Official Nashua River Watershed Association

09/04/2026

THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS!

Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and staff, NRWA successfully completed another season of Weekly Swimming Hole Monitoring, collecting samples at popular swimming locations throughout the watershed every week this summer.

We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this season a success!

09/02/2026

Next Friday, September 11, we'll gather to celebrate art, nature, and community at the opening reception for Fearless With Color.

Featuring the work of award-winning watercolor artist John Barnard, this exhibition highlights the beauty, energy, and emotion of the natural world through bold color and expressive brushwork. We're grateful that a portion of sales will benefit NRWA and help support our programs.

Visit JohnBarnard.com for more information

We hope you'll join us for this special evening.

08/31/2026

If you have ever looked at the natural world and wondered “Why?”, “What?” or “How?” then Curiosity Club is for you!

Join Nashua River Watershed Association Education Staff for an hour of exploration with nature specimens, magnifiers, microscopes and plenty of time to investigate and find answers. Bring your own nature finds to share with the group! (No live specimen please! 😊)

This program is ideal for children from K through 5th grade, with their grown-ups. Adult participants are always welcome.

Registration is required at each location as numbers are limited. Details are below:
Saturday, September 19th from 11 – 12:30 PM @ Thayer Library in Lancaster, MA
https://thayermemoriallibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/curiosity-club-view-nature-specimens-under-a-microscope/

Saturday, September 26th from 10 – 11AM @ Brookline Public Library Saturday
Register by calling (603) 673-3330

Tuesday, October 20th 4:30 – 5:30 PM @ Ashby Free Public Library
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTLmxBnuHD4GmZ-q2Xh6lnvKIe7tEiYQKerhbe43P5e1cOYg/viewform

These free science programs have been funded by a generous grant from the Further Forward Foundation.

08/28/2026

As summer comes to a close, we want to thank our summer intern, Marcy, for all her contributions to NRWA!

Marcy is a Wildlife Ecology student at the University of Maine, concentrating in Wetlands Ecology. This summer, she helped NRWA with water quality monitoring and ecological restoration projects.

Marcy was a great addition to our team, and we are grateful for all her hard work.

Thank you, Marcy, and best wishes as you head back to school!

08/26/2026

Today, four NRWA members joined Executive Director Cliff Simmonds for a Picnic & Paddle on the Nashua River as part of our recent membership appeal incentive.

Along with Development Director Sarah Rose and Education Director Gaynor Bigelbach, the group enjoyed a beautiful morning on the water, spotting painted turtles, vibrant cardinal flowers, and plenty of late summer scenery along the way.

And most importantly... nobody fell in!

A big thank you to our friends at Nashoba Paddler, LLC, and to our wonderful guests Mark, Nancy, Pamela, and Larry for spending the morning with us on the river.

08/26/2026

The Indigenous Landscape Initiative (IN LAND) invites you to come out to learn about Indigenous histories and cultures of land stewardship this Sunday, August 30th from 1:00 to 4:30pm at Harbor Pond in Townsend, MA. Deepen your own relationship with the land by helping to restore a portion of the Harbor Pond ecosystem through removal of invasive species and helping to foster beneficial plants! Details and registration form at: https://indigenouslandscapeinitiative.org/upcoming-events/land-learning-and-stewardship-on-harbor-pond/

This event is hosted by In Land, in partnership with the Townsend Historical Society and Squannacook Greenways, the non-profit that built and maintains the Squannacook River Rail Trail. In Land is pleased to be collaborating with the Odanak Land & Environment Office of the Grand Council of the Waban-Aki Nation. Funding is provided by the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers Wild & Scenic Stewardship Council through the National Park Service under CFDA: 15.962 – National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Join In Land at Harbor Pond in Townsend, MA on Sunday, August 30 from 1–4:30pm to help restore the land and learn Indigenous stewardship practices.

08/21/2026

Thank you, Main Street Bank !

Their team joined us on the river and helped remove 44 baskets of invasive water chestnut in just a few hours. Every basket removed helps improve habitat, recreation, and water quality throughout the watershed.

We're grateful for their support and partnership in protecting the rivers and streams we all depend on.

08/19/2026

A Day in the Life of a Water Sample.

One minute you're floating peacefully in the Nashua River watershed. The next, you're scooped into a bottle, filtered through a syringe, carefully labeled, packed on ice, analyzed, and transformed into data that helps us understand the health of our rivers and streams.

Our Water Quality Monitoring Program relies on dedicated staff and volunteers who collect samples throughout the watershed, helping track water quality trends and identify potential concerns. Every sample tells a story, and every data point helps protect the waters we all depend on.

Swipe through to follow the journey from river to results!

Want to learn more? Visit nashuariverwatershed.org/monitoring/

08/17/2026

Native or Invasive?

How well do you know the plants growing in and around our watershed?

Swipe through, make your guesses, and see if you can tell which plants are native and which are invasive. Then head to the comments and let us know: How many did you get right?

Challenge your friends and compare scores!