Muddy River (Massachusetts)

The Muddy River as it passes through Olmsted Park

The Muddy River in Olmsted Park in early spring

The Muddy River is a series of brooks and ponds that runs through sections of Boston's Emerald Necklace, including along the south boundary of Brookline, Massachusetts (a town that went by the name of Muddy River Hamlet before it was incorporated in 1705). The river, which is narrower than most waterways designated as rivers in the United States, is a protected public recreation area surrounded by parks and hiking trails, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The river flows from Jamaica Pond through Olmsted Park's Wards Pond, Willow Pond, and Leverett Pond. It then flows through a conduit under Route 9 and into a narrow park called the Riverway, from which it flows through three culverts: the Riverway Culvert, the Brookline Avenue Culvert, and the Avenue Louis Pasteur Culvert. The Muddy River continues from the Fens toward its connection with the Charles River via the Charlesgate area, running through a stone-paved channel surrounded by a narrow strip of parklands. In a series of stone bridges and tunnels, it passes under Boylston Street, Massachusetts Turnpike, Commonwealth Avenue, Storrow Drive, and a series of elevated connecting ramps (the Bowker Overpass).

History

In its natural state, the outlet of the Muddy River into the tidal Charles was much wider. It formed the eastern Brookline border with Boston and Roxbury (depending on the year), from Brookline's incorporation in 1705 until Boston's annexation of Allston–Brighton in 1873.^[1]

The present form of the river and surrounding parks was created by the Emerald Necklace project, between 1880 and 1900. Under the direction of designer Frederick Law Olmsted, the project reclaimed marshland, creating sculpted and planted riverbanks.

The Muddy River is mentioned by John Winthrop, in his famous "Journal of John Winthrop," as the site of an unidentified flying object in March 1638 or 1639, as described to him by witness James Everell. This event is considered by some to be the first recorded instance of such occurrences.^[2]

Restoration

The river is currently undergoing a two phase restoration project to improve flood control and water quality, enhance its aquatic and riparian habitats, restore the landscape and historic resources, and implement improved management practices.^[3] The project is being managed by the Army Corps of Engineers working with the City of Boston, the State of Massachusetts and the Town of Brookline. Phase 1 was completed in 2016. Phase 2 will likely begin in 2019. This project is intended to prevent repeat occurrences of the Muddy River's past damaging floods.

References

↑ See map at File:Dorchester 1858.jpg
↑ Winthrop, John. "The Journal of John Wintrop 1630-1649". Google Books. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
↑ Coakley, Tom (3 October 2012). "Muddy River project begins next week". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 4 October 2012.

External links

Coordinates: 42°20′32″N 71°06′30″W / 42.342114°N 71.108236°W / 42.342114; -71.108236

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[1] See map at File:Dorchester 1858.jpg

[2] Winthrop, John. "The Journal of John Wintrop 1630-1649". Google Books. Retrieved 11 February 2015.

[3] Coakley, Tom (3 October 2012). "Muddy River project begins next week". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 4 October 2012.

Rivers of Massachusetts
Atlantic Ocean	Tiasquam River
Buzzards Bay	Acushnet River Agawam River Back River Copicut River Crooked River Mattapoisett River Nasketucket River Paskamanset River Pocasset River Sippican River Slocums River Wankinco River Westport River Weweantic River
Cape Cod Bay	Eel River Herring River Jones River Little Pamet River Pamet River Town Brook
Connecticut River Watershed	Burnshirt River Chapel Brook Chicopee River Connecticut River Cranberry River Deerfield River East Brookfield River Farmington River Fall River Five Mile River Green River Hubbard River Manhan River Mill River (Northampton) Mill River (Springfield) Millers River Mirey Brook North Branch Millers River North Branch Westfield River North River Otter River Quaboag River Scantic River Seven Mile River Tarbell Brook Ware River Westfield River
Gulf of Maine	Annisquam River Blackwater River Eagle Hill River Egypt River Ipswich River Jericho Creek Roger Island River Rowley River Skug River
Housatonic River Watershed	Housatonic River Konkapot River Schenob Brook Umpachene River
Hudson River Watershed	Hoosic River Kinderhook Creek
Massachusetts Bay	Aberjona River Alewife Brook Canton River Charles River Chelsea Creek Cochato River Fore River Fresh River Indian Head River Malden River Millers River Monatiquot River Mother Brook Muddy River Mystic River Neponset River North River Saugus River Stony Brook (Boston) Stony Brook (Waltham) Stop River Weir River Weymouth Back River
Merrimack River Watershed	Artichoke River Assabet River Back River Beaver Brook Cochichewick River Concord River Little River Merrimack River Nashua River Nissitissit River North Nashua River Phillips Brook Powwow River Quinapoxet River Salmon Brook Shawsheen River South Branch Souhegan River South Nashua River Spicket River Squannacook River Stillwater River Sudbury River Trout Brook Vine Brook Whitman River
Nantucket Sound	Bass River Bumps River Childs River Coonamesset River Mashpee River Mitchell River Oyster Pond River Popponesset Creek Quashnet River Santuit River
Narragansett Bay	Barrington River Cole River Coles Brook Kickamuit River Lees River Palmer River Runnins River
Providence River Watershed	Abbott Run Blackstone River Bungay River Chockalog River Mill River Mumford River Peters River Quinsigamond River Sevenmile River Tannery River Ten Mile River Thacher River West River Wilde River
Taunton River Watershed	Assonet River Canoe River Cedar Swamp River Cocasset River Cotley River Forge River Hockomock River Matfield River Mill River Nemasket River Poor Meadow Brook Quequechan River Rumford River Salisbury Plain River Satucket River Segreganset River Shumatuscacant River Snake River Taunton River Three Mile River Town River Wading River Winnetuxet River
Thames River Watershed	French River Quinebaug River