Jonathan Edwards and Pousette-Dart Band
play to an enthusiastic crowd at
2018 Summer Concert at the Vineyard
Our thanks to the Narrows Center for the Arts for co-hosting this enjoyable concert, Westport Rivers and the Russell family for their hospitality, and our sponsors DSK Architects and Planners, Lees Oil Service and RALCO Electric.
Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy a beautiful night of music to help support WRWA's science and education programs.
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UMASS SMAST Presents Cockeast Pond Study Findings
Roberta Carvalho, Science Director
Dr. Brian Howes of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology presented his group's findings on the multi-year Cockeast Pond water quality study on Saturday, July 21. The lengthy report is available on the Westport River Watershed Alliance web page, as well as a video of the entire presentation.
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| Dr. Brian Howes, Ed Eichner, Micheline Labrie, Alan Austin, WRWA Science Director Roberta Carvalho, Dr. Miles Sundermeyer |
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Westport, MA -- The Westport River Watershed Alliance will hold its annual Summer Gala on Saturday, August 11th, from 5-8 p.m. at the Frog Hollow Farm on Drift Road, overlooking the East Branch of the Westport River.
There will be live music by Joe Mulholland Trio featuring Stan Strickland, an open bar, delicious food, as well as a silent auction of valuable and unique items. Auction items can be viewed in advance at
www.westportwatershed.org
. Tickets are $100 for members, $120 at the door and for non-members.
Don't miss Westport's best party! Tickets are available online at the WRWA web page, or call
WRWA at 508-636-3016 to reserve. This is WRWA's most important fund-raiser of the year, and support helps fund important science and education initiatives.
Since 1976, the Watershed Alliance mission has been to restore, protect, celebrate and sustain the natural resources of the Westport River and its watershed.
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| Frog Hollow Farm on Drift Road in Westport |
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Is the River Clean Enough for Swimming?
For Answers Check Our Website Weekly
Roberta Carvalho, Science Director
WRWA has been sampling the River to test for fecal coliform bacteria since 1991; monitoring for the presence of bacteria pollution. Bacteria do not generally damage the ecosystem, but can make people sick when they eat tainted seafood, or swim in contaminated water. They are also a marker to identify the possible presence of other pathogens that come from the same fecal sources. Bacteria in the River comes from human wastewater and domestic and wild animal waste You can visit our website weekly to see water testing results for the Westport River. Go to:
http://westportwatershed.org/river-info/water-resources/.
Water quality testing results for local public beaches can be found on the state's website: http://mass.digitalhealthdepartment.com/public21/maps.cfm?map=Buzzards%20Bay
The laboratory tests are done by the City of New Bedford Health Department Lab. WRWA's collection and analysis of samples has been utilized by the town and state agencies to document
bacterial contamination in the river. WRWA's data is not used to open and close shellfish areas, this sampling is done by the
State Division of Marine Fisheries
.
Many of the most common pollutants come from one of two places: humans and animals. Human fecal matter in water bodies constitutes the greatest public health threat because humans are reservoirs for many bacteria, parasites, and viruses that are dangerous to other humans and can cause a variety of illnesses.
Bacteria/pathogen pollution is transported to the river primarily by rainfall and resultant runoff. The amount, duration, intensity, and time span between rain events are factors that
influence fecal
coliform levels in the river.
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BayCoast Bank Supports
WRWA Summer Interns
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| This year's summer interns Bailey Sweet and Page Veazie |
Each summer, WRWA hires local students to assist with our education programs. A generous grant from
BayCoast Bank
has enabled WRWA to bring two interns on board again this summer - highly qualified students who grew up in the local area: Bailey Sweet and Page Veazie.
Bailey Sweet, a Marion resident, just completed her sophomore year at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She is enrolled in their Psychology program, while minoring in Sustainability, working towards a Masters degree in Sustainability. She's been an acting senator on the UMD student government, representing the commuter population. Bailey is also the chair of the GreenFee Allocation Committee, a group that funds sustainable projects on campus. She feels it is important to educate her community because the environment is directly impacted by our actions. She is passionate about making a difference. The WRWA Internship program is an ideal opportunity to not only learn from her like-minded co-workers, but it also allows for complete immersion in her passion. She is looking forward to spending the summer working with WRWA.
