Historical Publications of the Charles River Basin

As part of the due diligence for this project, we have collected various charts, maps, and reports that have been generated for areas in the Lower Charles River Basin in the past. Below is a list in approximate chronological order.

Historical Charts of the Charles River

  1. A Plan of Boston in New England with its environs, Henry Pelham, 1777
  2. Chart of Boston Harbour, Alexander S. Wadsworth, 1819
  3. Plan of the Harbour of Boston (Charles River), Massachusetts Harbor Commissioners, 1839
  4. Plan of Charles River to the head of tide waters, Massachusetts Harbor Commissioners, 1846
  5. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1857
  6. Comparative Map of Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1860
  7. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1863
  8. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1867
  9. Compiled Plan, Showing Millers Creek and a Portion of Charles River, E.F. Bowker, 1873
  10. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1878
  11. Charles River, West Boston Bridge to Navy Yard, Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners of Massachusetts, 1882
  12. Sketch of Charles River, U.S. Corp of Army Engineers, 1884
  13. Charles River, North Beacon Street to Brookline Street Bridge, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1888
  14. Charles River, Brookline Street Bridge to Boston Harbor, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1888
  15. Charles River, Brookline Street Bridge to Charles River Bridge, Massachusetts Harbor and Land Commissioners, 1888
  16. Boston Harbor, Mass. Map of Charles River: From Brookline Street Bridge to Charles River Bridge, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1889
  17. Boston Harbor, Mass. Map of Charles River: From Brookline Street Bridge to its mouth, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1890
  18. Charles River, Brookline Street Bridge to its Mouth, U.S. Harbor Line Board of 1888, 1890
  19. Plan of the Charles River from the Waltham line to Boston Harbor, Metropolitan Park Commission and the State Board of Health, 1894
  20. Boston Inner Harbor, US Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1897
  21. Charles River Basin Contour Map of Upper Basin, Watertown Dam to nearly Arsenal Street, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  22. Charles River Basin Contour Map of Lower Basin, Arsenal Street to River Street, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  23. Charles River Basin Contour Map of Lower Basin, River Street to the Craigie Bridge, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  24. Lechmere Canal, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  25. Broad Canal, Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1902
  26. Boston Inner Harbor, US Coast and Survey, 1903
  27. Proposed New Channel near Longfellow Bridge, Cambridge Bridge Commission, 1903
  28. Proposed Dam and Lock, Charles River Basin Commission, 1905
  29. Charles River, Bridges of the Boston and Maine Railroad, U.S. Engineer Office, Boston, Mass., 1906
  30. Proposed Dredging between North Beacon St and Galen St, Metropolitan Park Commission, 1913
  31. Proposed Fill in Charles River, Metropolitan District Commission, 1928
  32. Cottage Farm Bridge to Dam, Location and Profile of Borings [Sheet 1] [Sheet 2] [Sheet 3], Metropolitan District Commission, 1930
  33. Dredging near Charlesgate East [Sheet 1] [Sheet 2], Metropolitan District Commission, 1946
  34. Constructions Plans of the Eliot Bridge, Burns and Kenerson, Inc., 1949
  35. Charles River Dam and Adjacent Estuary [Sheet 1] [Sheet 2], Metropolitan District Commission, 1958
  36. Plan for Dredging Charles River Fanueil Valley Brook Outlet, Metropolitan District Commission, 1965
  37. New Charles River Dam, General Plan, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 1973
  38. New Charles River Dam, Final River Grading, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 1973
  39. Charles River Cross-sections [Sheet 1] [Sheet 2] [Sheet 3] [Sheet 4] [Sheet 5], Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  40. Charles River & Fanueil Brook, Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  41. Charles River & Fanueil Brook Cross-sections [Sheet 1] [Sheet 2] [Sheet 3] [Sheet 4] [Sheet 5], Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  42. Charles River Lower Basin, Charles River Destratification Plan, Metropolitan District Commission, 1976
  43. Water depths, thickness of post-1908 sediment, and sediment sampling locations, lower Charles River (PDF [15 MB], JPG [52 MB]) from USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 2000-4180, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 2000
  44. Depth Chart, Old Charles River Dam to Harbor, Democratic National Convention, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 2004
  45. Charles River Soundings near BWSC Outfall 032 [? Fanueil Brook outlet], Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2011
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USGS Reports

