BDTC Meeting June 25th, 2024
In Attendance: Linda Levin-Scherz (Chair), Michael McNamara (Secretary)., Angus A.,
Anne P., Molly Aalyson., Marc Sacks, Jeff L.S., Mike Crowley, Joanne C., Richard W., Dan
D., Dan B., Barbara B., Dick M, Frank F., Peter G., Steve W., Ruth S., Kathy Q, Anne Q.,
Helen B., Ann Mooney., Cabell Ames., Andrew Hrycyna, Emily Norton (Guest Speakers:
Mystic and Charles Watershed scientists and advocates)
1) Andrew Hrycyna-> Water Scientist at Mystic Watershed Emily Norton-> Water
advocate at Charles Watershed
a) How Cities (and Towns) changes rivers
i) Landscaping changes we make: Urbanization-> affects
Hydrology/Water Table
ii) Dams: Way cities can fundamentally change watershed
iii) We dam it so it can produce predictable water levels/build to the edge
2) Two Major Pollutants: Phosphorus; Too much in fresh water= very bad. Leads to
algae blooms, which kill fish and can poison human beings. Wastewater
Contamination; sewage in our water-> bacteria loads.
a) Urban rivers are living systems-> river herring come in from the
ocean/saltwater areas to spawn (Have baby fish) in mystic river (Freshwater).
i) Phosphorus is high in agricultural areas due to runoff of stormwater
that has fertilizer. But urban areas also have higher amounts due to
leaves that stormwater comes in contact with. Studies done by top
scientists have shown that vacuuming streets of leaf litter can lead to
a drop of 50% in phosphorus in the water levels.
ii) The Mystic River Watershed is a network of streams, rivers, and lakes
all draining into the Mystic River.
3) The Mystic River Watershed Group is a group fighting to clean up and maintain the
river’s health and protect human’s using the Mystic River watershed. It has 19 staff
working, but over 2,000 volunteers, and a budget of 5.1 million (which is mostly
distributed to local groups doing cleanup projects and other work to preserve the
watershed).
a) The Mystic Watershed cuts/goes through some very urban areas, like Everett
and Chelsea.
b) Urbanization of the Charles and Mystic Watershed: 42% of the Mystic
Watershed is impervious.
i) Impervious means surfaces that storm water can’t penetrate (Like
Asphalt and roofing) so the stormwater ends up taking in pollutants
from those surfaces; not going through the soil, but instead into
storm-drains and gets dumped back into the river(s) without be
purified by the soil/natural mechanisms.
ii) Stormwater means rain that hits an impervious surface and does not
go through the soil layer, but instead goes into storm-drains or other
culverts to be released back into the river(s)/tributaries.
4) Water Quality Theory of Change:
a) How Do we go from bottle of water samples in the rivers to political and
environmental change.
b) We do it by 1. Present data to citizens, 2. Calling engineers for the state, 3. By
sending reports to municipalities.
c) Then those actors/local and state governments can take action.
d) Usually by investing/spending money to keep the water and watershed clean
i) Steps: 1. Scientist field study of Phosphorus (for example)-> 2.
Regulatory efforts (Alternative, stronger limits to TMDL: Total
Maximum Daily Loads (of Phosphorus in this case). -> 3.
Municipalities engagement EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
workshops helping to set new guidelines and working with
Municipalities (2020-2021).-> 4. Green infrastructure: 60% reduction
in TMDL (Total Maximum Daily loads; of Phosphorus in this case) to
prevent deadly algae blooms.
ii) How can we do this? We can change the infrastructure to make more
(natural) ways for the water to filter the stormwater in a way that lets
the phosphorus settle and degrade it before letting it into the storm
drains (clean the water to reduce Phosphorus levels for example).
iii) Stormwater: Hitting impervious surfaces and then going down storm
drains into the waterways (without going through the soil layer).
5) The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) along with the Mystic and Charles
Watershed groups can work to help communities find funds to fix issues and
improve the watershed (and human) health.
i) They can also do smaller scale solutions: examples include bio-
basins, or infiltration trenches.
(1) Bio-basins filter the stormwater through the soil and purify the
Phosphorus through the rich soil to reduce the amount going
into the waterways and watershed.
ii) Stormwater Trench use a trench system to get water to percolate
through the ground to purify phosphorus out of the water before going
into a storm drain or culvert and out to the waterways/watershed.
