RIVER CURRENT
Your source for the latest news, updates, & events.
Charles River Watershed Association Announces $600K Climate Resiliency Grant from Barr Foundation (PRESS RELEASE)
Charles River Watershed Association is pleased to announce the organization is the recipient of a generous $600K climate resiliency grant from Barr Foundation which will support our continued work to prepare communities for climate impacts.
Charles River Watershed Association Celebrates Climate Chief Hoffer’s Recommendations, Calls for Watershed Planning and Restoration (PRESS STATEMENT)
We are pleased to see first-in-the-nation Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer’s urgent report, which outlines dozens of recommendations for state action to coordinate efforts across agencies to meet the Commonwealth’s ambitious climate goals and reduce emissions.
New Resilient Mass Plan Charts Path to Climate Resilient Future! (STATEMENT)
We applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration for developing the 2023 Resilient Mass plan to chart the course to a more climate-resilient Commonwealth!
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.
New Maps Will Help Cities & Towns Curb Pollution
We partnered with the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory to develop an updated Land Use Land Cover map for the entire Charles River watershed!
Wetlands Abloom, and Exciting News for Preserving Biodiversity
Did you know wetlands hold over 40% of the world's biodiversity? At this point in the summer, our watershed's wetlands are awash with life––filled with lush greenery, blooms, and birdsong
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.
Summer of Record-Setting Rain, Sewer Overflows
In “This summer is officially rained out” Boston Globe correspondent Emma Obregón Dominguez writes. What does this mean for the Charles River?
U.S. Senator Ed Markey, EPA, State, and Watershed Associations to Announce Annual Water Quality Report Cards for Three Boston Rivers (PRESS RELEASE)
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined U.S. Senator Ed Markey, Charles River Watershed Association, Mystic River Watershed Association, Neponset River Watershed Association, state and local leaders, and community partners to announce the 2022 Water Quality Report Card Grades for the three rivers that flow into Boston Harbor––the Neponset, the Charles, and the Mystic.
Congresswoman Katharine Clark joins CRWA to announce $400K in federal funding for Climate Solutions!
This vital funding will be put straight to work protecting our communities from climate impacts.
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.
BEST STORMWATER IDEA IN NEW ENGLAND!
The Charles River Flood Model was recently awarded a New England Stormwater Collaborative “Stormy Award” for inspiring regional collaboration!
Investing in Climate Resilience & River Health
We applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration for significant investments in the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant program, the State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Program (SHMCAP), and the Clean Water Trust Revolving Fund in the Commonwealth’s FY24 Five-Year Capital Investment Plan.
Thank You for Joining Us–Charles River Flood Model Update
Thank you to all who attended our update on ongoing work to prepare for future flooding with the Charles River Flood Model.
ACTION ALERT: Help Cities & Towns Prepare for Climate Change
Nearly 99% of Massachusetts municipalities participate in the MVP program and must compete for limited funds for projects, and communities cannot pursue adaptation at the speed and scale necessary to protect our neighborhoods. The MVP+ Bill (S.599), sponsored by Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton), would rapidly expand the program in capacity and scope.
Legislature Considering Expansion of Popular Climate Change Readiness Program (PRESS RELEASE)
An Act to incentivize the adoption of local climate resilience policies (S.599), known as the MVP+ Bill and sponsored by Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton), establishes an MVP Trust Fund to increase program capacity and creates an additional category of MVP+ communities,
Charles River Flood Model on Tour!
From Boston to Worcester to Saratoga Springs, NY––Climate Compact Director Julie Wood presented our ongoing work to build resilience to flooding at several conferences.
It’s Heat Preparedness Week!
Every single person in our watershed deserves to live in a safe community––that’s why we are working to cool down neighborhoods and keep us all safe from the dangers of extreme heat.
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.