  1. Muddy River Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project, 2013
  2. A multi-metric assessment of environmental contaminant exposure and effects in an urbanized reach of the Charles River near Watertown, Massachusetts
    Open-File Report 2012-1195, 2012
  3. Simulated Effects of Year 2030 Water-Use and Land-Use Changes on Streamflow near the Interstate-495 Corridor, Assabet and Upper Charles River Basins, Eastern Massachusetts
    Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5132, 2008
  4. The Charles River, Eastern Massachusetts: Scientific Information in Support of Environmental Restoration
    General Information Product 47, 2007
  5. Water resources and the urban environment, lower Charles River watershed, Massachusetts, 1630-2005
    Circular 1280, 2007
  6. Comparison of methods for determining streamflow requirements for aquatic habitat protection at selected sites on the Assabet and Charles Rivers, Eastern Massachusetts, 2000-02
    Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5092, 2004
  7. Evaluation of Strategies for Balancing Water Use and Streamflow Reductions in the Upper Charles River Basin, Eastern Massachusetts
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 2003-4330, 2003
  8. Testing ground-water-management alternatives in the Upper Charles River basin, eastern Massachusetts
    Fact Sheet 042-03, 2003
  9. Simulation of ground-water flow and evaluation of water-management alternatives in the upper Charles River basin, eastern Massachusetts
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 2002-4234, 2002
  10. Potential effects of structural controls and street sweeping on stormwater loads to the lower Charles River, Massachusetts
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 2002-4220, 2002
  11. Streamflow, Water Quality, and Contaminant Loads in the Lower Charles River Watershed, Massachusetts, 1999–2000
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 2002-4137, 2002
  12. Measured and simulated runoff to the lower Charles River, Massachusetts, October 1999-September 2000
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 2002-4129, 2002
  13. Preliminary assessment of streamflow requirements for habitat protection for selected sites on the Assabet and Charles rivers, eastern Massachusetts
    Open-File Report 2002-340, 2002
  14. Spatial distribution, temporal variability, and chemistry of the salt wedge in the lower Charles River, Massachusetts, June 1998 to July 1999
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 2000-4124, 2000
  15. Distribution and potential for adverse biological effects of inorganic elements and organic compounds in bottom sediment, lower Charles River, Massachusetts
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 2000-4180, 2000
  16. Water resources and aquifer yields in the Charles River basin, Massachusetts
    Water-Resources Investigations Report 88-4173, 1988
  17. Aerial profiling of terrain system (APTS) applications test report; Charles River Project
    Open-File Report 85-302, 1985
  18. Hydrology and water resources of the Charles River basin, Massachusetts
    Hydrologic Atlas 554, 1975
  19. Hydrology and water resources of the Charles River basin, Massachusetts
    Open-File Report 74-241, 1974
  20. Ground-water management, Charles River basin, Massachusetts
    Open-File Report 73-77, 1973
  21. Flood of March 1968 on the Charles River, Massachusetts
    Hydrologic Atlas 419, 1971

EPA Reports

  1. Sustainable Stormwater Funding Evaluation for the Upper Charles River Communities of Bellingham, Franklin, and Milford, MA, Appendix A, 2011
  2. Stormwater Funding for the Upper Charles River Communities, 2011
  3. Draft Residual Designation Permit, 2010
  4. Optimal Stormwater Management Plan Alternatives: A Demonstration Project in Three Upper Charles River Communities, 2009
  5. Preliminary Residual Designation for Charles River, 2008
  6. Lower Charles River Basin Nutrient (Phosphorus) TMDL, 2007
  7. 10 Year Report on the Clean Charles 2005 Initiative, 2005
  8. Results of Color and Clarity Monitoring in the Charles River During Spring and Summer of 2000, 2003
  9. Charles River Fish Contaminant Survey, 2001
  10. Charles River Water Quality Survey, 1998
  11. Charles River Sediment/Water Quality Analysis Project Report, 1997
  12. Water Quality Reports on the Lower Charles River

