The Power Of Water At Moakley Park
Written by Dr. Hollee Freeman
Illustrated by Ariana Chariton
Water is a huge part of life for plants and for people and other animals around the globe. People, animals, and plants need water for many things. Plants need water to grow. People use water to drink. We also use it to grow crops, to keep clean, for transportation, and for many other uses.
Water is always moving around us in a cycle. Gravity makes most water fall into oceans as rain or snow. Then, that same water is heated by the sunshine and turns to vapor. It evaporates back into clouds. When the water vapor gets heavy, it falls to Earth again as rain or snow.
Some water falls on land and then is absorbed into the ground. Water moves down the natural slope of the land. It seeps into rivers and lakes. Some of the water that falls to the ground is absorbed by trees. In time, this water will return to the air as vapor.
Constant rain for a long time can make land change its shape. This is called erosion. The stronger the moving water, the more erosion will take place.
Carson Beach and the Boston Harbor are changing due to erosion.
When Moakley Park was made, architects changed the land. They moved sand and clay from the harbor to make land for a park near Carson Beach.
Wet clay feels like plastic and feels sticky. It cannot absorb very much water. When it rains, the water stays on the ground. It does not move until it evaporates. This can take quite a while. Even a slow rain can have an extreme impact on the park.
When it rains, the park floods. During a big rain, the water from the harbor flows into the streets at a fast rate. This makes it hard to drive or walk. It is hard for families to use the park when it is flooded. Lots of places, including the bike path, have to close.
During big storms water from the harbor can strike the beach with a lot of force. The force will break rocks and shells into small bits. Strong winds send the bits of rocks and shells to the land. These new materials change the shape of the land at the beach and the park.
Scientists predict that due to lots of rain, sea levels will rise 21-40 inches in about 50 years. This will make flooding an even bigger problem for the community near Moakley Park. Without a team of wise landscape architects, the fate of Moakley Park could be dire.
A lot of people are working to prevent flooding and make Moakley Park a safe place to visit after a storm. One way to help is to add trees, marshes, and raised mounds of soil. These natural features will help soak up rain water and prevent flooding. They will help the park thrive!
Talk about the Text
1. What are some parts of the water cycle?
2. Why does Moakley Park flood?
3. How are community members responding to flooding at Moakley Park?
About the Author and Illustrator
Dr. Hollee Freeman is a career educator with over 30 years of experience working in New York City, NY, Boston, MA and Richmond, VA. When she is not beekeeping in her apiary, you can find Hollee taking photographs of nature, gardening, and hiking. Hollee has written numerous book chapters and articles focused on educational reform, teaching, gender equity, and STEM. She has also written three children’s books.
Through writing, Hollee looks for connections between herself and the world. It is her sincere hope that you find joy and connection in the themes found in this (and other) books, that you ask questions and think of new ways of telling this story, other stories and of course, your OWN story.
Ariana Chariton is 24 years old and grew up in Walpole, Massachusetts. She currently lives in Grapevine, Texas. She went to college at Massachusetts College of Art and Design to be a fashion designer but instead became an illustrator.
When she was growing up, Ariana’s favorite place to go in Boston was the Museum of Science. When she got older and moved to the Roxbury/ Mission Hill neighborhood to go to college, she loved running to Jamaica Pond because it was so beautiful. She also loved going to Purple Cactus in Jamaica Plain for a burrito and a smoothie.
Ariana has always loved drawing and making art and still does. She hopes that if you enjoy drawing, you will draw your version of this story!
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