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A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E C H A R L E S R I V E R W A T E R S H E D A S S O C I A T I O N
. Protecting the health, beauty and accessibility of the Charles River .
VOL. 33, NO. 2
SUMMER 2002
Contents
SmartStorm continued . . . . . . . 2
Presidents Message . . . . . . . . 3
Watch for the Flags . . . . . . . . . . 3
Run of the River . . . . . . . . . . . 45Forecasting the Rivers Health . 6
On the Charles in the 1920s . . . 7
Summer 2002 Calendar . . . . . 89
Charles River Report Card . . . 10
Tracking Tributaries . . . . . . . 11
20th AnniversaryRun of the Charles . . . . . . . . . 12
Charles River Earth DayClean Up 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Watchdog for the River . . . . . 14
The Future of Water: SmartStormTM
For several years you haveread stories about rain,stormwater, and the Charles in the Streamer.
You know that the Charles suffers from lowflows, particularly in the summer. You know
greater Boston is at the front end of water
shortages due to increasing demands and
increased impervious land surfaces which deny
rain the chance to filter into the aquifers that we
and the river need. You know CRWA has been
studying the relationships between rainwater,
surfaces impervious to rain, groundwater, waterquality, and sustainability since 1994. You know
our work has transformed CRWA as an organi-
zation and resulted in a complete refocusing of
our efforts.
We are focused on new approaches to how
cities are designed which will make them more
environmentally friendly and sustainable, to make
them behave more like urban forests than asphaltjungles. We have developed and continue to
refine community planning tools like environ-
mental zoning. We are working on better use of
regulation to promote environmental health and
sustainability. We are exploring uses of
economies of scale and market forces to reduce
costs to communities facing sizeable water/wastewater infrastructure expenses, including
the possibility of using the amount of flow in the
river as a medium of trade between dischargers
to the river and other sources of pollution (more
on that in the fall). We have also spent a great
deal of time since 1996 examining soft solu-
tions for dealing with rainwater as it accumu-
lates in communities. Soft solutions are thoseapproaches that capture and slow rainfall
before it gets polluted on pavement, and before
it enters stormdrains and combined sewer
systems where the impact and treatment are
very expensive.
Part of the work to capture and slow rainfall
while it is still clean has led us to the creation of
SmartStorm, a cistern/drywell system in the veryearly stages of introduction and testing in the
metropolitan region. SmartStorm is not, however,
your garden variety rain barrel. Rain barrels
continued on page 2
by Bob Zimmerman
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STREAMER 2
typically hold from 40 to 110 gallons of roof runoff. SmartStorm,
in what we expect will be a typical application, can provide 1400
gallons of storage and as much as 2000 gallons of recharge to the
ground through a high-tech drywell system. A drywell is conven-
tionally a hole in the ground at least 10 feet from a foundation and
filled with gravel and then covered with soil and grass into which
roof runoff is piped. The SmartStorm drywell is the same hole, but
filled with a plastic grid system allowing for 94 percent of the hole
to remain open and empty, so that it can store more water and
therefore recharge more water into the ground.
SmartStorm is designed to store and recharge 1.26 inch/24 hour
rainstorm from a 2000 square foot roof, yielding approximately2500 gallons of water. In a year when eastern Massachusetts
receives normal precipitation, SmartStorm is designed to store
and recharge about 90 percent of the roof runoff approximately
50,000 gallons of water.
The benefits of SmartStorm are potentially enormous. As you
drive around the city and the suburbs, observe the roof down-
spouts. Most dump on driveways, where the runoff is collected
in street drains and lost through stormdrains. Others go into theground where they connect to the sanitary wastewater system
and increase the activation of combined sewer overflows, where
sanitary sewage and rainwater are mixed. Since the sewer pipes
lack the capacity to handle all the water, the excess runs through
overflow pipes and flows directly into the Charles or Boston
Harbor. SmartStorm would eliminate much of that excess.
The stored water is suitable for outdoor use such as irriga-
tion, and washing cars or home siding. A pump is provided withSmartStorm to allow homeowners to use the stored water in
exactly the same way they use municipal water, with hoses and
sprinklers. Consequently, demand on potable (drinkable) water
supplies would be greatly reduced in the spring, summer, and fall,
continued from page 1SmartStormleaving more water in underground aquifers to promote a more
healthy environment. Furthermore, the drywell system will
enhance those underground aquifers year-round, increasing their
sustainability and restoring flow in the river and its tributaries.
