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8/9/2019 Winter 2003 Streamer Newsletter, Charles River Watershed Association
1/16
VOL. 35, NO. 1WINTER 2003
. , .
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 .
7page
In Pursuit of aHealthy WatershedRun of the River:A Summaryof CRWAs Advocacy Work
page8
Also in this issue:.Mount Auburn Ce me tery se ts
e xam ple with wate r pe rmit.Annual M ee ting notes.Fa ll folia ge pa dd le photos
2003 Annual Report INSIDE
Fish, FishLadders, andthe VolunteersWho Love Them
11
SmartStormProject Update
page
page 3
WHATS NEXT?Managing the
Environment After
State Reorganization
A Special Section
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C R W A S TA F F
Robert L. Zimmerman, Jr., Executive Director
Margaret Van Deusen, Deputy Director and General Counsel
Kathleen Baskin, Project Manager
Kate Bowditch, Senior Environmental Scientist
Denise Trapani, Development Director
John Carney, Environmental Scientist
Ariel Dekovic, Office and Publications Manager
Kenneth Dews, Finance Administrator
Anna Eleria, Environmental Engineer
James Fitzgerald, Laboratory Manager
Nigel Pickering, Senior EngineerLouise Taylor, Membership Manager
Interns: Gina Barberio, Jill Conroy, Robin Curtis, Maura Kelly,
and Rebeca Monje
Streamer logo: Lou Mucci
Streamerdesign: Ariel Dekovic
Photography: Anna Eleria, Kate Bowditch; other photos
courtesy of www.alongthecharles.com (credited)
Othographic projections: courtesy of MassGIS
Printed by: Recycled Paper Printing
S t r e a m e rCharles River Watershed Associat ion
48 Woerd Avenue | Wal tham, MA | 02453phone: 781-788-0007 | fax: 781-788-0057c r w a @ c r w a . o r g | w w w . c h a r l e s r i v e r. o r g
Streameris published in June and December.
Moving? Send a change of address form to 48 Woerd
Avenue, Waltham, MA, 02453.
CRWA is a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation established in
1965 to protect and enhance the health, beauty and accessi-
bility of the Charles River and its tributaries. CRWA is a mem-
ber of Earth Share and the Massachusetts Environmental
Collaborative.
Streameris printed on recycled paper.
Restructuring OurState Parks Agency
B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S
2 STREAMER
Over the past eighteen months CharlesRiver Watershed Association (CRWA) hasworked diligently to effect a
change in how the state man-ages its parks system.Working with other parkadvocates and concernedlegislators, we have seen thefruits of our labor in the for-mation of the Massachusetts Department ofConservation and Recreation (DCR). Theexcitement continues with the naming of the new Commissioner,Kathy Abbott. Ms. Abbott comes with strong management experi-ence and a desire to build a park system that works better for all itsconstituencies.
We have the organizational structure in place. Now comes thedifficult part of changing the prevailing culture within that structure,as well as upgrading our state parks infrastructure to where it needsto be in the short term. Across the board budget cuts will not makeMs. Abbott's task any easi-er. Yet CRWA and our part-ners are committed to thesuccess of the new DCR.An increased focus on pub-lic parks and river accessissues has been woven intoour strategic plan. Ourunique combination of askilled staff, an experiencedboard of directors and our
historical perspective makeus natural allies in thiseffort.
The successful restruc-turing of the state parkagency has huge implica-tions for the Charles River.Parklands tie the river andthe community togetherand are the main place thatpeople interact with the river. Parklands also protect water qualityand provide important habitats. The more we can do to improvepark maintenance and open space protection, the more we
enhance the health of the Charles River.In the midst of our excitement let's not forget that the kind ofchanges we want to see will require time, money and patience. AsDCR moves to a new level of accountability and transparency thereis an expectation that we will get more people involved in thisprocess of change. Perhaps, by working creatively together, wecan find the resources to make the necessary changes happen.
We have theorganizational
structurein place.
Now comes thedifficult part
of changing theprevailing
culturewithin thatstructure.
MESSAGEFROM THE
PRESIDENT
PHIL HILLMAN
Executive Committee
Philip L. Hillman, PresidentKelly McKlintock, Past
PresidentRalph W. Abele, Vice
President/ EnvironmentJane Sender, Clerk
Elizabeth Levin, TreasurerJohn Clark, Assistant
Treasurer*
Lee P. BreckenridgeDavid Burmaster+
Stephen H. Burrington+John P. DeVillars
Edward Englander
Elizabeth C. Gilmore
Richard G. Gonci+James HealyJonathan D. Katz
Attila Klein*Virginia M. Lawrence
Elizabeth LevinMindy Lubber
Charles D. McCreaBrian ODonovan+John G. Palfrey, Jr.
Bill Rieders+Robert F. SproullWilliam J. Tedoldi
* elected to Board for FY04+resigned after FY03
Phil Hillman, PresidentCRWA Board of Directors
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As many Streamer readers know, CRWAworked closely with the legislature and admin-stration this year to reorgan-ze the state environmentalagencies. On July 1, the fol-owing major changes wereput in place: the MetropolitanDistrict Commission (MDC)was merged with theDepartment of EnvironmentalManagement (DEM) to createhe new Department of
Conservation and RecreationDCR); and a Stewardship
Council was established toguide DCR. CRWA supportshe reorganization, as it willmprove management,ncrease public participation,and provide accountability andransparency in park andecreation services across the
state. DCR is made up of three divisions:
State Parks and Recreation; Urban Parks andRecreation; and Water Supply Protection.
