CZM Coastal Water Quality Publications

Find summaries of and links to these publications developed by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

CZM has published and/or funded the following materials on coastal water quality, which are generally listed alphabetically by title under the following categories: 

Table of Contents

See the Coastal Water Quality Program for details on CZM efforts to protect coastal waters and reduce pollution and CZM Publications for the full list of materials published by CZM.

(Note: Any views or opinions presented in publications prepared for CZM are solely those of the author[s] and do not necessarily represent those of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Please see our website policies.)

General Coastal Water Quality

CPR Grant Program and Stormwater Best Management Practices

Clean Boating

  • Boater Fact Sheets (PDF, 99 KB) - Produced as part of CZM’s 2001 Massachusetts Clean Marina Guide, these PDF fact sheets provide solutions for many of the environmental impacts caused by boaters and cover the following topics: boat operation and fueling; disposal of trash, garbage, and hazardous waste; wastewater; boat maintenance; and non-toxic cleaning alternatives.
  • Clean Boating in the Commonwealth - This article on page 52 of the 2007 Coastlines (PDF, 39 MB) discusses the environmental impacts of boating, provides tips on how to minimize those impacts, and gives links to additional information.
  • CZ-Tip: Boat Winterizing—Keep It Green - This tip discusses how to properly prepare boats for winter storage in an environmentally sensitive manner.
  • CZ-Tip: Boating Basics/No Discharge of Boat Sewage - This tip from CZM gives specific guidelines for the proper handling of vessel sewage in Massachusetts, along with links to additional information.
  • CZ-Tip: Simple Steps to Clean Boating in Massachusetts - Also a CZM tip on boating, this page gives specific steps for handling fuel and oil, sewage and graywater, boat cleaning and maintenance, boating in sensitive areas, and marine debris, along with links to additional information.
  • South Shore Vessel Pumpout Evaluation and Outreach Plan (PDF, 2 MB) - This 2004 report prepared for CZM by the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the North & South Rivers Watershed Association provides the results of a study where 413 boaters, seven pumpout facility operators, and a number of state and municipal officials were interviewed or completed questionnaires focused on the boat sewage pumpout facilities along the South Shore of Massachusetts.
  • Upper North Shore Regional Boat Waste Pumpout Plan (PDF, 440 KB) - This 2001 report was prepared for CZM by Dale Brown and provides a needs assessment and recommendations for boat waste management in a planning area that encompasses the Parker River/Essex Bay Area of Critical Environmental Concern and the northern waters of Cape Ann.

Marina Management

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program

Stormwater and Low Impact Development/Smart Growth

Water Quality Monitoring

Other

  • Coastal Watershed Map - This map, produced by CZM in 1994, shows the major coastal watersheds within Massachusetts and explains how activities conducted in these watersheds affect coastal waters.
  • CZ-Tip - Bring Your Dog to the Beach the Coast-Friendly Way - This tip page produced by CZM explains the impacts that dogs can have on coastal water quality and steps you can take to “leave only paw prints.”
  • CZ-Tip - Get Your Home Squeaky Green-Clean! - This CZM web page discusses how to make—and buy—products that effectively clean your house and boat without negatively affecting coastal water quality and the rest of the environment.
  • CZ-Tip - Save Water - Another tip from CZM, this web page gives water-saving approaches and explains how saving water in your home and yard can keep coastal waters clean.

Additional Resources

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