6) Wastewater Contamination: Bacteria loads and sewage inputs into our water.
a) Mystic Watershed has improved since the EPA (Environmental Protection
Agency) and scientists and citizens/activists have pushed for reforms by
speaking out, publicizing in local media and papers (Like the Boston Globe),
and embarrassing state politicians into acting.
b) However, the tributaries (subdivision): the smaller branches of the Mystic
and Charles Watershed still have suffered and continue to suffer from high
levels of pollution (including Phosphorus).
c) Public Pressure on Municipalities, and Belmont by the Boston Globe
Editorials as well as constant public pressure from activists and the public
on cleaning up and preventing the infiltration of Wastewater (sewage waste=
bacteria #) is key
d) Two ways Wastewater (sewage mixed with stormwater) gets into our system
and the Watershed.
i) One: mixtures can happen by accident if wastewater is hooked up
into stormwater pipes by accident, (or on purpose) when doing
construction or otherwise hooking up waterlines or getting rid of
wastewater.
ii) Two: mixture can happen when pipes “speak to each other”, which
means there is leakage from wastewater pipes (or sewage) into
Stormwater pipes or drains, usually happens with old or failing pipes.
7) Belmont actually has a consent decree with the EPA to clean up our water.
a) 2 million dollars to maintain water quality, but it will likely take further
investment and resources to improve our quality past a D ranking (per Steve
K. question about our D ranking by the EPA and the money we are spending
to improve that).
b) Asks that concerned citizens and residents advocate for the CSO Alternative
analysis: which would be a blueprint of the next historical phase of CSO
controls (including such things as phosphorus).
c) There are key funding sources for green infrastructure like a successful 1
million dollar grant, a federal earmark for green infrastructure from the ARPA
(American Rescue Plan Act) that Congresswomen Katherine Clark and State
Senator Brownsberger advocated for.
d) Congresswomen Katherine Clark and Senator Markey are also requesting 3
Million in federal earmarks for the Middlesex District (Date: TBD).
e) We also got 450K in MVP funding for trees to help with water quality and
purifying stormwater.
8) Questions and Answers (Q&A)
a) Steve K. asked a question about the consent decree and the town of
Belmont’s low rank (D) despite spending money in the consent decree with
EPA
b) Belmont’s current consent decree has the town spending 2 million dollars to
maintain water quality, but it will likely take further investment and
resources to improve our quality past a D ranking (per Steve K. question
about our D ranking by the EPA and the money we are spending to improve
that).
c) Michael M. asked a question about what happens if the EPA were to get its
authority curtailed by Supreme Court (SCOTUS) and what would become of
the protections our residents in Belmont and Massachusetts rely on?
d) Andrew notes that MA has strong state level protections so even in the event
that SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) cuts or attempts to take
the legs out from under the EPA, there will be protections. Also, actions have
reactions, and Democrats AND Republicans love clean water, and will fight
for clean water.
e) Andrew (Continued): Water affects everyone. Local environmentalist and
national groups/nature groups have and will organize. Another key thing to
remember is that green infrastructure and other key environmental programs
reduce flooding (!!!).
f) Emily notes that costs need to be balanced against the benefit of reduced
costs of water damage to human property and human lives.
g) Flood and heat maps are a really big deal, as they help improve public safety
(and awareness) of risks and will save lives and property and prevent building
in a dangerous way.
h) Dick M. notes that what are we doing to publicize this? Are we advocating for
media groups (like the Boston Globe) to push for reform and continued fixing
of public watersheds and reduce flooding and pollution getting into our
waterways and water supply?
i) Emily notes that media attention to draw people in and alert then to the
neglect/need to keep up the pressure to push towns/state/municipalities to
keep clean water
j) Emily also notes that flood strikes people as really dramatic, it leads to
change as car/property damage focuses residents and voters/the public on
preventing flooding.
k) EPA->Focuses mainly on water quality, but not much on flooding
9) Flood maps: call/ask your state senator (Brownsberger) and state representative
(Rogers) to make/advocate to provide this data to the public and residents.
a) Ask for your state senator and state representative to require updating of
stormwater rules
b) Ask your senator/congressperson to have water/flood survey and history of
flood events.
c) Update from Cabell Ames: Senator Brownsberger fought for inclusion of
flood maps & public access for all of flood data