Working toward a cleaner Watershed

In 2014, officials from Massachusetts and Rhode Island launched a coalition to protect the Ten Mile River Watershed. The goal was to improve water quality and communication across state lines. In the decade since, officials have become more focused on other projects and the protection of this bi-state watershed has once again fallen on passionate volunteers and citizens of the cities and towns along the rivers length. Today, the Ten Mile River Watershed is protected by two main organizations which are headquartered at opposite ends of the 22 mile long river. The Friends of the Ten Mile River Watershed are located in Plainville and the Ten Mile River Watershed Council is located in East Providence. Both organizations are very active and have unique strengths and partnerships. The Friends work with several organizations in MA including MA Rivers Alliance, Attleboro Land Trust, Hike Attleboro and Attleboro Sustainability Committee to name a few while TMRWC works with RI Rivers Council, Save the Bay and DEM among others. This offers a unique level of protection for our river which crosses state lines offering greater protection and advocacy. The Friends value these combined efforts and would like to strengthen our work to better protect our watershed. Between the Friends and TMRWC, there is no part of the watershed unaccounted for. The Friends are known for their cleanups and advocacy through working with the towns in the upper watershed and leading guided hikes while TMRWC is known for its work to restore herring in the lower river and its work at Hunts Mills. With all combined resources and partnerships, we will continue to protect and preserve our river and its tributaries.   We encourage you to become part of this effort. The Friends of the Ten Mile River Watershed meet at the Old Town Schoolhouse in the Old Town section of North Attleboro on the first Thursday of March, May, September and November at 6:30 PM. The Ten Mile River Watershed Council meet at Historic Hunts Mills in the Rumford section of East Providence. Call for dates. The president of the Friends is Ben Cote and he can be reached at 401-578-2746. The president of TMRWC is Keith Gonsalves and he can be reached at 401-474-3813. We look forward to seeing you on the river!

In addition to the Coalition dedicated to the entire river, the Friends are involved in a Green Coalition within Attleboro in which the most prominent advocacy organizations have come  together to protect the natural resources within the city. We also partner on the riverwalk in Attleboro to increase access to the river and to protect open space around it. We also work with groups in North Attleboro and Plainville to protect the river in those areas and are advisors in flood mitigation in all 3 towns as we prepare for changing weather patterns and a changing climate. We are strong supporters of preserving the water supplies for these towns and the removal of invasive plant species in and around our waterways such as Water Chestnuts and Japanese Knotweed.