At a March 25 2000 conference, a 10 member Stream Team composed of Cambridge, Belmont and Arlington residents was constituted to monitor shoreline and water, develop an action plan and present a shoreline report to their city agencies. The Team will soon meet for a full Riverways workshop to learn characteristics of healthy and unhealthy waterways and banks, and surrounding terrain, according to agency Director, Joan Kimball of the State's Department of Fisheries, Wldlife and Environmental Law Enforcement (DFWELE). In her slides at the Friends of Alewife Reservation Conference at the Fayerweather Street School, she showed parking lot run off and chemical effects which can be noted in streams and rivers. Also seen, were clear cutting, and various types of erosion on banks which drastically effect the river environment. "Communities have been turned around completely in their waterways behavior by results of shoreline survey reports". She complimented the FAR groups that had already begun their surveys, "Your surveys in winter will help you greatly in your expanded data in spring."

Aleda Freeman of the Department of Mass. Geographic Information System (MassGIS) displayed a state chemical test kit for measuring water quality in outflow pipes which discharge into the Alewife Brook. High contamination levels have been found throughout the Alewife Brook, which effect the Mystic River, Lakes, wildlife and beyond. Aleda spoke of  regularity, consistency and accuracy of measuring in all types of weather and conditions. Her agency can provide accurate mapping assistance for any watershed area, if requested. The Somerville volunteers,  Mystic River Advocates, have attained grants and their surveys have achieved attention in the Mystic River Watershed Association and the Boston Harbor Basin Team. The video of the Advocates, "Non-point Source Pollution" about  Alewife Brook was shown, which notes contamination from storm drain run off. The video will be shown on Cambridge Community TV, 4/3 and 4/9, both at 10pm. If you are interested in Stream Team shoreline surveys for your area,  call Joan Kimball at 727-1614.

Immediately following presentations, a bus brought conferees to Middlesex Fells, where Hue Holley, head of Friends of the Fells, showed the group 4 Reservation spots, one of which was an observation place for  yellow spotted salamanders. They  had just finished "congressing" or mating and now the active visitors were noteing egg cluster incubation. Alewife visitors were impressed with the number of activities, signs for trails and general condition of the 115 acre Reservation. As a result, Ralph Yoder of the Friends will be scouting the Alewife Reservation for "vernal pools" where salamanders live, protected by state laws.