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Featured Stories
Celebrating Native American Heritage
November is Native American Heritage Month. Here at CRWA, we humbly recognize that our work is carried out across the traditional territory of the Massachusett, Wampanoag, and Nipmuc Nations, and we acknowledge them as the past, present, and future caretakers of the Charles River and its watershed lands.

Yesterday, hundreds of Indigenous people and allies gathered for the 52nd Annual National Day of Mourning at Coles Hill in Plymouth. The history of Thanksgiving Day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the erasure of Native cultures from history. The National Day of Mourning is held to honor the resilience of Indigenous ancestors and protest the continued racism and oppression experienced by Native people today. You can watch the full recording from United American Indians of New England.

Today, November 26, is Native American Heritage Day, and it offers the opportunity to celebrate and support Indigenous people and culture. Wondering how you can do this? Explore this map of Indigenous territories and acknowledge whose land you are on, support Indigenous people in their struggle against continued racism and systemic oppression, uplift native voices and youth, and support present-day Indigenous leaders, thinkers, and creators.

“We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands, but also for our relationship to the world. We need to restore honor to the way we live, so that when we walk through the world we don’t have to avert our eyes with shame, so that we can hold our heads up high and receive the respectful acknowledgment of the rest of the earth’s beings.” ― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
Make an Impact this Holiday Season
There are many ways to make a gift to CRWA this holiday season! Keep an eye out for emails on #GivingTuesday, 11.30.21, and our new tax-smart giving day this year, #StockMonday, 11.29.21, to fund our critical work.

Want to make an impact while receiving tax benefits?! Make a Gift of Stock or a gift through a Donor Advised Fund. Both are excellent ways to avoid capital gains. 

Are you 70½ or older? You are eligible to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) through your IRA. A QCD excludes the amount donated from taxable income, which is unlike regular withdrawals from an IRA. 

Spread out your giving over the course of one year! Sign up for monthly giving to spread out the financial impact while providing CRWA with a strong financial foundation with gifts we can depend on. Shopping on Amazon this holiday season? Make sure to sign up for AmazonSmile! Need a holiday gift? Shop CRWA Merch!
News at a Glance
  • State officials are trying to insert a dangerous loophole into the new CSO Notification law that requires prompt notification of all sewage discharges into our waterways. With the proposed loophole, “blended sewage” would be exempt from notification mandates. Blended sewage is partially treated sewage mixed with fully treated sewage as it’s discharged - in other words, it’s still sewage! CRWA and other advocacy groups are pushing MassDEP to require the same notification requirements for blended sewage as are required for other discharges of partially treated sewage.  As our Deputy Director Julie Wood was quoted in the Globe article above, “If untreated sewage didn’t cause public health and environmental impacts, then we wouldn’t treat it.”

  • Kristen Wyman, Nipmuc leader and member of the Natick Nipmuc Tribal Council, presented the historical and cultural implications of restoring a free-flowing Charles River at a recent South Natick Dam Advisory Committee meeting. Kristen presented the history of indigenous resistance to dams the Charles; Natick Nipmuc ancestors actively petitioned the state legislature in opposition of the dams, as they infringe on Indigenous rights to food sovereignty and uphold the legacy of colonization. CRWA is following this community-led process very closely. We are in support of removing the South Natick dam which would restore migratory fish passage and ecological health of the river, as well as rectify historic wrongs toward Indigenous people. “Who would have ever thought, my ancestors, that I'd be speaking here a couple of hundred years later about the potential removal of one of those dams. I am encouraging us to think long-term about the possibility of that fish being revived because we do not give up that hope as indigenous people, we will never give up that hope. We know that all things are possible,” said Kristen Wyman.

  • Boston Water and Sewer Commission recently proposed using Fort Point Channel as an enormous catchment basin for stormwater to mitigate flooding of low-lying areas during extreme storms. Deputy Director Julie Wood called for nature-based solutions like preserved open space and parkland as additional, complementary strategies. "A place like Fort Point Channel, a place like Widett, it’s going to be plagued with flooding issues at both ends from stormwater and sea-level rise,” said Deputy Director Julie Wood. “We think it’s worth it for the city to start thinking about where it might make sense to invest instead of building the next neighborhood right on the coast. There are ways to use this land to protect the surrounding areas.”


