Strong Herring Migration Documented at Mystic Lakes

Since 2012, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) has been working with hundreds of volunteers to count river herring passing through the fish ladder at the Mystic Lakes Dam to spawn in Upper Mystic Lake. In 2016, ninety trained citizen scientists counted the largest number of herring since the monitoring program began, documenting another strong Mystic River herring migration at nearly half a million fish. This estimate is similar to last year’s migration and represents nearly a 100% increase over the counts in prior years.

River herring collectively refer to two species of herring, Blueback (Alosa aestivilis) and Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus).  These two species are referred to as “anadromous” fish as they live the majority of their life in salt water but lay eggs (spawn) in fresh water. The billions of river herring eggs that are produced in Upper Mystic Lake will develop into juvenile herring within just a few days. These juveniles will stay in the fresh water for up to 4 months before swimming downstream to live in estuarine waters.  The river herring that survive will reach an age to reproduce after 3-4 years and usually return to the same waters where they were born. 

The Mystic River is one of 78 river herring runs in Massachusetts. River herring are an important component of ocean fisheries, and they need access to freshwater systems to survive.  Over the past several decades, populations of river herring have dramatically declined.

The Mystic River Watershed Association works each year to train a set of volunteers to perform visual counts at the fish ladder Mystic Lakes Dam. The volunteers agree to perform at least one 10-minute observation each week.  Volunteers in the 2016 program performed 786 ten minute observations and counted 62,562 fish from April through June.  The data are plugged into a sophisticated model developed by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA-DMF) that yields the population estimate of 448,060 +/- 48,113 for 2016.

Work is underway to build upon the successes of the Herring Monitoring Program.  MyRWA is working with MA-DMF and local river herring advocates to install a fish ladder at the Center Falls Dam in Winchester to allow herring access to Wedge Pond and potentially Horn Pond in Woburn. Construction of the fish ladder is slated for Fall 2016. MyRWA is working with local municipalities to identify opportunities to improve habitat and water quality throughout the watershed.

Additionally, MyRWA will be bringing the herring migration into local schools through the installation of monitoring cameras at the fish ladder. Students will be able to count fish, interact with data and learn more about the river ecosystem through a new web platform dedicated to the Mystic River herring migration.

“We are excited to expand upon the Herring Monitoring Program and engage youth and the broader public in this annual rite of spring,” said Beth MacBlane, Outreach and Communications Director at MyRWA. “The herring are testament to a vibrant river system that needs to be cared for.”

The Mystic River Watershed is a vital natural resource for the more than 500,000 people who live in 22 Mystic River communities.  For more information about the Mystic River Watershed Association please see www.MysticRiver.org.

Press Release: Mystic River Watershed Association Announces New Executive Director

Arlington, MA– The Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Patrick Herron, current MyRWA Deputy Director, to the position of Executive Director. Herron will begin his new position at the Association on September 12, 2016.

Patrick Herron will begin as Executive Director Sept. 12th.

“Patrick Herron has proven to the Board again and again over his over 7 years with MyRWA that he is thoughtful, resourceful, and a visionary,” said John Reinhardt, President of the Board of Directors.  “While we will miss EkOngKar Singh Khalsa, we are excited to engage Patrick Herron for the Mystic River's next chapter as an invaluable urban resource.”

Herron began work with the Mystic River Watershed Association in 2009 as Water Quality Monitoring Director where he managed one of the most successful volunteer-supported water quality monitoring and improvement programs in New England. In 2014 Herron was promoted to Deputy Director where he performed project management and grant writing to help the Association achieve its strategic goals. Herron initiated many of MyRWA’s most innovative and effective projects, including the highly successful Water Chestnut Removal and River Herring Monitoring programs.

Prior to working for the Mystic River Watershed Association Herron earned a PhD in Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Ecology from the University of Connecticut and completed his Postdoctoral research at the Rowland Institute at Harvard University.

“After seven years spent developing and managing projects at MyRWA, I am very excited to lead this organization and speak on behalf of the interests of the thousands of members and stakeholders who care so deeply for Mystic parks, waters and environment,” said Patrick Herron.  
  