In October, Katherine Abbott tookoffice as the first Commissioner of theDepartment of Conservation and RecreationDCR). CRWA asked her aew questions about how
she sees the new depart-ment.
CRWA: What are youmost excited about as youake on this new and impor-
ant position?Abbott: Succeeding!We have a great parks sys-em, and we have to build a
great department to manage it. I think we cando that, which is why I took the job.
CRWA: What opportunities do you see inhe reorganization?
Abbott: The opportunities are tremen-dous. First, the new structure will quickly elim-nate some of the inconsistencies between the
two agencies [MDC and DEM], so that all of
our park and recreational resources are man-aged with a similar philosophy and under thesame guidelines. Theres real public benefit inthat. There will be uniform rules, pricing, andpolicies so that people know what to expect.Well have a single web page with all the infor-
mation peopleneed to accessthe whole sys-tem, statewide.Second, the reor-ganization willallow some greatpeople withunique skills,people who wereformerly housedin one agency orthe other, to servethe whole state.Thats a tremen-dous gain. I thinkwe can take thebest out of eachagency and blendit into a new iden-
tity thats stronger.
CRWA: What challenges are there in thatprocess?
Abbott: Well, trying to do this quickly isprobably the biggest challenge. These agen-cies have histories that go back over a hun-
dred years.With publicagencies thatare this old,you havebureaucraticlayering andgrowth that
isnt alwayswell plannedand doesntalways make
sense or work well. Thats a lot of history to tryto change all at once. Plus, these agencieshave been suffering under the threat of con-solidation for so long that its hard to movequickly. But thats what we need to do. Weneed to involve everyone, all the parties in the
>>continued on page 14
An interview withformer head of IslandAlliance Kathy Abbott
New DCR CommissionerHas Capable Hands Full
SPECIAL SECTIONAfter Reorg:
The Stateof Our
Government
Restructuring theparks agency froman organizational
perspective>> pa ge 2
An interview withKathy Abbott, newDCR Commissioner>> page 3
Making reorgani-zation work: whatwill have to hap-
pen for it to be asuccess>> pa ge 4
The state of theenvironmentalbudget for FY04(hint: it doesntlook good)>> pa ge 5
Citizens havea right to clean air,
clean water,
protected resources,and scenic beauty.
STREAMER
The Aftermath of State Reorganization 2003
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The reorganization of the states environmental agencies
has begun, and CRWA, like everyone else, is still feeling ourway along, clear about our goals, but not quite sure how wewill get there. At a recent meeting here at CRWA, the realityof reorganization hit home. We were trying to solve a prob-lem, and we needed the state to help. We began our plan-ning: who would contact which sympathetic state legislator,local official, or other community group to lobby to have themoney earmarked in the budget.
Suddenly we all realized what we were doing: busi-ness as usual, based on the oldsystem of getting things done withthe MDC. Environmental advo-cates are all used to this old way ofoperating: make a lot of noise,
attract the attention of your staterepresentative and senator, hope-fully get your mayor or Board ofSelectmen to make a couple ofcalls; get your project funded in aline item in the state budget.
That is a crazy way tomanage the environment. Specialinterest decision-making, lack ofprocess, uneven planning: theseare the very problems that plaguedthe old MDC, and the very prob-lems we fought hard to be fixed
through agency reorganization. Ifgovernment reorganization is tosucceed, we have to change aswell. We have to give up our oldmethods and try to do things asthey really should be done.
The reorganization that waspassed by the legislature andsigned into law by the Governor has just begun to be imple-mented. The transition team at the Executive Office ofEnvironmental Affairs (EOEA) worked all summer and intothe fall to put together a strategy, evaluate budgets and setpriorities. Commissioner Abbott, hired in October, has justbegun her search for senior management staff. Over thiswinter, the Stewardship Council will be appointed to work withDCR on issues including capital and operating budgets, man-agement plans for parks, and the decision-making processitself.
A summary of the new environmental agency structurecan be found on CRWAs website (www.charlesriver.org), orat the EOEAs homepage (www.state.ma.us/envir). Moreimportant than organizational charts and new agency names,however, are the goals behind reorganization, goals we allembrace. We want a professionally managed park system,accountable to the public that funds it, with clear, open, and
fair decision-making processes. We want the world classpark system that Governor Romney dedicated himself andhis staff to building.
In an ideal system, the process might go like this. A goodproject might be suggested to the DCR staff, who would thenevaluate it and bring a recommendation to their senior man-agement, and to the Stewardship Council. The project wouldbe evaluated based on a variety of criteria, and a decisionabout the projects importance and value would be made.Issues to consider might include how the project fits withregional plans and priorities, whether the public supports theproject, whether it meets the requirements of best current
practices, whether it is fair from anenvironmental justice perspective, andhow much it costs relative to otherneeded projects. If a group feels theirproject has not received fair considera-
tion, they can go directly to theStewardship Council.
The new DCR system will probablynot be perfect. Among other glaringproblems in the short term, the statesimply does not have enough money tobring our parks and recreationalresources up to where they need to be.Institutional inertia is hard to overcome,and the enormous volume of work frommanagement plan development tostaffing to retraining will be impossibleto complete quickly. Next summer we
will probably not see as much changeas we all wish for in park maintenanceand capital improvement.
But the system should work better.Decisions about which projects to fundshould be more rational. Lines ofaccountability, from an individual parkup to a whole region, should be clear.
