Last Tuesday was a great example of why having an internship at CRWA is a unique and rewarding experience. It was the day fellow intern Ali and I were trained in water quality sampling in the Charles River's lower basin for CRWA's Flagging program. These samples are taken daily at 4 locations in the basin to be tested for E. coli and cross-checked with the results from CRWA's flagging model. Its an important project because the model and sampling inform CRWA about the water quality of the river so that we in turn can notify the public of potential health risks.
The day started off early; I arrived at Community Rowing in Watertown at 7 AM. I wouldn't call myself a morning person, but it was hard to be anything but grateful for the opportunity when I got a beautiful view of the Charles just after sunrise:
Julie showed us around the boat house, we suited up in life jackets, and after a little trouble starting the motor, we were off! I got a crash course in boating etiquette along the Charles. For example, basically the whole lower basin is a no wake zone due to the volume of traffic and scullers along the waterway. This kept our boat's speed around 6 miles per hour, so it took us an hour to navigate from Community Rowing to the Longfellow Bridge, our first sampling site. I have to one of my favorite parts about the training was when we passed under the BU bridge and the basin really opened up. Julie handed the steering over to Ali and we were able to speed up quite a bit, which was exciting. It was also exciting because soon we arrived at the first sampling site, and Julie showed us the proper process and protocol when obtaining water quality samples. It was so refreshing to be out in the field having hands-on experience with the work that CRWA does. The Charles is a highly recreational and urban river, inextricably linking environmental quality and public health. On our way from the Longfellow bridge back to our second site, the BU bridge, I was able to snap a picture of Julie and Ali. It's a little dark, but that's only because the sun was so bright and beautiful that morning!
With all the boat traffic on the River, getting a proper sample is all about timing and efficiency. The trip back to the boat house went smoothly, and Ali and I were able to take turns getting samples and driving the boat. I still can't believe I get to go out on the Charles once a week to do the water quality sampling. To me, the time and effort spent obtaining those samples is entirely worth it.
-Lauren
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