We believe SmartStorm will become an important new tool
in municipal design and planning to restore the environment and
protect and sustain our potable water supplies. We also believe
it will offer municipalities a cheaper alternative to traditional
solutions for overflow from combined sewers and polluted
stormwater runoff.
Our first pilot project is underway in the town of Bellingham,
and we will be monitoring the systems there closely over thenext year to determine their effectiveness. Limited quantities of
SmartStorm will be commercially available this summer, and we
expect the system to be on the market by spring 2003. For more
information and to view photographs of a recent installation,
visit www.charlesriver.org. Stay tuned. This is a new and exciting
project for CRWA.
Ken Dews, CRWA staff, at recent
SmartStorm installation.
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STREAMER 3
SmartStormTM: A solution for river
problems, a new role for CRWAWith SmartStorm, our new cistern system, CRWA again
redefines its role as an advocate for the Charles River.
For 37 years, we have fought to make the Charles
clean, healthy and beautiful. Until ten years ago, with a
small staff that was smart and hard working but lacked
technical expertise, that usually meant urging public agen-
cies to address problems along the river and building pub-
lic support or pressure for action.We matured through the 1990s. We built scientific, engineering, and computer
modeling capabilities that enabled CRWA not only to better understand what really
are the rivers problems, but also to define and pursue specific policies to solve
them. We earned the respect and credibility that enabled us to join in setting the
public agenda for water management on the river.
But we were still dependent on implementation of policies by public agencies,
from local Boards of Appeal to the EPA.
SmartStorm, which CRWA has developed and is rolling out in several demon-
stration sites this summer, takes CRWA even further. SmartStorm not only saves
money for homeowners who install the system, but helps address serious public prob-
lems including aquifer recharge, water supply, river pollution, and CSO capacity.
Most solutions to the rivers problems will always require implementation by
public agencies and urban water departments will be SmartStorms biggest cus-
tomers. But by developing and marketing the product ourselves, CRWA puts itself
squarely in the business of implementing solutions.
CRWA is the largest watershed association in the country, and for years has set
a national standard for creativity and effectiveness in addressing our rivers prob-lems. We hope SmartStorm will continue that tradition.
Thank You!
Presidents messageKelly McClintock Watch
for the flagsin the CharlesRiver Lower Basin!
CRWAs flagging program
kicked off its fifth season on
July 1st and we will continue
to provide daily water quality
updates through October2002.
Blue flags signal suitable
boating conditions while red
flags are posted on days
when water quality exceeds
the acceptable boating stan-dards.
B L U E
R E D
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STREAMER 4
Run of the RiverBy Dudley Bonsal and Anna Eleria
Recommendations to MinimizeImpacts of DevelopmentA 290-unit apartment complex in five buildings with 537
parking spaces is planned in the Town of Bellingham.
The project would impact 17.3-acres that overlies criti-
cal water supply recharge areas with well-drained soils.
CRWA recommends that the developers study alterna-
tives to surface parking such as underground or
other structured parking and to the filling of the two
isolated wetlands, and they should offer comprehensive
landscaping and stormwater management plans that
promote water conservation, infiltration of stormwater
and mitigation of stormwater pollution.
Redevelopment in HollistonDevelopers of the Hopping Brook Park, a research and
development office complex in Holliston, are proposing
to build out the 281 acre site and an adjacent 85 acre
site. Although the Notice of Project Change prepared by
the developers identified several modifications to the
project, including net reduction of land alteration and
impervious area, the Secretary is requiring that the
project proponents prepare and file a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Report because the area providesimportant spotted turtle habitat, and regulatory require-
ments have changed significantly in the 20 years since
this project was reviewed under MEPA.
Additional Water WithdrawalCRWA recently reviewed a draft water withdrawal
permit issued by the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) for the Town of Holliston.
CRWA is concerned about the potential adverse impactsthat increased water withdrawals may have on wetlands
and streamflow in Dopping Brook. CRWA offered strong
recommendations for monitoring the water levels and
the wetlands, and for conserving outdoor water use,
which were adapted by DEP in the final permit.
