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Blackstone River Watershed Association
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BRWA NEWS
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EarthDay Cleanup a Huge Success!
This year’s annual EarthDay Cleanup was held on Sunday, April 21st.
More volunteers pitched in and more garbage was removed from waterways
than during any previous cleanup by the BRWA! Over 180 adults and
youth tackled trash in five towns within the Blackstone River watershed.
BRWA Team Leaders worked with volunteers in Grafton (the Quinsigamond
and Blackstone Rivers), Northbridge (Meadow Pond, the Mumford River
River Walk, and the Blackstone River at Plummers Landing),
Uxbridge (the Blackstone Canal and River in and around River Bend Park),
Douglas (the Mumford River and Gilboa Pond), and Blackstone (Fox Brook).
Members of the Blackstone
Millville Regional H.S. varsity baseball team clean trash from
Fox Brook, Blackstone. photo by Jim Plasse.
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The volunteers worked on land and on water to remove enough litter
to fill over 125 large garbage bags! They also removed over a dozen
tires, household items, bikes, traffic cones, furniture, and construction
debris. Removing this trash keeps waterways open for fish and wildlife,
and for paddlers and anglers. The cleanup also improves the water
quality of the Blackstone River by removing potential sources of
contamination.
Following the cleanup, volunteers gathered at River Bend Farm’s Visitor
Center in Uxbridge for pizza and refreshments provided by the BRWA.
Generous donations were made by Shaws of Northbridge, Hannafords of
Uxbridge, and Harry’s Famous Pizza of Uxbridge.
EarthDay Cleanup volunteers
enjoying a pizza lunch at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge. Photo by Susan Thomas.
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As part of the EarthDay Cleanup, the BRWA partnered with Alternatives
Unlimited, Inc. to sponsor a Clean and Green Fair at River Bend Farm.
Volunteers viewed displays and demonstrations about rain gardens,
watershed protection, and terracycling. Seedling plantings and
children’s activities were also provided.
Peter Coffin of the
Blackstone River Coalition demonstrates a watershed model to EarthDay
Cleanup Volunteers during the Clean and Green Fair at River Bend Farm
in Uxbridge. Photo by Susan Thomas.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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May is American Wetlands Month!
Wetlands are beautiful, dynamic, complex, and
valuable ecosystems found throughout Massachusetts behind ocean dunes,
along babbling brooks, and in the middle of farm fields. Some are vast
in size while others appear as large puddles. They filter our drinking
water, mediate floods and droughts, create essential habitat for countless
plants and animals, offer economic revenue, and provide a place for research,
education, recreation, and natural reflection. Each town’s conservation
commission is charged with implementing the state’s Wetland Protection Act.
Go to a meeting and find out what’s happening to your town’s wetlands.
Explore the wetlands at National Wildlife Refuges like the Assabet River NWF
in Sudbury, MA or the John Chafee NWR and the Sachuset Point NWR in Rhode Island.
Fore more information on wetlands and wetlands month, visit:
http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/outreach/index.cfm
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5/11
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Blackstone River Coalition Water Quality Monitoring.
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5/11
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BCC Workday.
9 a.m. at Plummer’s Landing, Church St.
Northbridge, MA.
Info from Dave Barber 508-478-4918
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5/11
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Southern New England Discovery Tours.
Blackstone Valley Tourism Council.
info
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5/11-5/19
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Bay State Bike Week.
Massachusetts Bicycle
Coalition and Mass DOT.
info.
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5/12
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Canal and Towpath Walk.
1:00-2:15 p.m. Blackstone
River and Canal Heritage State Park, River Bend Farm, 287 Oak Street, Uxbridge.
Meet at the Visitors Center for a two mile long walk along the historic towpath.
All ages are welcome on this easy walk. Rain cancels. For more info: 508-278-7604
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5/15
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Blackstone River Watershed Council Monthly Meeting.
6:30-8:30 p.m., Lincoln, R.I.
info
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5/18
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BRWC Monthly River Cleanup.
8:30a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Contact Keith Hainley at 401-996-1542.
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5/18-5/24
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National Safe Boating Week.
Think before you sink.
info.
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5/19
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Blackstone Canal Conservancy Talk: "Unusual and
Remote Navigation Structures of the Northeast and Midwest".
2:00p.m. Riverbend Farm Visitors Center
Info from Dave Barber 508-478-4918.
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5/19
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The Life of a Rock.
1-2:30 p.m. Learn about stone
tool making from a DCR Educator/Archeologist. Purgatory Chasm State Park.
198 Purgatory Rd., Sutton. Suitable for all ages. Meet at the Visitor
Center. For more info: 508-234-9610 or 508-234-2733
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5/23
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BRWA Board Meeting.
6:45pm 271 Oak St., Uxbridge
info
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5/25
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Blackstone River Paddle.
Worcester Chapter of the
Appalachian Mountain Club . This will be a 9 mile paddle along a scenic
and winding segment of the Blackstone River flowing through the historic
Blackstone Valley towns of Uxbridge, Millville & Blackstone. As some
quickwater and Class II+ whitewater is expected to be encountered along
the way, PFDs, helmets & skirts are required as well as food and water.
No novice paddlers on this one. Preregistration is required for this trip.
for more information contact Elaine Cibelli at 508-832-9060 or
Elaine_cibelli@hotmail.com.
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6/8
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Blackstone River Coalition Water Quality Monitoring.