Capital improvement projects should be tied to improvedmaintenance. Volunteers should be able to have their effortswelcomed and supported. Private supporters should be ableto contribute to projects with confidence that work will bedone and commitments honored.
Commissioner Abbott and her staff need our help tomake the system work as it should. Rather than call our leg-islators right away, rather than pull strings and use our per-sonal connections to bump ourselves up on the list of impor-tant projects to get funded for next year, we should puttogether a rationale for why our project should be supported,and bring everyone together to gain DCR support. We needto keep the legislature in the loop, of course: they vote onDCRs budget. And ultimately, if the new park managersdont make sound management decisions, we will continue todemand better stewardship of the parklands and the river.
But the new DCR deserves a chance to do it right.
by Kate Bowditch, Senior Environmental Scientist
Suddenly, we allrealized what we
were doing:business as usual,
based on the oldsystem of getting
things done atMDC... That is a
crazy wayto manage theenvironment.
Making Reorganization Work
The Aftermath of State Reorganization 2003
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As Kathy Abbott takes over the reins ofthe new Department of Conservation
and Recreation (DCR), her department will have enormousfinancial challenges as well as organizational ones. Accordingto analyses done by the Environmental League ofMassachusetts (ELM), DCRs total budget this year is down 6%from last year, and 23% from 2002 (using the combined budg-ets of DEM and MDC for comparison, since DCR did not existast year). As we go to press, advocates hope to ward off morecuts for next years budget. Expectations are that capitalspending, paid for through state bonds, will be down signifi-cantly.
How can the states park and recreational systems bemproved with such enormous cuts continuing? Our statealready spends a smaller percentage of our budget on ourparks than most states, and many of our parks and recreation-al facilities are in dire need of capital improvements. KathyAbbotts efforts to improve efficiencies, form partnerships, andset priorities will help, but the reality is that we need moremoney for our parks. For CRWA and the rest of the environ-
mental community, this is a serious and long term issue.Parks are not the only place environmental spending is
down. ELMs work shows this years total environmentalspending budget of $166,596,560 is down 5% from last yearand down 21% from 2002. The Department of EnvironmentalProtection (DEP) budget is down 5% from last year, and 19%from 2002. DEPs staff, as a result of cuts, early retirementsand job attrition, has been reduced from 1215 to 926 employ-ees.
Across the board budget cuts are the only way to balancethe states budget without raising taxes, which no one is willingto suggest. So the short term outlook for measurable improve-ments in park maintenance, capital projects, and open spaceprotection is grim. The good news is Commissioner Abbottspark management experience, agency reorganization, andimproved accountability should lead to maximizing the limiteddollars we do have. In the long term, these improvementsshould give advocacy groups and the public the tools we needto get more funds into the budget so that we will be able to builda world class park system to last well into the future.
>> Environmental spending cuts have atrickle down effect; the Department ofEnvironmental Protection will have to
find a way to continue its vital programsunder a 24% budget cut from 2002.
The states total environmental spendingbudget for the year is down 5% from last
year and down 21% from 2002.
by Kate Bowditch
photo courtesy of www.alongthecharles.com
Environmental Advocates See Yet Another Drop inState Environmenta l Spending for FY 2004
The Aftermath of State Reorganization 2003
MORE WORK, LESS MONEY
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Putting EPA Grant Money to Work on the Charles
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.Are you a Charles River enthusiast?.Want a hands-on role in protecting the river?.Looking for an excuse to get out on the Charles
once a month?
SmartStormPlan Makes Cut
CRWA made the difficult firstcut in the Yale School ofManagement-Goldman SachsFoundation Nonprofit VenturesCompetition. CRWAs submittal ofits SmartStorm business plan wasone of eighty selected to proceedto Round II. 445 organizationssubmitted entries. At least threeoutside evaluators with expertisespecific to the venture reviewedeach submission across threedimensions: 1) Business Concept,Market and Competition; 2)Organizational Capacity and Fit;and 3) General Impression andOverall Presentation. Winners willbe announced in mid-May.
REAL PlanningAvailable on
CRWA Website
Join over 80 volunteers who participate inCRWAs water quality monitoring project!
CRWA samples along the entire length of the river, from Milford
to Boston, once a month at 6 AM. We need your help! If you are
interested in sampling at a site near your home or work, please
call Ariel Dekovic at 781-788-0007 x200 for more information.
CRWAs innovative land plan-ning methodology, Resource,Environmental and Land Planning,(REAL Planning), is now availablefor public review on our website atwww.charlesriver.org/EZ/EZ.html.The site contains in-depth explana-tions of the process of REALPlanning, from identifying criticalopen space, and assessing waterquality and quantity, to auditing cur-rent infrastructure. Case studies ofLittleton, MA and Holliston, MA illus-trate each step in the process.
In the introduction to the site,Executive Director Bob Zimmerman
identifies the need for REALPlanning in our current developmentregulations. He writes, Land andwater work together. It is in our inter-est to identify how and where landand water interactions are critical toenvironmental sustainability, wildlifehabitat, and surface water flow. Weignore these links at our peril.
-contributed by Ariel Dekovic
The Charles River WatershedAssociation was thrilled to learn that theU.S. Environmental Protection Agencyselected CRWA to receive a prestigious
$400,000 grant. CRWAs proposal wasone of only twenty selected from 176nominations around the country.
