WESTFIELD – Low water levels forced the Westfield River Watershed Association to cancel its annual paddling event earlier this summer, but low water may be an advantage for WRWA’s fall river cleanup. Volunteers may be able to remove some items in the riverbed that 
haven’t been accessible in other years. On Saturday, September 24, helpers of all ages will haul out piles of trash and large debris from various rivers and streams in the Westfield River watershed. Organizers will target sites in Westfield, Russell, Huntington, West Springfield and Agawam. The annual cleanup, sponsored by WRWA, is a great way to celebrate autumn and help protect this valuable natural resource.
Volunteers for the Fall 2016 Westfield River cleanup should gather at one of two locations no later than 9:00 a.m., meeting in Westfield in the public parking lot at the end of Meadow Street near the new green bridge or in Agawam at the Pynchon Point parking lot near the South End bridge circle on River Road. WRWA will distribute gloves and trash bags and offer safety tips, then send off site teams. Assignments are generally completed by 1:00 pm or earlier.
Everyone is welcome, but children must be supervised by an adult. WRWA will arrange with local communities for pickup of trash and debris recovered at each site. For questions, contact Mark Damon regarding Westfield locations at 413-977-1577, [email protected] or Sheryl Becker for Agawam area sites at 413-374-1921, [email protected].
The Westfield River Watershed Association was established in 1953 to protect and improve the natural resources of the watershed, as well as to expand recreational and other land use opportunities for people’s enjoyment and for sound ecology. To learn more, visit www.westfieldriver.org.
