What We’re Doing – Blackstone River Coalition

What we’re doing is working collaboratively to win the Campaign for a Fishable/Swimmable Blackstone River.

Cold Water Fishery Protection

The BRC has received $25,000 from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust grant program to bolster our three project priority areas: 1) support of Year 15 of our award-winning Blackstone River Coalition watershed-wide volunteer water quality monitoring program; 2) focus on MA cold water fishery streams in the Blackstone River watershed where we have long-running monitoring sites; 3) conduct an education and outreach program in the cold-water fishery sub-watershed communities, including the four cwfs in urban Worcester (Tatnuck Brook, Ararat Brook, Coal Mine Brook and Poor Farm Brook), and the 9 cwfs in the mill towns of Grafton, Upton, Sutton, Northbridge, Douglas, Uxbridge (Cold Spring Brook, Centerville Brook, Cook Allen Brook, Miscoe Brook, Warren Brook, Meadow Brook, Emerson Brook, Bacon Brook, and the West River).

Campaign for a fishable-swimmable Blackstone River

In order to marshall the resources to actually clean up the Blackstone River, in 2003 the Blackstone River Coalition launched the Campaign for a Fishable/Swimmable Blackstone River.

To build a roadmap for the Campaign, the BRC is working with federal, state and local agencies, as well as non-profit organizations, academic institutions and businesses to create a bi-state watershed action plan.

To improve water quality to achieve a fishable/swimmable Blackstone River, the Campaign focuses on the following:

Stormwater management

Tackling stormwater and polluted runoff and reducing pollutants washed into the waterways and lowering the volume of stormwater flowing into waterways.

Wastewater treatment

Implementing more stringent limits on nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates at wastewater treatment plants

Land use

Protecting undeveloped areas, restoring wetlands and riparian areas, protecting cold water fishery streams, encouraging Low Impact Development strategies such as reducing impervious surfaces, increasing infiltration, and planting native species.

Stream flow

Restoring flow by methods such as:
- breach or remove appropriate dams
- establish fish passages for anadromous species at the four lower-most dams

Recreational opportunities

Continuing to build a system of river access points to increase opportunities for fishing, canoeing and enjoying passive recreation

Education and outreach

Developing programs to increase watershed awareness and appreciation and encouraging active stewardship

A two-tiered campaign:

The grassroots level

Watershed-wide Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program
Homeowner’s Guide to Protecting Water Quality in the Blackstone River Watershed — eight fact sheets about reducing impacts from lawns, cars, pets, dishwashers, rooftop runnoff, household hazardous waste and impervious surfaces to waterways.
Horse Owner’s Guide to Protecting Water Quality in the Blackstone Valley
Small Farm Owner’s Guide to Protecting Water Quality in the Blackstone Valley
Rain Gardens help to collect the roof runoff, enhance your landscaping, and infiltrate to ground water.

The business level

Business owners can join the “In Business for the Blackstone” Program.

Collaborators
Federal, state and local environmental agencies are working collaboratively to help reach our goal of a fishable/swimmable Blackstone River.