CRWA, with our partners EPA, MAExecutive Office of EnvironmentalAffairs (EOEA), MA Department ofEnvironmental Protection (DEP), U.S.Geological Survey, and MA Division ofFisheries and Wildlife, as well as munic-ipalities, businesses, andcitizens, will implementprojects that improve con-ditions in the Charles.CRWA monitoring shows
that water quality in theriver continues to suffer from pollutant-laden discharges that cause widespreadviolations of the Massachusetts SurfaceWater Quality Standards. Communitiesin the rapidly growing upper CharlesRiver watershed rely on local aquifersfor water supply and regularly facewatering bans starting as early as Marchand running through October.Increased development in the CharlesRiver watershed causes increasedwater demand, increased impervious
surfaces, and decreased infiltration.Consequently, the entire river suffersfrom low flows, raised temperatures,lower dissolved oxygen levels,increased concentrations of nutrientsand other pollutants, accelerated
eutrophication (low dissolved oxygenlevels and an excess of algae caused bytoo much nitrogen and phosphorus inthe water), the conversion of wetlands to
uplands, and decreased riverine andriparian habitat.CRWA will investigate the feasibility
of using instream river flow as a mediumfor innovative, multi-media pollutiontrading. CRWA will develop incentivesand a regulatory framework for keepingstormwater, groundwater and waste-water out of big pipes, ensuring that it is
available for streamflow, wetlands andhabitat. Demonstrationprojects aimed atimplementing change
are critical to the planand will include installation of CRWAsSmartStorm rainwater recovery sys-tem, and application of an innovativeDNA database project to determine, andultimately eliminate, sources of fecalcontamination. Recycling and reusingrainwater is a high priority for CRWAbecause it will boost instream flows inthe river and help ensure ample drinkingwater supplies for Upper Charles com-munities. Other plan elements includean assessment of the fisheries popula-
tion in the Charles and continuation ofCRWAs summer boathouse flaggingprogram. CRWAs work will supportEPAs goal of a fishable and swimmableCharles River by Earth Day 2005.
-contributed by Kathy Baskin
Water qualitycontinues
to suffer.
6 STREAMER
NEWS AND NOTEWORTHY
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7STREAMER
Herring Run; Volunteers Clean, CountVolunteers turn out to monitor river herring population, clean up fish ladder
>>A SAFER PASSAGE(clockwiserom left): volunteers stand proudlyn front of the pile ofcollected debris; vol-unteers DamonCarter, Neal Loidoit,Sarah Benjamin, VanMorrill, Kathy Baskin,Chris Albano and Bill
Gode get good anddirty; the Charles gullsare joined at the base ofhe Watertown dam by
another type of fisher.
Every year, as the spring water andair temperatures begin to rise, the lowereaches of the Charles fill with the silvery
bodies of blueback herring and alewife,collectively known as river herring.
In the springof 2003, CRWAbegan a long-erm project to
monitor the pop-ulation of riverherring passinghrough the
Watertown damsh ladder. The data that we obtain will
be provided to a state fisheries biologist
who is monitoring the long-term popula-on trends of herring in the CharlesRiver.
To make this population count, we
enlisted the help of over thirty dedi-cated volunteers who visited the
dam on a weekly basis to observe theherring passing through the mouth of thefish ladder at ten-minute increments.
The goal was to have one ten-minutecount every hour of the day, from six in
the morning to eightin the evening.Volunteers record-ed the water and airtemperature, andcloud cover as wellas their best esti-mate of the numberof fish.
Turbid waters often made the count-ing difficult, but during a couple of dry
weeks in the late spring, volunteers hadan exciting run of high numbers. Duringthe height of the herring run in mid-May,two volunteers counted seperate totals of
675 fish and 588 fish in ten minutes.In September, in conjunction with the
fish counting project, CRWAcollaboratedwith the Department of Conservation andRecreation to organize a cleaning of the
Moody St. fish ladder in Waltham, in thehopes that a cleaner ladder will aid thefish as they return to their spawninggrounds.
Volunteers shoveled and hauled updebris out of the drained ladder. Despitewet, dreary conditions and the difficultlayout of the ladder, these enthusiasticvolunteers finished the task in recordtime. With the hard work of some DCRworkers, the Watertown ladder wascleaned out separately.
The fish counting project will pick
back up next spring. If you are interest-ed in participating in this exciting project,please email Ariel Dekovic [email protected].
by Ariel Dekovic, Publications Manager
During the height of
the herring run, a
volunteer counted 675
fish in ten minutes.
hoto courtesy of www.alongthecharles.com
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STREAMER
>>ANOTHER WATERSHEDEVENT(clockwise frombelow): two CRWA members
prepare to come ashore at the
Waltham boat ramp while a
flock of Canada geese looks on;
members pause to chat with for-
mer CRWA Board President
Kelly McClintock; fearless
leader Ralph Abelereadies his
craft; two members depart from
the Charles River Canoe andKayak dock in Newton.
Nearly thirty members of CRWA cel-ebrated the Columbus Day holiday by
joining staff members and Board
Director Ralph Abele on a fall foliagepaddle. The day was spectacularly beau-ful as members launched from Charles
River Canoe and Kayak, located acrossrom our old headquarters.
As a dedicated paddler, Ralph Abeleknows the Charles River well, and guid-ed members down through the LakesDistrict of the river, noting both greatwildlife population and areas of historicalsignificance. Paddlers saw egrets, a blueheron, Canada geese (of course) andmute swans. As the paddlers passed theStony Brook tributary, Ralph noted that
during most of the year, thewater from the tributary is
drained for use by the Cambridge WaterDepartment.