  • Last week Deputy Director Julie Wood and Climate Resilience Specialist Robert Kearns led a site walk at Wrentham Eagle Dam with State Senator Becca Rausch, State Rep. Shawn Dooley, members of the Wrentham Conservation Commission, Board of Selectmen, and town staff to discuss why removing the aging, hazardous dam is beneficial for downstream communities and the ecosystem. The Wrentham Eagle Dam Removal Feasibility study, funded by the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program, was a critical step in helping the Town better understand its options for addressing the risk posed by this aging infrastructure as our climate changes.


  • DCR will undertake low-dose whole river herbicide treatment in the Charles River in July 2022 to target invasive aquatic plants that degrade water quality, reduce biodiversity, and harm the river ecosystem. The herbicide of choice is fluridone (trade name Sonar), which is especially effective at treating watermilfoil and fanwort. Herbicides will be applied from the Lakes District downriver to the Lower Basin over the course of several days. For invasives updates, subscribe to Clearing the Current.

  • Our efforts to remove the Watertown Dam were featured in Arlington Community Media’s “A Watershed Moment”, and Watertown Weekly News. We talked about why dam removal is imperative for restoring a healthy, clean, climate-resilient Charles River ecosystem, and will provide innumerable benefits for migratory fish, habitat, flood mitigation, and water quality. Historically, the construction of Watertown Dam also led to forced dispossession and starvation of the Natick Nipmuc community. Register for our upcoming virtual event about the Watertown dam, The Dam Removal Movement on Monday, December 6 at 7pm.
Congratulations Mayor Michelle Wu!
We are thrilled to welcome Mayor Michelle Wu as the new leader of Boston. Mayor Wu has been a tireless advocate for clean water and environmental justice, and her leadership on climate will mean a safer, healthier Boston.

From advocating for a Green New Deal to making our transit system more efficient and equitable, to divesting Boston from fossil fuel investments, Mayor Wu is a bold thinker and leader. In fact, it was then-Councilor Wu’s work to prioritize climate resilience and equity in decision-making about the future of Widett Circle that prompted us to honor her as our 2019 Champion of the Charles. From Widett Circle to the Muddy River to Harvard’s development of 45 acres in Allston and more, decisions made in Boston have a significant impact on the health of the Charles River. We look forward to working with the Wu administration toward a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Charles River and City of Boston.
River Reads
Reverse the curse: pedestrianize Storrow Drive -...

IMAGINE STORROW DRIVE transformed: quiet, soot-free, no longer a wall between the Charles River and the Back Bay and Boston University. Imagine streams of e-bikes, trikes, adaptive bikes, roller-bladers, scooters, e-pod cars, and...

Read more
commonwealthmagazine.org
“Imagine Storrow Drive transformed: quiet, soot-free, no longer a wall between the Charles River and the Back Bay and Boston University.” -Nathan Phillips 

In “Reverse the curse: pedestrianize Storrow Drive”, BU Professor Nathan Phillips gives a thoughtful, compelling argument for why investing $1.7 Billion to maintain twelve lanes of highway traffic and “necessarily encroaching on and over the Charles River” is a terrible idea.

Phillips notes we should be building for the future, not the past, and if Massachusetts is serious about meeting its climate goals, we should not be catering to cars but rather build a human-centric, sustainable city.
#OptOutside This Weekend
Why spend this beautiful weekend stuck inside when you can #OptOutside and enjoy the Charles River? We asked the CRWA staff what their favorite places in the watershed are. Here’s what they came up with:

