winter 2003 streamer newsletter, charles river watershed association

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


2/16

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


3/16

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


4/16

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



5/16

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


MORE WORK, LESS MONEY


6/16

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


7/16

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


8/16


9/16


10/16

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


11/16

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


12/16

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


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.


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.


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.


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

winter 2003 streamer newsletter, charles river watershed association

Documents