Oil Spill In The Muddy River
This Sunday, an oil spill in the Muddy River prompted an emergency response from MassDEP, Brookline, and Boston officials, as the spill dumped heating oil into the Charles River tributary and left birds and animals in the area covered in a layer of oil.
A longtime effort of the Charles River Watershed Association has been restoring the Muddy River, which requires addressing the root challenges of urban drainage, including wet weather pollution, due to stormwater runoff, and dry weather pollution, including illicit discharges such as this oil spill.
As a nonprofit dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Charles River and its tributaries, we at CRWA are heartbroken by this terrible news and the impact this spill has had on both the river and the local wildlife.
The spill is still being investigated by MassDEP, and we are eager to see appropriate corrective action taken to prevent anything like this from happening again.
This oil spill will continue to have numerous negative effects on the Muddy River, as oil contains toxic chemicals that can last in the environment for decades, adhering to the soil.
To protect the Muddy River and the Charles River as a whole from water pollution, we need to adopt a watershed approach. CRWA is working on a community vision plan to improve water quality in the Muddy River by looking at sources throughout the six square mile watershed, and producing a prioritized list of projects that, once implemented, can enhance water quality in the Muddy River. These projects include widely adopting green stormwater infrastructure like rain gardens and bioswales, and reimagining our parkland landscapes to both filter water and restore ecosystems.
