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    Boston beaches close due to water concerns (7/10/2009)

    The Globe reports today: The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is recommending that people stay out of the water at several Boston-area beaches, warning that they could get sick if they take a dip. Red flags are flying, signs are posted, and lifeguards are urging people not to swim at Tenean Beach in Dorchester, Carson Beach in South Boston, and parts of Wollaston Beach in Quincy. The probable culprit is the recent rains, which have washed animal waste, such as dog and bird droppings, into storm sewers that dump into the water, said DCR spokeswoman Wendy Fox. That can lead to the enterococcus bacteria entering the water, which can…

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    Rainfall causes cancelation of 2009 swim (6/21/2009)

    BOSTON, MA (6/21/2009) The Charles River Swimming Club, Inc. announced the cancellation of their 2009 swimming race due to rain. The race, which was supposed to have taken place on Sunday, June 21st, was to be the third of its kind. The club held successful races in 2008 and 2007. The at-capacity race had attracted 150 swimmers from around New England and was to be the largest to date. “Safety is of utmost importance to the club and the state agencies with whom we work. A dimension of our permit is a specific rainfall allowance between the time of the last water sample and the time of the race. Unfortunately…

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    Dredging of Hudson River begins (5/15/09)

    The Hudson, like the Charles, has a sediment problem.  Unlike the Charles, the source of the Hudson’s PCBs and other nasties has been traced to an organization that can be held accountable — GE.  After a lengthy court battle the clean-up has begun.  Estimates are that it will be, initially, a $750 million dollar operation but possibly becoming “many times that.”  That’s going to hurt, even for a company of GE’s size. The probability of any similar, near-term spot-dredging in the Charles is next to nil in my opinion.  All of the original pollutant-spewing factories and mills along the Charles are now long out of operation and their respective companies…

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    Otters spotted in Charles River (1/9/2009)

    It seems we’re not the only mammals swimming in the Charles (sorry pooches, dog-paddling doesn’t count).  Maury Eldridge took a couple of excellent photos of a pair of otters up in the Needham section of the Charles River.  Welcome back!!  Pictures are up on the CRWA website.

  • News

    CRWA publishes new phosphorus web page (11/11/2008)

    The Charles River Watershed Association has published a new page on phosphorus in the Charles and how residents in the watershed can minimize their contribution. While bacteria from Combined Sewage Overflows (CSO) during heavy rainfall have long been the main focus of water quality concerns, phosphorus is quickly rivaling it as river enemy #1.  The CRSC’s first planned swimming race, planned for 2006, was cancelled due to an unusually strong cyanobacteria bloom [Boston Globe].  Microcystis cyanobacteria can produce toxins called microcystins which are potentially dangerous under certain conditions. Please give their page a look, it has some excellent info.

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    Oysters to help clean the Charles River (10/23/08)

    There is an interesting article in the Globe about Duxbury oysters being dropped near the mouth of the Charles River.  The idea is that these filter feeders will establish a colony and clean the water leaving the Charles River (and, arguably, salt water going upstream when the river levels are low). Fingers crossed that these friendly bivalves like their new home! The full story is available here. Paul Keleher took this nice picture of open locks at the mouth of the Charles as well as the Charlestown bridge.

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    Swiss Beach Day at the Charles (7/30/08)

    Do you wonder what future swimming locations on the Charles might look like?  Now’s your chance. In a joint effort to bring swimming back to the Charles River, swissnex Boston is partnering with the Charles River Conservancy for the upcoming exhibit “Think Swim, Think Swiss: Bringing Swiss Style Swimming to the Charles River”. The exhibition, consisting of three dimensional Swiss cross kaleidoscopes, will display examples of Swiss bathing structures to explore the technological, environmental and cultural context of river swimming. Date: September 7, 2008, 2 – 5 pm Location: Weeks Footbridge, Cambridge More information is available here.

  • News

    Debate grows over swimming in Jamaica Pond (7/15/08)

    It looks like the Charles River isn’t the only Boston-area freshwater body that is starting to look good for a dip.  Some people living around Jamaica Pond have started a move towards introducing a swimming beach.  The idea is not universally supported, however.  Read more at the Boston Globe.

  • Press

    2008 One Mile Swim a success (6/18/08)

    Boston, MA — The annual Charles River One Mile Swim took place on Sunday June 15th with 103 participants, a more than fifty percent increase over the previous year’s field size. “The swim was excellent! I had the best time swimming in the Charles River, the water temperature was perfect,” commented swimmer Guillermo Nuñez. Overcast skies withheld long enough to launch the race at 8am. By the time the first swimmers had completed the course, just twenty minutes later, a light drizzle turned into a deluge which necessitated the cancellation of the post-race awards ceremony. It was an unusually cold morning for even New England and many swimmers were overheard…