Category: Watershed News

Please stop by to say hello at our display at the 2018 Bristol Aggie Spring Expo on Sunday May 6th from 10 to 3.  Learn more about some exciting upcoming events including a grand opening of new TRWA offices and a Taunton River Watershed Education Center at Sweets Knoll DCR Park in Dighton, a Wild and Scenic River Run, and return of the Taunton River Waterfront Festival.

TRWA had it’s annual Sampling Team Volunteer Training the last Saturday in February (2/24/18).  Once again we have a very enthusiastic and dedicated team of volunteers for the 2018 sampling season!

The work of these Guardians of the Watershed is crucial to our ability to understand what is happening with pollutant levels and water quality in the Taunton River and its tributaries.  Most of the wastewater treatment plants in the watershed are undergoing upgrades to better remove nutrients (particularly nitrogen).  Tracking the current river condition and future conditions as these upgrade go online is important for a River like the Taunton which is a high percentage of treated wastewater effluent at critical summer low flow.

We owe a debt of gratitude to our Sampling Team Volunteers!

Saturday, February 24, 2018, 9:45 a.m. to 12 Noon
2nd floor library, Bristol County Agricultural High School 
135 Center Street, Dighton, MA 

Become a “Guardian of the Taunton River Watershed!” 
Join our Water Quality Monitoring Testing Team.

No prior technical experience is necessary!
Qualifications: A sense of adventure, a vehicle, and a desire to make a difference!

We are looking for volunteers willing to be available on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from March to November between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. to collect water samples and record basic observations at various stream sites on the Taunton River and its major tributaries. The water samples are then driven to the Taunton Waste Water Treatment Plant to be dropped off at the Veolia Lab for processing by 8:30 a.m. Most of our current 20 testing sites already have a volunteer assigned to perform the monthly tests. Our greatest need right now is for a complete set of back up testers for each site who would be willing to cover for the regular testers when there are vacations, appointments or last minute vehicle emergencies. We try to match up volunteers with sites in their geographic area. Currently, we are testing in Berkley, Bridgewater, Dighton, Middleboro, Raynham, and Taunton. Check out our website for a complete list of the sites. As a back up tester, depending on how many sites you volunteer to back up, you may be called upon once or twice a season to perform sampling. Its a great way to “try out” some environmental activism!

The TRWA has been collecting data on the health of the Taunton River and its tributaries for 30 years.  Keeping this data set running is important.  It is an incredible tool for scientists, legislators, and environmental regulators–a snapshot of the river’s health and a record of environmental changes over time–and you can play a part in ensuring the continued study of this waterbody.  Plug in!  Make a difference! 

This Training is Free of Charge

If possible, please register ahead of time by contacting us by email: trwa_staff@verizon.net

In case of inclement weather, the snow date will be 

Saturday, March 3, 2017, 9:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Can you Picture Yourself Making a Difference?

The Taunton River Watershed Alliance (TRWA) is pleased to announce the release of its Annual Taunton River Tide calendar.  For our eighth year running, the TRWA has published a yearly calendar with tidal data for the Taunton River along with the winning images of the TRWA’s Calendar Photography Contest.

Berkley resident David Ennis captured the cover spot this year with his image “Bald Eagle on the Taunton River.”  He is the very first TRWA calendar photographer to win the cover spot for a second time; his “King of the Hill” shot of ospreys in territorial displays was featured on the 2016 cover.  An avid photographer, he can be found chasing birds of prey from Middleborough to Dighton.

Other winning images and photographers are:

January
“Radiant Touch,” Dighton, MA – Karen Brilhante

February
“No Swimming Today,” Muddy Cove, Dighton, MA – Mary L. Nicodemus

March
“Spring Thaw,” War Memorial Park, West Bridgewater, MA – Mark Genovese

April
“Farming by the Taunton River,” Bristol County Agricultural High School, Dighton, MA – Stephen Oliveira

May
“Yellow Warbler,” Burrage Pond WMA, Hanson, MA – Bernard Creswick

June
“Fall River Heritage State Park, Battleship Cove, and the Braga Bridge,” Fall River, MA – Jonathan Huggon

July
“Ladybugs” Somerset, MA – Deborah Sharples DeCambra

August
“Watson Pond Sunset Dip,” Taunton, MA – Mark Genovese

September
“Eastern Garter Snake in a Tree Trunk,” Pocksha Pond, Lakeville, MA – David Ennis

October
“Fun with cranberries,” Freetown, MA – Mark Genovese

November
“The Falls at the Corner of Washburn & County Roads,” E. Freetown, MA – Sally Spooner

December
“Sunset Bridge,” Dighton, MA – Al Martinez

The calendar also features the photographic work of: Cheryl Aguiar, Donna Barry, Don Sheerin, Barry French, Tricia Gordon, Ellen Hansen, Joanne Lachance, Carol Longo, Kaitlyn Machado, Lester Ruth, Renay Szargowicz, Kat Tasca, and Mike Walsh.

