River Log
Ecological Restoration
The Case for Dam Removal—Balancing Ecology, Safety, and Economic Viability
February 19, 2025
OARS River Log | By Heather Conkerton, OARS’ Ecological Restoration Coordinator | Published February 19, 2025 At OARS, we advocate for the removal of dams to promote healthier, free-flowing …
Sustainable Northborough River Health & Dams Walk & Talk with Heather Conkerton
November 01, 2024
OARS River Log | By Heather Conkerton, OARS’ Ecological Restoration Coordinator | Published November 1 2024 On Saturday, October 5th, I (Heather Conkerton), had the pleasure of leading an …
Exploring the Underwater World of Nashoba Brook: OARS’ Mussel Survey with MassWildlife
November 01, 2024
OARS River Log | By Sarah Kwan, OARS’ Director of Communications & Development | Published November 1 2024 On September 12th, OARS collaborated with MassWildlife to conduct a vital …
Current Drought Conditions in Massachusetts: What It Means for Our Rivers
October 31, 2024
OARS River Log | By Sarah Kwan, OARS’ Director of Communications & Development | Published October 31 2024 Massachusetts is currently experiencing a Level-1 mild drought, a situation that …
Making Waves of Change: The 38th Annual SuAsCo Rivers Cleanup Success!
September 30, 2024
OARS River Log | By Sarah Kwan, OARS’ Director of Communications & Development | Published September 30 September was an inspiring month of action and impact for the OARS …
Surveying the Streams of Wheeler Pond: Uncovering a Vital Habitat for Brook Trout
September 04, 2024
OARS River Log | By Heather Conkerton, OARS Ecological Restoration Coordinator | Published September 4, 2024 As the Ecological Restoration Coordinator at OARS, I’m passionate about restoring and …
Mammals of the Assabet River
August 29, 2024
OARS River Log | By Zoe Green, OARS 2024 Ecological Restoration Volunteer | Published August 29, 2024 The Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers are home to many species of animals, …
Past and Present Geology of the Sudbury, the Assabet, and the Concord Rivers
July 25, 2024
OARS River Log | By Zoe Green, OARS 2024 Ecological Restoration Volunteer | Published July 25, 2024 From Westborough to Newburyport The Sudbury and Assabet rivers both originate …
Water Chestnut Invasion
June 26, 2024
OARS River Log | By Zoe Green, OARS 2024 Ecological Restoration Volunteer | Published June 6, 2024 What is water chestnut? Water chestnut, also known as European water chestnut …
Salmon in Massachusetts
June 26, 2024
OARS River Log | By Nathan Callan, OARS 2024 Environmental Intern | Published June 6, 2024 A little Massachusetts river is swarmed with salmon. Anglers, though outnumbered by the …
River Science
Have you asked your town about a salt reduction plan?
March 24, 2025
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherwill, OARS’ Water Quality Scientist | Published March 24, 2025 Lincoln Salt Reduction Plan OARS has been monitoring chloride (salt) in our …
Green Acton Chloride Study
March 07, 2025
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherwill, OARS’ Water Quality Scientist | Published March 7, 2025 OARS has been collaborating with the Green Acton Water Committee over the past …
Presenting Science in Action: Ben Wetherill Shares Hop Brook Findings at the NAB Conference
February 20, 2025
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherill, OARS’ Water Quality Scientist | Published February 20, 2025 On February 7th, Ben Wetherill, OARS’ water quality scientist, presented our Sudbury River …
Sudbury Ashland Bacteria Study
February 18, 2025
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherill, OARS’ Water Quality Scientist | Published February 18, 2025 During the summer of 2024, with the help of volunteers, OARS conducted a …
2024 Bacteria Monitoring Success: Swimmable Waters and Areas of Concern
October 31, 2024
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherill, OARS’ Water Quality Scientist | Published October 31 2024 We had a very successful bacteria monitoring season in 2024. Fifteen volunteers helped …
The Salty Truth
August 29, 2024
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherill, OARS Water Quality Scientist | Published August 29, 2024 Measuring the March 2024 Salt Flow in Our Watershed How much salt …
Studying Dissolved Oxygen in the Talbot Impoundment
July 11, 2024
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherill, Water Quality Scientist, OARS | July 25, 2024 It was lucky that we continued our Talbot Mills impoundment dissolved oxygen study for …
Hop Brook Water Quality Study
December 12, 2020
OARS River Log | By Ben Wetherill, OARS Water Quality Scientist | Published December 12, 2020 Why does Hop Brook have some of the highest levels of nutrient pollution in …
Assabet River Nutrient TDML (Total Maximum Daily Load) Study
May 01, 2008
OARS River Log | By Suzanne Flint | Published May, 2008 In July 1999, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the US Army Corps of Engineers funded ENSR, a private …
Outreach Education & Recreation
Reflecting on an Unforgettable Evening: 3 Rivers, Stones, Visions
November 01, 2024
OARS River Log | By Sarah Kwan, OARS’ Director of Communications & Development | Published November 1 2024 OARS would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to …
Empowering Future Stewards: OARS Expands Water Wise Education with DCU for Kids Grant
November 01, 2024
OARS River Log | Published November 1 2024 OARS is delighted to announce that we were awarded a generous grant from the DCU for Kids Foundation this October to support …
OARS Launches 3 Rivers Adventures and Celebrates Recovery Month
September 30, 2024
OARS River Log | By Matt Brown, OARS’ Executive Director | Published September 30 OARS is actively building capacity for our river recreation offerings, focusing on equitable access for …
Paddle Leaders in Training: OARS Prepares for New River Adventures
September 30, 2024
OARS River Log | By Isabel Ryen, OARS’ Community Engagement Coordinator—TerraCorps Service Member & Shelley Zuckerman , OARS’ Youth Education Coordinator—TerraCorps Service Member | Published September 30 On an …
Keep Warm & Paddle On—Winter Paddling in Massachusetts
February 15, 2023
OARS River Log | By Roger Beatty, OARS Board of Directors | Published February 15, 2023 Not all paddlers think of kayaking as exclusively a warm-weather sport; in fact, …
A Story of Wildlife, Beauty, and Peace on the Water
July 11, 2022
OARS River Log | By Alison Field-Juma with Julia Khorana | Published month 2022 As I pull into the parking area in early summer, I see people down at …
Early Fall on the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers
September 18, 2014
OARS River Log | By Ingeborg Hegemann, OARS Board or Directors President | Published September 18, 2014 It is early autumn, and the river level is low. The water …
Policy & Advocacy
Massachusetts in Critical Drought: What It Means for Our Rivers and What You Can Do
November 26, 2024
OARS River Log | By Sarah Kwan, OARS’ Director of Communications & Development | Published November 26 2024 As of November 19, 2024, most of Massachusetts is under …
NEW CLIMATE BILL for Massachusetts!—A Big Win for Our 3 Rivers, Watershed, and Future
November 25, 2024
OARS River Log | By Sarah Kwan, OARS’ Director of Communications & Development | Published November 25 2024 On November 14, 2024, Massachusetts took a landmark step toward a …
52 Years of the Clean Water Act: Progress, Challenges, and the Path Forward
October 31, 2024
OARS River Log | By Isabel Ryen, OARS’ Community Engagement Coordinator—TerraCorps Service Member | Published October 31 2024 On October 18th, we celebrated 52 years of the Clean …
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