Above: Grace Evans assists Programs Coordinator Ryan O’Donnell (right) with collecting samples for bacteria testing. We have been sampling streams in downtown Ipswich to test for signs of bacteria pollution. This is important, because bacterial pathogens like fecal coliform can become a water quality issue if they rise above certain levels. Our Kerry Mackin Intern […]
Volunteers are needed to collect data on the Ipswich River of the current severe drought on river life. As the image above shows, low flows in critical habitat areas damage the river’s macroinvertebrate populations. The Macroinvertebrate Monitoring volunteer program is returning this fall and we are seeking volunteers. You can increase your and our knowledge
Volunteer monitor, Claire Hilsinger, sampling macroinvertebrates at Walker Creek in Gloucester. Macroinvertebrates are good indicators of water quality and are especially vulnerable to low flows and droughts. Lows flows and droughts are a problem for the Ipswich River most summers. Living things will thrive in healthy rivers; not only fish, but the many small creatures
Monitoring Shows the Impact of Droughts on River Life Read More »
Spring is back and so are the fish! Ben Comb catches a brown trout, making quite an impact on his friend’s son, Caleb. Restoring stream connectivity and keeping water clean and plentiful makes for great fishing and fond memories. Many dedicated volunteers have made the spring herring count program a success over the past 21
Ipswich River Herring Count Update and Resources Read More »
Volunteer Katie Hone, pictured here at the Ipswich Mills fishway, has been an amazing asset for the Fish Count program. River herring are remarkable fish that are often overlooked today for the important role they once played in the ecology and history of the Ipswich River. While once abundant in the Ipswich River, herring now
Herring Count an Important Part of Fisheries Restoration Read More »
Triton Regional High School AP Environmental Science teacher Thomas Horsely and his students attend a macroinvertebrate identification workshop at Riverbend. Rivers are places that should be full of clean water and living things; not only fish, but the many small creatures that live among the rocks and debris on the river bottom. In particular, the
Triton Students Join Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program Read More »
On Saturday, October 19th, a volunteer team from the Nor’East chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition, both of which support fisheries conservation projects, joined us for a work event on Pye Brook, near Hood Pond in Topsfield. The purpose of this event was to prepare the stream flowing out of Hood Pond for the planned reintroduction of river herring after an absence of nearly 100 year.
We recently investigated a discovery that was first made by a local scientist, Jim MacDougall, having to do with dissolved oxygen in the river. There is a unique section of the river near the Mass Audubon Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary known as the Wenham Swamp. The river winds through this large wetland area that offers
Volunteers Help Investigate Water Quality in Wenham Swamp Read More »
