fall 2007 streamer newsletter, charles river watershed association

8/9/2019 Fall 2007 Streamer Newsletter, Charles River Watershed Association

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Using science, advocacy, and the law to protect, preserve and enhance the Charles River and its watershed.

Charles River Watershed Association is a 501(c)(3) non-pro t Phone 781-788-0007 Web www.charlesriver.org

Vol. 37, No. 3Fall 2007

The newsletter of the Charles River Watershed Association

T his summer, as in 2006, periodic blooms of toxic blue-green algae rendered sections of the Charles unsafe for contact, prompting of cials to post warning signs and boatclubs and boaters to be on the lookout. Fortunately, be -fore this years blooms began, CRWA worked closely withthe Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) andother state agencies and volunteers to develop a standard -ized monitoring protocol, a public noti cation program, anda series of fact sheets so river users would not be caughtunaware.

Under the new protocol monitoring for blue-greenalgae is conducted once every two weeks at four locations.If blue-green algae cell counts are found to exceed 70,000cells per 100 milliliters of water, or if the levels of toxin ex -ceed 14 parts per billion, the river is considered potentiallyunsafe for contact. If either level is reached, warning signsare then posted in that area of river and red ags are ownat the boathouses that participate in CRWAs water quality

agging program. Because toxins can persist in the water for several weeks after visual signs of blue-green algae havedisappeared, weekly sampling will take place until bothtoxin levels and cell counts are back below the threshold

levels. CRWA and Charles River volunteer Roger Frymire began collecting samples at the end of June, and signs of blue-green algae were detected near the Charles River Damwithin the rst two weeks of the program. A noticeable

bloom an explo -sion of blue-greenalgae growth wasdetected along theshores of the Espla -nade on July 17th

by of cials from theU.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agen -cy. It looked as if the Charles River Swim, scheduledfor July 21st, might

be called off for thesecond year in a row.Fortunately, coolcloudy weather andlight rain dispersed

the bloom. CRWAs careful monitoring of water qualityconditions in the speci c area of the race, as well as gener -ally throughout the lower basin, gave race organizers andstate of cials the con dence they needed that it was safe tohold the swim.

In the Charles, a number of factors appear to con -tribute to blue-green algae blooms: low river ow levels;warm water temperatures; and high levels of nutrients, es -

pecially phosphorus. Ironically, the increased clarity of thecleaner Charles also makes algae grow better. CRWAswork to increase summer ow levels, and to reduce bothheat and phosphorus loads to the river, should signi cantlyreduce blue-green algae blooms.

We are working closely with federal and state of -cials to understand the causes of nutrient overloading to theriver (which include rainwater runoff from streets, buildingsand parking lots, and wastewater treatment plant discharges)and to develop solutions to limit nutrients. CRWA has also

been working closely with the Conservation Law Founda -tion (CLF) to force state agencies and private companies toclean up their discharges. Last year, CRWA and CLF led alawsuit against the Mass Highway Department, demanding

that polluted highway runoff be cleaned up, and challengedthe Mirant Kendall power plants permit that would allowthem to discharge more than 70 millions gallons a day of hotwater directly into the Charles River. However, until more

progress is made, we can expect blue-green algae bloomsto be an ongoing

problem in the riv -er.

CRWAs blue-green algae moni -toring and water quality agging

programs are sup - ported in part bythe Boston Water and Sewer Com -mission and by agrant from REI.

- by Kate Bowditch, CRWA

Director of Projects

Blue-Green Algae Blooms Return to the Charles

2007 Charles River One-Mile Swim a Success!

On July 21, approximately 70 swimmers took part in the the rst of -cial swim in the Charles River Lower Basin in more than 50 years.

Water quality monitoring by CRWA and state agencies ensured thatthe swim could proceed as planned, despite earlier concerns about

blue-green algae and bacteria levels. The event was organized by theCharles River Swimming Club.


2/82 STREAMER Fall 2007

In a landmark victory for MA river protection, the Supe -rior Court - in two decisions - upheld the Department of Environmental Protections (DEP) broad authority to im -

pose conditions to protect stream ow in water withdraw -al permits. The rulings against the towns of Tops eldand Hamilton, located in the Ipswich River basin, upheldcaps on summer water use by both towns, a requirementthat they regulate private irrigation wells, and restrictionson lawn watering when river ow is low. The rulings,

the rst to interpret the Water Management Act (WMA),clear the way for conservation-based water withdrawal

permits in the Charles and across the state.In the Hamilton case, Judge Elizabeth Fahey

ruled that DEP had a mandatory legal duty to ensure thatwithdrawals do not exceed the safe yield of the Ipswich

basin. Safe yield is fundamental to the WMA and isthe amount of water that can safely and sustainably be

pumped from a river and its watershed without damagingthe environment.

The Ipswich River Watershed Association, EssexCounty Greenbelt Association and a citizen group repre -sented by CRWAs general counsel Margaret Van Deusen

presented overwhelming evidence that the basins safeyield is exceeded during the DEP administrative hear -ings; DEP acknowledged that its 1991 determination of safe yield was no longer accurate. The upper portion of the Ipswich River routinely dries up in the summer andscienti c studies by the U.S. Geological Survey showed

that water withdrawals are a major cause of the riverslack of ow. The judge ordered DEP to re-determine theIpswichs safe yield as soon as possible.

The WMA can only protect our rivers if DEPfully and accurately implements the core principle of safe yield. CRWA will continue its work to ensure thishappens, said Van Deusen. The decisions are posted onCRWAs website at www.charlesriver.org/projects/sust -water.html.

- by Margaret Van Deusen, CRWA General Counsel

Superior Court Rules for River Protection!

S tormwater runoff is the leading cause of water pollutionin the United States and the Charles River. Many com -munities are struggling to tackle the challenges of nancingstormwater management programs, which minimize andtreat rainwater runoff before it is released into rivers, lakes

or ponds. A new approach in New England is stormwater utilities, which are dedicated accounts to pay for capital

and oper -a t i o n sexpensesa s s o c i -

ated withstormwa -ter man -agement.The Cityof New -ton is the

rst andonly com -munity in

the Charles River watershed that has developed and im - plemented a stormwater utility. With funding from Mas -sachusetts Of ce of Coastal Zone Management and NewEngland Development, Inc., CRWA has strengthened itscapacity to assist municipalities to identify and implementappropriate nancing mechanisms.

CRWA evaluated three stormwater nancing

mechanisms in New England including Newton, SouthBurlington, Vermont, and Reading, Massachusetts. Thesethree utilities, each with different structure, scope, and de -velopment process, are important and instructive modelsfor other municipalities interested in pursuing dedicated

stormwater funding. Conclusions drawn from the studyinclude: suf cient time is necessary for utility develop -ment, fees should be based on impervious areas, and GISmapping is very helpful in estimating the rate structure.

Next, CRWA surveyed 18 watershed municipali -ties about their current stormwater management programs,

budgets, and needs and assessed their willingness and ca - pacities to develop dedicated funding for stormwater-relat -ed work. Based on the survey ndings - that most townshave inadequate stormwater budgets and programs, andthat there is an overall interest and need to develop stablestormwater funding mechanisms - CRWA developed animplementation plan that identi es watershed towns on theverge of utility development, and outlines next steps andCRWAs role in each community. As a rst step, CRWAwill host a eld trip for watershed municipal of cials onSeptember 18th to the University of New HampshiresStormwater Center to learn about stormwater best manage -ment practices.

To learn more about the project, please visit www.charlesriver.org/projects/stormwater/swutility.html

-by Talia Chalew, CRWA Rita Barron Fellow

CRWA Evaluates New England Stormwater Utilities

Flooded roads in Newton highlight the needfor stormwater management Photo: CRWA


3/8www.charlesriver.org STREAMER 3

O n July 21, a crew of 70 volunteers, mobilized by CRWA and CharlesRiver Canoe and Kayak (CRCK) helped rid the Charles River of seven tons (four truckloads) of water chestnuts, an exotic weed that isdamaging to sh and native plants. The infestation of water chestnutscovers over 250 acres in the Lakes District of Newton and Waltham.

