Ongoing Program Activities
Pawcatuck Watershed Council
Leadership - As one of the two first Watershed
Councils to be designated by the RI Rivers Council, WPWA has
taken a lead in helping to define the appropriate Councils in
developing and implementing Action Plans.
Committees and Boards- WPWA staff and volunteers
sit on a number of committees that deal with issues pertaining
to the Pawcatuck Watershed. These include Rhode Island Watershed
Approach Coordinating Council, Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Action
Planning Stakeholders Committee, Rhode Island Trail Advisory Committee,
Water Use Stakeholders Group, Drought Management Task Force, Partners
for Resource Protection, Rhode Island Environmental Education
Association, Richmond Land Trust, AMC Leadership Development Committee
and the Water Allocation Program Development Committee.
Water Quality and Habitat Studies
In 2002 WPWA launched a transient
monitoring program using data loggers to record short-term changes
in water quality. The sites selected were based on likelihood
of environmental impact due to nearby land use practices.
Another program was to quantify habitat variables for native brook
trout in order to predict changes to their populations.WPWA's
Stream monitoring sites in the watershed include the Green Falls
River in North Stonington, CT, the Beaver River and Meadow Brook
in Richmond, RI, Queens River, Sherman Brook, Locke Brook, and
Fisherville Brook in Exeter, RI; and Brushy Brook, Moscow Brook,
and Loghouse Brook in Hopkinton, RI. The final report
was issued in May 2004.
Stream Monitoring Stream gauges are installed at select sites
along streams in the watershed. Volunteers record the height of
the water, temperature, and dissolved oxygen every week from May
to October. Once a month samples for bacteria, pH, and nutrients
are collected for laboratory analysis. Interns working for the
Association measure stream flow at each of the sites three to
four times a year. Volunteers for Trout Unlimited monitor the
Falls and Flat Rivers in the Arcadia Management Area. Reports
for 1999 and 2000 are in another part of this site.
A pilot study of macroinvertebrates in lower order streams of
the Pawcatuck was conducted during the summer of 2002 and the
report is available here..
Watershed Watch Volunteers monitor 12 sites on ponds, lakes, and
impounded rivers in the watershed. They collect data on water
quality conditions such as water clarity, dissolved oxygen, temperature,
concentration of chlorophyll, pH, nutrients, and bacteria. Results
are published in the URI's Watershed Watch Results.
Watershed Education
Adult Education - WPWA conducts homeowner
workshops, presentations of local and regional issues by area
experts, and clinics to improve recreational skills.
Children's Education - Staff at WPWA provide
classroom programs, school field trips, teacher training workshops
on Active Watershed Education (AWEsome!) curriculum, internship
opportunities, community service projects, and fishing instruction. See WPWA Events 2006
Recreational Programs
River Events - WPWA promotes canoe trips, Opening Day
of Trout Season in RI and River's day
festivals. River clean-ups, including clearing blow-downs for
navigation and litter removal are done throughout the year. Every
June, National Rivers Month, WPWA leads "Source to Sea"
canoe trips that cover the entire length of the Wood and Pawcatuck
Rivers. These trips allow participants a better chance to learn
about the natural and social history of the river. In 2004 the
Wood and Pawcatuck Rivers will be canoed over four Saturdays,
starting June 5.WPWA is promoting River accessibility. It has
one of the best handicapped accessible fishing piers in the state
at the Barberville Dam headquarters in Hopkinton. WPWA has developed
a list of river access priorities, including acquisitions and
improvements that, if implemented, would promote safe and enjoyable
access to the Wood and Pawcatuck rivers.
Trails - WPWA has adopted the Browning Mill
Pond Trail in the Arcadia Management Area. Through grants provided
by the Trail Advisory Committee, WPWA has built bridges, installed
erosion controls, and cleared away debris, creating a 2 mile trail
that can be enjoyed by anyone. This trail has provided many of
the local youths with community service projects that have earned
them Scouting badges or credits towards college scholarships.
Publications
Watershed WPWA's enlightening
newsletter is published quarterly with information and updates
on the activities of the Association. Free to members
Wood-Pawcatuck River Guide - The definitive map and guide
of local canoeing and kayaking routes. $3.50 for members, $4.50
for non-members, + $.75 postage and handling for each guide ordered.
Walks in the Watershed - A hikers guide to 16 of the best
loop trails in southwestern RI and adjacent CT. $3.50 for members,
$4.50 for non-members, + $.75 postage and handling for each guide
ordered.
Pawcatuck Watershed Report - A colorful, comprehensive
report published in 1998 about the state of the watershed. Includes
maps and information about the watershed's many features. Free,
include $1.50 for postage and handling.To order any of these publications
send a check or money order to
WPWA
203 Arcadia Road
Hope Valley, RI 02832-3230
River Routes and Walks in the Watershed can also
be purchased at the following retailers:
AMC Bookstore, Boston, MA
Audubon Society of RI, Smithfield, RI
Bank Square Books, Mystic, CT
Book & Tackle, Westerly, RI
Brewski Taxidermy, Pawcatuck, CT
Charlestown Mini Supper, Charlestown, RI
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic
Fantastic Umbrella Factory, Charlestown, RI
Feet First, Wakefield, RI
Highland Orchards Resort, North Stonington, CT
Hope Valley Bait and Tackle, Richmond, RI
Hopkinton General Store and Gardens, Hopkinton, RI
The Kayak Center, Wickford, RI
King's Cyclery, Westerly, RI
McQuade's Home Center, Westerly, RI
Ocean Pharmacy, Charlestown, RI
Other Tiger, Westerly, RI
Ray Willis Toy and Bikes, Westerly, RI
RI Natural History Survey, Kingston, RI
Seaport Pharmacy, Mystic, CT
Stedman Cycles, Wakefield, RI
The World Store, Wickford, RI
URE Outfitters, Hope Valley, RI
