all of us to reflect on our storm preparedness strategies. ? The Bay State Banner newspaper has rightly highlighted the importance of storm readiness in light of increasing storm and flood frequency due to climate change. Check out the article: https://lnkd.in/e9t8ugiX

?? The Charles River Climate Compact is celebrating its 5-year anniversary! ?? Join us in celebrating five years of amazing regional collaboration and accomplishments through our volunteer municipal partnership ?? By working together and taking a watershed-wide approach to implementing #climateadaptation and mitigation solutions, we can be more effective and efficient! ? ?? ?? Thank you to our dedicated municipal representatives and our Climate Resilience team, Julie Wood & Nadhirah (Dira) Johanif, GIP, for leading this important effort ?? ?? Learn more at https://lnkd.in/dvq_kzXY

Big thanks to everyone who joined our Alewife Stormwater Wetland tour this week. We explored this 3.4-acre constructed wetland that manages stormwater from 420 acres, diving into its history, partnerships, and maintenance. Special shoutout to Duke Bitsko for his valuable insights!

Charles River Climate Compact had it's one year strategic plan review session last week!! Lots of a great accomplishments and lots of excitement ahead!