Charles River Water Quality Grades - per report card for 2023

Charles River Water Quality Grades

Charles River Water Quality Grades

Every year Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) works with the U.S. EPA to issue the Charles River Report Card to report on the recreational health of the Charles River. 

CRWA recently released the 2023 Water Quality Report Card grades for the Charles River in September, which showed a slight decrease from the last year. 

It was a wet year, and due to increased rainfall, CRWA observed a rise in stormwater pollution and combined sewer overflows. No section to the Charles River showed an improved grade from 2022. (Why are you hearing about 2023 now? Because the grades are based on water quality samples from 2021, 2022, and 2023.) 

These grades show that water quality is worse in areas with more development, paved surfaces, and impervious cover. Less developed, more green spaces boast better quality, with plants and soil acting as filters, cleaning the water of pollutants. 

This emphasizes the importance of wetlands, biodiversity, and nature-based solutions in nourishing a healthy river. Want to learn more about how you can help foster a healthy, biodiverse landscape or mitigate stormwater pollution on your property? Contact the Conservation Department today! 

Explore the Report Card StoryMap, which provides information on the watershed, how the grades are calculated, and what we expect to see as a result of climate change here

Translated 2023 Report Card Grades Map versions are available in Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, and Spanish.

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/conservation/news/charles-river-water-quality-grades