Carla Villa

This is a guest blog by Wilfred Wollheim, Professor, Natural Resources & The Environment, at University of New Hampshire. Plastic pollution is accumulating in the oceans with much it entering from rivers.  This study focuses on the Ipswich River watershed, addressing the question of how much is being stored in the sediments and banks of […]

Collectively we are reflecting on the impacts of the recent election results, including how those results affect the Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) going forward. IRWA has been the voice of the River since 1977, through Democratic and Republican administrations, both at the state and national levels. Our commitment during the past 47 years to

This month, IRWA penned a letter advocating for an increase of MVP (Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness) funding from the $20 million it is today to the $100 million it needs to be. The MVP Program provides grants for cities and towns in Massachusetts to identify climate hazards, assess vulnerabilities, and develop action plans to improve resilience

Massachusetts rivers and streams are not adequately protected under state rules, according to a letter issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday October 18th.  “Water withdrawals continue to contribute to low stream flows, causing environmental challenges in the Commonwealth’s waters. We propose exploring a practical and impactful path forward to address these

Last week, the North Shore Water Resiliency Task Force convened and voted to take significant steps in shifting the organization’s posture from research oriented to execution focused and determining the next course of action. In addition to voting in two new subcommittees, the Lower Basin Subcommittee and the PFAS Subcommittee, the Task Force heard a

Did you know? Dog waste is one of the sneakiest threats to the Ipswich River’s water quality! When it rains, forgotten poop becomes a pollutant just like road salt and fertilizer. It travels into our waterways and degrades water quality. Dog lovers, you can help! We’re inviting you to test your poo-tential with our Dog Poop IQ Quiz

Back in 2022, we wrote a blog where we highlighted the importance of riverfront delineation in the watershed. Two years later, we are still dealing with many of the same issues. Pressure to permit and build new developments close to the river has only increased and we are still stuck with a set of regulations

We’re thrilled to share that the Healey-Driscoll Administration has awarded Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) a $137,053 Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grant to create a detailed plan for improving habitat and conditions for diadromous fish in the Ipswich River. This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM),