Reports: Executive Director’s Reports

August 26, 2009

  1. Elevation Correction - Thanks to independent surveying of one of our rim elevations in the North End by an engineering firm, we discovered that an error had been made in our original survey of the wells in that neighborhood. As a result, all of the reported groundwater elevations in the North End/Bulfinch Triangle area were almost two feet too high. All current and historical results have been corrected and a note has been added to the readings at each affected well.
  2. City-State Groundwater Working Group - The group will meet again in October.
  3. MBTA - After the recent change in senior management, the MBTA reconfirmed its commitment to the short and long term solutions to the low groundwater levels in the South End near Back Bay Station.
  4. DCR - The connection between the Storrow Drive West Pumping Station and the recharge galleys under Back Street was completed on July 9. DCR is studying the operation and its impact to make sure that it is operating properly.
  5. BWSC - While repairs have been completed to the leaking sewer line near the corner of Beacon and Dartmouth Streets, we have not yet seen any significant increase in groundwater levels there. We will continue to monitor this closely.
  6. MTA - Repair work to the leak near the corner of Clarendon Street and Columbus Avenue was scheduled to be completed last week.
  7. MWRA - MWRA construction work on replacing their sewer system in East Boston continues. They will be doing some open cut work near the intersection of Breman and Porter Streets that will allow further inspection and possible repair to any leaking infrastructure near that very low groundwater area. The old sewer along Porter Street will be discontinued next spring. They will be inspecting connections along the Boston Marginal Conduit in Back Bay to check for possible leaks.
  8. GCOD - The number of GCOD cases before the Board of Appeals seems to be increasing. Compliance with the zoning continues to be excellent.
  9. Website - Traffic to the website has been relatively high this month. Unfortunately, we were not able to get information for the period when the tracking system was not functioning, but that problem has been resolved.
  10. Research Projects - The trustees approved the research proposal from Professor Richard Vogel of Tufts at their July meeting. We are in the process of finalizing the contract and will have a kickoff meeting including most of the members of the Trust’s Technical Advisory Committee in September.
  11. Meetings - I met this month with engineers for projects in the South End and Fenway to discuss how they can best comply with groundwater requirements.
  12. Presentations - I made a presentation to a brown bag luncheon meeting at the Charles River Watershed Association discussing the Groundwater Conservation Overlay District and ways that project proponents have met the recharge requirements even when there were difficult site constraints.
  13. Budget - I signed the contract yesterday for our level funding from the City for FY2010. I expect the funds next month.