Route 128 Construction ChangesThe Massachusetts Highway Department has submitted a
Notice of Project Change for its Route 128 Transportation
Improvement Project. MassHighway proposes to make
design changes to several bridges, including the con-
struction of additional lanes where Route 128 crosses
over Route 135 at the Charles River, and the widening
of the clearance at Great Plain Avenue Bridge. CRWA
called for a Supplemental EIR to discuss constructionimpacts, water quality issues and wetlands and
stormwater impacts.
National Trails DayOn June 1st, the Metropolitan District Commission
sponsored and organized a volunteer trail work-day
on the Upper Charles Greenway Loop, a trail that runs
through Cutler Park and Brook Farm on both sides ofthe Charles River. Approximately 40 volunteers assisted
with the construction of a small footbridge over a
wetland and the rerouting of a trail section in Dedham.
Upper Watershed
Middle Watershed
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STREAMER 5
Muddy River EnvironmentalConcerns AddressedBoston and Brookline are preparing the Final
Environmental Impact Report for the Muddy River
Project. At the same time, the Executive Office of
Environmental Affairs (EOEA) has given the go-ahead
for the Charlesgate portion of the project to proceed
in permitting. The Charlesgate area connects the Back
Bay Fens to the Charles River Basin. The Charlesgaterestoration involves the removal of stop logs that
form a weir under Ipswich Street, dredging of 3,300
cubic yards of sediment and debris, and landscape
rehabilitation.
CRWA supports the overall project, but has a num-
ber of concerns. A large portion of the budget is slated
for the creation of in-stream sedimentation basins, to
capture pollutants after they have entered the MuddyRiver. CRWA believes the stormwater management
should place greater emphasis on practices that control
stormwater pollution close to its source rather than
after it has entered the river. CRWA also wants a strong
management and maintenance structure for the project,
as well as a clear commitment from the Metropolitan
District Commission to maintain the parkland and
parkways under its jurisdiction.
Rebuilding a Community SchoolThe Lincoln Park Community School in Somerville pro-
poses to build a new school within the limits of LincolnPark, demolish its existing structure, and redevelop the
area as athletic fields. The park property requires the
conversion of Article 97 land, public parkland held
in trust for natural resource purposes. CRWA does not
per se oppose the relocation of the school but strongly
believes that a thorough alternatives analysis should be
conducted to consider renovation or redevelopment at
the existing school site, and other locations not involv-ing Article 97 land. CRWA also sees the redevelopment
as an opportunity to improve the quality and reduce the
quantity of stormwater runoff.
Permanent MaterialsHandling FacilityThe Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC)
plans to replace a temporary materials handling facilitywith a permanent facility, located on the UMass/Boston
campus, approximately 1,000 feet away from its current
location. Although the facility is located outside of the
Charles River watershed, it would benefit the Charles
River by receiving solids from the watershed. Because
of potential noise and odor impacts, CRWA recommends
that BWSC include more soundproofing in building
construction and an odor control system at the proposedfacility.
continuedRun of the River
Lower Watershed
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STREAMER 6
Exciting Changes toCRWA Flagging ProgramFor the fifth year in a row, CRWA is sponsoring water quality
flags in the Charles River Basin, the 9-mile stretch of river from
Watertown Dam to the New Charles River Dam in Boston, to
signal the rivers health to rowers and boaters. With funding from
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CRWA will rely on fore-
casting models (developed by CRWA staff scientist Anna Elena) to
predict daily water quality conditions at four sites. These mathe-matical forecasting models are based on the relationship of rain-
fall at Watertown Dam and the previous days fecal coliform bac-
teria concentration. Rainfall data collected by the United States
Geological Survey at Watertown Dam in the previous 24 to 168
hours will be used daily to forecast the probability of the river
exceeding the State boating standard for fecal coliform bacteria,
1,000 colony forming units per 100 milliliters.
If available, the previous days bacteria concentration at each site
will also be used in the models to make predictions and verify the
accuracy of the forecasting models. In the past, CRWA based
daily flag colors on the previous days bacteria concentration,
rainfall conditions and combined sewer overflow activation,
however, there was no formal, quantitative mechanism to predict
daily water quality conditions.
