Charles River Natural Valley Storage Area
The Charles River Natural Valley Storage Area comprises over 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) of protected land in the middle and upper watershed of the Charles River in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The lands were acquired by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and are managed by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The project's field office is located at West Hill Dam.
The Indian name for the Charles River was Quinobequin, meaning "meandering". Captain John Smith, however, named the Charles River for Charles I of England and, in doing so, interested the monarch in its potential for trade and settlement. The Charles River offered the opportunity for early settlers to acquire land, wealth and freedom from political and religious oppression by providing a water highway to the interior. The winding river rambles for 80 miles (130 km) from its headwaters, drains an area over 300 square miles (780 km2) and is the most densely populated river basin in New England.
The Charles River is one of the most beautiful urban rivers in the country. In cooperation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the US Army Corps of Engineers has implemented a program that not only protects the urbanized watershed from flooding, but also safeguards valuable wetlands and provides areas for wildlife and recreation.
Torrential rains from hurricanes in 1938, 1955 and 1968 caused water levels to rise and rivers to overflow their banks in communities across New England. The floodwaters caused millions of dollars in damage and took hundreds of lives throughout New England. Along the Charles River, the residents and properties of the lower Charles are the most seriously affected when flooding occurs.
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