CHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION INC

Programs

1. Climate resilience - crwa is committed to reducing the impacts of climate change and supporting restorative climate adaptation. The organization works across all program areas to build river and watershed resilience to more intense rain events, more frequent summertime droughts, and hotter temperatures. It does this by bringing together municipal staff from across the watershed as part of the charles river climate compact, participating in municipal and state climate planning initiatives, educating local elected officials, conducting watershed and sub watershed-scale planning, restoring streams, wetlands, and floodplains, removing dams, and engaging in legislative lobbying and advocacy.crwa is also actively working to engage with communities that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, especially low-income and marginalized communities. Crwa is working to develop a greener and more just world that will be more resilient to the changes that are coming.

   $779,323 spent
   32% of program spending

2. River restoration - crwa advocates for the removal of defunct dams, tackling invasive species, daylighting streams, improved fish passage, and more to restore the river's natural ecology and build climate resilience. Crwa also addresses the condition of the charles river's tributaries--many of which face issues surrounding poor water quality, abundant invasive plant species, and impaired fish passage similar to the charles itself--by planning for riverbank restoration at impaired streams and involving the community in its efforts, advancing a vision of a healthier watershed for humans and wildlife. Crwa also advocates for preservation and restoration of local wetlands in order to protect important habitat and mitigate flood damage. An important component of this program is:* invasive species removal - the organization works with local and state partners to eliminate invasive species, including water chestnut and bittersweet, throughout the watershed through mechanical harvesting, hand-pulling by volunteers, and by supporting herbicide application where appropriate. This program increases awareness about invasive species and the impacts of nutrient pollution while creating new…

   $658,461 spentof which $16,666 as grants$6,500 earned by the program
   27% of program spending

3. Education and outreach - crwa's work to promote better watershed management and river stewardship includes a wide range of outreach and educational programming: educational talks and presentations to schools and community groups; a comprehensive website and online communications; the publication of brochures, plans and reports; trainings and workshops for municipal employees; and participation in many local and regional events and activities. Committed to growing the next generation of environmentalists, crwa trains numerous student interns each year, hosts the rita barron fellow, a one-year position for recent graduates looking to enter the environmental field, and engages national and international groups for educational and networking purposes.an important component of this program are two signature outreach events: * the run of the charles canoe and kayak race - run of the charles is boston's premier paddle race held annually in april. Featuring opportunities for kayak, canoe, or paddle board racers, and four different courses, the annual race showcases the ongoing improvements to the river.* annual earth day charles river cleanup - the annual earth day charles river clean up…

   $543,134 spent$128,131 earned by the program
   22% of program spending

4. Stormwater solutions - under this program, crwa plans, designs, implements and promotes green infrastructure approaches, or nature-based solutions, for managing water in the urban environment. Crwa also advocates for better management of stormwater at the property-, municipal-, and regional-level to improve water quality and mitigate flooding. Through research, design, and implementation of demonstration projects on public and private properties, the organization's goal is to mimic, or re-create, natural hydrology at the sub-watershed scale, making land and water once again work together. These projects are models for better site design, provide public realm benefits, serve to educate the public on the importance of storm water management, reduce pollution and flooding, and provide developers and local boards with information on low impact development.river science program - crwa collects robust water quality data to understand the health of the river, identify emerging threats, advocate for effective cleanup and restoration strategies, and protect public health. Several important components of this program are:* volunteer monthly monitoring - the organization's long-running…

   $434,689 spent$26,086 earned by the program
   18% of program spending

The 4 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $2,415,607.