MIT Reports

  1. Lower Charles River Bathymetry: 108 Years of Fresh Water, Senior Undergraduate Thesis, Madonna K. Yoder, MIT, 2017
    Appendix 1, Appendix 2
  2. The Use of Turbulent Jets to Destratify the Charles River Basin, Masters Degree Thesis, Jeffrey H. Church, MIT, 2012
  3. Remote Depth Survey of the Charles River Basin, Senior Undergraduate Thesis, Evan A. Karlik, MIT, 2007

Other Reports

  1. MMOC Muddy River Restoration Project
  2. Evolution Over the Life Span of Complex Systems, from "Global Product Development: Proceedings of the 20th CIRP Design Conference", 2011.
    The report discusses water quality in "the tidal basin before 1910 and the construction of the first dam, the original Charles River Dam, the new Charles River Dam as it was originally intended, and the current state of the basin without a functioning bubbler system."
  3. Excerpt from Users of the Water Sheet, Bathymetry and Aquatic Vegetation in the Charles River Basin, Findings, Figures, Cortell Associates for MDC, 1997
  4. Charles River Lower Basin Study US Environmental Protection Agency, 1976
  5. Charles River Destratification Report, Metropolitan District Commission, 1981
  6. Annual Reports of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, via Hathitrust, 1903-07
  7. Annual Reports of the Charles River Basin Commission, 6th, 7th, Final, via Hathitrust, 1908-10
  8. Final Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1910
  9. Seventh Annual Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1909
  10. Sixth Annual Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1908
  11. Fifth Annual Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1907
  12. Fourth Annual Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1906
  13. Third Annual Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1905
  14. Second Annual Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1904
  15. First Annual Report of the Charles River Basin Commission, 1903
  16. Report of the Committee on Charles River Dam, 1903
  17. Evidence and Arguments Before the Committee on the Charles River Dam, 1903
  18. The Improvement of the Charles River Basin, 1901

Related Books

  1. Remaking Boston: An Environmental History of the City and Its Surroundings edited by Anthony N. Penna and Conrad Edick Wright, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2009
  2. Boston's Back Bay, The Story of America's Greatest Nineteen-Century Landfill Project by William A. Newman and Wilfred E. Holton, Northestern University Press, 2006
  3. Gaining Ground: A History of Landmaking in Boston by Nancy Seasholes, The MIT Press, 2003
  4. Inventing the Charles River, Karl Haglund, The MIT Press, 2002
  5. Mapping Boston by Alex Krieger and David Cobb, The MIT Press, 1999

