WRWA Partnered with other non profits and Wampanoag Experience for a unique River Day Event

During the summer, WRWA partnered with the Westport Land Conservation trust to host The Wampanoag Experience, whose members created a traditional canoe, or “Mishoon” at the Westport Town Farm in May and June.

The mishoon was paddled up to the Head of Westport by Annawon Weeden and other Native American collaborators at this year’s River Day event. An excellent film of the entire process, produced by videographer Alex Haggert, will soon be added to WRWA’s YouTube channel. We will be sending out notification when the video is uploaded.

Septic System Tax Credit Increase

by Wendy Nicholas Dorsey, Chair of Advocacy Committee

As this issue of River News hits your Inbox, the Massachusetts legislature is poised to pass a major tax relief bill that includes good news for property owners faced with repairing or replacing their failed septic systems and cesspools. It is expected to win their support and be signed by Governor Healey.

The tax relief bill, HB4104, will:

•Increase the percentage of design and construction expenditures for the repair or replacement of a failed cesspool or septic system to 60%, up from 40%;

•Increase the maximum eligible expenditure for a septic project to $30,000 from $15,000;

•Allow a maximum annual credit of up to $4,000, an increase from $1,500;

•Increase from $6,000 to $18,000 the total amount of credit that can be taken over a total of six years; and

•Eliminate the current reduction to the septic tax credit of any grants or interest subsidies received.

The increased tax credit reflects the increased costs of septic system replacement since the original credit was adopted in the mid-1990s. “It’s so important for the health of the Commonwealth’s rivers and streams and drinking waters that people’s septic systems are functioning properly,” noted Deborah Weaver, WRWA Executive Director. “This increased tax credit will help reduce the financial burden. WRWA is grateful to Senator Michael Rodrigues for his leadership in getting the credit expanded.” 

Rainy Summer Results in Higher Bacterial Counts Due to Storm Water Runoff

Roberta Carvalho, Science Director

The WRWA has been sampling water quality at 19 sites along the Westport River and contributing streams for more than 20 years to evaluate the health of the river. We test the Westport River weekly from June-August. Bacteria levels can change by the day; each week’s results refer only to conditions the morning on which the samples were taken. We monitor a type of bacteria used for swimming and shellfishing standards, which have specific concentrations that are considered safe for humans. These are reported in cfu or colony forming units.

Bacteria levels are typically elevated during wet weather events. A a good precaution to take includes avoiding swimming right after a heavy rain. During dry weather, bacteria levels are typically low and the River is usually considered safe for swimming. A fecal coliform test is used to determine whether water has been contaminated with fecal matter. The presence of fecal coliform indicates the possible presence of organisms that can cause illness. The EPA has set acceptable limits for fecal coliform in water based upon the use of the water. For example, drinking water cannot contain any fecal coliform but water for swimming may contain up to 200 fecal coliform colonies/ 100 ml.

By analyzing the 2023 data, we found that roughly 22% of our samples exceeded the safe swimming standards (primary contact recreation) this summer (see Table 1). Compared against last year, when we found only an 8% exceedance rate for swimming, this may seem like a concerning rise. However, the increase is not surprising given the large amount of rain this summer. This summer (June-August) we recorded 16.94 inches of rain at the River Center with some intense downpours. In 2022, we experienced a very dry summer, with about 6.2 inches of rain bringing less bacteria into the watershed via runoff. WRWA has collected rainfall data for over 20 years with early collection by volunteers and currently we have a weather station at the River Center.

How do fecal coliforms get into rivers, streams and lakes? Large amounts of fecal coliform are released in the waste of animals and can be washed into streams by runoff from rain. Paved areas contribute to fecal coliform contamination when wastes from dogs, cats, geese, and other animals are carried into storm drains, streams, rivers and lakes during storms.

Over the years bacteria counts have diminished in the rivers due to Title V septic improvements and improved treatment and minimization of stormwater runoff – all of which the WRWA has advocated for using these data to make the case for reducing pollution sources. Thank you to the dedicated volunteers who helped with this program and the Baywatchers Program done in partnership with the Buzzards Bay Coalition.

Fall Family Fun at the River Center

This Fall, the Watershed Alliance will host open house events entitled Fall Family Fun at the River Center. The first event, “Pumpkin Party,” will be on Saturday, October 7 from 10 am to 2 pm. The second event, “Turkey Tales,” will be on Saturday, November 9 from 10 am to 2 pm. Each event will feature themed activities and crafts. All ages are welcome, and admission is free!