Water chestnut is a non-native invasive aquatic plant that iswreaking havoc on the rivers habitat by forming a dense vegetative maton the rivers surface, driving out native aquatic plants, reducing light

penetration, depleting the rivers oxygen and damaging sh habitat.CRWA led efforts in 1990s to rid the Charles of water chestnuts,

convincing MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) toharvest the weed in deeper waters. Most of the infestation was removed

by 2000, but without yearly maintenance the weeds are once again takingover.

Beginning this June, DCR contracted Aquatic Control Technol -ogy (ACT) to mechanically harvest weeds in the deeper waters as partof a multi-year contract. If the water levels were higher, more of the

weeds could be removed, explained Larry Smith of CRCK.In shallow areas hand weeding is the only way to clear the plants.

Ideally, they need to be removed in early summer, before the spiky seedsdrop to the rivers oor. Spikes are a safety hazard for boating and rec -reation activities. If not pulled in time, during a single season, one acre of water chestnut can produce enough seeds to

propagate 100 acres the following year.At the July 21st hand weeding event, neighbors of CRWA board member Ed Englander helped with on site coordi -

nation of volunteers, and Larry Smith of CRCK lent out boats. Gerry Smith of ACT volunteered his time as well as boats for the volunteers. That evening Ed Englander hosted a neighborhood picnic with plenty of food, music and riverboat rides for everyone who came out to help! Plans are already in the works for next years weeding; contact Rebecca at [email protected] or 781-788-0007 x200 if you have a group interested in volunteering.

Volunteers Laurie Doyle, a member of the

CRWA Board of Advisors (left), and DebraGiarrusso (right) pull water chestnuts in New-ton on July 25 Photo: Talia Chalew, CRWA

CRWA and Volunteers HelpRid the Charles of Invasive

Water Chestnuts

Volunteer NewsCRWA volunteers have been active this spring and summer, with activities ranging from water sampling to pulling water chestnuts. To kick off the season, thousands of volunteers helped out at the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup andRun of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race in April. Our monthly volunteer monitoring program is still going strong, and12 new volunteers have been added to the ranks in recent months. As part of the third round of shoreline surveys throughthe MET Find-It and Fix-It project, 19 volunteers have completed about 30 miles of shoreline surveys this spring alongthe Charles and its tributaries; nearly all segments of the river have now been examined to nd pipes, erosion, and other

potential problems. Most recently, CRWA partnered with Charles River Canoe and Kayak to organize 70 volunteers to pull invasive water chestnuts from the river in Newton (see article below). As part of the rst Governors Volunteer Expoon July 11th, CRWA was invited to come to the State House to recruit volunteers as part of an ongoing effort to raiseawareness and encourage service with nonpro t volunteer programs in Massachusetts.

We have recently received generous grants from REI, the Bilezikian Family Foundation, and the Patrick MurrayInaugural Committee Charitable Giving Program to support our volunteer programs. Many, many thanks to our fundersas well as to all of our committed volunteers. We cant say it enough thank you!

If you would like more information on CRWAs volunteer opportunities, please visit www.charlesriver.org/vol -unteer.html or contact volunteer coordinator Rebecca at [email protected] or 781-788-0007 x200.



RUN OF THE RI

MassachusettsWater Needs Forecast

CRWA commended the Department of Conservationand Recreations Of ce of Water Resources (OWR)for updating the Massachusetts water needs policyand forecasting methodology. CRWA suggested anumber of changes such as distinguishing true wa -ter needs (public health and safety) from water

wants (for lawn irrigation)and ensuring this poli -cy conforms with other state water policies. CRWAobjected to the use of interim water allocations byOWR because they will be dif cult to change, or lower, and therefore should be made sparingly andrequire Water Resources Commission approval.

Waltham Watch FactoryWaltham, MA

CRWA is partnering with Berkeley Investments, Inc. to incor - porate Low Impact Development (LID) techniques as a part of the Waltham Watch Factory redevelopment project. Our goalis to reduce the volume and improve the quality of stormwa -ter that is discharged from the property into the river. CRWA

proposes to assess the potential stormwater management andrecharge bene ts of LID retro ts by working with the land -

scape design team through concept design for the project. Thisunique partnership between the developer, its design team andCRWA provides the opportunity to integrate planning, design,development and education about ultra-urban LID designs andinnovative stormwater retro ts.



