2023 OARS Rivers Report Card
In 2023, OARS, the watershed organization for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers, issued the second iteration of the OARS Rivers Report Card. The report card was originally developed in 2018. It is a summation of 19 metrics scoring the rivers for water quality, habitat, streamflow, scenery, and recration. The report card is updated once every five years. OARS' second Rivers Report Card was released in May 2023 in both online and printed versions. Download OARS's 2023 Rivers Report Card and explore this website to learn more about the health of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers, and what you can do to make them better. You can also request a printed copy from OARS by emailing office@oars3rivers.org.
2018 OARS Rivers Report Card
In 2017, OARS, the watershed organization for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers, brought together funding and 52 key stakeholders and technical experts to help create the first Sudbury-Assabet-Concord River Report Card. Guided by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and OARS, the team of experts and stakeholders identified key indicators of river health and the data needed to measure the status of each. OARS' first River Report Card was released in June 2019 in both online and printed versions. Download OARS's 2018 River Report Card and explore this website to learn more about the health of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers, and what you can do to make them better. You can also request a printed copy from OARS by emailing office@oars3rivers.org.
River Report Card Methods Report
The Methods Report for the Sudbury, Concord, and Assabet River Report Card describes how each indicator was measured and how the summary grades were calculated.
Recreation Maps
River access points throughout the watershed are shown on OARS' river recreation guides. These maps, available online and in print, will help you find the best ways to enjoy the rivers and the walking and cycling trails along and near the rivers.
Water Chestnut
OARS' "Water Chestnut Management Guidance & Five-Year Management Plan for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord River Watershed" (2017) compiles the most recent research on the lifecycle and control of water chestnut, provides guidance on permitting of control efforts (for both permittees and Conservation Commissions), and lays out a management plan for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers. You can download the Guidance, Appendices, and a presentation on the management plan here.
Water Quality Monitoring Reports
OARS has monitored water quality, aquatic plant biomass, and streamflow to assess the health of our rivers since 1992. The information collected provides the foundation for OARS' science-based advocacy. Water Quality Monitoring Program Reports can be downloaded here. Contact OARS for complete water quality data.