Attendees can also explore WRWA’s salt water aquariums with native species, an interactive sand table, and a high powered microscope.

Those interested with questions can call WRWA at 508-636-3016, or email Steve Connors at outreach@wrwa.com, or Michaelah Vasconcellos at rivercenter@wrwa.com.

The Westport River Watershed Alliance’s mission: working together to protect and preserve the Westport River Watershed now and for future generations.

Electronics Recycling

October 4 behind Town Hall

The Westport River Watershed Alliance will host the very popular Electronics Recycling collection day on Wednesday, October 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Town Hall parking lot at 816 Main Road in Westport. WRWA partners with Indie Cycle twice a year to provide this service to the community. Indie Cycle accepts most electronic materials at no charge, with the exceptions listed below.

ITEMS ACCEPTED AT NO CHARGE: Computers, laptops, PDA's, cell phones, mice, keyboards, toner cartridges, CD/DVD players, radios, network equipment, wires, stereos, speakers, telephones, microwaves, small household appliances, and auto and marine batteries. Anything with a wire!

A $10 DISPOSAL FEE APPLIES: for all TVs & monitors, some printers, mini-fridges, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and other coolant containing appliances.

NOT ACCEPTED: light bulbs, furniture or any hazardous materials such as paint, rechargeable and single use batteries, and broken TV tubes.

WRWA has helped collect over 50,000 pounds of old electronics at their collection days since 2015. Indie Cycle, LLC, has a zero landfill policy. They do not remarket any hard drives or data storage devices. 

All electronic materials are transferred to ORS a local, R2 certified recycler for processing.  See their website at www.indiecycle.com for more information.

This event is open to residents of all neighboring towns, not just for those who live in Westport. For more information on this recycling event, or to volunteer to help out that morning, contact WRWA at outreach@wrwa.com or call 508-636-3016.

WRWA Summer Intern Claire Keeley Reflects on Her Experience

As senior year is officially in full swing, I cannot help but reflect fondly on my summer internship with Westport River Watershed Alliance, serving as the lead environmental educator. I was granted the experience to see what it is like to work with an environmental nonprofit organization.

During my time at W RWA, I played an instrumental role in the development and implementation of lesson plans for WRWA's summer Watershed Discovery Programs. Working with ages ranging from 5 to 16 years old, I developed educational material suitable for each age in a way that sparked curiosity and encouraged exploration within our natural world. I would like to thank the WRWA staff and give a big thanks to Kim Botelho, WRWA's education director, for her guidance and support throughout the summer. It was an incredible experience!

Our Summer Open House event series at the River Center was a resounding success! Over the course of several weeks, we welcomed hundreds of enthusiastic attendees, and each week we featured a unique theme. We are absolutely thrilled with the turnout and want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us.

Topics explored in our summer series included

Pollinators, Birds, Coastal Creatures, Garden Games, Forest Friends and Outer Space.

As we transition into the fall season, we're excited to announce our upcoming Fall-themed Open House events. Be sure to drop by and explore the exciting array of activities and crafts we have in store for you. We can't wait to see you at our next event!

Winners of our 2024 photo Calendar Contest

We had many excellent photos entered in this year's annual photo contest to choose the images for the 2024 Photo Calendar. As in past years, we gave our members and friends the opportunity to select the winning photos.

January - Point Taken by JC Cummings

February - After the Storm by Joanne Humphrey

March - Moonglow by Olivia Janggen

April - Minnows at the Point by David Peschette

May - Happy Landing by Brian Mullaney

June - Wampanoag Mishoon by Rich Castenson

July - Purple Hues at Westport Town Farm by Joanne DeMarco

August - Osprey Family at Adamsville Landing by Carolyn Edwards

September - Afternoon Reflections by Mary Pion

October - Milkweed Seeds by Mary Ann Thadeu

November - Westport Sunrise by Tom Short

December - Dawn in the Dunes by Greg Stone

Cover Photo - Sanderlings by Carolyn Edwards

Calendars are now in stock at the River Center, at Partners Village Store, and for sale on our website.

The Watershed Alliance is happy to be a Lees Community Partner. Please save your market receipts and either drop them off at WRWA River Center

493 Old County Road, or mail to PO Box 3427, Westport, MA 02790.