Merrimack River Watershed Council

Merrimack River Watershed Council Protecting the Merrimack River Watershed for people and wildlife from Franklin, NH to Plum Island, MA

If you spend time along the Merrimack, you’ve probably seen a tall, slate-blue silhouette standing perfectly still at th...
06/19/2026

If you spend time along the Merrimack, you’ve probably seen a tall, slate-blue silhouette standing perfectly still at the river’s edge, waiting for the right moment.

Great blue herons depend on healthy river habitat: calm shallows, backwaters, and wetlands where fish, frogs, and insects thrive. When we restore wetlands, improve water quality, and reconnect streams to the Merrimack, we’re not just helping the river—we’re helping the wildlife that call it home.

Keep an eye out at sunrise or dusk, especially near quieter coves and marshy edges. And if you spot one hunting, flying low over the water, or perched like a lookout, tell us where!

It’s National River Month—and the Merrimack’s story is still being written.Rivers give us drinking water, wildlife habit...
06/18/2026

It’s National River Month—and the Merrimack’s story is still being written.

Rivers give us drinking water, wildlife habitat, places to paddle and fish, and natural protection from floods. But they only stay healthy when we do the work: tracking pollution, restoring wetlands, reconnecting habitat, and pushing for smart fixes that last.

Your support powers our on-the-ground work across the Merrimack River watershed—so we can find problem bacteria sources, move restoration projects forward, and protect the places we all depend on.

If you’ve been meaning to give, National River Month is the perfect moment. Our appeal ends June 30. Will you join us?

Donate today at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ZBXFTQSPVF4Z8

Beavers are quiet river engineers—and the Merrimack feels their impact every day.By building dams and creating wetlands,...
06/17/2026

Beavers are quiet river engineers—and the Merrimack feels their impact every day.

By building dams and creating wetlands, beavers slow water down, reduce erosion, trap sediment, and help filter pollutants—supporting cleaner water and more resilient habitat for fish, birds, and amphibians.

Have you spotted beaver signs along the Merrimack (gnawed trunks, slides, lodges)? Tell us where!

Imagine a brook in which fish can travel freely again all the way to the spawning grounds their ancestors used before th...
06/16/2026

Imagine a brook in which fish can travel freely again all the way to the spawning grounds their ancestors used before the mills went up.

That's what's on the table for Beaver Brook in Dracut. The Collinsville Dam has outlived its industrial purpose, and removing it would reopen miles of habitat for river herring, American eel, American shad, and sea lamprey — while making Dracut safer and more climate-resilient.

The Town of Dracut is hosting a public meeting to share where the project stands, and we'd love to see you there. Engineers will walk through the plan, and there'll be plenty of time for your questions. MRWC and staff will be on hand too.

🗓 Tuesday, June 16 | 6–7 PM
📍 Harmony Hall, across from 1655 Lakeview Ave, Dracut

Come learn, ask questions, and be part of the conversation about Beaver Brook's future. Link in bio for project details.

The Merrimack has quite a story. After the canals were begun in the late 1700s, textile mills dumping dye and arsenic st...
06/16/2026

The Merrimack has quite a story. After the canals were begun in the late 1700s, textile mills dumping dye and arsenic straight into the water in the 1800s. From then on, the river changed. It was named one of the 10 most polluted rivers in the country. With the help of the Clean Water Act in 1976, decades of cleanup, the river is healthier today than it's been in generations.

We've been part of that story since 1976 and the first push to clean up the river. The next chapter? That part is still being written.

In 2026, your support helps us track down those unknown bacteria sources in Newburyport Harbor and at the Lawrence Dam impoundment, push dam removals forward in Westford, Groveland, Billerica, Dracut, and Andover and keep our culvert work going to bring fish back and to cut flooding and reconnect aquatic habitat across the watershed.

Fifty years in, the river still needs our help. We intend to step up. What comes next is up to all of us. Our summer appeal ends June 30, and we're counting on our community.

Join us today at www.merrimack.org!