  • Emily: The path next to the Blue Heron Bridge. It’s near my house and I bring a plastic bag and pick up trash as I walk. 
  • Julie: I have two young children and it can be a challenge to get them to go on long hikes, so for those of you with little ones I highly recommend checking out Hemlock Gorge and the Echo Bridge in Newton. It’s a short walk with a lot of fun things to see and even a little bit of adventure! My kids love fishing (catch & release only for us) and there are multiple spots to throw a line in above the dam. Enjoy! 
  • Dira: I really enjoy walking along the Charles River Esplanade. As someone who doesn’t have a car, the esplanade is an easily accessible stretch of the Charles River that combines both city and nature! If it’s not too cold, a picnic on the esplanade is a great way to spend the day.
  • Jennie: I enjoy a picnic with lots to watch. Herter Park in Allston offers a variety of spaces to bring a blanket, sit under an old tree in the shade, and watch all that’s going on both on the river and in the park itself! The park is a bit challenging to reach via public transportation but offers ample parking (when there isn’t an event) and is easy to reach by bike.
  • Robert: I have a couple of places that I enjoy. Just below Watertown Dam in the spring I love to watch the migratory fish including river herring and shad spawning in the river. Additionally, Cutler Park Reservation in Needham and Dedham is another gem. It is a DCR park that is a part of the Natural Valley Storage Area. You can hike out into the wetlands and islands on boardwalks. Fellow transit lovers and railfans can also watch MBTA Commuter Rail trains on the Needham Line above the trail. It is a really cool spot!
  • Julia: I highly recommend Elm Bank Reservation. Located in Wellesley just over the Natick border, Elm Bank has everything; meandering hiking trails that follow the curve of the river, beautiful fields, and even the expansive gardens of Mass. Horticultural Society. It’s a great place to wander, birdwatch, and walk dogs. Check out the giant European Beech Tree at the top of the hill if you’re feeling adventurous! 
  • Andrew: I really enjoy Rocky Narrows in Dover. The trails that make their way through the reservation provide beautiful views of dense forest and the Charles River. There is a moderately difficult climb up towards the vistas, but they are absolutely worth it. The overall reservation is preserved superbly and the walk-through really makes you feel more in touch with nature. The site also contains easier trails with ground-level views of the Charles as well, making it great for all types of hikers!
  • Lisa: I always enjoy a visit to Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick. It has 9 miles of trails by the Charles, through marshes, forests, and grasslands that are stunning in all seasons. There is always an abundance of wildlife, and their beautiful marsh boardwalk is accessible to people of all abilities.

If you must shop today, gentle reminder to sign up for Amazon Smile so you can at least support CRWA with your purchases.
Gratitude
We are grateful for YOU - our members, volunteers, and allies. This holiday season, as we reflect on 2021, CRWA could not be more grateful for your vital service and support to achieve a truly clean and healthy Charles River. The Charles needs us and we are in this together!

Thank you to Girl Scout Troop #82131 for cleaning our beloved river and calling for an end to stormwater pollution! Read more about the incredible work of Troop #82131 in Watertown Weekly News. “The girls discovered a shared interest in the protection of water resources and taking care of the Charles River, an important recreation and nature area in our town. They collected almost 30 pounds of trash along the Charles River, recruiting family and friends to help them in this effort.” 

Congratulations to Woodside Montessori Middle School for earning the well-deserved Youth Courage of Conscience Award from Peace Abbey for 17 years of participation in our Volunteer Monthly Monitors program and Benthic Macroinvertebrate (BMI) Sampling in Millis! Thank you for your incredible service!
Get Involved
We are hosting a virtual public meeting about our efforts to remove the Watertown Dam. Join us on Monday, December 6 at 7pm to hear from Ben Gahagan, Diadromous Fish Biologist of the Division of Marine Fisheries, and Beth Lambert, Director of the Division of Ecological Restoration, about why removing the Watertown Dam is not only feasible, but necessary, to restore the river ecosystem, reinstate fish passage, and build a climate-resilient river for future generations.

Calling all advocates! Are you interested in promoting climate-smart policies & climate resilience in your community? Join us as a River Advocate! We're looking for passionate residents of our watershed to step up and change the course of our river. Register for our upcoming training sessions to learn what you can do to bring investments in clean water and public health to your neighborhood. 

Are you a student looking for experience working for a clean, resilient Charles River? It’s not too late to get your applications for our Spring internships. CRWA interns have the opportunity to work closely with staff, volunteers, and community partners to use science, advocacy, and the law to protect and restore the Charles. Apply for our Watershed Science, Community Engagement, Data Analysis, and Development & Communications Internships by November 30, 2021.
Charles River Watershed Association | www.crwa.org
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