Ipswich River Watershed Association

10/29/2026

💧🌿 Vote Yes on Question 6 to protect water and nature!

Our rivers, forests, wetlands, parks, and trails are worth investing in.

This November 3, Massachusetts voters have an opportunity to support conservation across the state, without raising taxes. Question 6 would dedicate existing state sales tax revenue from sporting goods and recreational purchases to a new fund supporting land and water conservation.

For the Ipswich River, that could mean more resources to protect drinking water, restore wetlands and streams, conserve important habitat, and build resilience to drought.

At IRWA, we know that protecting our river takes sustained investment and community commitment. That’s why we’re proud to endorse Yes on Question 6!

👉 Read our latest blog to learn why this matters for the Ipswich River and communities across Massachusetts.

https://www.ipswichriver.org/vote-yes-on-6-protecting-the-ipswich-river-and-investing-in-our-natural-future/?fbclid=IwY2xjawVQLS5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR8rQTNe2rOhiF3GJStJdEjtZafdxJ626xG4XrsxLvv6z0xQOeKjMbL65LTeOQ_aem_3euRx3gFCGYjydXK9mc4FQ

This November, Massachusetts voters have an opportunity to make a lasting investment in the health of our rivers, forests, parks, trails, and everything else we love about our open spaces. IRWA is proud to endorse Yes on Question 6, a statewide ballot initiative that would establish a dedicated fund...

10/08/2026

💩 Help Us Get to the Bottom of River Pollution!

We’re teaming up with scientists from Northeastern University on a microbial source-tracking project to help identify sources of pollution entering local waterways after rain events and better understand the impacts on our clam flats.

And we need your help collecting the evidence! 🐾 The key ingredient? Animal p**p. From neighborhood wildlife and farm animals to your own backyard pets, these samples can help scientists trace pollution back to its source.

Here’s how to participate:
🧪 Review the sample collection instructions. (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GqsiLr60OjawPe4Zs-pJycicdbgbKWLu/view)
📍 Pick up sample bags at IRWA headquarters at Riverbend.
💩 Collect a sample and drop it back off at Riverbend. We’ll get it to the scientists!

Not up for collecting a sample yourself? If you have animals we could sample from, email us and we’ll come to you!

Help turn a little p**p into a lot of science. Your contribution could help us better understand what’s flowing into our waterways! 🌊

Learn more about the Northeastern University research project.

https://sites.google.com/northeastern.edu/bowenlabnortheastern/research/keeping-clams-clean-tracking-microbial-contamination-of-clam-flats

The soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria) fishery is an iconic fishery that is a defining feature of Massachusetts’ working waterfronts, where fried clam shacks are a tourist staple. Yet, this fishery, one of the top 10 fisheries in Massachusetts, is facing decline from numerous causes including warming

10/05/2026

🎨 We’re Hiring: Design Manager! 🌿

Are you a graphic designer who loves turning ideas into compelling visuals? Want your creative work to make a difference for the environment?

The Ipswich River Watershed Association is looking for a full-time Design Manager to lead our visual and creative direction, bring our stories to life, and help inspire people to protect the Ipswich River.

If you’re a creative problem-solver with strong graphic design skills and a passion for the environment, we’d love for you to take a look!

👉 Check out the job description and learn more:

We are a small group of professionals dedicated to protecting the invaluable Ipswich River through science, restoration, advocacy, and public education and outreach programs. We expect your passion for the river is what brings you here as well. Thank you for your interest in joining us in this impor...

09/30/2026

We’re excited to co-host the final Massachusetts Rivers Alliance on the Road stop of the year in North Reading! 🌊

Join us Thursday, October 22 at Hopothecary Ales to connect with river lovers, community members, and partners from across Northern Massachusetts.

Everyone is welcome, and complimentary food and drinks will be provided. Come raise a glass with us and celebrate the rivers that connect our communities!

📍 Hopothecary Ales Brewery & Kitchen, North Reading
🗓️ Thursday, October 22
⏰ 5:30–8:00 PM

Register here:

We hope you will join us for an evening celebrating our incredible community of wavemakers! Come ready to eat, drink, and chat with our river friends from all…

09/30/2026

Massachusetts Rivers Alliance on the Road is coming to North Reading!

We’re so excited to welcome our friends at Massachusetts Rivers Alliance to the watershed on Thursday, October 22. We’ll be hanging out with them at Hopothecary Ales Brewery & Kitchen in for an evening with North Shore community members, partners, and river lovers.