The party landed at our new head-
quarters on Woerd Avenue in Waltham,where a festive lunch of pizza and ciderwas served. Over lunch, membersexchanged their enthusiasm for theCharles River, and discussed the posi-tive impact CRWA has made on the con-dition of the river over the years. Themembers toured the new headquarters,and were given a short introduction toour SmartStorm Rainwater RecoverySystem (a prototype is always on displayat our headquarters).
After lunch, members made the trip
back up the river, returned their bor-
rowed canoes, and went off with a newappreciation of the Charles River.Throughout the course of the year, therewill be more members' only events toattend. Please join us for one or more - it
is a great way to have fun with your fam-ily, meet new friends who share yourinterest in the Charles River, and gain adeeper understanding of CRWA's work.Please mark your calendars for theseupcoming events, and plan to join us. Weappreciate your membership and wel-come the chance to meet you!
Upcoming events for members only:Saturday, April 3rd - 2nd Annual
Take Me to the River Kids Fair -Interactive programs that teach children
about the river and its watershed
EGRETS AND HERONS AND GEESE, OH MY!
by Denise Trapani, Development Director
CRWA members ring in the fall with a foliage trip through the Lakes District
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STREAMER
The Late MartySender, CRWA
Director, HonoredMarty Sender raised awareness
and worked in earnest for the health ofthe Charles River. In his honor,CRWA, The Commonwealth of MA,the Division of Conservation andRecreation (DCR) along with the Cityof Newton collaborated on plans andthe construction of a riverwalk. Manypeople who knew Marty also con-tributed to its completion.
On October 19th the Marty SenderRiverwalk was officially opened with aribbon-cutting dedication. Remarkswere given by Newton Mayor DavidCohen, DCR Senior Planner DanDriscoll, Rep. Kay Kahn, and CRWAExecutive Director Bob Zimmerman.Martys wife Jane Sender, other familymembers and neighbors also spoke.Although the weather was rainy, laugh-ter and warm spirits filled the air.
The Riverwalk begins at the foot ofIslington Road in Auburndale, MA andis marked by two stone pillars withherons beautifully carved on each.The Riverwalk runs parallel to a ballfield, winds through woods and culmi-nates at the entrance to Forest GrovePark in Waltham.
CRWA spent thebulk of the sum-mer installing six-teen Smartstorm
systems in various Metro-Boston cities.
One of the most notable installationswas for the Ipswich Group Home. Themain goal of the project was to createsustainable landscape around thegroup home property using nativeplants and grasses as well as integratea rainwater collection system to pro-vide an alternative source of water forthe landscape. CRWA donated thematerials and labor for the systeminstallation.
The SmartStorm pilot project,which began last year in Bellingham,continued in 2003. Additional fundingwas provided by American NationalPower to continue the project. A total
of eleven systems were installed overthe summer under the pilot project,with an additional sixteen systemsexpected to be installed in the Springand Summer of 2004. In addition to theBellingham and Ipswich installations,SmartStorm systems were alsoinstalled in Newton, Westwood, andNorwell.
CRWA is exploring development oflarger capacity SmartStorm systems
for use by municipalities, commercial,and industrial facilities. As part of theBellingham pilot project, AmericanNational Power has provided a grant todevelop and install a SmartStorm
system for the Bellingham Town Hall.Additionally, Intel Corporation is provid-ing a grant to develop a similar systemfor the Hudson Fire Department. Withprojects such as these, and additionalresidential installations, CRWA willcontinue to develop and push this inno-vative technology as a part of the solu-tion to restoring the natural water cyclein our communities.
-contributed by John Carney
SmartStormUpdate
Celebrating 38 Years of CRWA:
New Projects, New Ideas: Whats Ahead for SmartStorm
CRWA celebrated a year of environ-mental accomplishments at the 38thAnnual Meeting held at the Newton
Marriott on November 19th.Board President Kelly McClintockwelcomed members and guests.Executive Director Bob Zimmermanhen introduced this years speaker,
Doug Foy, Chief of the Office ofCommonwealth Development.
Chief Foy gave a dynamic andnsightful talk concerning the fiscal crisisacing the state, and theeorganization of the
administration of hous-ng, transportation andenvironmental agencies
hat he believes willesult in a more efficient
structure. He men-oned CRWAs leadingole in negotiating for an
efficient and effective governmentalstructure to benefit the Charles, theenvironment and our parklands. ChiefFoy focused most of his comments onhe problems of sprawl, current zoningaws, and the daunting cost of acquiringopen space. He strongly urged theaudience to become involved at the
ocal level.While stressing the importance of
saving our towns, Mr. Foy asked theattentive audience, What are the tenmost important aspects of a town? He
went on to list: the library, schools,a movie theater, hardware store, a
pub, grocery store and more. He alsosaid that his number one environmentalgoal is to have every child be able to
walk to the town library; the achieve-ment of that goal would mean central-ized, walkable towns all over NewEngland instead of sprawling, car-dependent suburbs.
During the business portion BobZimmerman spoke frankly about theserious effect the states fiscal crisisand wholesale federal environmental
rollbacks have had onCRWAs budget.Board of Director nom-inees were approvedby the members pres-ent. Kelly McClintockconcluded five dedi-cated years as BoardPresident and wel-
comed Philip L. Hillman (formerlyCRWAs Vice President/Environment) totake over the reins. Mr. Hillman deliv-ered a warm and enthusiastic speechand looks forward to his new role. Mr.Hillman is the Divisional Vice Presidentof Health, Safety and EnvironmentalAffairs at Polaroid.
