Ten years ago, the water in the Fort Point Channel was not clean enough for fishing and boating.  Thanks to the hard work of the Massachusetts Water Resources Association (MWRA), Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC), and the support of the Friends of Fort Point Channel, today the water quality of the channel is much better, especially in the basin in front of the Boston Children’s Museum.

Water tests from the past few years and the summer of 2009 confirm that the water quality in front of the Boston Children’s Museum meets standards for boating and fishing.  In fact, the channel even meets the EPA’s more stringent water quality standard for swimming most days except during the 36 hours after a summer storm.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and the Boston Children’s Museum have used these results to develop a flagging system that informs visitors of the water quality in the channel.

The water quality in the Fort Point Channel has come a long way over the past decade, and Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will continue to work towards the day when there is no need for water quality flags at all!

Until then, please use this flagging system to take advantage of the recreational opportunities the Fort Point Channel has to offer.

We thank our program partners and funders, and in particular the US EPA, for their support which made this water quality project possible.

    !We have paused flagging for the winter and will resume updating the flag in spring!

	We post a blue flag when it is okay to fish and boat in front of the Children's Museum. The blue flag means that the water meets standards for fishing and boating.  Our research indicates that water quality in the Children's Museum basin is almost always better than fishing and boating standards and even meets swimming standards most days of the summer.
	We post a red flag during the 36 hours after it rains 0.1” or greater because the water in front of the Children's Museum might not be suitable for fishing and boating.  Our research shows that although the water quality may not meet fishing and boating standards, it returns to normal 36 hours after the raining has stopped.