ER CHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATIONSREPORT OF WHATS HAPPENING ON ANDAROUND THE CHARLES

Dexter School Dock Dedham, MA

The Dexter School recently led for a Chapter 91 waterways license for a new rowingdock in Dedham, just upstream of the Route 109 bridge. CRWA advocated for increased

public access, sharing of existing docks, and stormwater management improvements for the project site. We are concerned that the proliferation of docks as the rivers water qual -ity improves will detract from the beauty and competing uses of the river and adverselyimpact the riparian corridor. CRWA will work with state and local agencies to developguidelines for dock design and placement and will continue to monitor new dock con -struction and ght uncontrolled dock growth.

MA DMF staff stock shad

in Waltham Photo: CRWA

One Fish, Two Fish, Three Million Fish

American Shad StockingWaltham, MA

For the second summer in a row,CRWA assisted MA Division of Marine Fisheries and US Fish &Wildlife Service in stocking ju -venile American shad into theCharles River. In June and July,700,000 fry were released into therivers Lakes District at DCRsWoerd Avenue Boat Launch inWaltham. Combined with last years release, almost threemillion juvenile sh have been introduced to the Charles.American shad, an anadromous sh species that are born infreshwater, spend most of their life in the ocean and return tonative freshwaters to spawn, were historically abundant untilthe mid-1800s. The restoration goal is to create a sustainableshad population of up to 30,000 adult sh in the Charles inthe coming years.

Consider supporting CRWAs long-term efforts to help re-store shad to the Charles by Adopting a Shad with a mini-mum contribution of $25 to CRWA. Visit www.charlesriver.org/projects/shad_stocking.html for more information.



Agreen street is a streetdesigned to capture andclean stormwater runoff usingvegetation and soils. Whether the vegetation consists of streettrees, grass, or raingardens, a

green street offers a way to de -crease water pollution and im -

prove neighborhood aesthet -ics. Many green street designsare also cooler and quieter thanconventional streets. Greenstreets can incorporate traf ccalming designs and can pro -vide opportunities for publicart, water features and gardens.Green streets need not be qui -et, narrow residential streets,however; busy multi-lane bou -levards can be designed as green streets without reducingtheir capacity to carry traf c or eliminating parking.

On a green street, rainwater washes from the road -way into vegetated areas such as tree wells, roadside swales,rain gardens and even small ponds and wetland areas, rather than into a conventional storm drain or combined sewer.There, runoff is ltered through plants and soils, slowing itdown, cooling it off, and ltering out pollutants. The plantsand soils in green streets are selected to tolerate roadwayrunoff, and with proper maintenance will survive and thrive

for many years. In many locations, water can then be ab -sorbed back into the ground, replenishing groundwater andfeeding back to rivers and streams many weeks or monthslater. Excess water that cannot be absorbed by the groundis carried off to a stream, pond or wetland, much cleaner,cooler and owing more slowly than from a conventionalroad and pipe system.

CRWA is currently involved in two street greening projects in the City of Boston. The rst is in partnershipwith the Boston Environment Department (BED) and in -

volves the design and imple -mentation of a pilot greenstreet project in PeabodySquare, Dorchester. The proj -ect is being funded through agrant by the Massachusetts

Department of Environmen -tal Protection under the 604bWater Quality ManagementPlanning Program, awardedto the City of Boston in earlyspring of 2007. The BostonTransportation Departmentand Boston Public WorksDepartment have been work -ing with the St. Marks AreaMain Streets, local business -es and residents on the Pea -

body Square ImprovementProject since early 2006. The DEP Grant will enable BEDand CRWA to incorporate Low Impact Development (LID)techniques into the redesign of Peabody Square to make itinto a pilot project for Green Streets in the City of Boston.

The second project involves developing guidelinesfor Street Greening in the Allston Brighton neighborhoodin partnership Allston Brighton Community DevelopmentCorporation (CDC). This project has been funded through agrant awarded to the Allston Brighton CDC by the State De -

partment of Housing and Community Development for the

Allston Brighton Green Space Connections Street DesignGuidelines project.

Where they have been built, green streets are ex -tremely popular with both residents and the public worksdepartments who have built them. Since roadway runoff is one of the worst sources of pollution in the Charles, andclimate change will make cooling our cities a priority, greenstreets are an obvious part of the solution.

