Testing the Waters

Xiaodan with two samples

As a member of the Charles River water quality monitoring team - a collaboration between the Charles River Conservancy and Northeastern University - I've experienced the joys and challenges of being out on the river every single day, for two summers in a row now!

Another member of the monitoring team at work

During the summer of 2011, we followed a day-to-day procedure of sampling, monitoring and analyzing the water quality to help determine the safety for swimming. There were three spots along the Charles spreading out from upstream to downstream under our monitoring. We had a cycling team including Kellie, Robert and myself to access all these spots and perform water collection every day. After we collected the samples we took them back to the environmental lab at Northeastern University to process and analyze them.

The most challenging day of this project was when Hurricane Irene swept over Boston. Under the severe weather conditions, we collected the precious samples as usual in the midst of flying branches and collapsing trees. It was worth the risk though.

Cyanobacteria under the microscope

The data obtained over the past two summers helps build up a foundation to study and understand the Charles under various conditions and will help to bring people back to swim in it. We're looking forward to having you join us to help get the Charles cleaner.

Xiaodan Ruan
PhD Candidate
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Northeastern University

Note: Results from this summer’s testing will be available in the coming months.  The Conservancy looks forward to sharing the details with you.

photos courtesy of Dr. Ferdi Hellweger, Northeastern University  

Beautiful fall foliage along the river!

You may have noticed the beautiful fall foliage along the river.  Autumn is a great time to observe the leaves changing from green to a beautiful oranges, reds, and yellows.  But have you ever wondered why the leaves change color?


The process has to do with the changing of pigments in the leaves.  Chrlorophyll which is normally present in the leaves produces a green pigment that acts as the dominant color throughout the season.  During autumn, the chlorophyll, which allows leaves to manufacture sunlight into food, stops being produced and therefore allows the the other colored pigments, such as carotenoids to show through.  Cartenoids produce yellow, orange, and brown colors (also found in foods like corn, carrots, and bananas).  Anthocyanins produce shades of red in the leaves and are produced only in the autumn, when bright sunlight and excess plant sugars are available inside the leaf cells (anthocyanins produce the red colors in cranberries, red apples, cherries, and strawberries).  Now when you look at the leaves you can think about all the cool processes that are happening to create this beautiful fall display.  But don't trust me- check it out for yourself!

If you're looking for more beautiful fall foliage, and perhaps a day trip or hike, then call the Forest Service's Fall Color Hotline at 1-800-354-4595 for the most up to date details of the fall color display.

Charles River Dam - check it out!

In the coming weeks the Department of Conservation and Recreation will offer two free tours of the Charles River Dam.  Now, if you’re like me you’ve passed this structure multiple times by bike, kayak, or Duck Boat but never really stopped to understand its importance. 

Did you know that it provides flood protection for over 2,400 acres of urban property along the banks of the Charles River???  That its six pumps have the capacity to move more than three million gallons a minute??? 

The Charles River Dam has won several architectural awards, including the Presidential Award for Design Excellence, which honors projects that represent the highest standards of Federal design in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and planning, historic preservation, interior design, engineering, graphic design and products and industrial design

Pretty impressive!

Want to find out more?  Join the DCR for these free one-hour Ranger-led tours of the structure and pumping facility on October 29^th and again on November 19^th (2-3pm).  The groups will meet at the Paul Revere Park flagpoles located below the Charles River Bridge in Boston.