CRWAs Lab Manager Jim
Fitzgerald thanked CRWA volunteersand interns for their invaluable efforts.Awards were presented to five outstand-ing individuals. CRWAs 2005 Award
continued on page 15
Foys goal is to
have every child
be able to walkto a library.
by Louise Taylor, Membership Manager
Annual Meeting Speaker Foy Calls for Public Involvement
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Founded in 1831, Mount Auburn
Cemetery (MAC) is a 175-acre cemeteryhat has a lush arboretum with 5,500
rees, three ponds, and a vernal pool.
MAC is a popular bird-watching site and
green space within the metropolitan
Boston area. It is located in Watertown
near the Cambridge border and is most-
y in the Charles River Watershed. In
springtime, many people visit MAC to
see the variety of ornamental flowers and
enjoy the migratory birds hiding in the
uxuriant foliage.
Part of keep-
ng MAC looking
good is an irriga-
ion system to
water the ceme-
ery. Most of
MAC is irrigated
using water
rucks and
portable sprin-
klers except for
newer areas and
a 15-acre active
cemetery areanear Willow Pond
hat have in-
ground sprinklers.
The irrigation water supply at MAC is a
groundwater well. In the past two dry
summers, well withdrawals have been in
he 200,000 gpd (gallons per day) range,
which far exceeds the 100,000 gpd with-
drawal threshold requiring a permit under
he Water Management Act (WMA).
Therefore, MAC recently applied for and
eceived a WMA permit for a maximum
withdrawal of 250,000 gpd.Even though MACs water withdraw-
al volume is relatively small compared to
municipal withdrawals, the cumulative
mpacts on the Charles River from new
water withdrawals, like MACs, within the
past decade are considerable. CRWA
has detected a decline in baseflows
streamflow during dry periods) especial-
y in the summer. Low baseflows impact
the Charles by raising
the water tempera-
tures, increasing nutrient concentrations
and algae levels, and limiting fish popu-lations.
Because of these concerns,
CRWA worked closely with MAC and
the Department of Environmental
Protection to develop a permit that
includes streamflow-based water
management. MAC is an innovative
group and had already adopted many
good water management practices,
so they were very cooperative in
developing this new
approach for their
WMA permit.
CRWAs task was to
define the stream-
flow trigger (a
streamflow level at
which some man-
agement action
needs to be taken)
and specify the
appropriate water
management tech-
nique(s) required at
each trigger.Recent studies
of the Ipswich River
established that
summertime streamflow require-
ments for adequate fish habitat are
close to the August median flow pro-
posed in the Aquatic Baseflow policy
developed by the US Fish and
Wildlife Service. In the Charles River,
the August median flow is about 0.41
cfsm (cubic feet per square mile).
This value is regarded as a Moderate
Stress trigger. Previous minimumstreamflow limits in the Charles River
were set at 0.21 cfsm by the Department
of Conservation and Recreation (former-
ly the Department of Environmental
Management). This value was not par-
ticularly biologically based but rather,
sought to balance human needs against
environmental impacts. This value is
regarded as an Extreme Stress trigger.
CRWA and MAC agreed that these
two streamflow limits were suitable and
would be applied using daily flow data
from the United States Geological
Survey gage at Waltham. Having firmed
up the streamflow thresholds and the
appropriate stream gage to monitor, the
more difficult task of defining the water
management activities at each trigger
level began. Since MAC already used
progressive water management, many of
12 STREAMER
by Nigel Pickering, Senior Environmental Engineer
CRWA hasdetected a decline inbaseflows, whichraises the water
temperatures,increases nutrient
concentrations andalgae levels, and
limits fishpopulations.
>> Mount Auburn Cemetery officials members to develop a water withdrneeds with the needs of the environfirst of its kind in our watershed.
Balancing EnvironmentaMOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY WATER WITHDRAWAL PER
8/9/2019 Winter 2003 Streamer Newsletter, Charles River Watershed Association
13/16
STREAMER
he proposed activities were
already in place; only the
Severe Stress trigger (0.21
cfsm) imposed a substantially
new set of water management
activities for MAC.
Under normal conditions
greater than 0.41 cfsm), the
permit requires good water
management practices such as
monitoring (precipitation, soil
moisture, irrigation amounts,
pond levels) and ensuring
sprinklers are performing prop-
erly. Under ModerateStress (below 0.41 cfsm),
the permit requires a
public notice that the
Moderate Stress
level has been
reached and that
special water man-
agement practices
are in place. This
trigger limits irriga-
tion to once a week
and during this peri-
od MACs ponds can
to be filled in antici-
pation of drier condi-
tions. Under Severe
Stress (below 0.21
cfsm) the permit
requires a similar
public notice. This
trigger requires
water management
practices like night-
time irrigation,
watering limited toless than once a
week, and the shut-
down of ornamental
fountains.
We commend
MAC in taking a pos-
itive approach and
working with CRWA
to develop this per-
mit. The permit
ratchets down
appropriately on
water use when theriver flows are low-
est and should help protect the
river and fisheries. This kind of
streamflow-triggered WMA per-
mit is the first of its kind in the
Charles River watershed and
we hope it will serve as a model
for future permits.
ked tirelessly with CRWA staffpermit that balanced human
t. The resulting permit is the
Needs With Human Use
Question: Why does CRWA writecomment letters?
