Whitney Pond Dam Removal Information Meetings

Free and open to the public

Thursday, March 21 at 1:00 pm at Ashburnham Town Hall Auditorium

Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 pm at Ashburnham Town Hall Auditorium

Ashburnham-area residents are invited to join staff from the Nashua River Watershed Association, the MA Division of Ecological Restoration, and project engineers for a conversation about the removal of the Whitney Pond Dam. We are offering two meeting dates; the formal presentation will be the same at both.

In 2018, the Town of Ashburnham began to pursue removal of the dam due to its public safety risks and the financial burden to repair, maintain, and inspect it. Removing the Whitney Pond Dam will improve public safety, eliminate public spending on dam maintenance, and greatly benefit fish, wildlife, and public health.

We will discuss:

  • The history of the dam and its current status
  • The reasons to remove the dam and the removal process
  • The benefits to your community and local wildlife

There will be plenty of time for general questions, as well as technical questions to be answered by engineers.  Light refreshments will be served.

We want to hear your insights and questions!

For more information This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., NRWA Watershed Scientist.

 

     

 

 

Spring Celebration & Auction 2024!

Friday, April 5, 2024 beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Devens Common Center, 31 Andrews Parkway in Devens, MA

Purchase Tickets Now! RSVP deadline: March 25th

CONNECT with friends and NRWA supporters for a fun evening! The gala begins at 6:00 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar to enjoy as you bid in the Silent Auction, followed by dinner and the excitement of our Live Auction.  

BID on fabulous weekend and vacation getaways, and one of a kind experiences including a paddle with Marion Stoddart.  Items and services you need and want – from a bicycle tune up to gift certificates at local restaurants.  A preview is below!       

SUPPORT NRWA programs in your community that protect our water and land, connect people with nature, and improve climate resilience with nature-based solutions. 

Purchase Tickets Now!

PREVIEW our offerings, and please share this with family and friends.

  VACATION GETAWAYS

Plan now to bid on our great getaways—local favorites and distant destinations. Coordinate with family and friends to share the cost, and the fun!

 

  A One Week Stay in East Sandwich on Cape Cod.  

  • One week stay available, only 800 feet from the beach!
  • Wrap-around deck with awnings and natural gas fire pit for cozy evenings.
  • Sleeps eight comfortably, with 3-over sized bedrooms and one and a half baths. 

 

  Seven nights at the Alpine Retreat in Lake Tahoe. 

  • Located on the back of the Alpine Meadows, and in the Tahoe National Forest Area.
  • Comfortably sleeps eight (3 queens, 2 singles) with two and a half baths.
  • The house is approximately 15 minutes from Tahoe City and an hour drive from the Reno airport.
  • Cost for airfare and car rentals are not included


  EXPERIENCES

 

  Take in a Patriots game, Paddle with Marion, Golf at Nashua Country Club  

 

  AND MUCH MORE!

 

Delicious produce from Upswing Farm, hand-crafted pysanky eggs, gift cards to local restaurants,  and passes to ICA in Boston.

 

For more information, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 978-448-0299.

We hope to see you on April 5th!

 

Thank you to our Sponsors! 

Premiere Sponsors

                

  

Sponsors

          

 

Image banner: Mallard image by Sherry Anders.

 

Dam Removals in Massachusetts

Two dates and locations in Groton; see below for details

The NRWA invites the public to our free presentations on “Dam Removals in Massachusetts."  Across New England, aging and unsafe dam infrastructure has led to an increase in dam removals. These dam removals can provide significant public safety and ecological benefits, from a reduced risk of flooding to restored river connectivity. Supported by the MA Division of Ecological Restoration, the Nashua River Watershed Association is offering an educational talk about dam removals in Massachusetts, covering a general overview of why and how unsafe dams are removed, and what changes you might expect to see in your community as a result.

The same presentation will be made on two dates in Groton:

Wednesday, March 6 at 7:00 pm at the Prescott Community Center, 145 Main Street in Groton. Register online with the Prescott Community Center.

