UPCOMING EVENTS
Get involved! Explore our opportunities.
How Your Voice Can Help Make The Charles River Swimmable
Join our webinar to learn about the current challenges of phosphorus pollution in the river and the steps being taken to address them.
Stormwater Solutions Coming to Cheesecake Brook
Join our hybrid public meeting on January 21, 2025, to hear about the exciting new green infrastructure projects breaking ground at Cheesecake Brook this spring!
Public Meeting: Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Update for the Charles River and Alewife Brook/Mystic River
On January 22, 2025, the Cities of Cambridge and Somerville and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) will host a public meeting about the current state of CSOs in the Charles and Mystic Rivers.
Winter River Advocates Workshop
Join us for our Winter River Advocates Workshop, designed for current advocates and anyone interested in learning more about the program!
Restoration in Motion: Brookline Reservoir Site Walk
Enjoy the fall weather and join us in exploring the history, current conditions, and ongoing visioning process of the Muddy River!
We'll discuss plans for retrofitting Brookline Reservoir to mitigate stormwater pollution and brainstorm 'before-pipe' nature-based solutions like rain gardens and bioswales.
Regional Tree Planting & Protection Plan
Trees are a climate solution: they mitigate flooding, provide clean air, and cool our neighborhoods. Join our webinar to learn about the state of tree canopy in the Charles River Watershed and about our work to help municipalities protect, maintain, and grow our tree canopy.
Restoration in Motion: Back Bay Fens Site Walk
Get outside this fall and join us to explore the Back Bay Fens and discover the rich history and current state of the Muddy River!
Muddy River: The Heart of Fenway
Please join us to learn about the major sources of pollution to the Muddy River, how the watershed may experience climate change, and what plans are already in the works. Join to give your feedback on what the future of the Muddy River watershed looks like!
DCR to host a public meeting on the Future of Watertown Dam
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has contracted an engineering consultant to perform an alternatives analysis study for potential future actions at the Watertown Dam. At a public meeting on September 25th, the DCR project team will present information on the preliminary results of the ongoing study and possible future alternatives for dam modifications, including the dam's removal.
Charles River Sunset Soirée
Charles River Watershed Association cordially invites you to the Charles River Sunset Soirée. Mark your calendars for a beautiful evening on our beloved river aboard Charles Riverboat Company’s Charles I.
Community Day Bittersweet Removal
Join us on Saturday, August 24th to remove dangerous invasive Bittersweet vines!
These fast-growing, tenacious vines threaten native species & mature trees. But with your help, we can remove them & restore the river ecosystem.
Annual Three Rivers Report Card Event
At this event, water quality report card grades will be announced, and partners across the region will join us. This year, we'd like to invite the community to join us. Check back here for more details.
Alewife Wetland Site Walk
Join us for a tour of the Alewife Stormwater Wetland, a 3.4-acre constructed wetland that treats stormwater from 420 acres in Cambridge.
Rose Mallow Bloom Kayak Tour
Paddle along the Charles with Professor Richard Primack, plant ecologist at Boston University, and see the remarkable sites of rose mallow plants along the Charles River.
Mussels Matter: The Vital Role of Freshwater Mussels in the Charles
Join us for a lunch and learn webinar about freshwater mussels in the Charles and hear from CRWA Senior Stormwater Program Manager Max Rome and Marea Gabriel, Freshwater Manager at The Nature Conservancy.
Charles River Sunset Social
Raise a glass for restored rivers! Join us for an exciting night at Night Shift Brewing’s beer garden on the Charles River Esplanade to learn about our ongoing work to restore a clean, resilient Charles River for future generations.
Stream Restoration in Action: Fuller Brook Tour
Continuing last year’s great tour, join us for a walking tour along Fuller Brook, a recently restored tributary of the Charles River in Wellesley, MA.
Community Day Water Chestnut Removal
Join us Saturday, July 13th to help us clear the Charles of invasive Water Chestnuts and restore our River!
The fast-growing, aquatic invasives spread rapidly across the river, reducing biodiversity, harming water quality, and impeding recreation. But with your help, we can remove water chestnuts & restore the river ecosystem.