Historical Charts of the Boston Harbor

  1. The South part of New-England, as it is Planted this year, 1639, William Wood, 1634
  2. This Harbour of Boston, Phillip Wells, 1688
  3. Boston Harbour in New England, John Seller, 1689
  4. A Draught of Boston Harbor, Cyprian Southack, 1694
  5. A New Survey of the Harbour of Boston in New England, done by order of the principall officers and comissioners of Her Majesty's Navy, 1708
  6. An Exact Draught of Bostone harbour, with a Survey of most of the Islands about it, Cyprian Southack, 1711
  7. Boston Harbour, From Atlas maritimus et commercialis, James and John Knapton, 1728
  8. A Large Draught of New England, New York and Long Island, from a pirated Dublin edition of The English Pilot, 1749
  9. Baye et Port de Boston , Georges-Louis Le Rouge, 1756
  10. Carta rappresentante il porto di Boston, Giuseppe Maria Terreni, 1763
  11. Carte de la Baye de Baston, Jacques Nicolas Bellin, 1764
  12. A new and accurate plan of the town of Boston in New England : A new plan of Boston Harbor from an actual survey, John Hinton, 1774
  13. A chart of the harbour of Boston, Joseph F.W. Des Barres and George Callender, 1775
  14. A plan of the town and chart of the harbour of Boston exhibiting a view of the islands, castle forts, and entrances into the said harbour, 1775
  15. A new and correct plan of the town of Boston, Thomas Hyde Page, 1775
  16. A new and correct plan of the town of Boston, and provincial camp, Robert Aitken, 1775
  17. A Plan of the Town and Harbour of Boston, Charles Hall, 1775
  18. A New Plan of Boston Harbour from an Actual Survey, Caleb Lownes, 1775
  19. A Plan of the Town and Harbour of Boston, J. De Costa, 1775
  20. A Plan of the Bay and Harbor of Boston, Thomas Wheeler, 1775?
  21. Boston & harbour, unknown source, 1775?
  22. A Plan of Boston and its Environs, shewing the true situation of His Majesty's army, and also those of the rebels, Richard Williams, 1776
  23. A Chart of the Harbour of Boston, with the soundings, sailing-marks, and other directions, Robert Sayer and John Bennett, 1776
  24. A Chart of the Harbour of Boston, with the soundings, sailing-marks, and other directions, Robert Sayer and John Bennett, 1776
  25. Carte du port et havre de Boston avec les côtes adjacentes, dans laquel on a tracée les camps et les retranchemens occupé, tant par les Anglois que par les Américains, Jean de Beaurain, 1776
  26. Carte von dem Hafen und der Stadt Boston, George Friederich Jonas Frentzel, 1776
  27. A Plan of Boston in New England with its environs, Henry Pelham, 1777
  28. Boston, its Environs and Harbour, with the Rebel Works, Thoams Hyde Page, 1777
  29. Plan de Boston, George Louis Le Rouge, 1778
  30. Carte particuliere du havre de Boston, Joseph Bernard Chabert, 1780
  31. Boston Harbour, from Charts of the coast and harbors of New England [Atlantic Neptune], Joseph F.W. Des Barres and George Callender, 1781
  32. Puerto del Boston, Joseph del Campo, 178?
  33. A Chart of the Harbour of Boston, with the soundings, sailing-marks and other directions, Robert Laurie and James Whittle, 1800
  34. Plano de la bahia y puerto de Boston, Dirección de Hidrografía de Espana, 1809
  35. Chart of Boston Harbour, Alexander S. Wadsworth, 1819
  36. Chart of Boston Harbour, Alexander S. Wadsworth, 1819
  37. Plan of the Harbour of Boston (Charles River), Massachusetts Harbor Commissioners, 1839
  38. Boston Harbour from the survey of A.S. Wadsworth, Esq., U.S.N. and the chart of Des Barres, Edmund Blunt, 1847
  39. Plan of the Inner Harbor of Boston, U.S. Coast Survey, 1847
  40. A Chart exhibiting the normal course & Velocity of the Tidal Current at Ebb in Boston Harbor U.S. Coast Survey, 1848
  41. Map of Boston Harbor, showing commissioner's line, wharves, etc, Ellis Sylvester Chesbrough, 1852
  42. Map of parts of Boston Harbor and its Tributaries, U.S. Coast Survey, 1854
  43. Plan of South Bay showing the Harbor Commissioners lines, Board of Harbor Commissioners, 1854
  44. Sketch of Boston Harbor and Bay, U.S. Coast Survey, 1856
  45. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1857
  46. Boston Harbor, from William Faden's Catalogue, John Hills, 1862
  47. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1863
  48. Chart of Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay E.P. Dutton & Co., 1865
  49. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1867
  50. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1878
  51. Boston Harbor, U.S. Coast Survey, 1878
  52. Eldridge's New Chart of Boston Harbor, George Eldridge, 1884
  53. Boston Bay and Harbor, Boston Parks and Recreation Department, 1888
  54. Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1889
  55. Map of Mystic River and Chelsea Creek, U.S. Harbor Line Board, 1890
  56. Map of Boston Harbor Harbor and Land Commissioners of Massachusetts, 1895
  57. Boston Inner Harbor, Massachusetts, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1897
  58. Boston Inner Harbor, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1897
  59. Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1901
  60. Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1906
  61. Boston Harbor & Vicinity, Directors of the Port of Boston, 1913
  63. U.S. Coast and Survey, 1875, 1889, 1899 missing
  65. Plan d'une partie de la rade de Boston pour faire connaitre le dispositif de ses deffenses, 1778
  66. Map of Boston harbor showing islands, shoals, channels, buoys, lighthouses, and ledges from Nahant to Minot's Light, W.M. Tenney & Co., 1885
  67. Boston Harbor and Surroundings. A Descriptive and Historical Sketch., Peleg Aborn, 1885 booklet with two maps

