This week at Rotary... 
We had a full house this week at Rotary to hear from past DG Joan Arsenault, Erin Casey and Ann Witzig about the state of the rivers in District 7930. They discussed the current state of the Ipswich River, which provides water to over 350,000 individuals and businesses on the North Shore. They have applied for a Rotary International global grant. As a review, the entire endeavor began when Joan Arsenault saw on the news that the Ipswich River is one of the ten most endangered in the country. They were also able to partner with a club from Ipswich, England. With this global grant, they are developing a toolkit for water conservation and advocacy, and learn more about how to get involved in saving our rivers!
The Ipswich River Watershed Association is a group of citizens, scientists, businesses, and communities concerned about the health of the Ipswich River and its watershed. Their aim is to protect nature and make sure there is enough clean, safe, reliable water for people and wildlife.
Erin Casey more or less inherited this grant process. She spoke about how this is a community issue stemming way beyond Ipswich. The river begins in Burlington and snakes its way to the Atlantic Ocean. The watershed area, however, is much larger, and the focus of the Ipswich River Watershed Association is obviously on the watershed area. We have recently had record high and low flows over the last few years, which shows the extremes that we face resulting from climate change. About 30 communities use the river as a water source, including Salem. Studies show that the largest use of water from the Ipswich River is for watering lawns during the summer months which is when the water supply most stretched.
The next step for the association is to engage the community. They've been speaking to people at garden centers around the watershed about the impact of outdoor water use. They are always looking for volunteers for these opportunities to speak to the public They have published a guide for water usage. Getting the entire community to use 40 gallons of water per person per day is the goal. If everyone was more mindful of water use then these goals are very achievable.
We voted on the name of the boat for the upcoming Great Salem Maritime Boat Regatta. The Salem Row-Tarian appeared to be in the lead. Come see Bouncy Bob Anthony, the bounciest Rotarian of them all, next Monday at the DCF Picnic. Details for both events are below.
NEXT WEEK IS AN EVENING MEETING!!!!
AS THE ROTARY WORLD TURNS...
Save our Waters: State of the Rivers in District 7930.
Supported by Ipswich-Rowley Rotary’s Global Grant, “Save the Ipswich River & Watersheds: The Lifeblood of Our Communities.” Join the webinar on August 24 from 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm.
Did you know that our water supplies on the North Shore are at risk due to overuse? Want your garden and your community to be prepared for the next drought? Join Ipswich-Rowley Rotary and the Ipswich River Watershed Association for an interactive webinar on the state of our rivers in northeastern MA and southeastern NH! We’ll discuss the current state of the Ipswich River, which provides water to over 350,000 individuals and businesses on the North Shore. Explore our toolkit for water conservation and advocacy, and learn more about how to get involved in saving our rivers! Members of the public are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend. Be a part of the solution!
50:50 Raffle
DCF Summer Picnic
Great Salem Maritime Cardboard Boat Regatta
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