Blackstone River Watershed Association In This Issue BRWA NEWS Exploring the West River in Winter Annual Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Summit Watersheds and Us EarthDay Cleanup 2014 CALENDAR THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL 2014 Farm Bill Ecological Restoration in Mass Mass DCS Supports Mendon's Waterways EPA supports Manchaug Pond Water Quality Improvements REFLECTIONS BRWA Online About the BRWA JOIN the BRWA Volunteer SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRWA NEWSLETTER Issue 44 February 2014 BRWA NEWS Exploring the West River in Winter January 25th provided a brief, balmy break in the frigid temperatures of last month and 20 people made the most of it by attending the BRWA's annual winter hike, held this year at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ West Hill Dam and Park in Uxbridge. Susan Thomas, BRWA Program Coordinator, guided the hikers on a 4.5-mile ecological trek through hemlock, pine, and oak woodlands, along bogs and streams, through a young grassland, and along the West River itself. Participants observed native plants and animals while learning how the ACOE manages this diverse and vibrant 567-acre property as a dry flood-control project that also provides for natural resource management and public recreation. Guide Susan Thomas and group discussing track patterns in the snow.. We stepped back in time when we walked past the stone foundation of an old dairy barn, and when we strode along a shrubby swamp that had been the site of an operational cranberry bog. We discussed ecological principles, including the competitive nature of invasive plants such as autumn olive, and the habitat requirements of species like the muskrat. We also talked about the re-engineering of an ecological community that transformed a simple red pine stand that had been created to absorb clay from the dam's construction into a diverse grassland community filled with grasses, sedges, and wildflowers. We passed people hiking, mountain biking, birding, cross-country skiing, and dog-walking, and we learned about Boy Scout Eagle projects and university bird research studies being conducted on the property. We stopped to witness the beauty of a remarkable beech tree, the dignity of a towering dead pine, and the mystery of unidentified mammal tracks leading across a frozen stream. The hike ended with hot cocoa and treats, and a resolve by many to return soon to this treasure of the Blackstone River Watershed. top Annual Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Summit On Saturday, March 1, the Blackstone River Coalition, along with its partners the BRWA, the Blackstone Headwaters Coalition and the Blackstone River Watershed Council will host the annual Watershed-wide Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Summit. It will be held at the Woonsocket - Harris Public Library in Woonsocket, RI from 9:13am until noon. Susan Thomas, the BRC's Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program Coordinator will present the 2013 Report Card and discuss next steps. Additional speakers include: Therese Beaudoin, Mass DEP Watershed Coordinator (and volunteer monitor!) who will talk about the "Value of Volunteers to Environmental Agency Programs", and Thomas Borden, Director of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, who will give an overview of the program and how it ties in with the Blackstone River watershed. The Summit will conclude with Peter Coffin, BRC Coordinator, reviewing the progress of the Campaign for a Fishable/Swimmable Blackstone River. The summit is open to the public. The BRC is also seeking new monitors for sites in MA and RI. For more information on the program or to RSVP for the summit, please contact Susan Thomas at acadia94@verizon.net or (508)839-9488. top Watersheds and Us One way in which the BRWA achieves its education mission is by bringing its interactive watershed model into 5th–7th grade classrooms throughout the watershed. Susan Thomas, BRWA Program Coordinator, uses the hands-on model to demonstrate the interaction of land use and water quality within our watershed. Students get to establish residential, agricultural, commercial, and municipal properties and then observe the effects that non-point sources of pollution (commonly called runoff) from each of these land uses have on our ponds, streams, wetlands, and rivers. Grade 5 students investigating the effects of runoff and pollutants in a watershed.. This spring, the Millville and Uxbridge school districts have scheduled this BRWA program for their students, knowing that it meshes so well with the science curriculum standards set by the state. If your school is interested in having us present to your students, please contact us at info@thebrwa.org. top EarthDay Cleanup 2014 Before you know it, it will be time for the BRWA's Annual Earth Day Cleanup and we need you to pitch in to help make the Blackstone watershed healthier! Mark your calendars for Sunday April 27th from 1–3 p.m. Last year, we had over 180 volunteers of all ages on the shorelines and in the waterways removing litter, construction debris, tires, and more. Do you know of a waterway that needs cleaning? Please let us know at events@thebrwa.org or call us at 508-278-5200. You can also contact us to let us know that you'll lend a hand that day. More details will be provided on our website as the date gets closer. top CALENDAR OF EVENTS February is National American Heart Month. What better way to exercise this important muscle by strapping on some snowshoes or cross country skis and hitting the local trails in the Blackstone River watershed?! Try out some of the following: Uxbridge has River Bend Farm along the Blackstone Canal, and West Hill Dam along the West River; Millbury has the Millbury Bike path along the Blackstone River; Sutton has Waters Farm by Lake Manchaug; and Douglas has the Southern New England Trunk Line Trail starting by Wallum Lake. Most public golf courses allow these activities as well. 2/19 Blackstone River Watershed Coalition Monthly Meeting. 