Blue flags fly on the days when the probability of the river
exceeding boating standards is less than 50 percent, meaning
bacteria levels in the river are safe for boating. Red flags signalthat the probability of the river being unsafe for boating is above
average to high (50% or greater). The presence of fecal bacteria
in water suggests contamination with sewage or feces, which in
turn, could mean that disease-causing bacteria or viruses are
present. Eight boating centers hoist the color-coded flags in the
Basin; Newton Yacht Club, Community Rowing, Inc., Northeastern
University Crew (Henderson Boathouse), Charles River Canoe and
Kayak at Herter Park, Harvard University Crew (Weld Boathouse),
Riverside Boat Club, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) Crew (H.W. Pierce Boathouse), and MIT Sailing. Water
quality conditions are also reported daily on CRWAs website,
www.charlesriver.org and on our phone hotline (617) 965-5975
ext. 301. The information is also disseminated during the week
in the Boston, Brookline, Newton, Watertown, Cambridge and
Allston-Brighton TAB newspapers and the Cambridge Chronicle
and Beacon Hill Times. Finally, the Boston Globe prints our website address on its weather page to inform readers of where to
find information on the river conditions and the Boston.comweb-
site provides a direct link to our up-to-date water quality pages.
Forecasting the Rivers Health
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STREAMER 7
glowworms while the dark came down, surrounding the
bandsmen, not by the waters of the Charles so much
as by a rising and falling and swaying sea of canoes.Afficionados or sager suitors had little metal
hoops covered with cretonne or plaid gingham to span
over the forward section of their canoes, for all the
world like be-ruffled pram bonnets, to keep the sun off,
or the rain or the world out. A very cozy and comfort-
able arrangement, to loll on the matching mattress with
canoes to either side and before and aft with everyone
listening to the reeds and strings of the band sound over thewater. My mother used to cluck in disapproval when a misty
Sunday sunrise disclosed here and there among the friendly rush-
es at the foot of the cemetery two or three canoes, nodding their
bonneted and be-frilled canopies, that had not bothered to find
their ways home at all the night before. We two girls werent sup-
posed to guess at what made my mother disapprove. For that mat-
ter, I dont think my mother thought my brothers guessed either,
for she certainly had no hesitation about sewing my elder brotherHart a canopy out of discarded curtains for his canoe when he
asked her to.
But for them it must have been peaceful and one was as
close to the nature of water as can be sleeping overnight bed-
ded within the slim ribs of a canoe. I suspect more comfortable,
too, and ones view of the night sky and stars, and of the doubled
darkness of trees above and trees mirrored below at the edges
of the Charles must have been a very special and unforgettabledelight.
On the Charlesin the 1920s
Part three by Barbara Winslow
I just missed the hey-day of the canoe. I think I can
remember one of the last regattas or perhaps it was
just told to me by a vivid describer - when the river
would be almost solidly bridged by canoes, with just
enough of a channel left for the canoeist racing hell-bent
for election with jutting chins and flailing arms driving the pad-dles deep into the water and thrusting it behind them. There
would be short sprints and longer endurance matches that ended
far downstream at Nuttings Boathouse and Ballroom. I am sure
I remember the big white police boat moving with the throaty
gurgle of its engine downstream, keeping pace in case of an
upset. There were single paddlers and double paddlers and
occasionally a big Indian war canoe would come down from
Norumbega, manned by stern and silent paddlers, to join in a raceor just show off. People clapped and shouted and paddles were
held straight up in the air in encouragement and salute.
When the races were over, some canoes would head for
their various boathouse wharves, others would paddle leisurely
upstream to assemble around Fox Island for the evening band
concert. There was then a little wooden-railed and floored and
roofed bandstand on Fox Island. Someone would row the chesty
uniformed members of the band over to it, and there they wouldbeat and blow out Sousa marches, Strauss waltzes and glittering
Part III. Races and Concerts
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8
8 9 107
21 22 23 24
28 29 30
14 15 16 1711 12 13
25 26 27
18 19 20
1 2 3
4 5 6
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
6 75
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1 2 3 4
AUG
31
MDC Mounted UnitDemonstration
12 p.m.
Hatch MemorialShell Tour
Call (617) 727-9650x 445 for reservations
Discover theLost Half-Mile
Meeting Location:In front of the
main entranceto the Museum of Science
Exploring
Urban TrailsMeeting Location:Galen Street Bridge,Watertown Square.
