RIVER CURRENT
Your source for the latest news, updates, & events.
“Why I Kayaked the Entire Charles River”
“After hundreds of years, dams along the Charles River could come down to let the currents run wild and free—and help the environment. To get a closer look, our intrepid river rat set out to become the second person ever to kayak the iconic waterway's complete length.”
Devastating Flooding & What We Can Do - AP, WBUR, Mass Live
CRWA is working on tangible, nature-based solutions––flood storage, ending sewage overflows, removing defunct dams, building green infrastructure, and more. Read our statement and articles in the Associated Press, WBUR, MassLive, NBC 10, and Worcester Telegram.
DCR, DFG Tour Watertown Dam!
Thank you to MA Department & Conservation Recreation Commissioner Brian Arrigo and MA Department of Fish & Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea for joining us for a tour of Watertown Dam to learn more about this exciting opportunity for urban river restoration!
Amid Devastating Flooding, Dam Failure in Leominster, Four Things the State Can Do Right Now
Amid widespread, devastating flooding in Leominster, the collapse of Brooks Pond Dam, and the evacuation of the Barrett Park Pond Dam, we again urge the state to make it a priority of the Commonwealth and the Secretary to remove defunct dams and protect residents from catastrophic flooding.
$585K for Charles River Priorities!
We are pleased to announce numerous Charles River priorities are included in the final Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget!
CRWA Applauds Healey-Driscoll Administration for $5.6 Million for Defunct Dam Removal–Including $250K for Natick!
Charles River Watershed Association applauds the Healey-Driscoll Administration for expediting $5.6 million in state funding to protect communities from the hazards of catastrophic dam failure. This includes $250K for the Town of Natick to advance the removal of the Charles River Dam in South Natick.
As the climate changes, obsolete dams put Mass. at risk for flooding similar to Vermont - WGBH
Thank you GBH News for the important feature on hazardous dams that are at risk of failure with climate change.
American Rivers Calls for Dam Removal!
National organization American Rivers has joined with Charles River Watershed Association and fifteen other state and local partners to call for the swift removal of Watertown Dam to restore the river.
Spring Herring Celebration!
Thank you to all who joined us for our first-ever Spring Herring Celebration! We enjoyed connecting with so many at Watertown Dam for a conversation about the small-but-mighty migratory fish that return to the Charles River each season.
Dams & Migratory Fish
Thank you to all who attended our webinar about dam removal & river restoration in the Charles River watershed! In case you missed it, watch the full recording.
Connecting with Community at Wrentham’s Eagle Dam
What a fantastic turnout at our Eagle Dam site walk in Wrentham!
CRWA Accelerates Work to Restore the Charles River
Charles River Watershed Association is pleased to announce the organization will accelerate its work to restore the Charles River watershed, thanks in part to a recent $1M anonymous grant.
Dam Removal Moment
More Support for Dam Removal! Read letters from Watertown City Council, Watertown Con. Com, Waltham Con. Com., Weston Con. Com, and Dedham Sustainibility Committee!
Natick Select Board Votes for Dam Removal & River Restoration!
We are so pleased to report that Natick Select Board voted 4-1 in favor of dam removal and restoration of a free-flowing Charles River for future generations.
One Step Closer to a Free-Flowing Charles in Natick
Another win in Natick! The Charles River Dam Advisory Committee voted 16-2 in favor of spillway removal and restoration of the river.
Natick Dam Removal Update
Natick's Charles River Dam Advisory Committee is deciding on the future of the Charles River Dam in South Natick. At a July 19 meeting, Committee members expressed strong support in favor of dam removal and river restoration.
These fish are critical to New England, and they're disappearing
"A dam in a river is like a blocked artery; it's like a heart attack," said Robert Kearns, a climate resiliency specialist at the Charles River Watershed Association. "It degrades the water quality behind it; reduces the dissolved oxygen which fish rely on to breathe and to live ... and creates a habitat that's better for invasive species."