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Lincoln RI.   info 2/27 BRWA Board Meeting. 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 271 Oak St., Uxbridge   info 3/1 Blackstone River Coalition's Annual Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Summit. 9:15am - noon. Woonsocket Public Library, 303 Clinton Street, Woonsocket, RI. Public welcome. RSVP to Susan Thomas at acadia94@verizon.net or 508-839-9488.   See above for details. 3/2 "Highlights of the Blackstone River Heritage Corridor". Presented by Ranger Chuck Arning. 1pm - 4pm. Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. Worcester, MA.   info. 3/8 RI Land and Water Conservation Summit. 7:45am - 4pm. URI, Kingston, RI. Contact: Ribert Friday at 401-932-4667 or rfriday@rilandtrusts.org.   info 3/15 Blackstone Canal Conservancy Work Day. 9am. Meet at Plummers Landing west parking area, Church Street, Northbridge. For info, contact Dave Barber 508-478-4918   3/22 2014 Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference: Healthy Land - Healthy Communities. 8am - 4pm. Worcester Technical High School, Worcester, MA.   info top THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL 2014 Farm Bill President Obama recently signed into law the 2014 Farm Bill, which has been up for reauthorization since 2012. The Farm Bill provides financial support for farmers and ensures an adequate food supply for the public. But it also provides for the conservation of soil, water, and wildlife on agricultural lands. This is vital since a large percentage of privately-held lands in the United States is used for crop production or grazing. Although overall funding for conservation measures was reduced in the 2014 Farm Bill, it succeeds in linking conservation practice compliance with crop insurance payments. These practices reduce soil erosion (a leading source of non-point water pollution), and protect wetlands. This Farm Bill also makes permanent the conservation easement funding for wetlands and other critical habitats. top Ecological Restoration in Mass The Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration has issued its 2013 Annual Report, which details wetland and stream restoration projects around the state. It also connects the environmental and economic benefits of such projects at the local and state level. For example, wetlands provide floodwater storage and filter out contaminants from drinking water, both of which reduce the budgets of local municipalities for such services. Stream channel being dug for Mill River restoration project in Taunton following the removal of Whittenton Dam. http://millriver.blogspot.com/ MA Division of Ecological Restoration. top Mass Division of Conservation Services Supports Mendon's Waterways Mendon received a grant from the State's LAND (Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity) program to expand conservation area protecting uplands and wetlands along Meadow Brook. The site includes a large heron rookery. Click here for more information on LAND grants. top EPA supports Manchaug Pond Water Quality Improvements Manchaug Pond.. The EPA recently awarded a grant to the Manchaug Pond Foundation in conjunction with support from the Mass DEP. Restoration efforts under the Section 319 grant will focus on reducing excess nutrient runoff into the lake as well as improving turbidity. The grant will help the foundation and its partners establish rain gardens, redirect stormwater entering storm drains, vegetate buffer zones, and produce educational materials for the public. For more information on Section 319 grants in Massachusetts, go to http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/grants/watersheds-water-quality.html#2. top REFLECTIONS “It is not half so important to know as to feel.” Rachel Carson We often get caught up in our efforts to protect or improve water quality but fail to consider the issue of water quantity. Charles Ponticello created a cast iron sculpture entitled Deepwater Sponger, installed along the James River in Richmond, VA. The six-foot statue weighs one ton and represents a future human living in a time when fresh water is so limited that mining is essential to extract it from the earth for our consumption. The concrete gears at the base of the Sponger include the quote "No Water, No Life." Deepwater Sponger by Charles Ponticello Photo reprinted by permission. Phil Riggan http://rotj.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/deepwater-sponger-at-rocketts-landing-asks-for-fresh-water/. 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: 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.