Blackstone River Watershed Association In This Issue TIP OF THE MONTH BRWA NEWS Water Chestnut Harvest at Rice City Pond The BRWA Needs You! BCC Planning Canal Work Days Donation “Wish List” CALENDAR IN YOUR COMMUNITY Greenway Challenge Training Program OF GLOBAL INTEREST Amazing Eco Art BRWA Online About the BRWA JOIN the BRWA Volunteer SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRWA NEWSLETTER Issue 31 July 2012 The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do. Galileo Galilei TIP OF THE MONTH Tolerating Drought In Your Garden Hopefully, by the time you read this, the period of wilted plants and empty rain barrels will be over. However, if the rain has yet to arrive or if you want to prepare for the next inevitable drought, onearth Magazine blogger Paige Smith Orloff offers Ten Tips for Tolerating Drought in Your Garden. Reducing usage also helps lower stress on the watershed from water withdrawal. BRWA NEWS Water Chestnut Harvest at Rice City Pond In late June and early July, the BRWA, with a grant from the DCR Partnerships Matching Funds Program, contracted a mechanical harvester to remove invasive water chestnut plants in the 85-acre Rice City Pond in the Blackstone River Heritage State Park in Uxbridge. Here are photos of: conditions before the work began, harvesting in action, and the pond after completion. Stay tuned! If new plants develop this season a Pull the Plants Party! hand pull event may be required in August. top The BRWA Needs You! Did you know that: For over 41 years the Blackstone River Watershed Association has worked with its members and partners to help facilitate the mighty Blackstone River’s transition from an industrial river to one that provides critical habitat benefits to wildlife and valuable recreational opportunities to residents and visitors. The BRWA, in partnership with the Blackstone River Coalition, facilitates routine water quality monitoring at 30 sites to identify areas of concern. In 2011, only 37% of the locations rated Good or Excellent across all categories and 27% scored Fair or Poor because of high nutrient concentration. These conditions reinforce the need for the education provided through the BRWA’s Watershed and Us program and its outreach activities that raise awareness of simple steps that can be taken to minimize how daily activities on the land impact rivers and streams. The BRWA’s annual spring Earth Day Cleanup and fall Blackstone Valley Riverways Cleanup attract an average of 250 volunteers who collect hundreds of bags of trash, heaps of discarded tires and numerous bulky items from river banks. Additionally, nearly 50 volunteers participate in the NIP No Invasive Plants program and remove tons of invasive aquatic plants from waterways during Pull the Plants Parties. Each year the BRWA adds and improves multiple boat access points to promote paddling activities on the rivers. Its 36 year old Annual Canoe and Kayak Race is the second longest running race in the State! Hopefully you have received and spent time with our special edition printed newsletter that highlights the Blackstone River Watershed Association’s programs and accomplishments over the past few years. If you did not receive this 8-page newsletter, send an email requesting an electronic or paper version to info@thebrwa.org. Show your support for the BRWA’s work by joining online or sending your membership form today! Your tax-deductible donation will help ensure that the organization continues to deliver programs that further its mission to engage, educate and advocate for improved water quality in the Blackstone River Watershed. Thank you. top BCC Planning Canal Work Days The Blackstone Canal Conservancy is sponsoring three upcoming cleanup "Work Days" on: July 21 August 18 September 22 Join the BCC for a morning of trail clearing and trash removal along the towpath of the canal in the Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park. All who are interested in preserving the canal are invited to meet at 9 AM, at the Plummer's Landing parking area at the canal on Church Street in Northbridge, MA. This is one of a continuing series of work events to improve the canal and towpath. Call Dave Barber at 508-478-4918 for more information. top Donation “Wish List” The BRWA is in need of a tall, 2 door storage cabinet for our office. We’re looking for a sturdy, 6’tall by 3’ wide by 18” – 24” deep, metal or plastic cabinet with shelves. If you have one in need of a new home, email Mike at mike.sperry@thebrwa.org. top CALENDAR OF EVENTS **** Alternatives, Inc. Free Summer Concert Series Thursday Nights 6pm, July - Sept   info 7/19 Ranger Walkabout - "Historical Cemetery Walk" Meet at Elder Ballou Cemetery on Elder Ballou Meeting House Road, Cumberland RI   info 7/21 BCC Workday. 9am at Plummer’s Landing, Church St. Northbridge.   info 7/21 10th Annual Waters Farm Donkey & Mule Show, 9am - 3pm    info 7/22 Family Canoeing at Ekblaw Landing, Grafton Sponsored by Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm   info 7/26 Ranger Walkabout - "Rogerson's Village, Uxbridge" Meet at Progressive Club Parking Lot, 18 Whitin St   info 7/30 National Cheesecake Day (Mmmmm...cheesecake)   info 8/2 Ranger Walkabout - "Great Road and the War of 1812" Meet at Hearthside House, Great Road   info 8/5 International Beer Day   info 8/9 BRWA Board Meeting 6:30pm 271 Oak St., Uxbridge   info 8/9 Ranger Walkabout - "Sargent's Trench/Fish Ladder" Meet at Slater Mill Historic Site, 67 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket   info 8/11 BRC Water Quality Sampling   8/12 Vinyl Record Day   info 8/16 Ranger Walkabout - "Ashton Village" Meet at the Kelly House, on the Blackstone River Bikeway   info 8/18 BCC Workday. 9am at Plummer’s Landing, Church St. Northbridge.   info 8/18 2nd Annual Red Rock Warrior Challenge Triathlon   info 8/19 Family Canoeing on Rice City Pond, Uxbridge Sponsored by Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm   info 8/23 Ranger Walkabout - "Civil War in the Blackstone Valley (Talk)" Worcester Historical Museum   info top IN YOUR COMMUNITY UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge Training Program The UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge Steering Committee has announced that it has partnered with MRA Multisport to provide educational clinics and event specific training sessions to registered and prospective race participants or anyone with a goal to stay healthy or get in shape. The clinics and training sessions will be held at various locations in the Blackstone River Valley at convenient times. Register for the Greenway Challenge by July 21st to receive a 25% discount. Click here for dates, details and a list of courses. top OF GLOBAL INTEREST Amazing Eco Art Photo By: Chris Jordan Artist Chris Jordan created this image of a blue whale from 50,000 plastic bags – the estimated number of pieces of floating plastic in every square mile of the world’s oceans. In his Running the Numbers series, Jordan seeks to connect important environmental and social issues to the sometimes incomprehensible statistics behind them. To view Whale close up and to see more of Chris Jordan’s work visit his website. top 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: Michael Sperry mike.sperry@thebrwa.org Mailing address: BRWA, 271 Oak Street Uxbridge, MA 01569 Phone: 508-278-5200  Web: www.thebrwa.org Click here for back issues.