Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee Meeting Notes - June 3, 2021

Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee

Meeting Focus: Reports from USGS's StreamStats project and MWRA's CSO work

June 3, 2021
Held online via Zoom

Meeting Summary

Meeting in Brief

This meeting consisted of three presentations: a description of updates to the StreamStats tool in the
Mystic watershed from USGS, a report on progress on CSO control from MWRA, and a report-back from
a series of webinars focused on trash reduction from the Mystic River Watershed Association. Slides
from MWRA and MyRWA's presentations are available at mvsticriver.org/epa-steering-committee. A list
of meeting participants can be found at the end of this document. For more information about the
steering committee and current efforts to restore the Mystic River watershed, please visit
www.epa.gov/mysticriver.

Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 9 at 10am. This meeting will likely be virtual, but
details will be announced closer to the date.

Integrating stormwater drainage into the USGS's StreamStats application for the Mystic River
Watershed

Alana Spaetze, Hydrologist, USGS
Pete Steeves, GIS Specialist, USGS
Jay Corey, City Engineer, City of Woburn

Slides from this presentation are considered preliminary and can not be shared publicly. However, feel
free to contact our presenters with any questions: aspaetzel(a)usgs.gov and psteevesffiusgs.gov.

•	Stakeholders in the Mystic River basin are addressing challenge related to stormwater, including
bacteria, flooding, nutrient loading, climate resiliency, and others. These also must be tracked
for MS4 permit requirements.

•	USGS is supporting all of this work by integrating stormwater infrastructure information and
higher resolution data into the StreamStats tool, which currently relies on topographic data. This
allows for improved contributing area delineation.

•	This project has been a joint project with USGS and the Urban Waters program, and has also
been supported by EPA Region 1.

•	StreamStats is a geospatial web app that allows users to delineate drainage areas, compute
basin characteristics, and generate flow statistics. It is publicly available.

•	This StreamStats enhancement will include the entire Mystic River basin; so far, 19
municipalities have provided storm drain data for the project. The pilot area, where StreamStats
has already been updated, is a small area including parts of Woburn, Wilmington, and Reading.

•	StreamStats relies on geometric network functionality, which allows users to see everything that
contributes flow to a given point.

•	The updated maps include pipes, inlets, and surface drainageways. Including stormwater data in
the delineations yields much more accurate information about flows than elevation information
alone.

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Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee Meeting Notes - June 3, 2021

•	This project in the Mystic is only the second like this for USGS; the first was in St. Louis. The
historic nature of the Boston area makes the drainage in this area especially complex, with old
infrastructure, the former route of the Middlesex Canal, etc.

•	An outstanding question is how to determine flow statistics in an urban area that doesn't have a
lot of streamgages (compared to a less urban location).

•	Jay Corey from Woburn spoke about the many uses of StreamStats for city engineers and noted
that the updates make it even more valuable. He also noted that cities need to improve their
own data sets to support efforts like these. (The better the data that goes to USGS, the more
efficiently and accurately they can update StreamStats.)

Q: What are some examples of the practical applications of this tool for municipalities?

A: This is a really high resolution data set and allows municipalities to easily delineate drainage areas to
catch basins. This makes MS4 reporting much quicker and simpler for tasks that could otherwise be very
cumbersome (and which municipalities might otherwise have to hire a consultant to do). Once land use
types are added to the tool, municipalities can also easily calculate phosphorus loading from different
land use types based on calculations done by EPA. The tool can also help with elicit discharge detection.
The tool will also allow users to separate flows from pipes from surface flows, which is needed to
calculate flow statistics.

Q: How does groundwater infiltration play into this model?

A: USGS is just starting to look into incorporate groundwater contributing areas to a click point, which is
especially important in some regions, such as Cape Cod. Currently, it only factors in through certain
basin characteristics, such as area of sand and gravel.

Q: From the EPA perspective, what are the benefits of this update?

A: This tool allows EPA to do more efficient, useful sampling and improves the mapping of stormwater
systems.

Comment: This could be valuable to identify sources of flooding as well.

Comment: This project is missing data from state-owned roads and other state infrastructure. Theresa
McGovern from VHB noted in the chat that MassDOT is working on their mapping, and she can help
connect that project with this effort.

EPA was able to make a contribution to this project, but additional funding is needed, so other agencies
are encouraged to consider whether there are ways they can support this work.

MWRA's Combined Sewer Overflow Control Program in the Mystic

Betsy Reilley and Brian Kubaska, MWRA

The slides from this presentation can be viewed at mysticriver.org/epa-steering-committee.

•	MWRA began doing post-construction monitoring and assessment of 35 CSO control projects in
the Boston area in 2017. MWRA is determining whether Long Term Control Plan goals have
been met for various CSO outfalls and tracks data (such as verifying that most outfalls are truly
eliminated, frequency of overflows, water quality data, remaining impacts from CSOs). All active
CSOs are metered by MWRA or the CSO communities and modeling is used to verify the
effectiveness of controls.

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Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee Meeting Notes - June 3, 2021

•	CSOs are effectively eliminated at 40 of 86 identified CSOs from the late 1980s. Details of
specific outfalls can be found in the presentation slides.

•	MWRA data confirms that CSO volumes have been reduced by 87% since the late 1980s.

•	MWRA issues semiannual progress reports on this work, with the most recent released in April
2021. These can be found at https://www.mwra.com/cso/pcmapa.html.

•	Detail about each outfall location is available, including which are forecasted to meet Long Term
Control Plan goals this year and which are not. Of the 46 active discharge locations, 30 currently
attain or will attain these goals by December 2021, 6 are forecasted to meet the goals after
December 2021 and have projects in progress, and 10 do not yet meet the goals and are actively
being investigated by MWRA.

•	Many projects have been undertaken to meet or move CSO performance closer to these goals,
including major sewer separation projects, major facility construction projects and smaller
construction efforts. Details about some of these projects can be seen in the slides.

•	MWRA has implemented a real-time CSO notification system, and anyone can sign up for these
at mwra.com. Cambridge and Somerville have similar systems. There are also informational
signs that have been installed. Sign up for MWRA's notifications at

https://www.mwra.com/updates/everbridge/ioin.html. Sign up for Cambridge's notifications at
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/4EC9xSG.

•	Water quality is tracked differently in variance areas versus non-variance areas. Details about
water quality in various areas can be found in the slides.

•	For each area, MWRA calculates the percentage of time when water quality is in compliance
with standards.

•	In the variance areas, the model shows spikes in E. coli when stormwater and CSOs are active.
The elevated bacteria levels can be tracked as they move downstream through the model
domain. The models can also separate out the impacts of CSO only (versus other sources).

•	MWRA has updated, calibrated, and run water quality models and will be conducting additional
simulations and other runs of the model to improve their understanding of impacts on water
quality. Full reports and more details can be found at mwra.com.
https://www.mwra.com/harbor/enquad/trlist.html and
https://www.mwra.com/harbor/enquad/trlist.html

•	There will be a final report released in December 31, 2021.

Q: How are the 3 phases of sewer separation work in East Boston as shown on the slides impacting CSOs
that are not close to these areas (specifically asked about BOS014)?

A: CSO improvements to meet LTCP goals at BOSOM are being performed in addition to the Phase 3
sewer separation work shown on the slide map. This work being designed by BWSC with financial
support for construction by MWRA will include connection relief from the CSO regulator within the
BOSOM CSO system.

Trash-Free Mystic webinar series: report and next steps

Andy Hrycyna, MyRWA

The slides from this presentation can be viewed at mvsticriver.org/epa-steering-committee

•	This spring, MyRWA organized a webinar series focused on trash reduction with support from
EPA Region 1 and the Consensus Building Institute. Materials from the webinars are available at
https://mvsticriver.Org/calendar/2021/4/14/trash-reduction-amp-capture-webinar-97d3y.

