|
|
Stream Team Program
 The BRWA has joined the
Blackstone River Coalition's Campaign for a Fishable/Swimmable Blackstone River by 2015,
working to take what was one of the most polluted rivers in the United States and turning it into the jewel of the Blackstone Valley.
To achieve this goal, the BRWA, along with our
partners in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, participates in a watershed-wide water quality monitoring program, organizes shoreline surveys and cleanups.
On October 28, 2007 the BRWA organized the Blackstone Valley Riverways Cleanup as part of the"National Make a Difference Day" campaign. The event took place at seven locations in five towns: Blackstone, East Douglas, Hopedale, Northbridge and Uxbridge on three rivers: the Mill, Mumford and West Rivers. As part of the cleanup, volunteers separated all non-returnable bottles and cans (e.g., bottled water, juice, ice teas, "sports" drinks, etc.) from returnable (deposit) containers. The number of non-returnable exceeded the number of returnable (deposit) containers collected by 2.6:1.  The BRWA’s name was added to the list of organizations that agreed to tally returnable and non-returnable beverage containers to encourage our legislators to vote to expand the Massachusetts Bottle Deposit Law to include bottled water, juice, ice teas, "sports" drinks, etc.
The day ended with volunteers gathering at the River Bend Farm Visitor Center in Uxbridge for pizza and refreshments provided by the Blackstone River Watershed Association (BRWA).
 The Annual Canoe/Kayak Race on the Blackstone River takes place in May and is a great event to promote the recreational opportunites o the Blackstone River, have the public experience the beauty of the River and and also become aware of the problems that need to be resolved in order to make the River fishable and swimmable by 2015.
Make a Difference Day - October 25, 2008
- 50 Volunteers
- 5 Towns - Blackstone, Douglas, Hopedale, Mendon, Northbridge
- 5 Sites
- 2006 and 2007 - BRWA, with the assistance of Mass Riverways, conducted shoreline surveys on three tributaries of the Blackstone River – the Mumford, West, and the Mill Rivers.
- 2008 - BRWA was awarded an additional grant through Mass Riverways to continue its efforts to protect promote and restore these rivers.
- BRWA promoted awareness and built up advocacy by educating municipal leaders, homeowners, and business owners on best practices for "river-friendly" behavior by handing out the Homeowner's Guide to Protecting Water Quality in the Blackstone River Watershed, developed by the Blackstone River Coalition.
The communities covered include Blackstone, Douglas, Hopedale, Mendon, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton, Uxbridge, and Whitinsville.
The full Stream Outreach Report can be read here.
June, 2008 Troop 131 partners with BRWA on the Mumford River
 BRWA and Troop 131 of Sutton partnered to do a river bank clean-up on the Mumford River.
Eleven members of Troop 131 in Sutton volunteered to cleanup a 1.5 mile section on the Mumford River on June 8,2008.
 The clean-up occurred from the Middle School to the mill area along the road and the trails as well as the other side where the pond is located.
 BRWA thanks the Boy Scouts of Troop 131 and hopes to partner with them again in the future.
2006 Stream Teams on the Mumford River
2007 Stream Teams on the Mill and West Rivers
The areas of concern noted by the volunteers are now being addressed by BRWA:
- Riverbank erosion dumps unwanted sediment into the water and disrupts aquatic plant growth decreasing oxygen levels for fish and other aquatic life.
- Invasive aquatic plant life such as purple loosestrife and Asian water chestnut infests rivers, covering the water with a dense mat of vegetation, reducing the flow of the River, displacing native species, and impeding boating and fishing in the area.
- Stormwater runoff from roads, parking lots, lawns and farms deposit sediment, oil, road salt, organic materials, bacteria, pesticides, and fertilizers wash into the river making it an unhealthy place for aquatic life to thrive. It also makes it unsafe for humans to swim.
- Vegetative buffer zones along the river absorb nutrients and other pollutants through the root and acts as a filter. These buffers also prevent lawn chemicals from entering the river.
- Runoff from pipes discharging into water
- Trash including old construction materials, machinery, booms, litter
For more information please e-mail the BRWA at info@thebrwa.org or contact Michelle Walsh, BRWA Outreach Coordinator at 508-450-8331.
West River and Mill River Stream Team Surveys 2007
The BRWA, with funding from Mass Riverways Adopt-a-Stream Program and Unibank, conducted stream surveys along the West River and Mill River in the spring of 2007. BRWA's Environmental Outreach Coordinator, Michelle Walsh, worked with 40 volunteers throughout the community to assist with this very important project.
Read the findings in the West River and Mill River Stream Team surveys.
Mumford River Stream Team Survey 2006
 In collaboration with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Riverways Adopt-A-Stream Program, the Blackstone River Watershed Association conducted a river survey along the 13.5 long Mumford River on Saturday May 6, 2006. The data collected from the survey are being used to determine which factors are negatively affecting the river (pollution, erosion, trash etc.). Action plans have been created, a final report has been prepared and made available to local town officials.
 The Mumford River is a tributary of the Blackstone River and stretches through the towns of Sutton, Northbridge, Uxbridge and Douglas.Stream teams provide on-going stewardship for the River and work on projects to protect and restore the river and the land adjacent to the river.
|
