FIND IT AND FIX IT STORMWATER PROGRAM IN THE CHARLES AND MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHEDS FINAL REPORT JUNE 2005 - AUGUST 2008 October 29, 2008 SUBMITTED TO: MASSACHUSETTS ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS OFFICE OF GRANTS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 100 CAMBRIDGE STREET, 9TH FLOOR BOSTON, MA 02114 SUBMITTED BY: CHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION 190 PARK ROAD 20 ACADEMY STREET, SUITE 203 WESTON, MA 02493 ARLINGTON, MA 02476 Table of Contents List of Figures................................................................................................................................. 3 List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 6 Organization of Report ................................................................................................................... 8 1.0 PROGRAM BACKGROUND............................................................................................ 9 1.1 Charles River.................................................................................................................. 9 1.1.1 Program Study Area................................................................................................ 9 1.1.2 Water Quality Issues............................................................................................. 13 1.1.3 Remediation Efforts Prior to FIFI......................................................................... 16 1.2 Mystic River.................................................................................................................. 17 1.2.1 Project Study Area ................................................................................................ 18 1.2.2 Remediation Efforts Prior to Find it and Fix It..................................................... 22 2.0 PROGRAM SCOPE OF WORK...................................................................................... 24 3.0 CHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION’S FIND IT AND FIX IT PROGRAM................................................................................................................................... 26 3.1 Task 1: Conduct Visual Shoreline Surveys .................................................................. 26 3.1.1 Background........................................................................................................... 26 3.1.2 Scope of Work...................................................................................................... 27 3.1.3 Methodology......................................................................................................... 28 3.1.4 Shoreline Survey Results ..................................................................................... 32 3.1.5 Conclusions and Future Work .............................................................................. 38 3.2 Task 2: Collect and Test Water Samples ...................................................................... 39 3.2.1 Background........................................................................................................... 40 3.2.2 Scope of Work...................................................................................................... 41 3.2.3 Methodology......................................................................................................... 42 3.2.4 Water Quality Monitoring Results........................................................................ 45 3.2.5 Conclusions and Future Work .............................................................................. 99 3.3 Task 3: Promote Best Management Practices (BMPs)............................................... 100 3.3.1 Background......................................................................................................... 101 3.3.2 Scope of Work .................................................................................................... 101 3.3.3 Methodology......................................................................................................... 103 3.3.4 BMP Promotion Results ..................................................................................... 104 3.3.5 Conclusions and Future Work ............................................................................ 116 3.4 Public Education and Outreach................................................................................... 116 3.4.1 Background........................................................................................................ 117 3.4.2 Scope of Work .................................................................................................... 117 3.4.3 Results................................................................................................................. 118 3.4.4 Conclusions and Future Work ............................................................................ 121 4.0 MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION’S FIND IT AND FIX IT PROGRAM................................................................................................................................. 123 4.1 Visual monitoring ....................................................................................................... 123 4.1.1 Overview/scope of work/tasks............................................................................ 123 4.1.2 Methodology...................................................................................................... 123 4.1.3 Shoreline Survey Results .................................................................................... 125 4.2 Water quality monitoring............................................................................................ 134 2 4.2.1 Overview of Monitoring Programs..................................................................... 134 4.2.2 Monitoring Design.............................................................................................. 135 4.2.3 Water Quality Monitoring Results...................................................................... 136 4.3 Promoting BMPs......................................................................................................... 149 4.3.1 Outfall Mapping.................................................................................................. 149 4.3.2 Political Advocacy.............................................................................................. 153 4.3.3 Tributary Monitoring Follow-up......................................................................... 153 4.3.4 BMP Education and Outreach ............................................................................ 155 4.4 Education and Outreach.............................................................................................. 158 5.0 GUIDEBOOK................................................................................................................. 160 5.1 Background and Scope of Work................................................................................. 160 5.2 Methodology............................................................................................................... 160 5.3 Results......................................................................................................................... 160 5.4 Conclusions and Future Work .................................................................................... 160 6.0 EVALUATION............................................................................................................... 162 6.1 Objective 1: Identify Potential Sources of Non-Point Source Pollution..................... 162 6.2 Objective 2: Track and Monitor Reported or Suspected Non-Point Source Pollution “Hot Spots” ............................................................................................................................. 162 6.2.1 CRWA Monitoring ............................................................................................. 162 6.2.2 MyRWA Monitoring .......................................................................................... 163 6.3 Objective 3: Guide the Remediation of Non-point Source Pollution Problems ......... 164 7.0 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................... 166 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 179 List of Figures Figure 1: Percentage of Time the Charles River is Safe for Swimming in Wet and Dry Weather 7 Figure 2: CRWA Program Study Area ......................................................................................... 10 Figure 3: Mystic River watershed................................................................................................. 18 Figure 4: Mystic River subbasins ................................................................................................. 19 Figure 5: Map of Charles River Shoreline Survey Project Area .................................................. 27 Figure 6: Waltham Hot Spot Sampling Sites................................................................................ 47 Figure 7: Photos of Turbid Plume and Oil Sheen Observed during Sampling............................