News, events, and updates you Otter know from OARS. | |
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OARS 3 RIVERS
A strong, effective, and sustainable organization
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Jeff, OARS Vice President, is Senior Director of Conservation Science at Mass Audubon, where he leads research and land management programs. He holds BA in Physics from Middlebury College and an MSc in Botany, Field Naturalist Program, from the University of Vermont.
"I am passionate about environmental conservation and connecting people to the natural world. I believe the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers are tremendous assets to our communities that should be protected, restored, and recognized by community members."
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HEALTHY RIVERS
supporting wildlife and our communities
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Yes, fish breath oxygen too—they depend on having enough oxygen dissolved in the water. | | |
Work supported through the Merrimack Restoration Partnership | |
OARS monitors dissolved oxygen (DO) in the Concord River upstream of the Talbot Mills Dam in Billerica. We anticipate that this dam will be removed in 2024/25, which is expected to increase DO and decrease water temperature—both good things for river health. In 2022 we deployed a DO and temperature logger in the river 1.2 miles upstream from the dam for five months, logging data every 15 minutes. Read our report on the 2022 data to learn about the baseline DO conditions prior to dam removal. DO is highly dynamic and provides much information about how water quality is affected hourly by climate and human forces. The monitoring continues: volunteers Len Rappoli and Amanda Brandt clean the logger biweekly and download the data. | |
Another dam update or three! | |
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North Brook in Berlin is on its way to being a healthy coldwater brook again!
OARS raised funds to start the studies prerequisite to removing the Wheeler Pond dam. The private owner is partnering with OARS to remove this derelict dam restoring the brook, conserving land, and permanently removing a significant hazard. Funding from the state’s Dam and Seawall Program of $159,900 and an anonymous foundation for $100,000 will go towards studies and permitting costs. Fieldwork will begin this fall.
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OARS provided our perspective on the benefits of removing Warner’s Pond dam to restore healthy natural conditions to Nashoba Brook in West Concord. The town spent years trying to improve water quality and control invasive plants with disappointing results and is recommending a more durable and climate-resilient solution. The significant ecological benefits of removing the dam would include allowing migratory and resident fish to once again swim up Nashoba Brook from the Assabet River to spawn and find refuge from droughts and heat and restore diverse native wetland and riparian habitat. Different perspectives are being debated, and OARS welcomes informed discussion. | |
Talbot Mills dam update—The potential impacts of the Talbot Mills dam removal are now being reviewed via the MEPA process, after which it will enter the permitting phase. The comment period was extended to August 25. Go to the project website to request updates. | |
CARING COMMUNITY
that appreciates and protects our rivers through OARS
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Water Wise Workshops a Huge Success! | | |
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Water Wise Workshops were enjoyed by 130 children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson, Marlborough, and Framingham this July and early August. They soaked up the hands-on learning about watersheds, the water cycle, water conservation, and what lives in the water in this unique riverside STEM experience.
| Thanks to Avidia Bank, MathWorks, and the City of Framingham for their support! | |
Community Water Chestnut Removal in North Billerica was a big deal! | |
On Saturday, July 29, 23 volunteers pulled 276 heaping bushels of plants, preventing up to 7 thousand nuts from falling into the river. Invasive water chestnut can blanket a water body—depleting dissolved oxygen, harming aquatic life, and making boating and fishing impossible. Many thanks to the Billerica Conservation Commission for funds to support this volunteer-based river stewardship. Paddle Boston generously donated ten boats, and our hosts, Lance Kelley and Alison Siccone, welcomed us to launch from their property and composted the plants and worked hard side-by-side with us all day! | |
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Support the vital work to restore, protect, improve, and preserve the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers and their tributaries and watersheds through OARS. | |
September is a Great Month to Clean Up our Rivers! | | |
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Our 37th annual cleanup brings together volunteers from across the SuAsCo watershed each year to pick up litter and help maintain put-ins along the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers. Come volunteer with OARS to participate in the cleanup of our rivers and their banks on foot or by boat via a self-guided Team-Up Cleanup or by joining us on Saturday, September 23rd, for our Cleanup Day! | |
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CLEANUP DAY
Saturday, September 23, from 9 AM to noon
Join a team of volunteers to tackle sites needing a larger group effort on Saturday. An OARS site leader will be present at each site with supplies—locations will be announced soon.
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TEAM-UP CLEANUP MONTH
Create your own team for the month of September. You set the date and location!
Gather family and friends for a walk or paddle in one of your favorite places near the river. Pick up what trash and recycling you can, photograph it showing the location (selfies welcome), and send OARS this information.
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Cleanup location announcements and registrations opening soon! | |
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Stormwater Financing Workshops
The last workshop will be on Sept. 12, 11:30 AM–1 PM (Zoom), on building collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and community buy-in for Stormwater Utilities. Mass Rivers collaborated with OARS, Raftelis, and Tighe & Bond to hold the second successful workshop on stormwater financing for municipalities with nearly 50 participants at the Pompositticut Community Center in Stow. It featured practical presentations by funding agencies and three communities in the SuAsCo watershed with Stormwater Utilities: Westford, Ashland, and Westborough.
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Thanks to Foundation for MetroWest for supporting the SuAsCo Climate Resiliency Coalition & the Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council for supporting the workshop series. | |
COMMUNITY UPDATES & EVENTS | |
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Self-serve kayak rentals installed at Ice House Landing in Maynard
You can now explore the beautiful Assabet River from Maynard to Stow even if you don’t have a boat! The handicap-friendly kayak dock makes getting in and out a breeze. People bringing their own boats still have full access to the dock.
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Tuesday, September 26, 7 PM
Join Assabet Co-op for a special screening of "The Biggest Little Farm: at Fine Art Theatre place, Maynard! Presented by Maynard's Steve and Lizza Smith of Finley Homes to raise funds to restore the dilapidated riverfront behind Assabet Co-op Market.
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Community Grants Available
Wild and Scenic River Community Grants to support projects that protect or enhance our rivers and their outstandingly remarkable values are available through the SuAsCo Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council. This grant program engages municipalities and local organizations in protecting the rivers’ resources and building strong local river stewardship. Funding requests of $500-$15,000 will be considered. Application deadline: Oct. 10, 2023.
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Follow two River Ambassadors as they paddle in “The Ever-changing Concord River Runs Through It” in The Concord Bridge local newspaper. | | | | |