Pictures are of the wild life and scenery within the Taunton River Watershed, 562 square miles in all of or part of 43 Southeastern Massachusetts cities and towns.

Calendars are available now print-on-demand through this link. The TRWA is excited to use all the options of this new technology. Calendars can be printed from any month in the year with the tide data from the Taunton River or any other of the 3,500 NOAA tide stations. People purchasing the calendar can even customize their calendar with their own photographs. Half the proceeds from the $19.99 purchase price goes directly to the TRWA to support its ongoing mission protecting and restoring the Taunton River watershed, its tributaries, wetlands, floodplains, river corridors and wildlife.

The TRWA will be publishing another calendar in 2019 and the submission period for that calendar contest is now open. Click here to jump over to the contest page and download contest submission guidelines.

For 30 years, TRWA has been a voice for the river, an advocate for environmental protection, sustainable development and responsible stewardship of our precious water resources. We are an Alliance of concerned residents, businesses, and organizations united to restore and properly manage water and related natural resources within the Taunton River Watershed.

The Fall TRWA kayak and canoe trip was a great day on the river for twenty TRWA members and friends. Everyone who participated had a great time and expressed an interest in our trips next year. We typically sponsor an overnight trip the second Saturday and Sunday, in June the weekend before Father’s Day (participants can do either or both days, camping out is optional). We also do a Fall trip usually the Sunday after Columbus Day. Mark your calendars for next year and keep an eye out for our confirmatory announcements!

Sunday, October 15, 2017

You’re invited to join the Taunton River Watershed Alliance (TRWA) for a canoe/kayak trip on the Taunton River to enjoy the peak fall foliage. The date is Sunday, October 15. The trip will begin at 10 a.m. at the South Street East river crossing on the Raynham/East Taunton line (check-in at 9:30). It will end approximately four hours later (2 p.m.) at Weir Riverfront Park on East Water Street in Taunton. Click here for registration information.

In June 2017, Mass Audubon and the Taunton River Watershed Alliance released Stream Continuity Assessment in the Taunton Watershed a report detailing the findings of more than 500 stream crossing assessments in the Taunton River watershed.  The River and Stream Continuity Project was a joint effort of the University of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, the Nature Conservancy and American Rivers.  The Project developed a system to assess stream crossings and determine the extent to which each one created a barrier to aquatic passage and natural water flow. The database generated an “Aquatic Score” that represented the degree to which that crossing creates a barrier. Crossings were ranked as “severe,” “significant,” “moderate,” “minor” or “insignificant” barriers to passage. The report with its three Appendices are available on the Mass Audubon website.

On July 16th, TRWA, the Mass Wildlife Angler Education Program, and the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation teamed up to create a day of local cultural and natural history. Dozens of Dighton Rock State Park visitors learned about Taunton River biodiversity, explored the Dighton Rock Museum, and got a fishing lesson (and loaner tackle if needed) while enjoying a beautiful day along the river.

Please join us for the TRWA & Friends of Dighton Rock State Park’s 4th Annual Angler Education Day

A free family fishing event at Dighton Rock State Park, Berkley
Sunday, July 16, noon to 3 p.m.

 

 

Activities will include:

• Instruction in fishing techniques with staff from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife;
• Seining the river with leaders of TRWA to catch and identify some of the aquatic creatures who live there;
• More learning about fish species with coloring books.

This event is free of charge and everyone is welcome.  Bring a bag lunch. Beverages will be provided, as well as all fishing gear.

Dighton Rock State Park is located on Bay View Avenue in Berkley.  The Museum will be open to visitors, where you can view the glacial erratic boulder with its mysterious designs of ancient origin.

 

Angler Education Day is sponsored by  

the Taunton River Watershed Alliance 

          and the Friends of Dighton Rock State Park

Don’t forget to visit the What’s Happening – Events section of the website to see the information on upcoming events and urge friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues who you think might be interested to do the same:

• Music in the Grove – Sunday, May 28th, 2-5 at Boyden Refuge;
• Overnight Canoe/Kayak Trip – June 10-11 (or either day as a single day trip);
• Angler Education / Family Fishing Day – Sunday, July 16th at Dighton Rock State Park;
• Annual Watershed Photography Contest – Submission deadline is July 15th (see rules and application on website).