Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Bureau of Planning, Design & Resource Protection Resource Management Planning Program RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN Charles River Esplanade - New Basin Complex Including the Charles River Lower and New Basins, and City Square Park February 2015 Cover Photo Hatch Memorial Shell Area on the Boston Esplanade Charles River Esplanade - New Basin Complex Including the Charles River Lower and New Basins, and City Square Park RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015 Charles D. Baker, Governor Karyn E. Polito, Lt. Governor Matthew A. Beaton, Secretary John P. Murray, Commissioner Resource Management Plans provide guidelines for management of properties under the stewardship of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). They are intended to be working documents for setting priorities, enabling the Department to adapt to changing fiscal, social and environmental conditions. The planning process provides a forum for communication and cooperation with park visitors, partners and the surrounding communities to ensure transparency in the DCR’s stewardship efforts. The parks within the Charles River Esplanade - New Basin Complex are among the most popular in the Commonwealth. They provide a variety of recreational opportunities, from scenic walks along the river, to bike rides along the 18-mile Dr. Paul Dudley White Bicycle Path, to taking in a summer concert at the Hatch Shell or in City Square Park. These parks are a common ground where people of widely different backgrounds meet. Intense boating activity makes the Lower Basin one of the nation’s great water parks. Each year the Charles River welcomes crew teams and rowers from around the world. The Lower Basin has a long tradition of public rowing and sailing programs. It is an important resource for private boaters and tour boats. A half million people attend the Boston Pops concert and fireworks display held at the Hatch Shell every Independence Day. The Boston Esplanade also hosts more than seventy free public concerts, movies and special events each year. This Resource Management Plan represents both a connection to the historic past and a guide to the future for the DCR properties within the Charles River Esplanade - New Basin Complex. Recommendations are provided to protect these resources while providing for compatible recreation, so that they may be enjoyed for generations to come. John P. Murray Commissioner The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner John P. Murray, the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources for the well-being of all. To learn more about the DCR, our facilities, and our programs please visit us at http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr. Contact us at [email protected]. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Contents Page Executive Summary Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... i Charles River Esplanade - New Basin Complex ........................................................................................... i Management Principle and Goals .................................................................................................................. i Management Recommendations .................................................................................................................... ii Action Plan 2015 - 2018 ................................................................................................................................ iii Section 1. Introduction 1.1. Mission of the Department of Conservation and Recreation .................................................................. 1 1.2. Charles River Esplanade - New Basin Complex ..................................................................................... 1 1.3. Resource Management Plans .................................................................................................................. 4 1.4. The Planning Process .............................................................................................................................. 4 1.5. Management Principal and Goals ........................................................................................................... 5 1.6. Regional Context .................................................................................................................................... 6 1.7. History of the Charles River Basin ......................................................................................................... 9 Section 2. Existing Conditions 2.1. Natural Resources .................................................................................................................................. 13 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................................................. 13 Climate .................................................................................................................................................. 14 The Charles River ................................................................................................................................. 15 Flood Elevations ................................................................................................................................... 16 Water Quality ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Fish Community ................................................................................................................................... 25 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................................. 26 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................. 28 2.2. Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................................. 29 Archaeological Resources ..................................................................................................................... 29 Historic Resources ................................................................................................................................ 30 2.3. Recreation Resources ............................................................................................................................. 37 User Surveys ......................................................................................................................................... 37 Lower Basin Recreation Resources ...................................................................................................... 39 New Basin Recreation Resources ......................................................................................................... 47 North End Parks .................................................................................................................................... 54 Charlestown Parks ................................................................................................................................ 55 Special Events ....................................................................................................................................... 55 2.4. Major Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................... 56 Vehicular Bridges ................................................................................................................................. 56 Dams ..................................................................................................................................................... 59 North Point Maintenance Facility ......................................................................................................... 60 Section 3. Management Resources and Practices 3.1. Management Structure ........................................................................................................................... 61 3.2. Current Staffing ..................................................................................................................................... 63 3.3. Current Operating Activities .................................................................................................................. 64 3.4. Management Practices ........................................................................................................................... 65 3.5. Interpretive Services .............................................................................................................................. 69 3.6. General Budgetary Information ............................................................................................................. 69 3.7. Partnerships ............................................................................................................................................ 70 Contents Page Section 4. Management Recommendations 4.1. Landscape