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Region 1: EPA New England

Charles River Report Cards

Each year, EPA provides a detailed summary of the progress that has been accomplished, and what actions lay ahead as we continue our efforts to bring the lower Charles River to full ecological health.

Year Grade Overall* Dry* Wet*
  Boating Swimming Boating Swimming Boating Swimming
2011 B 82 54 96 89 74 35
2010 B+ 86 66 94 86 82 54
2009 B+ 93 62 92 69 94 58
2008 B+ 95 48 91 58 92 42
2007 B++ 100 63 100 84 100 50
2006 B+ 90 62 100 80 84 51
2005 B+ 97 50 97 59 96 32
2004 B+ 96 54 94 38 97 62
2003 B- 85 46 91 56 81 41
2002 B 91 39 100 71 86 21
2001 B 82 54 97 80 74 40
2000 B 92 59 94 82 91 46
1999 B- 90 65 100 71 85 62
1998 C+ 83 51 98 85 74 31
1997 C 70 34 87 56 61 22
1996 C- 57 21 94 40 45 15
1995 D 39 19        

2007 use e coli single sample number of 235 for swimming and a multiplier of 5 (=1175) for boating.

The general standards for the grade at the outset were as follows:

A: always meets standards
B: all boating and some swimming
C: some boating and swimming
D: some boating and no swimming
F: no standards

The way the numbers have been calculated depends on a gross level on the general descriptors.

The grade is then refined by looking at past years and seeing how the numbers stack up against those.

*Figures represent the percentage of time that state bacterial standards are met.

2009
As Earth Day Volunteers do Spring Cleaning near Charles River, Water Quality Conditions Hold Steady // EPA Grade from 2008 Monitoring: B+

2008
As Boaters and Cleanup Volunteers Converge on Charles River, Water Quality Conditions Improved EPA Grade from 2007 Monitoring: B++

2007
Annual Water Quality Check Up for Charles River: "B plus" and Better for Swimming

2006
Charles River Report Card: Continued Progress Cleaning 'That Dirty Water'

2005
Clean Charles River Effort Celebrated For Ten Years of Environmental Progress - Water Quality Significantly Improved

2004
Charles River '‘Report Card' Grade Drops to a "B-" – Clean Up Efforts Continue; Outlying Communities Challenged to Match Boston and Cambridge's Efforts  (April 2004)  

2003
EPA Announces $400,000 to Improve Water Quality in Charles River  (May 2003)

2002
Charles River Earns a "B" Grade for Water Quality; Stormwater Pollution & Individual Action Priorities for Future Improvement (May 2002)

2001
Charles River Earns Another "B" Grade; Cleanup Halfway to Swimmable Goal (April 2001)

2000
EPA Gives Charles River a "B" and Announces Innovative "Curtain" at Magazine Beach (April 2000)

1999
EPA GIVES CHARLES RIVER A B-MINUS AND ANNOUNCES NEW COALITION OF PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS (April 1999)

1998
EPA REPORT CARD ON CHARLES RIVER SHOWS WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (April 1998)

1997
EPA ISSUES ANNUAL CHARLES RIVER REPORT CARD (July 1997)

1996
EPA: A HEALTHY CHARLES RIVER CONTRIBUTES OVER $100 MILLION TO LOCAL ECONOMY (July 1996)

Serving Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, & 10 Tribal Nations

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