WATERTOWN, MA–– Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is thrilled to announce the 2024 Watertown Dam Herring Festival, which will take place on June 8th, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Watertown Dam, 64 Pleasant Street. This exciting event will feature live music, community art activities, an Indigenous performance, and engaging activities suitable for all ages.
The festival is a chance to celebrate the miraculous return of river herring to the Charles River, which travel thousands of miles to spawn in our local waterway. Attendees will learn about fish migration, dam removal, climate change, and resilience at stations throughout the festival. Participants can join guided walks around the Watertown Dam and explore several booths, including a fishing demonstration by Trout Unlimited, a River of Dreams fish trivia booth, and an art build led by local artist Kari Percival. Exciting raffle prizes await lucky winners at the raffle station. Additionally, attendees can get creative with activities like making fish-themed hats and screen-printing commemorative t-shirts.
"We're thrilled to bring the community together for this event and showcase the amazing herring run and the importance of river restoration. It promises to be an engaging and educational experience for all attendees," said Lisa Kumpf, Senior Restoration Program Manager at CRWA.
For more information and to register for the event, visit the event page on our website.
Each Spring, diadromous fish species such as the Alewife, Blueback Herring, and American Shad migrate from the ocean to the Charles River to spawn. These fish play a vital role in the ecosystem and hold significant cultural importance. Unfortunately, defunct dams obstruct their migration routes, contributing to their decline. The Watertown Dam removal project aims to restore fish habitat and support biodiversity in the river. For more information on why removing defunct dams is critical to restoring the Charles, explore this StoryMap.
Dam removal is a pressing issue in Massachusetts as aging dams disrupt river ecosystems and hinder fish migration. The 2016 inspection report categorized the Watertown Dam as being in "poor" condition. CRWA, in collaboration with the Department of Ecological Restoration, conducted the Watertown Dam Removal Feasibility Study, released in June 2021, which demonstrated the urgency and feasibility of removing the dam and restoring the river.
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