Reports: Executive Director’s Reports

September 24, 2009

  1. Elevation Correction - We have spot checked elevations in other neighborhoods and found no additional surveying errors.
  2. City-State Groundwater Working Group - The group will meet again in October.
  3. MBTA - The T has identified a location for a second recharge well on Cazenove Street. The existing recharge does not appear to be operating properly, with the well overflowing while levels at the nearby observation wells are dropping.
  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. Groundwater levels along Back Street have been higher than normal during our most recent observations.
  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 - Repairs to the leak near the corner of Clarendon Street and Columbus Avenue were completed in early September.
  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 high this month, particularly in the last week. We have now posted a diagram, courtesy of Haley & Aldrich, that illustrates the effect of low groundwater levels on wooden pilings; it is accessed through the explanation of the effect of piling elevations under the "wells" tab.
  10. Research Projects - We had an excellent kickoff meeting with Professor Richard Vogel and Brian Thomas of Tufts. Thanks to Peter Shilland, Mike Paster, John Kastrinos, and Bruce Fairless of our Technical Advisory Committee who attended.
  11. Meetings - I met with engineers for a rehab project at Castle Square in the South End to discuss how they could most effectively meet groundwater recharge requirements under GCOD.
  12. Comment Letters - I filed comments on a project at 691 Massachusetts Avenue. They will be posted on our website shortly.
  13. Budget - The Mayor has approved our FY10 contract. We should receive the funding imminently.