Outgoing Executive Director EkOngKar (EK) Singh Khalsa is stepping down in order to take on new challenges nearer his West Coast family.

The Mystic River Watershed Association was founded in 1972 and is an Arlington based 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to protect and restore the Mystic River, its tributaries and watershed lands for the benefit of present and future generations and to celebrate the value, importance and great beauty of these natural resources.

MyRWA Announces New Executive Director

The Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Patrick Herron, current MyRWA Deputy Director, to the position of Executive Director effective September 12, 2016.
 
atrick has a PhD in Plant Ecology from the University of Connecticut and has served MyRWA since 2009. In his work both as Deputy Director and as Director of Water Quality, Patrick has demonstrated tireless energy and enthusiasm for our work. In recent years he has initiated many of MyRWA’s most innovative and effective projects. Key among these projects are the highly successful Water Chestnut Removal and River Herring Monitoring programs. Patrick accomplished all this while also managing one of the most successful volunteer-supported water quality monitoring and improvement programs in New England.
 
Outgoing Executive Director EkOngKar (EK) Singh Khalsa is stepping down in order to take on exciting new challenges nearer his West Coast family. As Executive Director of the Amah Mutsun Land Trust, EK will help build organizational capacity and funding to support the environmental restoration of native lands and sacred sites in northern California.

“I have truly enjoyed my time with the Mystic River Watershed Association and I am grateful for every opportunity MyRWA has given me," EK Khalsa said. "I am confident that Patrick Herron will provide the qualified, dedicated leadership that a successful non-profit requires. We are fortunate to have an experienced individual who in addition to knowing how MyRWA functions, has the unique scientific training, intelligence, good humor, and high caliber to lead our newest endeavors."
 
Additional information about this important transition as well as a farewell celebration for EK on September 8th will be provided throughout the summer. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to Patrick and/or EK with any questions or to share your thoughts.

Guest Presentation: Advocating for Clean Water

MyRWA is thrilled to announce Environmental League of Massachusetts Erica Mattison as a guest speaker at the August Committee Meeting. Please join us! 

Come explore how we can enhance our effectiveness as clean water advocates.  Learn strategies from the Environmental League’s Erica Mattison, MPA, JD.  Erica leads the Green Budget Coalition and the MA Environmental Collaborative, both of which MyRWA participates in.

This presentation is part of the Mystic River Watershed Association’s monthly Committee Meeting. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday August 2, 2016 at Tufts University, Tisch College of Citizenship & Public Service, Lincoln Filene Hall, Rabb Room, 10 Upper Campus Road, Medford. Free and open to the public!

Erica Mattison, Legislative Director at ELM

Mystic LandLine Bike Ride

Get the next LandLine ride on your calendar! LandLine is MAPC's vision to connect our greenways and trails into a seamless network. The plan has been developed in coordination with the LandLine Coalition, a group of 40 volunteers representing a number of local agencies and advocacy groups.

What: Mystic River- the final frontier of waterfront path and park development in Metro Boston! This ride will include beautiful spaces along the Mystic and Malden Rivers as well as projects in the works to expand and connect the network*. Bruce Kulik of the Medford Bicycle Advisory Committee will be co-hosting and Jay Monty, Transportation Planner with the City of Everett will be joining to share the latest in Everett. 

 When: Wednesday, July 13th, 5:30 pm (end by 8 pm)
Where: Meet at the North Bank Bridge (Cambridge side of the bridge, in front of Education First/Lynch Family Skate Park in North Point Park), end at Alewife Brook Greenway

*As there is still work to be done to create safe, off-road paths in this area, some parts of the ride will not be as pleasant as others, but we will ensure a safe trip and you'll get the inside scoop on path development.

Environmental Economics in the Mystic River Watershed

How can you assign a value to a healthy environment? Are you curious about how ecosystem services analysis or other tools in environmental economics could be applied to the Mystic? Please plan on joining Nejem Raheem, Associate Professor in the Department Of Marketing Communication at Emerson College at the Mystic River Watershed Association’s July 5th Committee Meeting.  Nejem Raheem has over 10 years of experience as an environmental economist. His expertise is in economic analysis of natural resource and environmental issues, focusing on ecosystem services and traditional or indigenous economies.

