Blackstone River Watershed Association
Blackstone River Watershed Association
In This Issue
BRWA NEWS

Newsletter Milestone

Winter Hike

See You on the Blackstone!

CALENDAR

THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL

Narragansett Bay Journal

Support Needed - Draft Storm Sewer General Permit

Christmas Bird Count

SPOTLIGHT ON SCIENCE

Beneficial Aquatic Bacteria

BE GREEN

REFLECTIONS


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Issue 50 December 2014

BRWA NEWS

Newsletter Milestone

This is our 50th issue of the BRWA e-newsletter! Each month, we let you know about local and regional issues concerning the Blackstone River watershed. We teach you a little watershed science, help get youth engaged, and show how you can make a positive difference in the watershed at home, at work, or in your community. And we also take time in our “Reflections” section to help you experience the intrinsic beauty of the river and its surrounding landscape.

Just in the past two years, our readers have learned about wetland soils and plants, northern watersnakes and macroinvertebrates, and bacteria and kingfishers. We've connected families to events like salamander migration and eelgrass-bed restoration, and discussed activities such as nature photography and children’s stories about rivers. Readers got green tips about camping, fireplaces, natural lawns, and more. In our “Reflections" section, we shared watershed poetry, sounds, photographs, paintings and sculptures to inspire readers.

Do you know someone who should be receiving the BRWA e-newsletter? If so, let them know that it's as easy as going to our website and clicking on Newsletters in the upper right corner.

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Winter Hike
Winter at Hassanamesit Woods.
Photo Credit: Robert Aberg.
Snowy Trail, Hassanamessit Woods

Just in time to burn off holiday calories and shake off winter lethargy, the BRWA invites you to join us for our annual winter hike on Sunday, January 25th from 1:00 - 3:00 pm at Hassanamesit Woods in Grafton. This is a beautiful property with a fascinating history tied to the Nipmuc Indians. This rich ecological community includes oak forests, shrub and grassland habitat, and vernal pools and seeps. Managed jointly by Grafton's conservation and historical commissions, it abuts additional land trust properties and drains to the nearby Quinsigamond River, shortly before emptying into the Blackstone River. The two-hour hike will be led by naturalist and BRWA Project Coordinator Susan Thomas.
Archaeological Project at Hassanamesit Woods.
Photo Credit: Fiske Center Blog - Heather Law Pezzarossi.
Fiske Center for Archaeological Research at UMass Boston.
Archaeologists at Hassanamesit Woods

Wear appropriate footwear for the uneven ground, which may be snow covered or muddy depending on the weather. Following the hike, we will return to the parking area for warm drinks and refreshments. Participants should meet at the gated end of Salisbury Street, which is located off of Keith Hill Rd. in Grafton near Rt. 122. Directions are available at:

http://www.graftonland.org/directions.php?pid=200.


For more information, or to RSVP, please e-mail events@thebrwa.org. We hope you can join us!

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See You on the Blackstone!
In addition to our annual winter hike, the BRWA is offering several other opportunities for you to get involved with the Blackstone in 2015. Mark your calendars now and pass along the dates to your friends and co-workers. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, the more you go, the more you'll know. The more you know, the more you'll appreciate the value of the Blackstone River and its watershed. The journey of environmental stewardship begins with the first step (or cleanup, or cast, or paddle!). Watch our website for details as these events approach.
  • Sunday April 19th: Annual Earth Day Cleanup
  • Saturday May 2: Fishing Derby co-sponsored with Alternatives Unlimited, Inc.
  • Saturday June 6: A Day on the Blackstone.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

12/14 - 1/5 Christmas Bird Count. National Audubon. Uxbridge and Worcester area.    See below for details.
1/10 Blackstone Canal Conservancy Work Day. 9am. Meet at Plummers Landing west parking area, Church Street, Northbridge. For info, contact Dave Barber 508-478-4918 or email DGBarber@cs.com.
1/21 Blackstone River Watershed Council Monthly Meeting. 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Lincoln RI.   info
1/22 BRWA Board Meeting. 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 271 Oak St., Uxbridge.   info
1/25 BRWA Annual Winter Hike. 1 - 3p.m. Hassanamesit Woods, Grafton. Park at end of Salisbury Street by gated entrance to trails.   See above for more information.

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THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL

Narragansett Bay Journal
Just released by the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, this publication contains a variety of pieces focusing on the ecology, threats, and protection of the bay and its wide-reaching watershed. It includes the 2014 Watershed Counts Report, which this year focused on freshwater and marine beaches.

Narragansett Bay Journal (PDF).

The Journal also features a report on the potential adverse impacts that sea-level rise will have on the coastal marshes of Narragansett Bay. This should be required reading for all residents of the Blackstone River watershed since the two ecosystems are so intimately linked.


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Letters Needed in Support of Draft Storm Sewer General Permit
Last month, we reported that the U.S. EPA issued a draft general permit designed to improve water quality protection for wetlands and waterways throughout Massachusetts by better regulating small storm sewer systems (MS4). The Massachusetts River Alliance, which previously released model comments for the public hearings, has now issued a model comment letter (PDF)   (MS Word)   that can be modified by groups or individuals to speak out on behalf of the stronger water protection that we all need! The permit directly affects residents of Bellingham, Blackstone, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton, and Uxbridge, and Millbury.

Focus your letter on the specific stormwater concerns in your neighborhood and community. Are you an angler looking to protect fisheries? Is your concern with other terrestrial and aquatic wildlife that require clean water for survival? Do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? What about the loss of groundwater recharge from increased impervious cover in our watershed? We strongly urge residents to submit a letter to the EPA before the deadline of December 29th!


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Christmas Bird Count bird watcher being watched by bird
From December 14th through January 5th, National Audubon will be running the 115th annual Christmas Bird Count. The information collected by birders helps conservation biologists track the long-term trends in bird populations. One of 34 geographic count circles in Massachusetts encompasses a 7.5 mile radius around the intersection of Rt 146 and Rt 16 in Uxbridge. Another count circle is based in Worcester.

Details can be found at
http://birds.audubon.org/get-involved-christmas-bird-count


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SPOTLIGHT ON SCIENCE

Beneficial Aquatic Bacteria
By John P. Roche

When you hear mention of bacteria in fresh water, the bacterium E. coli may come to mind, a coliform bacterium that, while usually benign, can cause disease when some specific strains are present. But there are far more types of bacteria in fresh water than E. coli, and bacteria play a central and beneficial role in the health of aquatic ecosystems.

Bacteria form the base of the food web in aquatic habitats. They perform the necessary function of breaking down dead organic material, and they provide food for larger organisms, such as microscopic zooplankton, which in turn provide energy for even larger species, such as macroinvertebrates and fish.

Appreciating aquatic bacteria is a little easier if you learn to assign them to several basic types. Some are known as heterotrophic bacteria—these bacteria get energy by decomposing dead organic material. Others are known as autotrophic bacteria—they use CO2 and sunlight to make energy, and they can live where oxygen is absent. They are abundant in water-logged, anaerobic soils found in wetlands. A third group of bacteria are known as chemolithotropic bacteria: they get their energy by oxidizing—that is, pulling electrons from—inorganic compounds such as ammonia, sulfur, and hydrogen.
Nitrifying bacterium (Nitrosomonas).
Photo from Digital Learning Center for Microbial Ecology Microbe Zoo - http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/zoo/index.html.
Red maple tree


Chemolithotropic bacteria are among the most important aquatic bacteria, and the ones that oxidize nitrogen are particularly important because they facilitate the cycling of nitrogen in ecosystems, and they break down toxic nitrogen compounds. This is crucial because when organic material in water breaks down, the process releases ammonia, which is toxic to many organisms. Nitrogen-processing bacteria come in two types: nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria. Some nitrifying bacteria species oxidize ammonia (NH3) into nitrate (NO3, which is less toxic), and other nitrifying bacteria species oxidize nitrate to nitrite (NO2). These bacteria consume phosphate as they do this, making less phosphate available for algae, which can beneficially suppress algal growth. Denitrifying bacteria, on the other hand, break down nitrite into nitrogen gas, which is non-toxic.

Through their role in breaking down dead organic material, aquatic bacteria are vital to water quality. Autotrophic bacteria are generally present in freshwater habitats, but they are slow to consume dead organic material. Aerobic bacteria decompose dead organic material more quickly, and thus can have a more pronounced effect on water condition. Because of this beneficial property, aerobic bacteria can be added to ponds to increase pond water quality as a management tool, and such bacteria are even available for purchase commercially.

Now that you have had a quick review of beneficial aquatic bacteria, the next time that you hear bacteria mentioned, you can appreciate that they are a diverse and vitally important component of healthy waterways.


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BE GREEN

recycle symbol enveloping planet Earth
If gift giving is part of your tradition during this holiday season, consider giving back to the Blackstone River watershed at the same time. One option is to help someone enhance or protect a local waterway by offering to purchase and install native and drought-resistant plants next spring for butterfly gardens, rain gardens, wetland and stream buffers, or general landscaping. Information can be found at the following websites:

http://www.newenglandwild.org/grow/buy-native-plants
http://www.plantnative.org/rpl-nes.htm
http://www.grownativemass.org/

You could also purchase a rain barrel from Mass Audubon (http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/broad-meadow-brook) to help someone conserve fresh water. Get someone you know out exploring their watershed by giving them a bike helmet, daypack, or paddling gear. Another great idea is to give someone a gift membership to the BRWA! We work year-round to improve the water quality of the Blackstone River and its watershed. Thank you for your support!


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REFLECTIONS

“It is not half so important to know as to feel.” Rachel Carson
howling coyote in snow
Silence gets a leading role this time of year. Leaves have fallen from the trees and no longer give the wind something to rattle. Streams freeze over, muffling the sound of rushing and gurgling water. Songbirds have long since departed, as have the musical insects of summer and early autumn. The sounds of winter slowly take over the airwaves.

These include the unearthly sounds emitting from frozen ponds and lakes as ice cracks and expands.
http://www.allwaysnorth.com/Tenaya1-13am2UW.wav
http://silentlistening.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/dispersion-of-sound-waves-in-ice-sheets/.

The ceaseless whine of wind-swept snowstorms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u153b2MO5Lg.

The yips and howls of coyotes carrying over long distances on an otherwise quiet, snow-covered landscape.
http://www.soundboard.com/sb/wild_coyote_sounds.

And the eerie communications of owls that fill our dark evenings.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/sounds.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/sounds.

In her novel, Jacob's Room, Virginia Wolf wrote "“Melancholy were the sounds on a winter's night.” However, I would argue that the ice, snow, winds, coyotes, and owls produce a winter melody as beautiful as spring's songbirds and frogs or summer's crickets and katydids.

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Views & opinions expressed in linked websites do not necessarily state or reflect those of the BRWA.

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

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