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Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee Meeting Notes - June 3, 2021

•	The webinars focused on structural solutions, non-structural practices and policies, and a
brainstorming session for local next steps, with presenters from EPA, DEP, DCR, and others
reporting on regional efforts to reduce trash pollution.

•	Participants included EPA and DEP, municipal officials, environmental nonprofits

•	In Washington DC, it's possible to see a measurable reduction in trash in waterways since a
trash TMDL was implemented. In DC, removing trash on land has the greatest impact on
reduction in the waterway.

•	Other strategies discussed include inlet guards for catch basins, street sweeping, source
reduction (ie working with restaurants to reduce use of disposable items, installing hydration
stations in parks to limit plastic water bottle use).

•	Takeaways: no silver bullet; source reduction is the gold standard; any structural solution will
need to be paired with nonstructural best practices.

•	Next steps: form subcommittees to draft project proposals for fundable projects. Will also
explore environmental justice impacts.

Announcements, Updates, and Funding Opportunities

•	The Coordinating Team for this group will meet over the summer to the plan the September
quarterly meeting agenda; please share any ideas or requests with them.

•	This is Darya Mattes's last Steering Committee meeting in the Ambassador role, as she is moving
on to a new job in mid-June. EPA will be exploring next steps for the Ambassador role in the
Mystic.

•	EPA is establishing a new CSO and stormwater branch program through the clean water state
revolving fund. There will be $67 million available nationally, including sub-grants to states to be
allocated to municipalities with a focus on disadvantaged communities.

•	EPA Region 1 is working on the 2020 Mystic report card and there will be announcement about
this in the coming weeks.

•	Medford is close to launching an adopt-a-stormdrain program. They are in conversation with
MyRWA about expanding this watershed-wide if it's successful in Medford.

•	Medford is launching its first comprehensive planning process in a long. First meeting will take
place on Wednesday, June 9 at 6pm. Learn more at
https://www.facebook.com/events/487282995933207.

Wrap Up and Next Steps

Upcoming Mystic Steering Committee meetings:

•	September 9

•	December 2

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Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee Meeting Notes - June 3, 2021

Meeting Attendees

Name

Affiliation

Alana Spaetzel

USGS

Alex Rozycki

Town of Reading

Alicia Hunt

City of Medford

Andy Hrycyna

Mystic River Watershed Association

Betsy Reilley

MWRA

Brian Kubaska

MWRA

Bryan Manter

Town of Winchester

Caitlyn Whittle

EPA Region 1

Catherine Pedemonti

Mystic River Watershed Association

Catherine Woodbury

City of Cambridge

Chris Goodwin

MWRA

Darya Mattes

Urban Waters ambassador, Groundwork Somerville

David Butler

MassDEP

Erica Kyzmir-McKeon

Conservation Law Foundation

Emily Sullivan

Town of Arlington

Hillary Monahan

MWRA

Ivy Mlsna

EPA Region 1

Jay Corey

City of Woburn

Jennifer Letourneau

City of Cambridge

Jesse Caldwell

Conservation Law Foundation

John Kilborn

EPA Region 1

John Walkey

Green Roots

Karen Mullins

Town of Lexington

Kathy Vandiver

MIT/Maiden Riverworks

Laura Schifman

MassDEP

Lealdon Langley

MassDEP

Leo Olsen

Empower East Boston

Use Marx

MWRA

Maria Brodine

Groundwork USA

Matthew Schuman

Town of Watertown

Mel Cote

EPA Region 1

Michael Sprague

Town of Lexington

Michael Woods

Town of Wilmington

Nancy Hammett

MA Rivers Alliance

Patrick Herron

Mystic River Watershed Association

Pete Steeves

USGS

Paul Barlow

USGS

Robert Lowell

DCR

Shavaun Callahan

City of Chelsea

Stephen Perkins

MyRWA volunteer

Theresa McGovern

VHB

Todd Borci

EPA Region 1

Tony Rodolakis

Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions

Wayne Chouinard

Town of Arlington

William Copithorne

Town of Arlington

For questions regarding this meeting summary, please contact Caitlyn Whittle (whittle.caitlyn@epa.gov).

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