Friends of the Occoquan

05/15/2026

The Prince William Scouting America leadership program was held last night at Osbourne High School in Manassas. Attended by leaders and scouts from Cub Scouts, Troops, Sea Scouts, and Venturing crews, the event brought together dedicated young people and community leaders committed to service and leadership development.
We were delighted to represent the Friends of the Occoquan and share information about our environmental programs and watershed cleanup efforts. Andy Tainter of the Prince William District Committee explained that the purpose of this leadership program is to support fundraising initiatives benefiting a variety of community organizations throughout the area.

04/30/2026

Environmental awareness among young people is incredibly important. I truly appreciate the teacher for sharing these thoughtful essays from her students, reflecting their efforts and commitment to helping clean up the Occoquan River.

04/27/2026

Saturday, April 25th, 2026
FOTO members Betty Vanegas and Sonia Monson had the pleasure of attending the PWCS Student Environmental Action Showcase (SEAS) this Saturday at Woodbridge High School, and we left truly inspired.

We were both so impressed by the creativity, organization, and passion on display throughout the event. The students’ projects were phenomenal and showed just how powerful young people can be when given the opportunity to lead and innovate. From creating leather alternatives out of SCOBY, to recyclable art projects, to thoughtful exhibits highlighting litter, waste reduction, and environmental stewardship—every display reflected hard work, vision, and commitment to making a difference.

FOTO was a community partner at the event, where we had the opportunity to share our projects and demonstrate how to make a rain barrel for visitors and passersby. It was wonderful connecting with the community and promoting practical ways we can all support sustainability at home.

Kudos to Melinda Mandry and her team of dedicated adult and student volunteers for organizing such an outstanding showcase. Your hard work and leadership made this event a tremendous success.

Sometimes pictures say more than words—and these certainly do! 🌎♻️🌱

04/22/2026

A Happy Earth Day. It's our Power and our Earth. You, our devoted volunteers, made a difference by picking up litter from our drinking water source, the Beautiful Occoquan River and Reservoir. You earned an Earth Day thank you.

04/22/2026

This past weekend, Friends of the Occoquan held a Rain Barrel Workshop at Pohick Regional Library in Burke. The workshop was presented by Sonia Monson and FOTO member Steve Hunter. Librarian Celeste Simon was the organizer and did a great job. She was welcoming, organized, and wonderful to work with, along with the rest of the library staff.

It had been quite some time since I, Sonia Monson, had been in a library, and I was impressed by how much they have changed. Pohick is a wonderful community space offering many valuable programs and resources. Pohick is a great community space offering so many useful programs.

Steve and I demonstrated how to turn a food-grade barrel into a rain barrel for water harvesting and talked about the benefits of saving rainwater for gardens, lawns, and reducing runoff into the watershed.

It was a great event with lots of good questions and interest from the audience. FOTO also has rain barrels for sale for $65 (assembly required). Visit our website for more information. https://www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org/

04/16/2026

Rain Barrel Workshop this weekend!
Date:
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time:
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location:
Pohick Meeting Room 1
Library Branch:
Pohick Regional Library
Learn how to turn a food grade barrel into a rain barrel for water harvesting! The Friends of the Occoquan will demonstrate how a food grade barrel is turned into a rain barrel and will work with participants to build one together.

With captured rainwater, you can water lawns and gardens, wash cars, save water during peak summer months, reduce pollution by decreasing toxins that are filtered into the watershed, and help control moisture levels around the foundation of your home.

Please note: This is a demonstration. Participants will not receive a rain barrel to take home. However, FOTO does sell rain barrels for $65. Visit our website for more details. http://www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org

Adults and families welcome.

04/16/2026

Invasive Removal Day at Brentsville Courthouse.

To celebrate Earth Day, join staff and volunteers along the hiking trail at Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre to remove invasives that suffocate native trees. If you can pull your shoestrings, you have the skills to help pull destructive invasive Japanese honeysuckle vines. Cutting damaging Eng...

04/16/2026

Free Rain Barrel Workshop by Friends of the Occoquan:
Date:
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time:
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location:
Pohick Meeting Room 1, Pohick Regional Prince William Library Foundation
Learn how to turn a food grade barrel into a rain barrel for water harvesting! The Friends of the Occoquan will demonstrate how a food grade barrel is turned into a rain barrel and will work with participants to build one together.

With captured rain water, you can water lawns and gardens, wash cars, save water during peak summer months, reduce pollution by decreasing toxins that are filtered into the watershed, and help control moisture levels around the foundation of your home.

Please note: This is a demonstration. Participants will not receive a rain barrel to take home. However, we do sell rain barrels for $65. Visit our website at http://www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org for more information.

Adults and families welcome.

04/15/2026

Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) River Cleanup
Saturday, April 11, 2026

FOTO successfully hosted a large-scale cleanup across seven locations along the Occoquan River/Reservoir. 180 volunteer efforts spanned Bull Run, Fountainhead, Lake Ridge, and Occoquan Regional Parks and Marinas, as well as the Town of Occoquan, the Occoquan Forest community, and the Harbour Brethren site.
Dedicated volunteers worked diligently both on land and from the water, removing an impressive number of 145 trash bags, along with larger discarded items such as rugs, televisions, tires, gasoline cans, Propane canisters, buckets, large Styrofoam pieces, all kinds of fishing gear, and dozens of planter pots. Their collective efforts significantly improved the health and beauty of our vital waterway.
It is truly inspiring to witness such strong community commitment to protecting the environment and safeguarding the region’s drinking water supply. Equipped with gloves, bags, and grabbers, returning volunteers were joined by many new families and young participants, reflecting a growing awareness and stewardship among all generations.
Community participation was exceptional. Boy Scout Troop 1369 collected debris in the Town of Occoquan. Physics teacher Lori Pawlik brought 15 students from Colgan High School to assist at Lake Ridge Park. A Fairfax Water employee came out with his sons, and employees from American Water generously supported the effort and provided a resource table with drinking water for volunteers. Students from Lake Ridge Middle School and Woodbridge High School contributed their time and energy, while twenty South County Key Club volunteers worked at Occoquan Regional Park. Additional support came from Prince William County Water employees and the Sandy Run Scullers Rowing Club at Fountainhead Marina, and the GeoTrackers, who showed strong participation at Bull Run Marina.
FOTO thanks all "River Hero" volunteers for their time and effort. Their commitment, along with the invaluable cooperation of park managers and staff, generous sponsors, community leaders, and FOTO’s station managers, made this event a resounding success.
Together, we are making a meaningful difference—ensuring that the Occoquan River continues to shine for generations to come.

All pictures will be posted on our website at www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org.

04/14/2026

Virginia Health Officials Issue Fish Consumption Advisory for Occoquan Watershed
April 14, 2026

April 14, 2026 Media Contact: Brookie Crawford, [email protected] Virginia Health Officials Issue Fish Consumption Advisory for Occoquan Watershed Contaminants Identified in Bluegill Sunfish, Largemouth Bass RICHMOND, Va. – Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health (...