Wednesday, March 27 at noon at The Groton Center, 163 West Main Street in Groton. To register: Stop by in-person at The Groton Center, call 978-448-1170, or register online through the MyActiveCenter.

Questions? Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., NRWA Watershed Scientist.

MA Division of Ecological Restoration logo

 

These presentations are free and open to the public, made possible in part by a grant from the MA Division of Ecological Restoration.

Fundamentals of Dam Removal for Dam Owners and Municipalities

The NRWA recently hosted and recorded a free webinar for municipalities, dam owners, and other entities interested in learning about the fundamentals of dam removal in their communities. View the videoView the PPT slides.  Please note, the NRWA will be offering a presentation for the general public at a later date.

Featured Speakers and Topics included:

  • Susie Bresney, Ecological Restoration Specialist for the MA Division of Ecological Restoration on the benefits of dam removal
  • Neil Shea, Restoration Program Director from the Ipswich River Watershed Association on public outreach surrounding dam removals
  • William Hinkley, Director of Grants Administration at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs on funding opportunities for dam removals
  • Kristopher Houle, Senior Project Manager at Tighe & Bond on the permitting associated with dam removals in Massachusetts 

 Questions? This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., NRWA Restoration and Land Programs Associate, or call (978) 448-0299.

 

 

Climate Impact in the Nashua River Watershed: What is Happening and Actions We Can Take

Free Five Part Speaker Series

In 2022, the NRWA presented this speaker series on “Climate Impact in the Nashua River Watershed: What is Happening and Actions We Can Take”. Each presentation was recorded and is available for viewing thru links on this page or on our YouTube channel. 

2022 Presentations

Climate Change in the Nashua River Watershed with Dr. Elizabeth Gordon, Earth and Geographic Sciences, and Dr. Christopher Picone, Ecology and Environmental Science, both professors from Fitchburg State University. During the presentation, Dr. Picone spoke about an easy online tool that individuals can use to estimate their household carbon footprint, that is the CoolClimate Calculator, created through the University of California, Berkeley.  View recording of presentation

Getting to Know the Soils of Massachusetts and Why It Matters with Dr. Ralph S. Baker, Ph.D. in soil physics. Soils are not all created equal. Understanding how they differ, and why, is important if we’re to recognize their key role in a changing climate. Ralph introduces how the soils of Massachusetts are arranged on the landscape, where soils information can readily be obtained, as well as answering such questions as what soils sequester the most carbon in Massachusetts?  You may also be interested in viewing the Supplemental Materials prepared by Dr. Baker, which includes supporting materials for his slides, including web links to additional resources. View recording of presentation.

Wild Resilience with Jon Liebowitz, Executive Director, and Sophie Ehrhardt, Wildlands Partnership Coordinator, both from Northeast Wilderness Trust, spoke about the ways that wilderness can aid with both mitigating and adapting to a changing climate, including resilience, biodiversity, and carbon storage. There is also a list of Supplemental Materials which provides links to materials referenced in the video, as well as additional resources suggested by the speakers. View recording of presentation.

Impacts of Climate Change on Our Rivers and Streams with Sarah Widing, PE, Senior Water Resources Engineer at Inter-Fluve.  Climate change is causing – and will cause – varied and diverse changes to our rivers and streams. Every process that contributes to what we understand to be the river will be affected: precipitation, groundwater, vegetation, soils, human interventions. Sarah discusses some ways that the engineering and restoration design communities are responding to the impacts of climate change and incorporating future uncertainty into design.  View recording of presentation.

Torrential Rains from Slow Moving Tropical Systems:  Is This Part of the New Normal? with David Vallee, Hydrologist-in-Charge at National Weather Service/NOAA Northeast River Forecast Center. During this final presentation in our 2022 series, David reviews the current state of precipitation, temperature, and flood frequency in our region, and looks at how the behavior of our tropical systems has changed leading to more frequent events like Florence, Henri, and Ida. He showcases the new services NWS is working on: real-time forecast flood inundation services. View recording of presentation.

Additionally, in October 2019, Dr. William Moomaw Emeritus Professor of International Environmental Policy and Founding Director of the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy at The Fletcher School, spoke at the NRWA on the topic of “Watersheds: Mitigating and Adapting to a Changing Climate”.  View video of Dr. Moomaw's presentation.

For more reading about climate change in the Nashua River watershed, be sure to visit the Climate Impact section on our website by clicking on What We Do in the main menu bar, then click on Climate Impact in the dropdown menu.

About the Speakers in this Series

Dr. Elizabeth Gordon

Dr. Elizabeth Gordon is a Professor in the Earth and Geographic Sciences Department at Fitchburg State University.  She teaches courses focused on atmospheric and ocean sciences including Oceanography, Meteorology, and Climatology, and co-teaches a course on Climate Change and Human History. Liz has a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Christopher Picone

Dr. Christopher Picone has been a professor of Ecology and Environmental Science at Fitchburg State University since 2004.  He serves on several conservation committees in Ashburnham, and recently joined the NRWA Board of Directors. Chris has a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Ralph S. Baker, Ph.D.

Dr. Ralph S. Baker has served on the NRWA’s Board of Directors for over 15 years, and currently is Vice President.  He chairs the NRWA’s Climate Change Committee.  He also has served on the Fitchburg Greenway Committee for over 15 years.  In 2016 he convened the Fitchburg Trails Vision Committee, which he chaired. Their Fitchburg Trails Vision Plan, a master plan for the non-motorized recreational trails in Fitchburg was completed in 2020.  He also serves on the city of Fitchburg’s Conservation Commission.  A soil scientist, Dr. Baker earned a Ph.D. in soil physics from the Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1989.  He co-founded TerraTherm, Inc. in 2000, and was its CEO, Chairman and Chief Scientist, designing and carrying out hazardous waste cleanup projects throughout the world. He retired in 2015, after a career focused on the cleanup of toxic organic chemicals in soil and groundwater. 

Jon Liebowitz

Jon Liebowitz is the Executive Director of Northeast Wilderness Trust based in Montpelier VT.  He has worked in the field of private land conservation since graduating from Vermont Law School in 2011 with a Juris Doctor and a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy. Prior to joining Northeast Wilderness Trust, Jon was the Executive Director of Montezuma Land Conservancy in Cortez, Colorado. He serves on the Rewilding Leadership Council, the Steering Committee of Wildland and Woodlands, and the Board of Vermont Parks Forever.

Sophie Ehrhardt

Sophie Ehrhardt coordinates the Wildland Partnership and Wild Carbon Project at Northeast Wilderness Trust. She is focused on protecting the forests and waters of the Northeast for all species that reside there, and on playing a role in addressing climate change. Sophie has a Masters degree in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. 

Sarah Widing

Sarah Widing has a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master's degree in Water Resources engineering, both from Tufts University. She has over 18 years of experience in private consulting and engineering design specializing in surface water. Her background includes floodplain modeling and mapping, stormwater management permitting and design, stream-crossing design (critter-friendly design), and dam safety. She is currently employed at Inter-Fluve, an interdisciplinary ecological restoration design firm that specializes (on the East Coast) in dam removals and cranberry bog restorations. She is currently an active member of the Town of Shirley Planning Board, and recently joined the NRWA Board of Directors.

David Vallee

David Vallee is the Hydrologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service’s Northeast River Forecast Center and Acting Chief, Water Resources Service Branch. The center provides detailed water resource and life-saving flood forecasting services to National Weather Service Forecast Offices and the hundreds of federal, state and local water resource entities throughout the Northeast and New York. David has worked for the National Weather Service for over 30 years, serving in a variety of positions including Senior Service Hydrologist at the Taunton Weather Forecast Office from 1993-2000 and as Science and Operations Officer from 2001-2006. David has extensive experience leading hydrometeorological forecast and warning operations and directing weather research and training programs. David’s research activities span a variety of topics including flooding, severe weather forecasting and orographically enhanced heavy rainfall in southern New England. He has been leading an effort at the Northeast River Forecast Center to examine changes in precipitation and temperature patterns across New England and their impact on flood behavior.