Answer: A comment letter is one of CRWAs mostpotent tools for advocacy. Every month, GeneralCounsel Margaret Van Deusen reviews the list of
Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) put forth in thewatershed. She chooses projects that either threatenthe health of the river or watershed in a substantial way,or smaller projects where a favorable outcome couldserve as an example or case study for future develop-ments (the Mount Auburn Cemetery project is a goodexample of the latter type of project). The EIR isreviewed by a CRWA staff scientist, and a report, in the
form of a letter, is created which identifies potential prob-lems with the EIR and recommends solutions. Theseletters are submitted Masschusetts EnvironmentalProtection Act (MEPA) Office for review.
According theMEPA website, the Actrequires that stateagencies study theenvironmental conse-quences of theiractions, including per-mitting and financialassistance. It also
requires them to take allfeasible measures toavoid, minimize, andmitigate damage to theenvironment.
MEPA furtherrequires that stateagencies use all practi-cable means and measures to minimize damage to theenvironment, by studying alternatives to the proposedproject, and developing enforceable mitigation commit-ments, which will become permit conditions for the proj-ect if and when it is permitted.
MEPA review is not a permitting process. MEPArequires public study, disclosure, and development offeasible mitigation for a proposed project. It does notpass judgement on whether a project is environmentallybeneficial, or whether a project can or should receive aparticular permit. Those decisions are left to the permit-ting agencies. MEPA review occurs before permittingagencies act, to ensure that they know the environmen-tal consequences of their actions.
CRWA Advocacy Work
T BASED ON STREAMFLOWS IS FIRST FOR CHARLES
MEPA requiresthat state
agencies useall practicable
measures tominimize
damage to theenvironment.
8/9/2019 Winter 2003 Streamer Newsletter, Charles River Watershed Association
14/16
14 STREAMER
continued from page 3INTERVIEW WITH KATHY ABBOTT, NEW DCR HEAD
2004 Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak RaceSunday, April 25, 2004
Register by February 15, 2004 and save!
Whether youre an old pro or a first-time paddler, the Run of Charles has something for you!
Your company or organization belongs at the Run of the Charles! Get a group of friends or co-workers together for the 24-Mile Canoe Relay Race, and you can divide the race into stretches asshort as 2 miles. Register your team by February 15, 2004, and save! You dont have to decide
yet who will be on your team, simply let us know how many boats youre entering. Early registra-tion is available at the 2003 rates!
The Run of the Charles also includes the Professional Flatwater Canoe Marathon, plus 19-, 9-, and6-Mile canoe and kayak races. All races end at the Finish Line Festival at Herter Park in Boston
with food, music, awards, and displays.
Join nearly 2000 paddlers and thousands of fans at the 2004 Run of the Charles Canoe andKayak Race. Visit www.charlesriver.org, call (508) 698-6810, or email [email protected].
process, get buy-in, and actually make these changes happen.Of course the budget situation is another huge challenge. Withhe states growing fixed expenses, no new taxes, and a slow
economic recovery, it wont be easy to do all this. And just inerms of practicalities, there are both financial and political
challenges. We need to really define thestates responsibilities, based on article97 for example [which protects publicparkland]. Citizens have a right to cleanair, clean water, protected resources,scenic beauty. What are the statesesponsibilities to achieve those, andhen how do we build on that base with
partnerships, new models, new ways tocoordinate all the partners in the effort?
CRWA: Can you talk a little bit moreabout partnerships?
Abbott: Well, at this point, theresess and less public funding available forparks, and I cant see us going back tohe days of government paying for everything. Having worked
with one model that was fairly successful, I really believe that a
multifaceted partnering approach is the future. But we have aot to learn. What is the right model, not just for capital projects,but for operations? If we build partnerships for our parks, howwell will they hold up in economic downturns? How do wemake sure everyone remains at the table and participates? Inmy experience, people dont walk away once theyre investedn the process. We also need to reconnect conservation andecreation to public health, safety and education. Thats all part
of building partnerships.CRWA: What are some of your specific goals, short term
and long?Abbott: A big long term goal is getting all the states citi-
zens reengaged and excited about what they own. We needpeople to believe this is worth doing and to help get it done bygetting everyone to become stewards. Short term, for thedepartment, that means developing a new story to tell, anddoing it quickly. People need to see change within the next
year. We need to create a baseline, to figureout where we really are in terms of ourresource conditions, our services, our staffing,our budget, and our mandates. Some of that isgoing to be bad news, but thats okay. Weneed to know where we are, decide where weneed to be, and then figure out how to getthere. In the immediate term, Im workingdirectly and intensely with staff. Then I need tomove out to work with the legislature and localgovernment officials, and with partner groups.
CRWA: What do you think about the newStewardship Council?
Abbott: Basically, its my board of direc-tors. Of course the department is answerable
to others as well. We are mandated by the legislature to docertain things. We have a budget, and the rest of state and
local government we have to work with. But the StewardshipCouncil is a great concept, and I hope it will be a terrificresource. I see it as a group to advise the department in thedevelopment of our vision, policies, strategy, implementation,and planning. I think they will help leverage other resourcesand create productive partnerships. Im looking forward to see-ing it built, and I hope it can craft its mission in the most pro-ductive way possible.
CRWA: You seem pretty upbeat in spite of all the workahead of you! How do you feel?
Abbott: Im having a great time!
We need to
reconnectconservation andrecreation
to public health,safety and
education.
