SuAsCo Climate Collaborative

Water does not follow political or municipal boundaries. Flooding, heat, infrastructure stress, and ecosystem impacts move across the landscape and across town lines. The Collaborative takes a watershed-based approach to climate adaptation, focusing on:

This is a two-year regional initiative, with the goal of establishing a long-term framework for coordinated climate resilience across the SuAsCo watershed.

Climate change does not recognize municipal boundaries, and our response should not either.

Across Massachusetts, cities and towns are stepping up to prepare for more intense storms, flash floods, extreme heat, and shifting seasonal patterns. But no single community can fully address these challenges alone.

Regional collaboration allows communities to:

• Share data and technical tools
• Coordinate infrastructure planning
• Strengthen grant competitiveness
• Align resilience priorities
• Protect shared water resources
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By working together, the 36 communities of the SuAsCo watershed can build resilience more effectively and more equitably.

• 399 square miles
• 36 municipalities
• 83.7 miles of rivers, streams, and ponds
• 29 miles of federally designated Wild & Scenic rivers
• Approximately ~732,000 residents
• Four Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs)

Not sure if you’re in the SuAsCo watershed?

Our watershed includes, in whole or in part:

Acton, Ashland, Bedford, Berlin, Billerica, Bolton, Boxborough, Boylston, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Clinton, Concord, Framingham, Grafton, Harvard, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Marlborough, Maynard, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Upton, Wayland, Westborough, Westford, and Weston.

RPAs help cities and towns collaborate across municipal boundaries on transportation, land use, housing, economic development, and climate resilience.

This shifting precipitation pattern is already affecting communities across the watershed:

The number of days above 90°F has doubled since 1990 and is projected to double again by mid-century.

By 2050, Greater Boston summers may resemble historic Washington, DC conditions. By late century, they may feel more like historic Birmingham, Alabama.

Extreme heat affects:

• • Public health
  • Energy systems

• • Outdoor workers
  • Seniors and vulnerable residents
  • Aquatic ecosystems

Climate-driven extreme weather amplifies existing vulnerabilities.

Wind, heat, and heavy rainfall increase risks to:

• Aging infrastructure
• Flood-prone neighborhoods
• Low-income households
• Environmental Justice communities
• Private well users
• Seniors and mobility-challenged residents

Regional planning allows us to identify shared risks and address them before they become crises.

Build Collaborative Capacity

• Establish cross-municipal relationships
• Develop an operational framework and regional workplan

Conduct a Regional Vulnerability Assessment

• Develop a scope of work
• Assess vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure and assets

Identify Regional Resilience Priorities & Data Needs

• Collaboratively define shared priorities
• Identify data gaps
• Conduct analysis and modeling to support effective implementation

A watershed-scale approach enables:

Enhancing Regional Coordination

Unified strategy across municipalities and organizations.

Protecting Critical Infrastructure

Prioritizing culverts, drainage systems, wastewater facilities, and flood-prone assets.

Data-Driven Decision-Making

Shared modeling and analysis tools to guide investments and grant applications.

Proactive Adaptation

Addressing vulnerabilities before they escalate into costly emergencies.

Equity & Inclusion

Ensuring Environmental Justice communities and vulnerable populations are centered in resilience planning.

Timeline

More details coming soon.

Regional Climate Collaborative for SuAsCo Rivers Watershed Community Kick-Off Meeting

You are invited to the first meeting of the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness—SuAsCo Climate Collaborative, serving the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers watershed.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center, 1276 Main Street, Concord, MA 01742. Light refreshments will be provided.

Parking is available at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center and it is also located around a quarter of a mile from the West Concord MBTA Commuter Rail Station.

Live/simultaneous translation services and childcare services may be available, but you must sign-up prior to Friday, March 20, 2026 to request these services.

Please sign up in advance of the meeting by completing the form here.

Translated versions of the meeting flyer are available below:

Across focus groups and early engagement, several themes emerged:

Lead Partners

Supported by a municipal vulnerability preparedness (MVP) action grant awarded to the Town of Concord

The project aims to advance regional climate adaptation efforts to help communities throughout the SuAsCo watershed stay safe and healthy as the climate changes

Additional Participation

• Ten Steering Committee partners (municipal, CBO, youth)
• Community-based organizations
• Environmental Justice members and organizations

Interested in participating?

Contact:
Heather Conkerton
Ecological Restoration Manager
OARS 3 Rivers

EMAIL HEATHER

This page is currently under development

Content is being added and refined and should be considered preliminary until this notice is removed

Thank you for your patience!