Around Town

Registration Open for Charles River Cleanup on Earth Day

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The following information was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

Registration is now open for the 24th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup on Saturday, April 22, 2023! Each year, the Charles River Cleanup brings together over 3,500 volunteers to improve the parks, forests, playgrounds, and paths and keep the Charles River clean, safe, and beautiful for all. 

The Charles River Cleanup builds on a national effort as part of American Rivers’ National River Cleanup®, which, to date, has removed over 32.5 million pounds of trash from America’s waterways. Since 1999, Charles River Cleanup volunteers have gathered each Earth Day to pick up litter, remove invasive species, and assist with park maintenance along all 80 miles of the Charles River and the 1,100 acres of Emerald Necklace parkland surrounding the Muddy River, a tributary of the Charles. Volunteers have a long-lasting impact — the Charles River Cleanup empowers ordinary river lovers to give back to their communities in a tangible way, forge new connections with nature and each other, and become life-long stewards of our river. REGISTER FOR THE CHARLES RIVER CLEANUP HERE

“Each year, we are so humbled by the extraordinary efforts of our community to care for our beloved Charles River,” says Emily Norton, Executive Director of Charles River Watershed Association. “Thanks to the generosity of time and effort of our volunteers, we are able to transform our parks and forests, restoring our river’s ecosystem for people and wildlife alike.”

“Litter not only poses a threat to the environment but also makes the parks less welcoming.

Around Town

See the History, and Possible Future of the Watertown Dam and the Charles River

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. The Charles River Watershed Association recently produced a history of the Charles River, including a look at the Watertown Dam, called A River Interrupted. The group is advocating for the removal of the dam near Watertown Square as a way to return the Charles to its natural state. One reason is to help migrating restore the numbers of migrating species in the river that struggle to get upstream due to the dam and other obstacles.

Around Town

Charles River Group Makes Case for Removing Watertown Dam During Public Tour

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. Around 50 people showed up Saturday morning to hear about a proposal to remove the Watertown Dam, and restore the area to how it was before the first dam was put there in the 1600s. The Charles River Watershed Association organized the tour, and the group is advocating for the dam to be removed to allow more fish and wildlife to travel up and down the Charles River, and also because it poses a risk of failure in a major storm, said CRWA Executive Director Emily Norton. The first dam in the area of the current Watertown Dam was a grist mill built in 1634 by early colonists.

Around Town

Tour the Charles River Near Watertown Square and Learn About a Proposal to Remove the Watertown Dam

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. A group that has been studying the removal the Watertown Dam to improve the environment for fish and to protect against a potential failure will give a public tour of the area on Saturday. The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

Watertown Dam Site Walk – Saturday, October 2nd, 10-11 a.m. Meet at the Watertown Dam Overlook Parking at DCR Dealtry Pool Lot, 64 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA. Come for a walk along the Charles River Reservation and learn about the opportunities to remove the Watertown Dam to improve fish passage, climate resilience, and eliminate the threat of dam failure.

Around Town

Paddle and Run the Charles River Virtually in 2021, Event Hosted by Charles River Watershed Association

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Charles River Watershed AssociationThe Run of the Charles paddle race will take place virtually in 2021, with participants paddling live but on their own schedule. A run will also be held. The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

We are excited for you to join us for this year’s Annual Run of the Charles with a virtual twist! While we had high hopes to do our beloved event in person, we have put together a fun and interactive event to get you out on the Charles enjoying the sights and sounds of Spring. We look forward to keeping the competition alive! Run of the Charles: Boston’s Premier Paddling Race, Sunday, April 25 – Sunday, May 23 www.charlesriver.org

RUN OF THE CHARLES PADDLE RACE

For this year’s paddle race, individual paddlers and teams have the option of four different routes, some taking you to areas of the Charles where you may have never paddled before!

Environment

Charles River Group Discussing How Towns are Preparing for Extreme Weather

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The Watertown Dam on the Charles River. The Charles River Watershed Association and Communities Responding to Extreme Weather will host a virtual event focused on building resilience across the Charles River Watershed. The groups included the following description:

Adapting to the impacts of climate change is a daunting task but many local cities and towns are facing this challenge head on. Having the best possible information on the impacts of climate change locally can help guide effective local investment and appropriate regulatory changes. The fifteen communities that are part of the Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC) have teamed up to develop a Charles River watershed flood model.

Around Town

Paddle Down the Charles River in the Annual Run of the Charles River

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The 37th annual Run of the Charles paddle race will take place on April 28. The following information was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

Paddlers from across New England have registered for the 37th Annual Run of the Charles: Boston’s Premier Paddling Race, taking place on Sunday, April 28, 2019. Kicking off the paddling season, the event is the largest flat-bottom boat race in New England and draws over a thousand racers and spectators each year with the help of nearly 150 volunteers. Run of the Charles is the signature event of Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), the leading science and advocacy organization for the Charles River and its watershed. The work accomplished by CRWA over the past 50 years has significantly improved the health of the 80-mile long Charles River.

Entertainment

Enjoy Free Friday Activities from the Charles River Watershed Association

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Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is hosting their first Free Fun Friday with the Highland Street Foundation at the Boston Marriott Newton and Norumbega Park on Friday, July 13, 2018 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
There will be music, food, and various free activities throughout the day. Activities will consist of canoeing on the Charles River with Boating in Boston, bait and fishing lessons, story readings facilitated by Raising a Reader, and guided nature walks with the Bartlett Tree Foundation. Participants will also have an opportunity to learn from CRWA aquatic scientists, with hands on science experiments on the Charles River. This event is sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation and is a part of their Free Fun Friday summer program that occurs every Friday, from the end of June through the end of August at multiple locations throughout Massachusetts. Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Friday mission is to increase accessibility to many of the most treasured cultural venues in Massachusetts to people who might otherwise not have access.