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
- Coastlines 2008: The Blue Green Connection - This edition of CZM’s magazine discusses how actions on land affect coastal water quality and gives detailed information on how individuals can change behaviors to make a difference.
- Fate and Transport Modeling of Contaminants in Salem Sound (PDF, 3 MB) - This 2001 CZM report, developed in cooperation with Applied Science Associates, Inc., presents results of hydrodynamic simulations of Salem Sound.
- Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Policy Guide - October 2011 - The Policy Guide is the official statement of Massachusetts coastal program policies and legal authorities and includes the policies that govern CZM’s water quality program and project review efforts.
CPR Grant Program and Stormwater Best Management Practices
- CPR Grant Program overview - Find details on this program to provide funding to Massachusetts municipalities to assess and treat stormwater pollution from impervious surfaces and to design and construct commercial boat waste pumpout facilities.
- CZM Grant Viewer - This interactive map provides information on these grants awarded by CZM, the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (BBNEP), and the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership (MassBays): CZM’s Coastal Resilience Grants and CPR Grants, BBNEP grants and funding, and the MassBays Healthy Estuaries Grants. Pop-up boxes provide details on each grant award and information can be sorted by grant program, category (including Construction - Living Shoreline or Stormwater Infrastructure, Design & Permitting, Habitat Restoration, and Vulnerability Assessment), and year that mapped data are available.
- Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Stormwater BMPs and Recommended BMP Design Considerations in Coastal Communities - Prepared for CZM and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in 2015 by the Horsley Witten Group, Inc., with support from the Woods Hole Group, this report is intended to help municipalities address the unique challenges of siting, designing, and constructing stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) in coastal areas. The report assesses the impacts of flooding, storm damage, and salt and wind exposure on existing BMPs; evaluates expected increased impacts due to sea level rise, higher groundwater levels, and increased frequency and intensity of storm impacts due to climate change; and makes recommendations for potential BMP design modifications. For an online fact sheet with a summary of the recommendations from this report, see Recommendations for Addressing Climate Change Impacts to Stormwater Best Management Practices.
- Coastal Pollutant Remediation Program Stormwater BMP Operation, Maintenance, and Performance Evaluation (PDF, 390 KB) - This 2006 report provides an overview of an assessment of CPR-funded projects conducted by the Horsley Witten Group, Inc. with funding from CZM. It includes the assessment methodology used, a summary of assessment findings, and recommendations for improved siting, design, and maintenance of stormwater Best Management Practices.
- CPR Project Summaries - See the links below for PDF summaries of the projects receiving CPR grants for each fiscal year listed.
- FY 2022 Projects - Fall Grant Round
- FY 2022 Projects - Spring Grant Round
- FY 2021 Projects
- FY 2020 Projects
- FY 2019 Projects
- FY 2018 Projects
- FY 2017 Projects
- FY 2016 Projects
- FY 2015 Projects
- FY 2014 Projects
- FY 2013 Projects
- FY 2012 Projects
- FY 2011 Projects
- FY 2010 Projects
- FY 2009 Projects
- FY 2008 Projects
- FY 2007 Projects
- FY 2006 Projects
- FY 2005 Projects
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
- A Guide to Selecting Pressure Washing Management Practices and Technologies: Supplement to the Massachusetts Clean Marina Guide (PDF, 1 MB) - This 2008 CZM publication is a comprehensive guide to pressure washing practices in Massachusetts and was developed to help marina operators identify the most environmentally sensitive, cost-effective, and practical pressure washing management practices for their facility, while ensuring that the operator is also aware of regulations relevant to pressure washing activities.
- Massachusetts Clean Marina Guide - Produced by CZM in 2001, this detailed reference for owners and operators of marine boating facilities provides information on strategies and practices for reducing marina and boating impacts on the coastal environment.
- Pressure Washing Overview - This web page provides an overview of pressure washing issues.
- Pressure Washwater Treatment Demonstration Projects - This page includes descriptions of two pressure washing demonstrations projects funded by CZM.