Charles RiverBasin Walk
Meeting Location:In front of the
main entranceto the Museum of Science
Charles RiverDam Tour
Meeting Location:Paul Revere Park,
Charlestown
Charles RiverDam Tour
Meeting Location:Paul Revere Park,
Charlestown
Hatch MemorialShell Tour
Call (617) 727-9650x 445 for reservations
CRCKMoonlight Tours
of the Charles:For more information
call CRCK at 617-965-5110
CRCKMoonlight Tours
of the Charles:For more information
call CRCK at 617-965-5110
CRCKRedbones Tours
For more information
call CRCK at 617-965-5110
CRCK
Redbones Tours
Walking Tour:
Elm Bank:Past, Present, and Future10:0011:30 a.m.
www.masshort.org
CRCKIntroduction to
Kayaking
For more informationcontact:
www.ski-paddle.com
CRCKIntroduction to
KayakingFor more information
contact:www.ski-paddle.com
CRCK
Introduction toKayakingFor more information
contact:www.ski-paddle.com
CRCK
Introduction toKayakingFor more information
contact:www.ski-paddle.com
CRCKIntroduction to
KayakingFor more information
contact:www.ski-paddle.com
CRCKIntroduction to
KayakingFor more information
contact:www.ski-paddle.com
CRCKIntroduction to
KayakingFor more information
contact:www.ski-paddle.com
Aug. 22 CRCKIntroduction to
KayakingFor more information
contact:www.ski-paddle.com
Race to StopGlobal Warming
in Newton, for moreinformation contact:
www.racetostopglobalwarming.org
Aug. 10Grand Circle Swimfor Boston Harbor,
for more information:www.savetheharbor.org
Broadmoor WildlifeSanctuary Evening CanoeTrip on the Charles, moreinformation: 508-655-2296
Broadmoor Wildlife SanctuaryCharles River Eplorationsfor students entering grades 6, 7, and 8
Session 3: August 516, 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. dailyFor more information call: 508-655-2296
Summer 2002 CalendarEvents organized by environmental and recreation groups, neighborhood associations and the MDC
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STREAMER 10
For the third consecutive year . . .the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) announced a
report card grade of B for the Charles River this spring. After sixyears of dramatic improvements in water quality, data collected
by CRWA volunteers have indicated that improvements in the
Charles have leveled off. EPA Regional Administrator Bob Varney
announced that in 2001, bacteria levels in the river were low
enough for boating 82 percent of the time and met states swim-
ming standard 54 percent of the time.
While the river has seen tremendous gains since 1995 when
EPA gave the Charles a grade of D for meeting bacteria boatingstandards, we are approaching the home-stretch of the 10-year
effort to make the Charles River clean enough for swimming and
fishing by Earth Day 2005. EPA and CRWA agree that the level
grade of B means that a stronger emphasis on individual
responsibility is needed to reduce stormwater pollution. "We've
been highly successful closing off the pipes and eliminating illegal
connections that were responsible for much of the river's pollu-
tion," Varney said. "Now it is time to focus our attention to thechallenge of getting every homeowner, every car owner, every
dog owner and every small business owner to play an individual
role in reducing the flow of contaminants into the river." CRWA is
doing its part to reduce impacts of polluted stormwater runoff by
piloting an alternative stormwater technology, called SmartStorm,
beginning with homes in Bellingham this summer. "Our SmartStorm
product can dramatically improve stormwater runoff problems
by capturing stormwater before it becomes polluted so that it can
be used for irrigation and recharging groundwater," said CRWA
Executive Director Bob Zimmerman. A typical SmartStorm system
includes two 400-gallon storage tanks and dry wells with capacity
to recharge 50,000 gallons of water a year.
Funding
for the Fish
Charles River Report Card Stays at B
CRWA was thrilled to learn it will receive a grant
from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust to
help study fisheries in the Charles. CRWA will work
with the Massachusetts Division of Fish and
Wildlife to inventory species residing in the river
and to develop a list of the species of fish that are
expected in the Charles but are missing. This is a
tremendous opportunity for CRWA to learn from
experienced state biologists! The project will kick
off this summer.
