The Water Closet, December 16, 2011
December 16th, 2011 | by Middleton Stream Team
Rower Erden Eruc waves to the world from his boat. Around-n-Over photo
A TURK’S DREAM
What do you do if you are a middle aged software and mechanical engineer dissatisfied with being cooped up in corporate offices all day? Rugged Erden Eruc friend of a friend of the Stream Team, Al Rosner1, decided to circumnavigate the globe on a very zigzag course under his own power fueled by food. More than a century ago Captain Joshua Slocum2 used wind as have many other ‘round-the-worlders’. Joshua devised an automatic steering rig for his seaworthy sloop ‘Spray’ and spent much of each day reading. High tech athlete Erden disdains sail and uses oars, mechanical ones Joshua wouldn’t recognize. (more…)
Local Restoration Projects Given Priority Status
December 15th, 2011 | by Brian
The aging Ipswich Mills Dam inhibits fish migration and degrades river habitat. A DER Priority Project studies the possibility of removing or modifying the dam to restore the river.
We are very pleased to announce that three Ipswich area ecological restoration projects have been selected for priority status through the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER)’s Priority Projects Program. Two dam related projects in the Ipswich River watershed (Ipswich Mills Dam Removal Evaluation in Ipswich and Curtis Pond Dam Removal in Middleton) as well as a salt marsh restoration project in the nearby Castle Neck River are three of the eleven projects throughout Massachusetts that were approved into the program this year.
Projects are selected based on expected ecological, social and economic benefits to the Commonwealth, underscoring their importance to the rivers and the region. DER has been an important partner in getting these projects to their current stages. Priority Project status will allow DER staff to work more closely with project proponents to increase the likelihood of restoration success at these critical sites.
Ipswich Canoe Map Stocking Stuffer
December 14th, 2011 | by Cynthia
This is the best map for paddling the Ipswich River! Canoe Map $4.50 for IRWA members; $5.50 for non-members.
The Ipswich River Canoe Map makes a great stocking stuffer for all those River lovers out there. This unique, 23 1⁄2 inch wide by 17 1⁄4 inch tall map comes on easy-to-read heavy white paper. The map lists 22 public access launch sites and rest stops from Woburn Street in Wilmington to the estuary where the river meets the sea. The distances between the 22 sites are listed in miles. All of the outstanding river features, as well as a wonderful history of the river, are described in detail on the back of the map. Buy now online ($10 minimum) by clicking here. For online purchases, when you reach the section which asks you to enter a description of how you’d like your donation to be used, please enter “1 Canoe Map.” A portion of your purchase supports our efforts to keep the river out of danger. Thanks!
Comments on the Canter Brook Estates Subdivision
December 12th, 2011 | by Kerry
An artists conception of what the senior housing building proposed for the Canter Brook property may look like.
The following is a letter from Kerry Mackin, Executive Director, Ipswich River Watershed Association, to the Editor of the Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle regarding the proposed Canter Brook Estates Subdivision.
To the Editor,
The Ipswich River Watershed Association has serious concerns about the proposed Canter Brook Estates subdivision. This project would represent a six-fold increase in the density of development, compared to what is allowed in the Groundwater Protection Overlay District (GPOD) of which this property is a part. This is important, because what happens in the GPOD, including the Canter Brook property, affects the drinking water of Hamilton and Wenham. The proposed development may also adversely affect fish and wildlife and increase flooding problems. (more…)