Tiny bird, big journey. Piping plovers nest on our sandy Atlantic beaches each summer—but what happens upstream in the M...
06/13/2026

Tiny bird, big journey. Piping plovers nest on our sandy Atlantic beaches each summer—but what happens upstream in the Merrimack River watershed still matters. These fluffy chicklets and speedy sand sprinters benefit from clean water from the river, too!

Cleaner water flowing out of the Merrimack supports healthier estuaries and coastal habitat, where young fish and invertebrates thrive—fueling the food web shorebirds rely on. Protecting rivers, wetlands, and salt marshes means protecting the coast, too.

If you’re visiting the beach, help plovers by:

- staying outside roped nesting areas
- keeping dogs leashed (where allowed)
- giving these “beach sprinters” space to feed and rest

Have you seen a piping plover this season?

Ever wonder what protecting a river actually looks like day to day? Here's a year of it.875 water samples tested. 15 mon...
06/12/2026

Ever wonder what protecting a river actually looks like day to day? Here's a year of it.

875 water samples tested. 15 monitoring sites. 30+ trained citizen scientists supporting our work. 5,000+ trees planted since 2023. And 700,000 people drinking from this river every single day.

The work moves in a loop: we monitor conditions year-round, flag priority issues and results that don't look right, dig in to find the source and find solutions, and then advocate for a fix or get out there and do the restoration work ourselves.

None of it happens without people who decide the river is worth it. Give to our summer appeal and you're not just funding the science — you're making it possible to act on what the science turns up.

Join us in writing the story of the Merrimack River's future—our appeal ends June 30! Donate today: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ZBXFTQSPVF4Z8

MRWC turns 50 this year. Five decades of showing up for the Merrimack — and the river is in far better shape than it was...
06/10/2026

MRWC turns 50 this year. Five decades of showing up for the Merrimack — and the river is in far better shape than it was when we started.

But our water quality testing is picking up something we can't look past. In Newburyport Harbor, bacteria levels have jumped 3 to 10 times higher than what we saw in 2024 (and not just due to sewer overflow or stormwater runoff). That points to a source we haven't pinned down yet. Upstream, the Lawrence Dam impoundment is also showing unexplained high bacteria levels.

Here's how we think about it: knowing the water's unsafe is a warning. Knowing why is how we actually fix it. Tracking down the source is our big priority for 2026 — and our summer appeal is what gets us there.

The river is asking for help. We're stepping up. Want to be part of the story? Our Summer Appeal ends June 30th! Pledge your support today:

Culverts might be out of sight, but they shape everything downstream—fish movement, stream health, and flood risk in our...
06/02/2026

Culverts might be out of sight, but they shape everything downstream—fish movement, stream health, and flood risk in our communities.

Quick reminder: our NAACC-certified culvert assessment trainings in Andover, MA are coming up soon, and spots are limited. Learn how to evaluate culverts for fish passage and structural condition, and contribute data that will directly support a watershed-wide picture of what’s happening beneath the Merrimack watershed.
Fish Passage Training is June 6, 7, 13, and 14. Culvert Conditions Training is June 11. Trainings run about 9 AM to 4 PM in Andover.

Sign up for one or both—registration details can be found here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/bEs4BjGwjoQX2hP8azQxYw

Can you hear them? They are the heralds of: spring peepers 🐸🎶If you’ve heard a high-pitched chorus at dusk, you’ve been ...
06/02/2026

Can you hear them? They are the heralds of: spring peepers 🐸🎶If you’ve heard a high-pitched chorus at dusk, you’ve been listening to spring peepers. These seasonal singers breed in vernal pools in our region’s seasonal wetlands. What you’re hearing are love songs—these frogs are looking for mates!

Because they live in wetlands that are temporary and formed by spring rain, spring peeper are particularly sensitive to habitat loss. You might not know you’re standing in their home in drier seasons! They’re also sensitive to storm water run off and other pollution, which can be absorbed through their skin. If you see these little guys, just look, don’t touch. They’re a delicate part of our ecosystem.

What you can do: protect wetlands, avoid lawn chemicals near water, and keep pets out of sensitive pools. Your reward is a sweet spring song!

Address

60 Island Street, Suite 246
Lawrence, MA
01840

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Merrimack River Watershed Council posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Merrimack River Watershed Council:

Shortcuts

Share

Category