Several CRWA staff members with SmartStorm tank
By Kathy Baskin
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STREAMER 11
CRWA is leading a nutrient . . .Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project to quantify the pollutantloads impacting the Upper Charles River (from Hopkinton to
Dover). In wet weather, stormwater runoff contributes most of the
pollutants to the river while in dry weather or drought-like condi-
tions the contaminants likely originate from wastewater treatment
facilities. The major goal of the TMDL project is to be able to
model and predict what these pollutant loads in the Upper Charles
River will be at any given time. Armed with this information the
state will be able to assist sewage treatment facilities in develop-
ing discharge plans based on the flow in the Charles.
Since pollutant loads in the river are highly correlated with
flow, monitoring stream flow is crucial to quantifying pollutant
loads. There are three flow monitoring stations on the Upper
Charles River, however the Upper
Charles receives water from several
major tributaries which are potential
sources of polluted stormwater. Inorder to better quantify the contri-
bution of pollutant loads from the
tributaries, CRWA has expanded
the flow monitoring network to
include nine additional tributary
sites. These tributaries include
Bogastow Brook, Chicken Brook,
Fuller Brook, Hopping Brook, MillRiver, Mine Brook, Stop River, Trout
Brook, and Waban Brook.
At each tributary site, a rela-
tionship between flow and
water level, called the rating
curve, needs to be estab-
lished. The rating curve is
determined by a series of five
to ten measurements of both
water level and flow under
different stream conditions
(i.e. after rainy or dry peri-
ods). Water level is measured
on a staff gauge and discharge is measured using a velocity meter.
Once the rating curve has been established, flow can be continu-
ously estimated by monitoring water level with a depthlogger.
The flow monitoring effort has progressed favorably during
the winter and early spring because of the mild temperatures and
low flow conditions. Tributary sites were identified and permis-sion to install the gauges was obtained from the relevant town
officials and conservation commissions. Each site now has a
staff gauge, which is a graduated metal ruler mounted in the
water to a nearby fixed object like a bridge support. CRWA has
also begun to install depthloggers, which are battery-operated
devices that use an immersed pressure transducer to continu-
ously record water depth.
Once the depthloggers are in, tracking the flow in tributarieswill truly begin. For more information, contact Nigel Pickering
at [email protected] John Carney [email protected].
Tracking TributariesBy Nigel Pickering and John Carney
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STREAMER 12
Cold, raw winds and up to 3/4-inch of constant rain
did not dampen the spirits of nearly 1600 paddlers
who entered the 20th Anniversary Run of theCharles Canoe and Kayak Race on April 28,
2002.
The Run of the Charles competitors were
cheered on by thousands of soggy specta-
tors watching the six race divisions that
traveled the winding Charles River through
Dedham, Needham, Newton, Wellesley,
Waltham, and Watertown, to end at theFinish Line Festival at MDC Herter Park on
Soldiers Field Road in Allston.
Serge Corbin of St. Boniface, Quebec,
Canada, and Jeff Kolka of Grayling, MI,
repeated as champions in the 26.2-mile
$16,650 Professional Flatwater Marathon,
sponsored by Boston Duck Tours. Corbin has
now won the Pro Marathon all seven years the
Pro race has been held at the Run of the Charles.
An increased prize purse for the Womens
division in the Pro Marathon brought more womens
teams to the race which was won by Gloria Wesley,
Pittsfield, MA and Sue Slowick, Westhampton, MA, with a finish-
time of 4:06:43.
The 24-Mile Relay Race brought the tightest competition of
the day. The Powwow Paddlers team, captained by 2000 Run of
the Charles Relay Champions Michael and Steven Dylingowski ofAmesbury, MA, finished a mere ten seconds ahead of the 2001
Champion Relay Team Quinobequin Canoe Club.
In the 19-Mile Races, the fastest boat was a racing
kayak, again paddled by Connecticuts Mark R.
Jacobson, who finished in 2:40:23. ElizabethOConnor of Bohemia, NY won the 9-Mile race,
paddling a recreational kayak for Team LIKRR
in 1:27:48. The Manuiwa Outrigger Mens team
won the 7-Mile Outrigger canoe race, finish-
ing the course in 1:10:27. Gordon Chamberlin,
of Otisfield, ME, was the fastest in the
6-Mile race, crossing the finish line in
his recreational kayak after only 48:17.While the Run of the Charles draws
many of North Americas best paddlers, it
also brings out the best volunteers. CRWAs
Stream Team volunteers, Parrot Head Club
members, individuals, and a corps of Newton
Serves Community Service Day volunteers
kept the Run of the Charles organized, fun, safe,
and rewarding for everyone who participated.