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THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL
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Blackstone River Coalition Strategic Planning Underway
Over thirty advocates for the Blackstone River,
including the BRWA’s Dona Neely and Mike Sperry, dedicated two Saturday
mornings in February and March to share their visions for the Blackstone
watershed and to suggest strategic actions to restore the river’s water
quality to fishable/swimmable standards. During the meetings, organized
by the Blackstone River Coalition (BRC), participants reviewed the many
varied efforts put forth over the last decade to improve water quality
and habitat. They were enthused by the many opportunities to build on
past efforts, but discouraged by the lack of funding and leadership due
to cutbacks in state and federal programs.
Many of the Blackstone River advocates noted the success of the BRC’s
Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring that has more than 80 volunteers
testing 75 sites every month across the entire watershed. This includes
28 sites within the midreach, from Grafton to Blackstone, that are
coordinated by the BRWA. The present challenge is to assess the ten years
of quality data, interpret it for status and trends, and then bring that
knowledge back to the watershed’s communities to inform good land-use
decisions by states, towns, businesses and homeowners. Other action
items to be pursued include testing for bacteria, a pilot project on the
Peter's River, and the need for visible restoration projects such as
cleaning up junkyards.
In order to restore the river and its watershed, the Blackstone River
Coalition needs to focus its efforts to achieve results; at the same time
it needs to broaden its partnership base. Please help the Coalition by
sending ideas for clean-ups or restoration projects to your local watershed
association.
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Mercury Thermostat Recycling Bill
On March 28, the Massachusetts Senate approved a
bill dealing with recycling of thermostats that contain mercury.
Mercury contaminates fish that are consumed by organisms higher on the
food chain as well as by humans where it damages the nervous system.
The bill, waiting for debate by the Massachusetts House, requires manufactures
to provide appropriate containment for used thermostats. In addition,
the Department of Environmental Protection would be given authority to
oversee the bill’s requirements.
However, Clean Water Action and two other environmental advocacy groups
released a report, “Turning up the Heat II”, that indicates similar
legislation in other states has not significantly increased mercury
recycling. These advocates feel that more responsibility should be
placed on the manufacturer to ensure recycling. This is critical
because, though no longer produced, millions of existing mercury
thermostats may take decades to fail before being replaced with safer technology.
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Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder Contest
The 7th Annual Sense of Wonder Contest recognizes
several categories of personal expression including poetry, songwriting,
and essay. Entries, which must be submitted by Monday, June 10, 2013,
must be created by a team of two or more people of different generations.
The contest focuses on “capturing the essence of the natural environment”.
Contact:
www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/.
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SPOTLIGHT ON SCIENCE
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Northern Water Snake
One of the species that calls the Blackstone River
Watershed home is the northern water snake, Nerodia sipedon. Commonly
found in ponds, streams, and wetlands, this non-poisonous snake can vary
in color from grey to brown and has a strong pattern of cross bands and
blotches. It primarily eats a variety of fish and amphibians, but will
also consume birds, invertebrates, and small mammals. The young are born
in late summer and can grow to four feet long. Like most snakes, they
will bask in the sun to warm themselves. They defend themselves by
omitting a strong scent and will bite if they are unable to escape to
water.
Click on the photo below and you can observe their appearance and behavior moving through water
in a fascinating local video.
Permission for video granted by Christopher Renna.
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Keep an eye out for northern water snakes this spring and summer – you will find them worthy of interest.
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FAMILY FOCUS
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BIRD-A-THON
Bird watching is an ideal pastime for family
members to share. Adults and children alike love everything about birds,
from their musical songs to their distinctive coloring to their easily
observed behavior. Open a window this time of year and you may hear the
“drink-your-tea” song of the Eastern towhee, the “sweet, sweet,
I’m so sweet” of a yellow warbler, or the “konk-a-lee” of a red-winged
blackbird.
This month, your family can participate in Mass Audubon’s
annual Bird-a-thon fundraiser that runs for 24 hours starting at 6:00 p.m.
on Friday May 17. You have the choice of joining a team, donating to a team,
or helping fundraise. This important fundraiser allows Audubon to protect
natural areas and to provide educational programs for youth and adults on
a variety of natural history topics. For more information, call Mass Audubon
at Broad Meadow Brook at 508-753-6087 or go to
www.massaudubon.org/birdathon/.
Happy birding!
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BE GREEN
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Spring is the time for sprucing up, and that includes your salt- and
mud-caked car. Rather than washing it yourself at home, take it to an
automatic carwash. This drastically reduces the amount of water used,
and keeps harmful detergents out of our waterways. Keep this in mind
if your son or daughter is participating in a car-wash fundraiser for
a school or club to which they belong. They should check with their
local water authority to find out how to properly dispose of their water runoff.
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REFLECTIONS
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“It is not half so important to know as to feel.” Rachel Carson
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Views & opinions expressed in linked websites do not necessarily
state or reflect those of the BRWA.
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Your input is crucial to this eNewsletter. If you have a local
watershed-related story, information of interest to our subscribers, or
comments about this publication, drop an email to the editor.
The Blackstone River Watershed Association (BRWA) has a mission to
engage, educate and advocate for improved water quality in the Blackstone
River Watershed; its objectives are to:
- Engage the public in watershed stewardship activities,
- Educate members, supporters and watershed residents on watershed protection strategies, and
- Improve the water quality and esthetics of the Blackstone River Watershed’s water bodies.
The BRWA eNewsletter is published monthly by the Blackstone River Watershed
Association. BRWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Editor: Susan Thomas susan.thomas@thebrwa.org
Mailing address: BRWA, 271 Oak Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
Phone: 508-278-5200 Web: www.thebrwa.org
Click here for back issues.
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