Surrounding Land

  1. Boston Over Time : filling in the land 1630 - present
  2. The Town of Boston in New England, John Bonner, 1722
  3. This Plan of Boston in New England, William Burgis, 1728
  4. A New Plan of ye Great Town of BOSTON in New England in AMERICA, William Price, 1739
  5. A New Plan of ye Great Town of BOSTON in New England in AMERICA with the many Additionall Buildings & New Streets to the Year, William Price, 1739 or 1743
  6. Plan de Boston, Georges-Louis Le Rouge, 1755
  7. Plan de la ville de Boston et ses environs, Abbe Prevost, 1757
  8. A plan of the town of Boston, in New-England, distinguishing that part which was burnt in 1760, from Royal Female Magazine, 1760
  9. Plan de la Ville et du Port de Boston, Jacques Nicolas Bellin, 1764
  10. A new and accurate plan of the town of Boston in New England : A new plan of Boston Harbor from an actual survey, John Hinton, 1774
  11. Exact plan of General Gage's lines on Boston Neck in America, Thomas Walker, 1775
  12. The Seat of War in New England, Robert Sayer and John Bennet, 1775
  13. A Plan of the Town and Harbour of Boston, Charles Hall, 1775
  14. A Plan of Boston from Actual Survey, Osgood Carleton, 1796
  15. A Plan of the Town of Boston, with the Intrenchments of His Majesty's Forces in 1775, Thomas Page, 1777
  16. Boston and its Environs, Richard Phillips, 1806
  17. Boston and its Environs, Caleb Parry Wayne, 1806
  18. Map of Boston in the State of Massachusetts, John G. Hales, 1814
  19. A Plan of Boston Comprising a Part of Charlestown and Cambridgeport, William B. Annin and George C. Smith, 1826
  20. The Town of Boston in New England, updated 1835
  21. A new and complete Map of the City of Boston with part of Charlestown, Cambridge, & Roxbury, Nathaniel Dearborn, 1839
  22. A new and complete Map of the City of Boston with part of Charlestown, Cambridge, & Roxbury, Nathaniel Dearborn, 1841
  23. A new and complete Map of the City of Boston with part of Charlestown, Cambridge, & Roxbury, Nathaniel Dearborn, 1846
  24. Plan of the City of Charlestown, Felton and Parker, 1848
  25. A new and complete Map of the City of Boston and Precints including part of Charlestown, Cambridge, & Roxbury, Nathaniel Dearborn, 1850
  26. Copy of a Plan of South Bay Board of Harbor Commissioners, 1850
  27. Map of the city of Boston and immediate neighborhood, Henry McIntyre, 1852
  28. Map of the city of Boston, Massts, I Slater and B. Callan, 1852
  29. Plan of Boston Comprising a Part of Charlestown and Cambridge, George G. Smith, 1857
  30. Plan of Boston, James Slade, 1862
  31. New Boston and Charles River Basin, Charles Davenport, 1874
  32. Map of the City of Boston, and it's Environs Griffith M. Hopkins &Co., 1874
  33. City of Boston Improved Sewerage, Boston City Council, 1877
  34. Plan Showing the Principal Portion of Boston from the latest authorities, Boston Map Company, 1880
  35. Plan of East Boston Thomas Wood Davis, 1880
  36. Plan of Boston, sa muel Augustus Mitchell, 1883
  37. Map of the Metropolitan District of Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Eliot, 1893
  38. 1630 Shoreline, Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization, 2011
  39. Historical Urban Atlases of Boston at the Boston Public Library
  40. A new and complete Map of the City of Boston and Precints including part of Charlestown, Cambridge, & Roxbury, Nathaniel Dearborn, 1835 missing yet
  41. Plan of the City of Boston and territory thereunto belonging, John G. Hales, 1830
  42. Plan of Boston with additions and corrections, Thomas Wood Davis, 1870. ?digital image ?

Sources of Digital Maps and Charts

While copies of the maps and charts listed above may exist in many places, we have tried to cite them using local repositories that have a physical copy.

  1. Norman B. Leventhal Map Center
  2. Digital Commonwealth
  3. Massachusetts State Library
  4. Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Archive
  5. Library of Congress
  6. The Boston Atlas, overlays of many historical maps and satellite photos
  7. NOAA Photo Library
  8. NOAA Office of Coast Survey Historical Map & Chart Collection