CRWA thanks the following for their support:
Boston Duck Tours, Community Newspaper
Company, Charles River Canoe and Kayak, Outback
Kayak, Nantucket Nectars, Patagonia, S.R. Weiner/WS
Development, Polynesian Racing Craft Inc., Natick Outdoor Store,
the Charles River Boat Company, Eastern Mountain Sports,
Metropolitan District Commission, Paratore Hartshorn, American
Red Cross, Honorary Race Chairman Hal Gill of the Boston Bruins,
and the Amateur Radio Club.For a complete list of results, please visit www.charlesriver.org.
The Run of the Charles returns April 27, 2003.
20th Anniversary Run of the CharlesBy Janice Halpern
Photo: Tony DeCosta
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STREAMER 13
Thank you to over1,200 volunteers
who participatedin the 3rd AnnualCharles River EarthDay Cleanup.On Saturday, April 20th,
over 60 organizations
spanned out over the
length of the river at 40
sites from Milford toBoston to remove
trash from the river and
its banks. Over 2,000
trash bags were
filled with common
items such as
cups, plastic bags and candy wrappers and some unusu-
al items such as toilet seats and a dead octopus. Several
volunteers used kayaks, canoes and whitewater rafts to
gather floating debris from the river. This was the sixth
year in a row that Senator Steven Tolmans office has
recruited residents of Brighton, Watertown and
Waltham to volunteer along the banks of the Charles.
Another group, the Box Pond Association, has been
organizing a clean up of Box Pond in Bellingham for
close to twenty years. For the first time this year, clean
up efforts were broadcast live from Herter Park inBrighton by WUMB Radio. After the clean up, volunteers
enjoyed a post-cleanup celebration at Herter Park where
they were treated to lunch and live folk music from the
Pahud Kissinger Band.
We are very excited that this event continues to attract
widespread support from so many diverse constituencies con-
nected by the Charles River and that each year the event has
drawn more volunteers than the previous, remarked Bob
Zimmerman, Executive Director of CRWA.
The event was organized by CRWA, Massachusetts
Community Water Watch, Senator Steven Tolmans office, and the
Charles River Stream Team, with support from the Clean Charles
Coalition and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). All vol-
unteers received t-shirts designed by a MassCollege of Art student. The following
groups provided generous financial
and in-kind support for the event:
MDC, Home Depot, Stop and
Shop Supermarkets, Co.,
DiAngelos Submarine
Shops, Harvard University,
Bread and Circus,Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Boston
University, Newton
Marriott Hotel, Royal
Sonesta Hotel,
Triumvirate
Environmental, ESS
Group, Genzyme, Ionics,Pfizer and Senator
Tolmans office.
Charles River Earth Day Clean Up 2002By Anna Elena
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STREAMER 14
CRWA asks its members to renew in the springand donate to our Annual Appeal in the fall.Membership renewals have been coming intoCRWA steadily since late March. Whats particu-larly noteworthy is the number of members whohave increased their donations from a year ago.These increments help us continue to be an effec-tive organization as we forge ahead with our vitalwork protecting the river. If you havent done soalready, please renew your membership. You can
renew your membership on line by going to ourwebsite: www.charlesriver.org, clicking onSupport CRWA, and then Join. Also, if you wouldlike to be reminded to renew, give to the annualappeal, or receive the Streamer via email, justemail [email protected] with your request.
Since the beginning of March over $112,000 hasbeen raised in member renewals. CRWA receivedan extremely generous donation from Larry andCarol Strasburger and also from the Kahn
Charitable Foundation. One anonymous dona-tion was made to our Headwaters Society ($1,000or more), as well as those from Beacon HillGarden Club, James C. Beck, Mr. and Mrs.Rodrigo Botero, Elisabeth Harper and DavidPersampieri, and Anne and Jim Davis.