Visual Cyanobacteria Monitoring Training
Do you walk, bike, or paddle along the Charles? Cyanobacteria blooms can develop quickly, and we need volunteers like you to be the eyes and ears of our river.
BMI Training
Join CRWA for our Benthic Macroinvertebrate training! Volunteers wil learn how to perform a habitat assessment, properly sample for macroinvertebrates, and how to ID them. A boxed lunch will be provided to all who register!
Quinobequin Intertribal Paddle
Join Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and Indigenous Peoples Day Newton for a relaxing midday paddle on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Charles River.
Phosphorus Control Plan Workshop
This workshop is intended for municipal staff and their Engineering Consultants. In this workshop, CRWA staff and the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center will highlight emerging trends and key findings from a review of 26 municipal phosphorus control plans. The workshop will include facilitated small group discussion around key strategies such as retrofits to ROW, stormwater regulations for redevelopment, and rural strategies for impervious disconnection.
Building Resilience in the Charles River Watershed: Charles River Flood Model Results
For the past 4 years, 20 communities that are part of the Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC) teamed up with CRWA and Weston & Sampson to develop the Charles River Flood Model.
Join us Wednesday, June 12, at 6 PM to hear about flood mitigation solutions and their potential impact on future flooding. This event will be presented in English, but multilingual information about the project will be provided soon.
2024 WATERTOWN DAM HERRING FESTIVAL
Join us for the 2024 Watertown Dam Herring Festival! Come and celebrate the annual migration of Alewife, Blueback Herring, and American Shad from the ocean into the Charles River! This migration celebration will feature a community art build, live entertainment, and fun activities for all ages!
Community Day Bittersweet Removal
Join us on Saturday, June 1st to remove dangerous invasive Bittersweet vines!
These fast-growing, tenacious vines threaten native species & mature trees. But with your help, we can remove them & restore the river ecosystem.
Cheesecake Brook: Community updates on restoration planning and stormwater projects
We want to hear from you! The Charles River Watershed Association and the City Of Newton will present updates on stormwater mitigation projects along the Cheesecake Brook and a progress report on restoration planning.
Join us to discuss the next projects that can help to protect and restore the Cheesecake Brook!
Reducing Flooding in the Charles River Watershed
The Charles River Flood Model confirms that flooding will be considerably worse by 2070. Today, a so-called "10-year storm", which has a 10% chance of occurring in any given year, causes about 7,660 acres of flooding under current conditions. But, by 2070, due to climate change, the same storm event will flood 10,670 acres, an increase of over 3,000 acres that currently do not flood.
Needham, Dedham, and Boston residents, please join us to provide input on opportunities to use nature-based solutions in your community to reduce flooding and protect critical infrastructure.
Spanish translation will be provided for specific breakout groups.
Protecting Back Bay from Climate Change Impacts (NABB/CRWA Meeting)
The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay (NABB) Green Committee and Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) meeting on April 29th, 2024 discusses the primary obstacles to a clean, healthy Charles River; combined sewer overflows (CSOs), stormwater runoff, and climate change; and how we can help.
RUN OF THE CHARLES
CRWA presents the 40th Run of the Charles, Boston’s premier paddling race!
Coolidge Road Green Streets Walk
Join Charles River Watershed Association and City of Boston for a community walk to discuss the status of the proposed Coolidge Road Green Infrastructure Improvements project.
2024 EARTH DAY CHARLES RIVER CLEANUP
JOIN US FOR THE 24TH ANNUAL CHARLES RIVER EARTH DAY CLEANUP
Our cleanup brings together over 3,000 volunteers each year to pick up litter, remove invasive species and assist with park maintenance along all 80 miles of the Charles River.
VIEW EVENT
MUDDY RIVER VISIONING
Please join us to learn about the major sources of pollution to the Muddy River, how the watershed may experience climate change, and what plans are already in the works. Join to give your feedback on what the future of the Muddy River watershed looks like!
CSO WEBINAR: LEARNING FROM MILWAUKEE
Join the Charles River Watershed Association to discuss the current status of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) in Massachusetts and opportunities for progress.