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program
- The Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program in Massachusetts - This 1994 publication provides an overview of the Massachusetts Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program and includes information on the nonpoint source pollution problem and steps individuals can take to minimize this type of pollution.
Stormwater and Low Impact Development/Smart Growth
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheets - These 7 fact sheets give property owners a variety of options to effectively reduce runoff pollution and other stormwater impacts to help protect local waters.
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheet: “Green” Lawn and Garden Practices - This 2022 fact sheet discusses environmentally friendly yard care methods—such as planting native species, conserving water, and reducing fertilizer and chemical use—that help to protect water quality and can save time and money.
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheet: Minimizing Contaminants - Also published in 2022, this fact sheet discusses how to minimize household contaminants—such as oil from automobiles, toxins from pesticides and cleaning products, soils and other sediments from landscaping activities, and bacteria from pet waste and septic systems—which can contribute to stormwater pollution.
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheet: Preventing Erosion - Published in 2022, this fact sheet covers how to keep soil and other sediments from eroding and flowing offsite, which can fill storm drains, obstruct channels and reduce water levels in water bodies, and impact water quality and habitats.
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheet: Rain Gardens - This 2022 fact sheet discusses rain gardens, which are specially designed and planted depressions in the ground that collect, filter, and treat stormwater.
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheet: Reducing Impervious Surfaces - Impervious surfaces (such as asphalt driveways and concrete patios) allow greater volumes of stormwater to flow quickly offsite, carrying contaminants and causing local flooding and erosion. This 2022 fact sheet describes how to replace impervious surfaces with gravel driveways, planted areas, and other options that infiltrate or absorb water to significantly reduce stormwater problems.
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheet: Vegetated Buffers - This 2022 fact sheet discusses how trees, shrubs, high grasses, perennials, and other vegetation can be strategically planted to help slow, capture, and filter runoff and reduce stormwater impacts.
- Stormwater Solutions for Homeowners Fact Sheet: Vegetated Swales - This 2023 fact sheet provides information on vegetated swales—channels with moisture-loving plants and amended soils that intercept, treat, and slowly convey stormwater runoff to where it can be effectively infiltrated.
- Assessment of Stormwater Financing Mechanisms in New England (PDF, 2 MB) - Prepared for CZM by the Charles River Watershed Association, this March 2007 final case study report, based on the work and experiences of three stormwater utilities in New England that were adopted between 2005 and 2007, serves as a guide for municipalities interested in establishing stable and dedicated stormwater management funding to meet the increasing demands of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permitting program and to protect local water resources.
- Available Funding for Stormwater Projects - This table provides descriptions and links to additional information on federal and state grant and loan programs that fund stormwater and water quality projects in Massachusetts.
- Coastal Stormwater Remediation Plan for the Town of Ipswich (PDF, 3 MB) - CZM hired a resource technician to work with the Ipswich Coastal Pollution Control Committee to develop this stormwater management plan on behalf of the town, which was released in February 2000.
- Coastlines 2006: Smart Growth - This edition of CZM’s magazine focuses on “smart growth”—which promotes better development and land use practices that make sense from an environmental, cultural, and economic perspective. This publication explains how smart growth strategies improve coastal water quality.
- CZScience: Evaluating the Connection—Stormwater Runoff, Impervious Surfaces, and Pollution - This article on page 36 of the 2003 Coastlines (PDF, 3 MB) discusses the impacts of stormwater pollution from urban areas with their high levels of impervious surfaces, such as roadways, parking lots, and rooftops.
- CZ-Tip - Keep Waterways Clean by Filtering Pollutants with Plants - This CZM web page gives information on the benefits of vegetated buffers in stormwater control and tips on how to plant and maintain these buffers.
- An Evaluation of Innovative Stormwater Treatment Technology Installations Designed to Mitigate Storm Drain Pollution Impacting Shellfish Beds at Wychmere Harbor, Harwich and the Jones River, Gloucester, Massachusetts: Section 319 NPS Project #95-02 (PDF, 884 KB) - Prepared by CZM for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Bureau of Resource Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1, this report summarizes the field studies conducted in the fall of 1998 and the spring of 1999 at the StormTreat™ System sites in Gloucester and Harwich.
- Green Neighborhoods: Open Space Residential Design (PDF, 2 MB) - This CZM brochure explains the benefits of Open Space Residential Design (OSRD). OSRD is an approach to residential development that promotes open space preservation based on environmental and social priorities. It features partnership in development design between municipal officials and developers that provides innovative, flexible incentives for highest marketability, mixed housing types and land uses, and minimal disturbance to the natural terrain.
- Low Impact Development Case Study: City of Boston - City Hall Green Roof (PDF, 2 MB) - This 2006 fact sheet provides an overview of how Boston installed a green roof with 150 modular pre-grown gardens on the eighth and ninth floor terraces of City Hall to help capture and treat stormwater runoff at the source.
- Low Impact Development Case Study: Town of Cohasset - Surface Water Supply Protection Plan and Remediation (PDF, 1 MB) - Also published in 2006, this fact sheet discusses a low cost and low maintenance technique used in Cohasset to improve stormwater quality throughout the town by constructing a stormwater management system that includes more than 40 rain gardens and vegetated swales to infiltrate and treat runoff before it is conveyed to the traditional stormwater collection system.
- Low Impact Development Case Study: Town of Franklin - Best Development Practices Guidebook (PDF, 477 KB) - This 2006 fact sheet summarizes the Best Development Practices Guidebook, which was created to guide and improve the quality of development in Franklin—allowing for a range of “creative” design and construction practices in the areas of stormwater management, site planning, erosion control, and landscape design.
- Low Impact Development Case Study: Town of Tyngsborough - Marla Circle Development (PDF, 584 KB) - This fact sheet published in 2006 highlights Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater techniques used by the Marla Circle five-lot subdivision.
- Model Site Plan Rules and Regulations for Open Space Residential Design Model Bylaw (PDF, 584 KB) - These model rules and regulations were developed by the Green Neighborhoods Alliance to be used with the Open Space Residential Development Model Site Plan Bylaw (see below).
- North Coastal Ipswich Basins Stormwater Sampling, Analysis, and Assessment Assistance - Final Report (PDF, 10 MB) - Prepared by The Louis Berger Group, Inc. in association with the School of Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in 2002, the report presented information on the collection, analysis, and evaluation of the stormwater inputs to two wetland sites, one within the North Coastal Basin and one within the Ipswich Basin.
- Open Space Residential Development (OSRD) Model Site Plan Bylaw (PDF, 271 KB) - This model bylaw, which was released in 2001, was originally produced by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and later modified by the Green Neighborhoods Alliance. It is designed to allow developers to use OSRD "by-right" but does not allow for the use of density bonuses.
- Open Space Residential Design Special Permit Model Bylaw/Ordinance - Special Permit (PDF, 43 KB) - Also originally produced by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and modified by the Green Neighborhoods Alliance 2001, this model bylaw/ordinance allows the Planning Board to grant OSRD by special permit and includes a density bonus option.
- Open Space Residential Design Special Permit Model Bylaw/Ordinance Rules and Regulations (PDF, 112 KB) - These model rules and regulations were developed by the Green Neighborhoods Alliance to be used with the OSRD Model Bylaw - Special Permit (see above).
- The Practice of Low Impact Development (PDF, 2 MB) - This 2006 fact sheet provides an overview of Low Impact Development—a more sustainable land development pattern in which site planning focuses on preservation of the natural resources and maintenance of the natural hydrology of a site—and gives important details about effective site design.
Water Quality Monitoring
- Massachusetts Volunteer Coastal Monitoring General Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) (WORD, 1 MB) - Produced for CZM in 2006 by the Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership and Salem Sound Coastwatch, this document provides a template that has been approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to be used by monitoring groups to define their Quality Assurance Project Plans.
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.