Charles River Watershed Association

We're #hiring! We’re seeking a seasonal Fieldwork Coordinator to join our team from mid-April to mid-October. 🌊 This part-time role will work to conduct fieldwork and support CRWA’s river science and restoration programs. This is a fantastic opportunity for candidates interested in data management, data analysis, and science communications. Apply by February 7th to be considered. Learn more about the position: https://lnkd.in/eH9C3j_v

In case you missed our end-of-year video, 2024 was a year of major accomplishments – all thanks to your support! Here’s a look at what we’ve achieved together: 💧 Raised $2M for climate resilience 💧 Assessed 61 culverts to ensure safe wildlife passage 💧 Removed 30K pounds of invasive water chestnuts 💧 Counted 228K herring migrating upstream at the Watertown Dam 💧 Testified in 5 State House hearings on priority bills These milestones are only possible because of your generosity. Whether you volunteer, subscribe to our newsletter, or make a donation, you are essential to our work. It’s not too late to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work in 2025. Please consider giving today: https://bit.ly/3AXz4g5

🎉 2025 marks the 60th Anniversary of CRWA! 🎉 In 1965, a dedicated group of citizens—like those pictured here taking a water quality sample—came together to address the declining health of the Charles River, founding CRWA to champion river protection and advocacy efforts. As we celebrate 60 years of progress, we’re hosting a series of exciting events across the watershed! Stay connected—subscribe to our newsletter and visit our website: crwa.org #CRWA60 #ThrowbackThursday

What a year for our river science team! 2024 was packed with incredible fieldwork, thanks to our fantastic team of volunteers. From collecting water samples to hunting for aquatic bugs and monitoring cyanobacteria blooms, we’ve been busy protecting the Charles River and surrounding streams. 🌊 Visit crwa.org/volunteer to learn how to get involved

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our River Advocates Workshop this weekend! 🌊 Your dedication to protecting our river made the event a huge success. We’re grateful for our passionate longtime River Advocates and the enthusiastic newcomers who contributed to an engaging day of discussion and collaboration. We exceeded our expectations with a fantastic turnout thanks to the incredible team effort. Participants were actively engaged, asking insightful questions and expressing interest in advocacy campaigns and volunteer opportunities. Together, we’re making a real difference! If you want to get involved with our work, visit crwa.org/volunteer

Attention Green Infrastructure enthusiasts: We are excited to announce that CRWA received a climate resilience grant from the LIBERTY MUTUAL FOUNDATION INC that will support our work accelerating climate-resilient neighborhoods in Boston for the next three years! 🎉 With this grant, we are addressing two major objectives:  🌿 Working with the City of Boston to support the design and installation of green infrastructure. 🌊 Engaging in ongoing planning efforts to ensure that municipal and institutional plans:  advance climate resilience, are responsive to community needs, and help us to make progress toward a restored Charles River. Thank you, Liberty Mutual Foundation, for your support and dedication to our watershed.

Flooding isn't the only negative impact of heavy rainfall. Last night's rain caused a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO), leading to partially treated sewage being dumped into the Charles River at the Cottage Farm facility by the BU Bridge for four hours. Visit CutTheCrapCharles.org to join our fight to end CSOs.

Yesterday was Boston's second rainiest day in the past decade. 🌧️ Climate change is bringing more intense rain events to our area, which will lead to more frequent and severe flooding. To better understand how flooding is impacting residents and visitors, we are working with the City of Boston | Office of Green Infrastructure to capture on-the-ground reports of flooding after rain storms. The responses from this survey will inform a flood map and database that will integrate data from past reports from residents and commuters to the City’s 311 system, police, and fire services. This data will inform future policy decisions, like wetland regulations and updated zoning laws, and help identify the best locations for green infrastructure solutions to store floodwaters. Read more about the project and, if you've recently witnessed flooding in Boston, fill out the brief survey: https://lnkd.in/e22jaiBf

Attention Allston-Brighton residents, join the Boston Planning Department tonight at 6 pm for the Beacon Park Yard Co-Design Session. Let's imagine new neighborhood connections to the Charles River, together. 🌊 CRWA has been engaged with this process since Fall of 2023, encouraging BPY to imagine a resilient neighborhood connected to the river. This is a unique opportunity to make sure we get it right!

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.