Come learn, connect, and raise a glass to our rivers. Everyone is welcome! Complimentary food and drinks will be provided.

📍 Hopothecary Ales, North Reading
🗓️ Thursday, October 22
⏰ 5:30–8:00 PM

Register through the link in our bio! 🌊

09/28/2026

🌈🍂 From nor’easter to sunshine? We’ll take it! 🛶☀️

After riding out the latest nor'easter drama, Thursday is looking pretty sweet: 77° and sunny! Which sounds like the perfect time to get out on the Ipswich River for our Rainbow Fall Foliage Pride Paddle.

Join us for a gentle, social paddle and take in the changing colors, peaceful river scenery, and wildlife along the way. This is a welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ community members and allies to connect, relax, and enjoy the river together.

🛶 All gear provided
🌈 All paddling experience levels welcome
🍂 Fall foliage + river wildlife
☀️ Thursday, October 2 at 4:00 PM
📍 Ipswich River Watershed Association, Riverbend

We’ll start with a brief on-land safety orientation before heading out. Space is limited, so register today and come paddle into fall with us!

Join us to taking in the sights of fall on the Ipswich River. This is a welcoming, safe space for LGBTQIA+ community members and allies to connect, relax, and enjoy the beauty of the Ipswich River together. We’ll start with a brief, on-land safety orientation before heading out for a gentle, socia...

09/11/2026

🔎🌿 What can we discover at Hood Pond?

Join IRWA for BioBlitz: Participatory Science at Hood Pond on Saturday, September 26!

This fun, family-friendly community science event is a chance to explore the incredible biodiversity around Hood Pond while contributing to real scientific research. We’ll learn to identify plants and animals, collect environmental data, investigate water quality, and use iNaturalist to record our observations.

No experience necessary! Whether you’re a seasoned birder, a budding botanist, or simply curious about what’s living around the pond, there’s something to discover. 🐸🍄🦋🌳

📅 Saturday, September 26
⏰ 10 AM–12 PM
📍 Hood Pond, Topsfield

Learn more and register here:

09/08/2026

This summer, IRWA staff and interns headed to Boston for a behind-the-scenes look at how watershed organizations and lawmakers work to protect our rivers and communities.

The day included a visit with the Charles River Watershed Association, a meeting with a Massachusetts legislator’s office, and conversations about everything from flood resilience and water quality to climate legislation and funding for environmental projects.

For our interns, it was a chance to see that protecting a river takes more than time on the water. It also means building relationships, speaking up, and making sure the needs of our rivers and communities are heard.

Read more about their day beyond the riverbank! 👇

On July 14th, IRWA staff and interns made a trip to Boston and met with staff from the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and had a meeting with one of our legislators on Beacon Hill.  Our first stop was CRWA, where we listened to a few staff members talk about their mission, gave us an [.....

09/03/2026

She first came down the Ipswich River as a camper. This summer, she came back as a counselor. 🛶💚

More than a decade after her first canoe trip, our 2026 Kerry Mackin Intern returned to the river to introduce more than 600 young people to the place that helped spark her own love of nature.

From water quality testing and macroinvertebrates to turtles, teamwork, and an ecological “murder mystery,” she spent 23 days leading programs on and off the river and sharing her enthusiasm with the next generation.

Now she’s heading back to UMass Amherst for her senior year, but we’re so glad she spent the summer with us!

Read her story of coming full circle on the Ipswich River. 👇

Over a decade ago, I was an elementary schooler taking her first canoe trip down the Ipswich River at summer camp. Wearing a massive smile and unbelievable amounts of sunscreen, I sat in the center of the canoe, listening to the birds and feeling the water splash up onto me.  Over a decade later, I...

08/28/2026

💧 It’s World Water Week! We’re celebrating by taking a closer look at what’s in our water, and how we know whether our rivers are healthy.

Have you ever wondered what’s in the Ipswich River? We’ve been tracking it!

Led by Ryan O’Donnell, our Science & Monitoring team collects data on water quality, macroinvertebrates, and streamflow to help us understand the health of the Ipswich River and inform our restoration and resiliency work.

With the help of our extraordinary Riverwatch volunteers, we collect water quality samples at 35 sites throughout the Ipswich River watershed and beyond, including the mainstem and major tributaries.

And now, you can explore the data, too! 🌊

This summer, intern Fiona Monahan developed a new interactive dashboard where you can explore our monitoring data and see long-term trends in the health of the river.

🔎 Dive into the data and see what we’re finding!
https://019fdd15-9743-740e-0430-f5f8cc918311.share.connect.posit.cloud/