Crossroads Community Foundation, in collab-oration with American National Power, gave$130,000 for SmartStormTM related pilot proj-ects. Earth Share donated $2372, and numer-
ous in-kind donations were received for our 20thAnnual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Raceincluding the T-Shirt design by Paratore HartshornDesign, Inc. Thanks to everyone for your commit-ment to a clean Charles and sustainable waterresources. We are most grateful.
ThankYouTown Project
Bellingham Expanded Environmental Notification Form for Jefferson
at Bellingham Apartment Community
Boston Environmental Notification for Boston Water and Sewer
Commission Materials Handling Facility
Boston Draft Environmental Impact Report for Museum of Fine Arts
Boston Draft Environmental Impact Report for Phase I Muddy River
Restoration ProjectCambridge Draft Environmental Impact Report for North Point Project
Cambridge Draft Environmental Impact Report for Charles E. Smith
Residential
Franklin Environmental Notification Form for Grove Street
Business Center
Holliston Draft Water Withdrawal Permit for Holliston Well #7
Holliston Environmental Notification Form for Holliston Transfer
Station Daily Tonnage IncreaseHolliston Notice of Project Change for Hopping Brook Park
Hopkinton Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan for
the Town of Hopkinton
Somerville Environmental Notification Form for Lincoln Park
Community School
Regional Notice of Project Change for I-95/I-93 (Route 128)
Transportation Improvement Project
Statewide Draft Guide to Integrated Water ResourcesManagement Planning
Statewide Amendments to the Perennial Versus Intermittent
Provisions of the Massachusetts Wetland Regulations
Watchdog for the River
Below is a list of the projects on which CRWA commented to the state, town,
or developer between March 16 and June 15, 2002. Copies of comment letters
are available at CRWA.
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STREAMER 15
The StreamerCharles River Watershed Association
2391 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA 02466
Phone: (617) 965-5975, Fax: (617) 332-7465
Email: [email protected], Web:www.charlesriver.org
CRWA is a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation established
in 1965 to protect and enhance the health, beauty and
enjoyment of the Charles River and its tributaries.
CRWA is a member of Earth Share and the
Massachusetts Environmental Collaborative.
Board of Directors
Kelly McClintock PresidentPhillip L. Hillman Vice President/Environment
Jane Sender Clerk
William Tedoldi Treasurer
Edward E. Watts, III Assistant Treasurer
Ralph W. Abele Past President
Lee Breckinridge
Stephen H. Burrington
Lucy Caldwell-StairJohn P. DeVillars
Elizabeth C. Gilmore
Richard G. Gnci
James Healy
Jonathan D. Katz
Virginia M. Lawrence
Elizabeth Levin
Charles D. McCrea
Brian ODonovan
John G. Palfrey, Jr.
William D. Rieders
Staff
Robert Zimmerman, Jr. Executive Director
Margaret VanDeusen Deputy Director, General Counsel
Kathleen Baskin Project Manager
Dudley Bonsal Environmental Scientist
Kate Bowditch Senior Environmental Scientist
John Carney Environmental Scientist
Kenneth Dews Finance Administrator
Anna Eleria Environmental Scientist
James Fitzgerald Laboratory Manager
Meg Gray Office and Publications Manager
Nigel Pickering Senior Engineer
Peggy Savage Environmental Scientist
Louise Taylor Membership Manager
Interns: Marc Gilmore, Jennifer Morin,
Karen Fung, Shengnen Su
Streamer logo: Lou Mucci
Streamer design: Richard Gnci
Ken Shemchuk
Calendar Photos: Eric Endlich
New Staff Changes at CRWACRWA welcomes two familiar faces to our staff this summer. Kate Bowditch previ-ously worked for CRWA as the Coordinator for Advocacy and Policy from 1994 until1997, and as Senior Hydrologist until 2000. She has a wide range of experience inher work on the Charles including field work, volunteer training, research and policyanalysis. She has worked closely with individuals, citizen groups, other nonprofitorganizations, local, state and federal governments, and CRWA's own talented staff
to understand and improve conditions in the watershed. She returns to CRWA,in the role of Senior Environmental Scientist, after living abroad with her family.
John Carney joins the staff after serving as a water quality monitoring volunteerand intern on various projects with CRWA since October of 2000. He is bringinghis resources to our TMDL project and will be responsible for measuring flowat CRWA installed staff gages amongst other duties.
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