Editorial: Rain Keeps Back Bay Alive

Recently we have had lots of rain in Boston. Rain is not bad in all cases, but it definitely has an effect on the groundwater level – especially in Boston’s Back Bay.

Back Bay was originally a bay, which goes all the way to Washington street in the South End. When more space was needed for living, the bay was filled with sand. When the city recognized that sand would not be stable enough to build on, wooden struts were placed in the sand to make the ground more stable. As long as the struts are in contact with water, they are as hard as iron. If the struts come in contact with air, they have the risk of coming in contact with microbes and degradation. To control this system, the city built a floodgate at the end of the Charles River. On top of that, Boston’s Groundwater Trusts check the water level of the 800 wells throughout the city. The Groundwater Trusts were established by the city in 1986 to check the water level of the public wells in Boston. When one well has a lower water level than the surrounding wells in the area, it means that water is leaking through tunnels meant for the subway or other infrastructure. If there is a dry well, instead of moving rainwater from roof installations, such as gutters, into the street drainage or storm system, the water is redirected toward a recharge system adjacent to or below the building. This system will then bring the water to the dry well.

The city had a minimal risk of collapsing and might have that risk again. Those rains we have had recently brought the water level to a safe level again and kept the city from collapsing. The Boston’s Ground Water Trusts has been monitoring almost three quarters of the 800 wells and found out that one quarter of them have the highest levels of water they have had in the last twenty years. Every few weeks the water level may move five or four inches. Though, we are in a good spot right now.

To check if the wooden struts are still in good shape, they dig the structures out by hand. They need to pump out groundwater since they go under the water level. Usually the first one to two feet are roten, but they cut off the first five feet. The wooden struts are replaced with metal struts. After this they fill the space around the metal struts with concrete, and they do eight wooden struts every week.

So next time you walk to Newman in the rain, don’t be frustrated! Instead keep smiling and think, it keeps the Newman school building safe and the school’s spirit alive, and you can continue your academic career.