Reports: Executive Director’s Reports

September 16, 2010

  1. City-State Groundwater Working Group - The Working Group will meet again on October 28.
  2. Well Installation - We have been reimbursed by the contractor for the well that we had to install on Huntington Avenue to replace one destroyed during sidewalk installation work there.
  3. MBTA - The MBTA continues to go forward with plans for the long term solution for low groundwater issues in the South End in the vicinity of Back Bay Station. They received letters of interest from six engineering firms for the tunnel rehabilitation project that includes the groundwater related work on July 14. They expect to complete the selection process and award a contract by September. Because the groundwater related work is one of the first items to be completed under the contract, they expect construction could start by Spring 2011.
  4. BWSC - BWSC has completed repairs on the sewer on Richmond Street in the North End. Our initial readings of the observation wells after the repair are encouraging, with all of those in the immediate area rising generally more than others in the North End. We continue to work with BWSC and area businesses and residents to understand the reason for high groundwater levels in a section of the South End south of Washington Street; it appears from our data and anecdotal information that there is substantial tidal influence, and BWSC has identified a tide gate that appears to be leaking.
  5. MWRA - MWRA has substantially completed their major sewer project in East Boston, including the siphon that goes under the Blue Line near Porter Street. We continue to see some improvements in groundwater levels in the area and will be watching this closely over the next few months.
  6. DCR - The groundwater levels at the observation wells along Back Street that had dropped when DCR needed to turn off the recharge have largely recovered.
  7. GCOD - In what is hopefully a sign of an improving economy, we are beginning to see an increase in cases coming before the Board of Appeals under GCOD. Compliance remains virtually 100%, thanks to the efforts of the Board, BWSC, and ISD.
  8. Research Projects - We have received a draft report and briefing from the researchers at Tufts on our funded research. They have identified a significant increase in groundwater levels from what would be otherwise expected that is associated with the GCOD mandated recharge. The effect clearly increases with the density of recharge.
  9. Christian Science Center - Christian and I met with representatives of the CSC to go over the groundwater situation there. CSC has now pledged to share their internal readings with us.
  10. Website - Traffic to the website was unusually high in August. We continue to receive positive comments on the site.
  11. Meetings - I attended a scoping session on the revised project at 93 Massachusetts Avenue and also met with the proponents of 350 Boylston Street to make sure that their GCOD work was in order before they went before the Board of Appeals.
  12. Comment Letters - I filed comments on the 93 Massachusetts Avenue Notice of Project Change. As always, they are posted on our website.