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15/16
THANK
YOU
CRWA held a number of
activities this year to give
you, our members, a chance to enjoy the Charles River
and meet new friends through participation in our Fall
Foliage Paddle, the Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak
Race, Take Me to the River Kids Fair, or volunteering for
projects such as Water Quality Monitoring, Earth Day
Charles River Clean-Up, and the Moody Street Fish Ladder
Clean-Up in Waltham. We hope you had a great time. Your
nvolvement is always welcome and highly regarded.
On the financial front, we are pleased to report that theFY03 (10/1/02 9/30/03) contributions from members and
riends totaled $358,086. Your contributions were critical
o CRWAs work during a year in which we experienced
educed financial support from government sources and
oundations.
We have launched our FY04 Annual Appeal. Your con-
ributions will again be critically important to us this year.
Thanks to all who already gave to this years Annual
Appeal. If you havent yet contributed, please do so today.
We know you will be as generous as you can. The work of
eengineering how water is used, as well as maintaining
parklands and a healthy and beautiful Charles, is ongoing.
CRWA is most appreciative to those of you who increased
your support through membership and Annual Appeal
donations.
Donations from Millennium Society members ($2,500 or
more) were given by Ro and John Bloom, Miss Elizabeth B.
ackson, Bruce and Helen Johnstone, Kelly McClintock,
Robert F. Sproull, Mr. and Mrs. Holyoke L. Whitney, and two
nonymous gifts. CRWA extends our deep appreciation to all
hese donors.
Likewise, we are very grateful to the following
Headwater Society members ($1,000 to $2,499) for their recent
donations. They include, Honorable and Mrs. Levin H.
Campbell, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Chandler, Carolyn and John
Clark, Earl Collier, Anne and Jim Davis, Carole and Chris Ely,
Elizabeth Gilmore, Betsy Harper, Mrs. Sturtevant Hobbs,
Jonathan Katz and Norah Wylie, Carolyn and John King,
Elizabeth Levin, Margot C. Pyle, Margaret E. Richardson, Jane
Sender, Dan and Carmen Wheeler, and one anonymous gift.
Unrestricted donations were given to CRWA by the
Beacon Hill Garden Club, Earth Share, Kahn CharitableFoundation, the Silver Tie Fund, and Sun Life Assurance
Company of Canada. Thank you!
Restricted grants awarded to CRWA came from
Crossroads Community Foundation with $85K for the
Bellingham Restoration project, and $40K from the Jessie B.
Cox Charitable Trust for the assessment of the effectiveness of
local, state and regional water flow policy and practice. The
Charles River Neighborhood Foundation gave $5K for the
Marty Sender Memorial Pathway. CRWA also received one
anonymous grant.
Many thanks to Charles River Canoe and Kayak for donat-
ing a number of canoes for our successful fall foliage paddle,
and to Past Board President and current Board Director Ralph
Abele who led the trip.
Each year CRWA attracts interns who provide invaluable
assistance to staff. CRWA wishes to thank Gina Barberio, Jill
Conroy, Robin Curtis, Maura Kelly, and Rebeca Monje for their
tireless efforts.
Thanks again to all of our supporters.
THANK YOU
-contributed by Louise Taylor
TownBostonBostonCambridgeCambridgeHollistonMilfordNatick
ProjectFinal Environmental Impact Report for Joslin Diabetes Center ExpansionFinal Environmental Impact Report for Museum of Fine ArtsEnvironmental Notification Form for Historic Parkways Initiative, Memorial Drive Demonstration Project Phase IIExtension of Variance for Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Combined Sewer Overflow Control PlanSupplemental Environmental Impact Report for Hopping Brook ParkWater Management Act Draft Permit for Milford Water CompanyEnvironmental Notification Form for Natick Golf Course
WATCHDOG FOR THE RIVERA list of projects on which CRWA commented to the state, town or developer between May 1, 2003 and
October 31, 2003. Copies of the comment letters are available at CRWA.
For more information about the comment letter process, see the sidebar on page 13 of this issue of Streamer.
continued from page 112003 ANNUAL MEETING WRAP-UP
was presented to Peter Weiskel of the
Environmental Protection Agency. Dr.Weiskel has worked unwaveringly onbehalf of a healthy Charles River. ACRWA Volunteer award was given toRebeca Monje, our staff intern fromSpain who continues to be enormouslyhelpful with CRWAs modeling projects.Bonnie Frechette of Whole FoodsMarket also received a Volunteer Award
for spearheading a clean-up of the
Charles in the Bellingham area, and forher dedication to finding funding sourcesfor CRWA. Kerry Mackin of the IpswichRiver Watershed Association receivedCRWAs Activist Award for her work pur-suing solutions for the issue of overuseof water supplies in the Ipswich Riverwatershed, which has led to a dried upriver in recent summer months.
Bob Zimmerman presented CRWAs
highest honor, the Anne M. BlackburnAward, to Kelly McClintock for his tire-less and impressive dedication to thesuccess of CRWA. CRWA is extremelypleased that Kelly will continue to serveon the board and to share with us hisexpertise in many areas, particularlydevelopment. Members honored Kellywith a standing ovation.
8/9/2019 Winter 2003 Streamer Newsletter, Charles River Watershed Association
16/16
NON PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDNATICK, MA
PERMIT NO. 61
STREAMER
Charles River Watershed Association
48 Woerd Avenue
Waltham, MA 02453
Wishing youa river of
peace andjoy
for 2004.
er photograph courtesy of www.alongthecharles.com