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  10 Woodside Lane
  PO Box 165
  Westport, CT  06881
  203-227-7253
  info@earthplace.org

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  formerly The Nature Center
  for
 Environmental Activities

 

 

 

HARBOR WATCH/RIVER WATCH

HW/RW In the News
Volunteering   Internships    Resources

View a Movie about Harbor Watch/River Watch
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Harbor Watch / River Watch (HW/RW) is a water quality monitoring effort that is actively engaged in the scientific monitoring of local estuaries and watersheds in lower Fairfield County. Earthplace lies geographically within the ecologically important Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed. Since the mid '80s, the LIS watershed has attracted much interest and effort with respect to the restoration of its health and the improvement of its biological integrity.

     

In conjunction with Earthplace staff members, volunteers collect dissolved oxygen data in shallow water harbors using field equipment such as dissolved oxygen meters, conductivity meters and pH meters. This information is used to construct oxygen profiles of harbors and document hypoxic (low oxygen tensions) events which may occur during the warm summer months. These conditions are damaging to most marine life forms.

Data that is collected and processed is supplied to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) to aid in their study of hypoxic events in LIS.  Volunteers also actively participate in catch-and-release research efforts on benthic (bottom dwelling) marine juvenile fish in local near-shore estuaries of LIS.  Data from this effort is also supplied to the CT DEP Fisheries Division.  Photos from a typical boat trip in the Norwalk harbor.

Data on nutrient concentrations, bacteria and aquatic insect populations are gathered in freshwater watershed areas.

HW/RW data analysis is conducted in the Earthplace Water Quality Research Lab. This is a fully equipped research lab with fecal coliform count, nutrient analysis, and larval fish and insect identification/count capabilities. State and federally approved Quality Control / Quality Assurance (QA/QC) protocols are in place and the lab has Environmental Laboratory certification from the State of CT Department of Health.

HW/RW activities not only allow Earthplace to have a role in collecting and disseminating valuable scientific data, they also support our mission by teaching participants about aquatic and marine resources and the need for wise use and conservation of these critical and fragile habitats.

Each month HW/RW compiles a water quality report on data collected at 10 established water-sampling sites.  Thanks to the Norwalk River Watershed Association (NRWA), these reports are available at www.norwalkriver.org/waterreadings.htm.  The reports contain information on indicator bacteria levels, dissolved oxygen conditions, and conductivity.  The headwaters of the Norwalk River Watershed are in Ridgefield and its terminus is the Norwalk Harbor.
 

HW/RW In The News

View a Movie about Harbor Watch/River Watch
If you are experiencing problems playing the movie, please download the free latest Windows Media player

 

Lack of Controls Imperils Norwalk River, Redding Pilot, February 21, 2008

Funds OK'd for Survey of Estuaries, Westport News, January 30, 2008

High Water Marks: Dick Harris, Norwalk River Watershed Association, Inc., Fall/Winter 2007/2008 (Word document)

Earthplace: Norwalk River swimming in E. coli bacteria, The Advocate, December 4, 2007

Assessing the Health of a River, Westport Minuteman, September 15, 2007

Pollutants persist despite reduced animal count, The Advocate, September 14, 2007

Health District Testing Waters of Muddy Brook, Westport Now, June 30, 2007

Auxiliary Trains with Harbor Watch/River Watch, June 2007 (Word document)

Deep Commitment  Norwalk Advocate, October 4, 2006

Doing nothing may be best for environment  The Sunday Hour, September 3, 2006

Pond drained, fish die, well dries - Norwalk River being tested for contaminants  Wilton Villager, August 15, 2006

Experts look to solve Norwalk River’s pollution problems  The Hour, July 28, 2006

Large Fish Kill Causes Concern The Advocate, August 26, 2005 (Adobe Acrobat format)

Saugatuck Test Sites Show Good Up-River Results  The Westport News, August 12, 2005

State Tries to Reduce River Pollution The Wilton Bulletin, July 28, 2005

Norwalk River water-testing program saved  The Norwalk Advocate, May 10, 2005 (Adobe Acrobat format)

'Complacency' keeps Norwalk River dirty, water monitor says  The Norwalk Advocate, April 21, 2005

Norwalk River is Rather Dirty  The Wilton Bulletin, December 16, 2004

Water Keepers  The Advocate, December 12, 2004  (Adobe Acrobat format)

Harbor Watch/River Watch Program named a Conservation Partner of the Year by the Southwest Conservation District, October 25, 2004

 

Volunteering 

Participants include diverse dedicated citizens of all ages, including high school and college students as well as adults.  Volunteers may conduct onsite testing or laboratory analysis, pilot or man our research vessels, process the collected data or act as mentors.  Volunteer-training workshops are offered in the fall and spring.

    

Internships

Each year Earthplace offers water quality internship positions to area high school and college students.  Contact us for more information at info@earthplace.org.

 

Resources - Information and organizations related to local watersheds and water quality

Nonpoint Source Pollution
Norwalk River Watershed Association
Long Island Sound Study
EPA Monitoring Water Quality
U.S. Geological Survey Programs in Connecticut
My Watershed - pictures of CT's West Coast watershed areas
The River Network -
national organization that helps people understand, protect and restore rivers and their watersheds
Rivers Alliance - statewide coalition of river organizations and individuals formed to protect and enhance Connecticut's rivers
U.S. EPA's guide to the Saugatuck Watershed
U.S. EPA's guide to the Long Island Sound Watershed
CT DEP Bureau of Water Management
U.S. EPA Watershed Information Network links for New England