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Blackstone River Watershed Council
Friends of the Blackstone
Feature Story
Pictures- Fish Ladder Groundbreaking Ceremony
The historic groundbreaking ceremony to start the construction of the Main Street & Slater Mill Fish Ladders on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket , RI. was held on SUnday September 20th.
Check out the pictures from the beautiful day.
Watch the Fish Ladder Video!
BRWC / FOB Spring 2009 Newsletter
The Spring 2009 edition of the BRWC / FOB newsletter is available online for viewing. Download and read the BRWC Spring 2009 Newsletter
Featured in this edition:
Events in 2008 Review
Fishing for Cars in Pawtucket
Fish Ladders along the Blackstone Update
Stream Continuity Mapping
2008 by the Blackstone River Coalition report- quality of our waters
Sarah Marsland Honored with the John H. Chafee Heritage Award
EPA Honors BRWC/FOB
BRWC/FOB Recertified
River Access
Letter-Writing Campaign
Membership Contribution Not a Strength, Needs Growth
2009 Riverfest Canoe and Kayak Race- Results
The 13th annual Riverfest Canoe and Kayak Race was held on Saturday, June 6th under partially sunny skies and low-80 degree weather. There were 60 participants this year.
The results of the [url=http://www.blackstoneriver.org/programs/2009_Riverfest.php]2009 Riverfest Race[/url] are here.
Take a "Trip around the Blackstone" Quilt Raffle
We are selling raffle tickets for this beautiful handemade quilt as a fundraiser for the fish ladder project. Installation of fish ladders on the first four dams on the lower Blackstone will aid in restoration of anadromous fish such as shad, and herring to the Blackstone River and would provide substantial ecological benefits for the Blackstone River watershed and Narragansett Bay ecosystem by bringing these amazing fish back to their native spawning grounds.
Projects such as these are very costly and dollars have been committed through state and federal grants, but these grants come with a requirement for matching funds. The money raised from the sale of raffle tickets for this quilt will go towards the matching dollar requirements for the grants.
This quilt was handmade by Judy Hadley, one of the directors of the BRWC/FOB and is made in the pattern called Trip around the world. In a spin-off of that name, the quilt is called, "Trip around the Blackstone". It measures 66" by 90". Tickets are $2 apiece, or 6 tickets for $10 (the only multi-ticket price) and can be purchased by sending a check in a self-addressed stamped envelope with an index card containing:
Your name
Your address
Your Phone Number
Please make your check payable to:
Blackstone River Watershed Council
Attn: Quilt Raffle
P.O. Box 8068
Cumberland, R.I. 02864.
The drawing will be held September 24, 2009. If you have questions, please call 401-724-5292.
Video- Blackstone River Fish Passage- Check it out!
The Blackstone River Watershed Council is proud to present the Blackstone River Fish Passage Project Video.
This video provides an educational and historical backdrop for the plight of the local migrating fish that live in the Blackstone River, and highlights the efforts to return the migrating fish back to their native spawning habitat. We hope you find this video educational and enjoyable.
BRWC/FOB Letter Writing Campaign
STOP THE POLLUTION; JOIN THE "RIVER~LUTION" and BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION!
Why Should YOU Write a Letter to Support the "RIVER~LUTION" for our Blackstone River ?
Here's why! The BRWC/FOB is launching a unique fund raising campaign in 2009. Headed by John Marsland, Vice President for the Council, John believes that people will want to be a part of the story in restoring the Blackstone River. This campaign will focus on raising funds for installing fish ladders along the Blackstone's first four dams. There's power in numbers he said. We want to be able to make a positive impact in our Blackstone Valley community and in our life time. Just as the first industrialists placed their mark on improvements in the quality of life along the river by setting dams and harnessing the river, we aim to return the river to its historic health by bringing fish passage to the first four dams. In this way, we will have taken the first large step in restoring our river and enjoying it as a resource worth protecting.
The BRWC/FOB will sponsor a letter writing and bumper sticker campaign to help achieve a portion of its funding goal of up to 1 million dollars. This campaign, coupled with grants and State and Federal partners, will make this goal a reality by 2010.
We are targetting residents who live within the Valley and school children who will help to raise awareness of this project. Kids will benefit by being a part of this lasting change in our community while learning about history, science, using communication skills, and having family interaction in promoting this restoration project.
