Cheesecake Brook
Existing Conditions, Ongoing Projects, and Opportunities for Restoration
Overview & History
Before European colonization, the Charles River and its tributaries were an interlinked and dynamically changing network of wetlands, streams, and shifting channels. Cheesecake Brook in Newton, named after a memorable 1600s picnic along its wooded banks 1 , is one of 22 major tributaries to the Charles River.
1 This account of the Brook’s modern name comes from the King’s handbook of Newton (1889) in its description of West Newton (page 162). LINK .
Since the 1600s, these waterways, and the areas they drain, have been radically reshaped by human use, from the draining of wetlands for development to the damming and culverting (replacing stream channels with buried pipes) of waterways. These changes have caused a loss of habitat, degraded water quality, and, with climate change, increased risk of flooding.
Historically, much of the brook’s watershed, particularly the area in West Newton, was spongy and stayed wet for much of the year. Early maps labeled these areas as “requiring drainage”. By the turn of the century, wetlands had been drained and constrained for agriculture and to accommodate growing populations. In 1937, to mitigate flooding, the brook was engineered into its current configuration, straightened and confined within a stone wall.
Historical wetlands map from 1892.
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 through a network of pipes and outfalls, introducing pollution like excess nutrients, urban debris, sediment, and bacterial contamination. Under Clean Water Act reporting, the brook is “listed” as impaired due to alterations in riparian vegetation and high levels of phosphorus and E. coli. CRWA sampling from 2024 found that less than 30% of samples met water quality standards. Altered drainage not only impairs water quality, it also changes the streamflow - increasing the risk of flooding during storms and drought during dry periods.
CRWA is partnering with residents and the City of Newton to address these challenges and work towards a community vision of a restored Cheesecake Brook. By using nature-based solutions we can slow the flow of runoff into the brook, reduce pollution, improve riparian habitat, and mitigate climate-related flooding.
Virtual Tour
Confluence with Charles River
Cheesecake Brook joins the Charles River north of Albemarle Road. This section of the brook is relatively wild and unmaintained. Here, it flows down a sloped concrete slab owned by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), concealing an active sewer line. This slab poses an obstacle to fish passage. In the section, the brook deposits sediment, forming sandbars near the confluence with the Charles.
Slab at confluence.
Water rippling over the slab.
Albemarle Corridor
This portion of the brook is largely constrained, channelized with stone walls and bordered by manicured grasses. The corridor is flanked by residential neighborhoods, public recreation areas and local schools, including the Fessenden School and Newton’s Early Childhood Program Preschool.
Daylit Brook at Craft St & Albemarle Rd.
Notably, there are approximately 40 outfalls (discharge point of wastewater into a waterway) along the downstream segment of the brook, which stretches from the Confluence with the Charles to the culverted portion beneath I-90. The outfalls come from both smaller stormwater drainage systems, as well as direct surface runoff from the parts of Albemarle Road that run parallel to the brook. This stormwater runoff contributes to both the flooding and ongoing water quality issues affecting the brook.
Flooding of Albemarle Corridor
Substantial flooding has plagued this stretch of the brook, with notable flood events occurring in the summer of 2020 and 2021. In August 2021, extreme flooding resulted in significant damage, including the destruction of a pedestrian bridge. With climate change flood severity and frequency are expected to increase.
Riverine flooding along Cheesecake Brook.
August 19, 2021 Cheesecake Brook Flooding Newton. Filmed by Matthew Sabourin.
December 18, 2023 Cheese Cake Brook Massive Flooding Albemarle Road Newton. Filmed by Matthew Sabourin.
Culvert Under I-90
The upstream portion of the brook is culverted for 1.1 miles, where it flows beneath I-90. The roadway, which bisects the watershed, is flanked by commercial land use on either side that has a high concentration of impervious cover. Polluted stormwater runoff from this impervious land adds to the brook’s water quality issues.
Brook flowing underground beneath Watertown Street culvert.
Channelize Brook leading into the underground portion of waterway.
Headwaters at Brae Burn Country Club
The headwaters of Cheesecake Brook start in the Brae Burn Country Club in Newton. The brook flows 1.3 miles through the country club and is interrupted by the Brae Burn Pond Dam, inhibiting the movement of native wildlife species in this area.
The Brook flowing through Brae Burn Country Club.
Additionally, stormwater collected in pipes and catch basins (curbside drains that direct stormwater into storm drain) flows directly into this portion of the brook via eight outfalls, with the fertilizers the club uses for landscaping polluting the brook's headwaters. Vegetated buffers have been added around the headwaters to help alleviate some of the pollution, though additional restoration techniques should be considered. And some of the lawn in the country club is being converted into wet meadow, but these efforts could be scaled up to include all areas bordering the brook.
Active Projects
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1
Craft Street Field Infiltration Basin – In Construction
This infiltration system will be located beneath Albemarle Field, which will remain a usable recreation area. The system will direct large stormwater flows from Craft Street’s existing storm pipes into a 46,000 CF underground infiltration system. This system is designed to eliminate runoff and pollution from up to the 25-year design storm. By slowly releasing stormwater into the ground, this system will reduce flooding and mitigate low flows during periods of drought. Excavation has begun with anticipated completion by July 2025.
2
Albemarle Road Bank Planting – In Construction
The banks between Craft Street and the Gath Pool will be stripped of turf and replanted using a range of native plant species selected to improve habitat quality and to support at-risk native pollinators. Existing asphalt gutters will be removed and replaced with rainwater turrets designed to prevent erosion and help smaller storms soak into the restored bank. This work is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025. Following an establishing period, the restored banks will be maintained in perpetuity through a conservation easement.
3
Richard McGrath Park Infiltration Chamber – Final Design
The City of Newton has begun designing a subsurface infiltration system, where Cheesecake Brook is culverted beneath McGrath Park. The system will be designed to capture runoff from the Myrtle Street drain. Stormwater will be filtered through soil to reduce pollution and even-out flows into the culverted brook. The City is exploring additional opportunities for rain gardens to address surface runoff in this area.
4
Peirce School Infiltration System – Feasibility Study
The Peirce school has a large athletic field located just east of the culverted section of Cheesecake Brook. The City of Newton identified this project in its 2023 Phosphorus Control Plan selected for its potential to remediate as much as 52 acres of residential drainage,, which is currently feeding into the culverted brook. This project is still in the conceptual phase but has the potential to majorly impact pollution loading and stormwater flows into the brook.
5
Davis Playground Subsurface Infiltration – Feasibility Study
Cheesecake Brook is culverted beneath the Davis Playground. The City of Newton is investigating the feasibility of rerouting stormwater flows in this area, so that they can be infiltrated beneath the playing field.
