Residents Clean the Concord River at the Bedford Boat Ramp

October 06, 2025

by Jonathan DeKock, Carlisle Conservation Foundation Director of Land Management | October 6, 2025 | The Bedford Citizen

Victor Murphy of Bedford picks up a tire that had washed up on shore. Victor’s father Brian Murphy helped organize the Sept. 27 Concord River cleanup. COURTESY

On Saturday, Sept. 27, a collaboration of Bedford and Carlisle residents cleaned up trash and debris along the Carlisle and Bedford shores of the Concord River in the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

Seventeen adult volunteers and two children worked on this project to help improve the ecosystem. Nine people paddled out in four canoes, and two people in individual kayaks. Three people scoured the shore near the boat ramp, and three others provided support functions.

The river was exceptionally clear, allowing visibility of up to 3 feet to reveal debris on the bottom. The water level remains very low because of the ongoing drought conditions, exposing much of the shoreline where debris previously collected when the water level had been higher.

Volunteers covered an area approximately one mile upstream and downstream of the Bedford Boat Ramp on both sides of the river. The group removed a full 5- by 10-foot trailer full of debris, including tires, a cooler, a traffic barrel, a carpet, a suitcase, metal street sign posts, a motorcycle frame, engine, and fenders, and several containers of hazardous waste. All collected material was properly disposed of at the Carlisle Transfer Station under a special permit from the Town of Carlisle.

This event was sponsored and organized by the Watershed Organization for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers (OARS), the Carlisle Conservation Foundation (CCF), the Carlisle Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC), and the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council (SuAsCo-RSC), with assistance from the Carlisle and Bedford departments of public works.

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River Log

~30%

of the SuAsCo rivers watershed is wetlands, crucial for wildlife habitat and water quality

~30%

of water samples in the SuAsCo rivers watershed contain PFAS, leading to increased monitoring and remediation by local authorities and environmental groups

~70%

of dams in the SuAsCo watershed are over a century old, requiring extensive upkeep and presenting obstacles to river restoration and fish passage

>40%

of the land within the watershed is publicly accessible, offering recreational opportunities such as hiking, boating, and birdwatching to the community

~15%

of the land in the SuAsCo rivers watershed is covered by impervious surfaces such as roads, rooftops, and parking lots. This contributes to stormwater runoff and water pollution issues

>40%

of the land within the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers watershed is publicly accessible, providing endless opportunities for paddling, hiking, and wildlife exploration.

Residents Clean the Concord River at the Bedford Boat Ramp