2018 Sudbury-Assabet-Concord River Report Card

In 2017, OARS, the watershed organization for the three 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 indicator. The Report Card was released in June 2019 in both on-line and printed versions. Download the printed Report Card or 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.

River Report Card Methods Report

The Methods Report for the Sudbury, Concord and Assabet River Report Card describes in detail how each indicator was measured and corresponding grades calculated.

Recreation Maps

River access points are located throughout the watershed and are shown on OARS' river recreation guides. These maps—both on-line and printed—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 1999. The information collected provides the foundation for OARS' science-based advocacy. Water Quality Monitoring Program Reports can be downloaded here. Contact OARS for full water quality data.