Site Visit—OARS

July 29, 2024

by Greater Lowell Community Foundation | July, 2024 | GLCF Newsletter

GLCF intern Skylar Bluestein, GLCF Grants Manager Maria Papandreou, and Matt Brown, the executive director of OARS at a recent site visit.

In July, GLCF’s Jennifer Aradhya, Maria Papandreou, and Skylar Bluestein met with Matt Brown, the executive director of OARS, at OARS’s office in Concord and accompanied him to the convergence of Nashoba Brook and Assabet River.

GLCF partially funds OARS’s program identifying pollution sources in the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers and NETSCOUT partially funds OARS’s Water Wise Workshop education program for children ages 6–10 through GLCF. OARS primarily works in three focus areas:

1. 1. Raising awareness of the rivers’ value and threats to them through education and recreation programs;
2. Collecting data and advocating for further study; and
3. Collaborating with local and state governments and community members to encourage long term solutions that protect the rivers.

To learn more about Great Lowell Community Foundation, check out their website.

Published in Great Lowell Community Foundation Newsletter, July 2024

River Log

~30%

of the SuAsCo rivers watershed is wetlands, crucial for wildlife habitat and water quality

~30%

of water samples in the SuAsCo rivers watershed contain PFAS, leading to increased monitoring and remediation by local authorities and environmental groups

~70%

of dams in the SuAsCo watershed are over a century old, requiring extensive upkeep and presenting obstacles to river restoration and fish passage

>40%

of the land within the watershed is publicly accessible, offering recreational opportunities such as hiking, boating, and birdwatching to the community

~15%

of the land in the SuAsCo rivers watershed is covered by impervious surfaces such as roads, rooftops, and parking lots. This contributes to stormwater runoff and water pollution issues

Site Visit—OARS