Page Veazie is from East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and is currently studying biology at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth where she will be a junior next year. She is also enrolled in a four-plus-one Masters program for Education with the goal of graduating in 2021. With this degree she plans to be a high school biology teacher. At UMD Page is a member of the women's varsity sailing team. She is very passionate about the environment and animals, and her favorite place to go is the beach. She is very excited to work with WRWA this summer and hopes to learn valuable skills from this internship.
BayCoast Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Christ said, "The internships offered by the WRWA give students a unique opportunity to forge connections between their academics and the real world. It's an invaluable experience that merges hands-on learning with career exploration. We are proud to once again support the WRWA and its educational programs."
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Young Entrepreneurs Donate Lemonade Stand
Proceeds to Cockeast Pond Oyster Project
Brothers Evan and Cole donated the money they earned from their lemonade stand near
Cockeast Pond to WRWA's ongoing Oyster Study.
Here is the nice letter they sent along with their donation:
Thank you, Cole and Evan, for your thoughtfulness. We will make sure that your contribution gets us some more oysters into Cockeast Pond!
The Oyster Project is being conducted with the UMASS Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology. The ongoing study will determine to what extent the oysters' presence in the pond will reduce nitrogen in the water.
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The Westport River Watershed Alliance is Seeking Qualified
Candidates to Fill Part-time Commonwealth Corps Positions
The Westport River Watershed Alliance has been chosen to be one of 17 Commonwealth Corps Host Site Partners again this year. Administered by the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), the Commonwealth Corps engages Massachusetts residents of all ages and backgrounds in service and capacity building to strengthen communities, address unmet community needs, and increase volunteerism.
WRWA is seeking three part-time Commonwealth Corps service members as Environmental Educators, to deliver Watershed Education Programs to children in grades PreK-12, and to launch additional outreach programs. Commonwealth Corps members with the Westport River Watershed Alliance will serve 10.5 months serving 18-20 hours per week, and receive a bi-weekly stipend. The applicants should be a Massachusetts resident and have a desire to put their talents and ideas to use in the service of their community and the Commonwealth.
For the past three years Commonwealth Corps members have helped WRWA strengthen and expand its Watershed Education Program. The program teaches more than 2,000 local students about the importance of keeping the Westport River clean, and the healthy interrelationship of our waters, soils, plants, animals, and people. Service members also recruit high school volunteers and encourage family involvement in outreach programs.
Since its inception, more than 950 Commonwealth Corps members have served in the program throughout the state, providing over 600,000 hours of service in areas such as community development, health services, benefits screenings, afterschool or summer programs, and volunteer recruitment and management, and directly benefiting more than 595,000 students, families, and other clients.
The Commonwealth Corps members will serve for 10.5 months in a part-time capacity from August 15, 2018 through June 30, 2019.
The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), established in 1991, is a private nonprofit that serves as the state commission on community service and volunteerism, and supports programs like AmeriCorps and Commonwealth Corps that incorporate service and volunteerism as effective strategies to address the pressing needs in the Commonwealth.
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Our Thanks to
Boutique Fitness
During the month of June, local business
Boutique Fitness hosted weekly workout
sessions at Bittersweet Farm, and donated
50% of the proceeds to WRWA.
Thank-you, Boutique Fitness of Westport,
for your generous support!
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Congratulations to Steve and Michelle Bullard, the winners in our Summer Concert raffle
on July 14. They took home a wine cooler refrigerated cabinet and a case of assorted
wines, including from Westport Rivers Vineyard.
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Save Us Your Lees Receipts
WRWA is pleased to be a recipient of Lees Market Community Partners program. Please save us your Lees receipts! You can drop them off at our office at
1151 Main Road, or mail to
Westport River Watershed Alliance
PO Box 3427
Westport, MA 02790.
Thank you, Lees Market!
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Thank you to our corporate sponsors
We are grateful to our corporate sponsors for their annual support of WRWA. Please take a moment to view our list of sponsors below, and note that each logo is an active link to their individual websites.
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