The Charles River Watershed.
The Charles River Watershed The Charles River flows 80 miles from Hopkinton, Mass. to Boston Harbor. The Charles River is the most prominent urban river in New England.
Is the Boston Harbor a river?
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts.
Is Mystic River a real river?
Basic Information. The Mystic River, which flows from the Mystic Lakes in Arlington through Medford, Somerville, Everett, Charlestown and Chelsea to Boston Harbor, is one of the great urban rivers of New England.
Why is the Charles River so dirty?
Wastewater creeps into the Charles basin between the Longfellow and Harvard bridges through sewers and cracked pipes. Runoff from heavy rain deposits pollutants into the river via storm drains. This causes the spike in E. coli concentrations in the river’s lower basin.
Where does the Charles River start and where does it end?
Charles River, river, eastern Massachusetts, U.S. It is the longest river wholly within the state, meandering slightly more than 80 miles (130 km) from its source in Hopkinton, southern Middlesex county, to its mouth on Boston Harbor.
How deep is the water in Boston Harbor?
30 feet deep
A two-mile-long channel 30 feet deep and 1,200 feet wide from the sea through Broad Sound to President Roads.
What kind of water is in Boston Harbor?
Boston Harbor is an estuary system where the salt water of Massachusetts Bay mixes with fresh water from three rivers: the Charles, the Mystic, and the Neponset.
How deep is the Mystic River?
A channel 20 feet deep that extends from a point about 300 feet downstream of the Malden Bridge to a point 800 feet upstream of the Malden Bridge. The channel has a width of 75 feet through the drawspan and then increases to about 340 feet to form a turning basin in the area 800 feet above bridge.
Why was it called Mystic River?
The name “Mystic” comes from the term that these tribes used for the river — “Missi-Tuk,” which means “great tidal river.” As you explore the watershed, we encourage you to learn with us about its past and current indigenous heritage (Resources).
Is the Mystic River saltwater?
The “Lower Mystic River Watershed” refers to the area below the Amelia Earhart Dam in Somerville, which is salt water. Whereas the “Upper Mystic River Watershed” refers to the freshwater area above the Amelia Earhart Dam.
Why can’t you swim in the Charles River?
Swimming has been prohibited in the Charles since the 1950’s when a growing awareness of the health risks posed by pollution in the Charles caused the beaches and bathhouses lining the river to close.
Is it safe to swim in Charles River?
Progress. Today we have a river that is safe for recreational boating virtually all of the time, and safe for swimming 70% of the time. It is a river that is now a resource for an active wind surfing community, an annual swim race and catch and release fishing.
Is the Boston Harbor clean enough to swim in?
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s 2022 Metropolitan Beaches Water Quality Report card found the overall water quality safety rating for beaches managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in the Boston Harbor region was 86%, down from 93% in 2020.
Why is Charles River famous?
The Charles River is the most prominent urban river in New England. It is a major source of recreation and a readily-available connection to the natural world for residents of the Boston metropolitan area. The entire Charles River drains rain and melted snow from a watershed area of 310 square miles.
Are there sharks in the Charles?
LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) – A fisherman’s catch on the Lake Charles lakefront has sparked interest and it may rattle a few nerves. The man caught a juvenile bull shark, the same variety blamed for several deadly attacks. Photos of the shark have been shared on social media sites this week.
How many towns does Charles River go through?
23 communities
Boston marathoners race 26 miles from Hopkinton to Boston, but the Charles River twists and turns on an 80-mile course between the same points. Because of its meandering nature, the river flows through 23 communities, adding many political complexities to watershed management.
Why is Boston Harbor dirty?
By the mid-20th century, heavy loads of pesticides, PCBs, and heavy metals were also flowing into the harbor, contaminating sediments and marine organisms. Two overloaded treatment plants discharged largely untreated sewage and sludge into shallow harbor waters.
How dirty is the Boston Harbor?
Summary, Boston Harbor amphipods and the facility
Boston Harbor is cleaner than it ever has been. When the Boston Harbor Project was formed the MWRA went to work creating the Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. CSOs were eliminated and their discharge was reduced by 90%.
Who owns Boston Harbor?
| Boston Harbor Hotel | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Morgan Stanley |
| Management | Pyramid Hotel Group |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 232 |
Is the Charles River toxic?
The river was graded on E. Coli bacteria, cyanobacteria (also known as toxic blue-green algae) blooms and combined sewer overflows (CSOs), all of which are public health hazards.
How deep is the Charles River in Boston?
25.9 feet
The Charles River, on the western side of the harbor between Boston proper and Charlestown, is the approach by water to Cambridge and Watertown. The entrance of the river to the Charlestown Bridge, the first bridge, has a controlling depth of 25.9 feet.