Island End River is a short tributary of the Mystic RiverinMassachusetts.[1] It is notable for its environmental history, which consisted of steady and severe pollution from the 19th century to the 1950s, with concerted cleanup efforts beginning in the early 21st century.
| Island End River | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• location | Mystic River |
| Basin features | |
| Cities | Everett, Chelsea |
The river was polluted originally through the direct release of wastewater from a coal tar processing plant located along it, resulting in the buildup of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the river bottom.[2] It was partly dredged in 2007, but its sediments remained heavily contaminated.[2] Its water quality also remained extremely poor, but, as the result of sewage control efforts by the cities of Chelsea and Everett, substantially improved by 2019.[3] Much of the river runs through a culvert, which is in poor condition; the city of Everett began restoring parts of it to the surface in 2021.[4]
Because of the concentration of PAHs in its sediments, Island End River has served as a useful site for scientific studies of microbial biodegradation.[5][6]
42°23′19″N 71°03′16″W / 42.3887°N 71.0544°W / 42.3887; -71.0544