A part of the campaign will also focus on the Berkshire Hathaway Co. (formerly founded as the Valley Falls Co. on the banks of the river in Cumberland in 1839 by Oliver Chase). Today Warren Buffett is the Chairman and CEO of the Berkshire Hathaway Co. Our efforts will be to introduce Mr. Buffett to our project and to engage the corporation in the hopes to obtain private matching funds for State and Federal dollars already promised. Additional targetted letter writing ideas are to follow.
So, STOP THE POLLUTION; JOIN THE "RIVER~LUTION", and BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION! Write a letter to the BRWC/FOB supporting our Fish Passage Project. (examples of letters under "Read More")
read more...
Upcoming Events
New on the Site
Our Programs
Fish Ladders Program- Powering
the rebirth of the Blackstone River! Find out how you can help us bring the fish
back to the Blackstone River.
Recent Events
Sunday, September 20th at 2pm- Fish Ladder Groundbreaking Ceremony
The Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone cordially invite
you to attend the historic ground breaking ceremony that will start the construction of the Main Street & Slater Mill Fish Ladders on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket , RI.
Please join us as we celebrate this historic moment of environmental recovery
and participate in the history of the Blackstone River!
Date: Sunday, September 20
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Slater Mill Park- view directions
Special exhibits, special guests and light refreshments
Watch the Fish Ladder Video!
Major Project Partners
The Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission, United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, United States Environmental Protection Agency Region I, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, Save the Bay, the Blackstone River Coalition, the City of Pawtucket and the towns of Cumberland and Lincoln.
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
One Depot Square
Woonsocket , Rhode Island 02895
401-762-0250
-posted June 8, 2009
From Jennifer West of the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve:
Consider Registering Now for the June 17 Webcast!
The Center for Watershed Protection is pleased to announce the second offering in our new webcast series. Attendees can now save time, travel expenses and, perhaps most importantly, carbon emissions, by attending our training workshops over the Web. The second webcast focuses on "Managing Stormwater in the Age of Budget Cuts". Join speakers from CWP, as well as guest speakers from local government and the private sector as they share their experiences and lessons learned with various revenue sources.
CWP'S WATERSHED & STORMWATER MANAGEMENT WEBCAST SERIES: Managing Stormwater in the Age of Budget Cuts
Webcast: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Two-Hour Live Webcast
Eastern: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Central: 11:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Mountain: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Pacific: 9:00 am - 11:00 pm
Cost: FREE!
Registration closes 6/12/09
Space is limited, so register today to secure your spot!
read more...
-posted May 13, 2009
JOIN US ON THE BLACKSTONE for the RIVERFEST CANOE & KAYAK RACE
Saturday, JUNE 6, 2009
River Island Park Bernon Street
Woonsocket, RI 02895
20 years ago John Marsland gathered a group of people to bring back the Blackstone River.
CONGRATULATIONS from the "THE FRIENDS OF THE BLACKSTONE RIVER" FOR 20 YEARS OF GREAT WORK!
Spring has sprung and its time to think about Riverfest on June 6, 2009. There are some changes this year. Our dream of a park at Manville Falls is coming true.
The finish line for this year will be at the new River's Edge Recreation Area located on Davidson Street in Woonsocket. This park offers a large spectator area to watch the racers go by and return to the finish line.
The race will start at River Island Park go down river to the Route 99 bridge turn back up river to finish at River's Edge Recreation Area.
The 10 mile race will go to Manville turn up river to Hamlet bridge turn down river then to 99 and back to finish at River's Edge. All racers will be bused back to River Island from the finish line. We think this will be a fun course with a little upstream paddling.
If you can not race this year consider making a donation towards the work we are doing to restore the beauty of the Blackstone River. We are all volunteers. We do need funds to buy supplies.
2009 is a big year for the Blackstone River Watershed Council/ Friends of the Blackstone. We are in the process of building four new access and portage sites and a river maintenance facility in Manville.
Our big project is a $4.1 million migratory fish restoration plan. It includes 4 fish ladders from Pawtucket to Cumberland. We still need to raise $500,000 to reach our goal.
Thank you for your support.
Frank Matta, Chairman
Blackstone River Watershed Council
-posted January 31, 2009
March 26th
Members of the BRWC will be showing the Blackstone River Fish Ladder Project Video at the school board meeting asking their help in a letter writing campaign to raise funds for the Fish Ladders Project.
Fish Ladder Fish Project Celebration Event
The BRWC /FOB welcomed guest from all over New England October 30, 2008 to join to celebrate our historic, Mighty Blackstone River. The event included a comendation of the river being designated as a American Heritage River and the Premier of our
Video,” Fish Ladders along the Blackstone”.
read more...
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