Rediscovering and Revitalizing Cheesecake Brook

Cheesecake Brook exemplifies the challenges facing urban streams. Today, the brook drains a watershed that is over 40% impervious. Stormwater runs off roofs, sidewalks, and roads and enters the brook leading to pollution, flooding, and degraded habitat. By investing in green stormwater infrastructure and bank restoration we can reduce aquatic pollution, promote healthier flow patterns, and create an attractive shaded wetland corridor for the benefit of residents and wildlife. How do we get there? Join Max Rome for a discussion of the brook’s history, condition, and current and future opportunities for restoration.

Max Rome is the Stormwater Program Manager at the Charles River Watershed Association. In this role, he works to advance projects and policies that reduce runoff, decrease nutrient pollution, and help to green watershed communities. Max completed his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Northeastern University in 2022. His dissertation “From Water Quality to River Health” focused on understanding the connection between ecological restoration and improving water quality.

Max Rome provided fascinating information about the history of the brook and its watershed and then taught us what needs to be done to restore it to good health and how CRWA is working with the City of Newton to do so. One of the fascinating pieces of information that Max shared applies throughout our community: we could reduce runoff pollution to our streams and the Charles River by over 90% if we were able to capture the first inch of every rain event on each property. That’s something to strive for on both public and private land.

Max outlined the scope of the current project, including the Green infrastructure installed in Albemarle Phase 1, bioretention basins, bioswales, and bank plantings. You can follow updates about the work on the CRWA website at https://www.crwa.org/cheesecake

You can send questions to [email protected] or contact Max Rome directly at:
Max Rome, PhD
Stormwater Program Manager
Charles River Watershed Association
[email protected]
617.540.5650

This presentation was originally given on May 22, 2025 as part of the Newton Conservators Spring 2025 Webinar Series hosted by Beth Wilkinson. Barbara Bates provided technical support and Ted Kuklinski was the video editor.

To learn more about Newton Conservators and our free events please visit our website at newtonconservators.org. If you have questions, please contact [email protected].