This presentation is part of the Mystic River Watershed Association’s monthly Committee Meeting. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. on July 5, 2016 at Tufts University, Tisch College of Citizenship & Public Service, Lincoln Filene Hall, Rabb Room, 10 Upper Campus Road, Medford. Free and open to the public!

Cleaning up the Mystic River – Water Chestnut Removal to Begin

Volunteers remove water chestnut from the Mystic River.

On Wednesday, June 15 the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) will launch the seventh year of water chestnut removal efforts. Native to Asia, Europe and Africa, water chestnut thrives in the nutrient rich waters of the Mystic River Watershed, including the Arlington Reservoir– in some places extending nearly shore to shore. This vegetative mat impedes boating, fishing, and swimming and crowds out native plants. Additionally, the decomposition of large quantities of water chestnuts lowers dissolved oxygen, which can lead to fish kills.

Volunteers from the local area will hand-pull this invasive plant from the Arlington Reservoir – an initiative funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program. Bank of America, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FedEx, Southern Company and Alcoa participate in this conservation program in support of the environment and helping our local communities.

MyRWA partners with corporations, local businesses, and community groups throughout the summer to offer fun and rewarding group volunteer opportunities. Using canoes, volunteers pull water chestnuts out of the water by hand and collect the material on shore for composting.

Additional events are scheduled for the community to be involved on Saturdays, June 18th, July 16th and July 30th. Events run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All supplies are provided for these family-friendly events. The June 18th event will tackle water chestnut at the Arlington Reservoir on Lowell St. Check the website for locations of the July events. Boats are limited so please register in advance at www.mysticriver.org/water-chestnut-removal-project/.

If you have any questions contact the Water Chestnut Project Coordinator at waterchestnut@MysticRiver.org.

Mystic River Water Quality Grade Announced

US EPA Regional Administrator Curt Spalding, MyRWA Executive Director EkOngKar Singh Khalsa, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, US Congressman Michael Capuano

For the second year the US EPA issued localized water quality grades to provide information on how frequently Mystic waterbodies meet standards for swimming and boating. We are pleased to share that the Mystic River (fresh and salt water sections) received an A- , the Mystic Lakes an A+ and Chelsea Creek an A-. These water bodies meet bacteria standards for swimming and boating on average greater than 85% of the time. That's right -the Mystic River is a great place to go boating and the Mystic Lakes are a great place for a swim! The grade also shows that much work lies ahead in realizing the promise of the Clean Water Act in many of our water bodies. For example, the Malden River is a C, the Aberjona River is a C+ and Alewife Brook is a D. Please explore conditions and read the US EPA press release. View a map here.

DCR Recreational Advisory: Temporary Path Closures in Medford’s MacDonald Park

Press release from the MA DCR:

DCR Recreational Advisory: Temporary Path Closures in Medford’s MacDonald Park

WHAT:           On or about Wednesday, June 1, 2016, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will be closing segments of the MacDonald Park Pathway System for reconstruction and restoration.

Sections of this pathway are suffering from unsafe edges, pavement deterioration and root damage. The project will include reconstruction, rerouting, loam and seeding shoulders and erosion controls to protect the adjacent Mystic River. The DCR will also be removing one segment of overgrown and unsafe asphalt path.

Alternative routes will be open and available along Mystic Valley Parkway.

WHERE:         MacDonald Park, Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford
WHEN:           Expected, Wednesday, June 1 to June 30, 2016

Children's theater production about the Mystic!

Wild Tales presents “SONG OF THE RIVER” - a children’s theater production about the Mystic River. The play explores the effect that invasive water plants have on the river’s well-being, and it is filled with a fanciful collection of birds, fish, dragonflies, mermaids, people and a big orange harvester named Hannah. It is being performed at SCATV (Somerville Community Access TV) in Union Square on Saturday, June 11th at 2:00. It is free and funded by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council.