Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $330,000 for Flood Mitigation in Charles River Watershed (PRESS RELEASE)
OVER $3 MILLION AWARDED TO WATERSHED COMMUNITIES FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE
NATICK, MA -The Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC), a regional municipal partnership led by Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), was awarded over $330,000 to continue its innovative work planning for future climate conditions. The project, Charles River Watershed Flood Mitigation Plan Implementation, is funded by the state’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program, which provides grants dedicated to advancing climate resilience across Massachusetts.
The CRCC was founded by CRWA in 2019 with the goal of helping the 35 cities and towns within the Charles River watershed work collectively to protect their communities from the impacts of climate change including flooding, heat and drought. The project involves 21 communities including Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, Franklin, Lincoln, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norfolk, Sherborn, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley, and Weston.
“We have seen the devastation caused by extreme weather and heard the calls for help. Today, we are continuing our promise to help communities in addressing last year's challenges and taking proactive steps to reduce future climate risks,” said Governor Healey in a state press release. “These grants are more than just financial support – they are a strong statement of our commitment to resilience. Our goal is to empower every community to adapt, thrive, and lead in the face of climate challenges.”
The CRCC award is unique in that it will fund 21 communities, not just one, working together to understand and address the impacts of climate-induced flooding. This is important because water does not respect municipal boundaries, and therefore decisions about land use and stormwater management upstream affect communities downstream. Yet prior to the formation of the CRCC, municipalities did not have a way to easily communicate with one another and work together toward policies and projects that protect their communities from flooding.
Climate change is bringing increasingly large and intense rain events that overwhelm local stormwater systems and cause our rivers and streams to overflow, leading to localized flooding. This funding will enable communities to advance flood mitigation projects around the watershed that have already been developed, and work to identify new opportunities. Residents will be engaged at every step of the project and are always encouraged to share their ideas for a flood-resilient community with CRWA.
“Our partnership focuses primarily on reducing flooding using nature-based solutions,” said Julie Wood, Climate Resilience Director with CRWA. These engineered systems replicate the resilience and flexibility of natural, undisturbed environments. They help store and hold flood waters in constructed wetlands and cool our communities with the addition of tree cover and green space. They are an immediate asset to the community while helping us prepare for what is coming over the next five decades.”
The Town of Natick will once again serve as the project’s fiscal sponsor. “We are so grateful to the state for providing this funding that allows us to continue this important work” said Natick Environmental Planner and Conservation Agent Claire Rundelli. “Climate change is not a problem we can solve on our own, a project like this that brings us together with our neighbors is a great opportunity and we are happy to support the work as the project lead.”
In addition to funding for flood resilience across the region, in separate grants the Town of Natick received $266,000 to advance a flood reduction project at Natick High School previously identified by the CRCC. The City of Newton also received $1,240,995 for flood storage and bank restoration along Cheesecake Brook, which is a tributary to the Charles River. This project not only mitigates the effect of future flooding but will also reduce nutrient pollution to the Charles River and result in 36,000 square feet of native planting, contributing to the ecological health of this important urban tributary. In total, Charles River communities received over $3.7 million for climate resilience from the MVP grant awards. Other projects include equity-based community greening in Watertown and Community-Based Flood Resilience and Green Infrastructure Planning in Boston.
###
CONTACT:
Carly Sherman, Communications Associate
csherman@crwa.org
617.540.5650 x1074
Charles River Watershed Association’s mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the Charles River and its watershed through science, advocacy, and the law. CRWA develops science-based strategies to increase resilience, protect public health, and promote environmental equity as we confront a changing climate.