- by Kate Bowditch, CRWA Director of Projects

Greening the Streets of Boston

Crown Street in Vancouver, British Columbia,the Citys rst Sustainable Street.

Photo: City of Vancouver Engineering Services

River Advocates Boat TripJuly 18th, 2007

CRWA gathered forty politicians, river activists andboard members, along with co-hosts The Esplanade

Association and Charles River Conservancy, for ariver tour to share information about each organiza-

tions work. The boat was compliments of the CharlesRiverboat Company

Photo: CRWA Executive Director Bob Zimmerman,Jay Baldwin, and Evan Moss (from left to right)

enjoy the river.



Lee P. BreckenridgeGordon Burnes

John DeVillarsBernard DreiblattEdward Englander

James HealyPhilip L. Hillman

Jonathan Katz

Attila KleinVirginia M. Lawrence

Sharon MaltJohn G. Palfrey, Jr.Stephanie Pollack William J. TedoldiHolyoke Whitney

Alan Aisenberg, M.D.Deborah E. Babson

Jon BernsteinJohn BonifazJohn Brock

Caroline Dixwell CabotEugene Clapp

Martha Fuller Clark Woolsey Conover

Laurie DoyleDebra EdelsteinBonnie Emmons

Marcia Marker FeldRichard S. Forte

Kim Herman GoslantCatherine Henn

Susan Jarvi

Elizabeth B. JohnsonMax KennedyCarolyn KingGeorge Lewis

Richmond Mayo-SmithKelly McClintock Greta Meszoely

Judy NevilleElizabeth Nichols

Jeryl OristaglioLouisa Paige

Margot C. PyleDavid Smith

Caroline D. StandleyJohn Thomas

Edward E. Watts, III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PresidentRobert F. SproullVice PresidentRalph W. Abele

TreasurerJohn Clark

BOARD OF ADVISORS

Co-Chairs:Beatrice Nessen

Beedee Ladd

STAFF

Executive DirectorRobert L. Zimmerman, Jr.

Deputy Director/General CounselMargaret Van DeusenDirector of Projects

Kate BowditchFinance Manager

Suzanne CarleoOf ce Manager/Volunteer Coordinator

Rebecca Scibek Project Manager/Engineer

Anna EleriaWatershed Scientist

David KaplanUrban Restoration Specialist

Pallavi Kalia MandeRita Barron Fellow

Talia ChalewSenior Environmental Engineer

Nigel PickeringDirector of Development

Peggy SunshineMembership/Events Coordinator

Lorraine BurkeLandscape Designer

Stephanie Hurley

CRWA is a 501(c)(3) dependent on philanthropicsupport. We welcome your contributions.

Join the fun at CRWAs Annual Dinner Riverboat Cruise on Monday, Sep -tember 10th from 5:30 to 8:30pm. Sharon Malt is chairing this adventurewith a star studded committee. CRWAs rst silent auction features treasuresincluding a weeklong island getaway at a luxurious hilltop villa on the ex -clusive island of Mustique in the southern Caribbean; visit www.charleriver.org to view all the items and bid online. The nal bidding will take place be -fore the dinner cruise at a reception at the Cambridge Sonesta.There you can enter a raf e to win a diamond from Arazi

jewelers with your choice of custom setting from ShreveCrump and Low.

Reserve your spot for the cruise by contact -ing Lorraine at 781-788-0007 x231, [email protected] or visiting www.charlesriver.org.

Treasures of the Charles Annual Dinner Cruise


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Charles River Watershed Association190 Park RoadWeston, MA 02493

Upcomin g Eventsat Charles River Watershed Association September

5 Landmarks Festival at the Shell Green Masterpieces Concert , 7pm at the HatchShell on the Esplanade, Boston

10 CRWA Annual Dinner Cruise , 5pm at theRoyal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge

18 University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center site visit

23-25 Muddy River Environmental Film Series ,Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline

October

9 Brown bag lunch with Professor Ferdi Hell-

weger of Northeastern University, 12:30pmat the CRWA Of ce

November

13 CRWA Annual Meeting , 5:30pm at the NewtonMarriott

For more information on any of these events, call 781-788-0007 or visit www.charlesriver.org

fall 2007 streamer newsletter, charles river watershed association

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