A river is an intricate puzzle, with many pieces or elements coming together in various ways to influence each other and the overall system. Over the years, I’ve come to understand more about not just the individual pieces (insects, fish, weather, soil, water, topography, vegetation and human influence, to name a few) but also about how they mesh to form a much bigger picture
The day was clear and the sky was bright, and the volunteers were hip-deep in the Black River! The Comtu Clean Sweep netted a wide array of items salvaged from the riverbed above the plunging Comtu Falls in downtown Springfield on Saturday, September 20th. From 10 till 2pm, metal items and tires were discovered and pulled from their hiding places, to be hauled to shore. Among the items pulled out were lengths of metal handrail, two old truck tires, a car battery, a shopping cart frame, a heavy metal ball, small car tires filled with cement (probably used at one point as anchor-points for posts), and a large metal spindle sitting under 6 or 7 feet of water.
On Saturday, September 6th, the Black River was bustling with the activities of dozens of volunteers searching for and removing trash from the water and the banks. It was the 9th annual RiverSweep, a cleanup event organized by the Black River Action Team to keep the river and feeder streams clean and healthy.
Good day! A BRAT volunteer is a special person, someone who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty or their pants wet. Someone who likes to learn, enjoys wildlife, and likes to play in or on the water. He or she goes boating, fishing, tubing, birdwatching, walking, biking, hiking or snowshoeing. A BRAT understands that we are all a part of the watershed, that we all live downstream. And a BRAT understands the importance of making a commitment to taking care of our river, of lending a hand when possible and helping to make a difference.
It was a dark and stormy afternoon…but a band of intrepid folks came out to Cavendish to celebrate the First Annual Vermont Clean Water Day on June 10th. Members of the Black River Action Team enjoyed comments from Frank Heald, town manager of Ludlow; Sharon Francis, director of the Connecticut River Joint Commissions; Marie Caduto, VT Agency of Natural Resources Basin 10 watershed coordinator; Mike Wickersham, VT Operations Manager of Luzenac America, Becky Basch from the S. Windsor Regional Planning Commissions, and guest speaker Governor Jim Douglas. In recognition of lower phosphorus levels from the Ludlow wastewater treatment facility, the Black River Action Team organized a paddling event that stretched from the Okemo golf course down to the soccer field near Fletcher Farm, and five adventurous folks braved the elements to kayak this segment of the Black River, with plans for future paddle trips around the watershed.
A river is an intricate puzzle, with many pieces or elements coming together in various ways to influence each other and the overall system.
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