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Merrimack River Watershed Council, Inc. http://www.merrimack.org
Position: Office Manager
Email: info@merrimack.org
Phone: 978.275.0120
Fax: 978.275.0125
Merrimack River Watershed Council
Inc.
600 Suffolk Street
Fifth Floor
Lowell, MA 01850Map thisMission: Our mission is to protect the Merrimack River and promote the wise use of its watershed. %newline% %newline%Purpose: Our purpose is to fulfill our mission through environmental monitoring, watershed education, advocacy, recreation and community organizing. %newline% %newline%Vision: %newline%(1) Monitor the Merrimack River main...
For more information:
Name: Office ManagerPosition: Office Manager
Email: info@merrimack.org
Phone: 978.275.0120
Fax: 978.275.0125
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MAPP ProjectAs “The Voice of the Merrimack,” we are extremely concerned about the lack of definitive knowledge of the water quality in the Merrimack River, sources of pollution in the river and accountability of polluters.
The Merrimack River Water Quality Monitoring, Analyzing, Protecting and Promoting (MAPP) Project is a new three-phased project, which will quantify the water quality of the Merrimack River, discover the sources of pollution to the river, address and reduce pollution to the Merrimack River through both traditional and creative methods, and educate watershed constituents on how to protect this important resource.
The four basic components of the MAPP Project are Monitoring the water quality of the river, Analyzing the data that we collect to determine the sources of pollution, Protecting the watershed through innovative public and private partnership solutions to address sources and trends of pollution, and Promoting a healthy ecosystem through education and outreach.
Merrimack River Adopt-A-StreamMRWC and the Massachusetts Riverways Adopt-A-Stream program are working together to build a new Merrimack River Stream Team. This program will support projects to protect habitat on the river, restore natural flow in the river, and identify and mitigate sources of non-point pollution. The new Stream Team’s first project will be a Shoreline Survey to determine the current state of the river and identify problems. Depending on the results of the initial survey, additional river and shoreline restoration and monitoring projects will be developed. For more information about joining the Merrimack River Stream Team, see the Volunteer Opportunities section.
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Volunteer Env. Monitoring Network (VEMN)Sunday, November 01, 2009 - Sunday, October 31, 2010VEMN utilizes volunteers to monitor the waters and shoreline, the riparian area, along the Merrimack River in Massachusetts. The project team tests the water for dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, conductivity, salinity, bacteria and nutrients.
MRWC needs volunteers who own and operate motor boats and/or volunteers who are interested in taking water quality samples on the motor boats. We begin monitoring in May and continue through the summer until October. In the off-season we train people on how to use the equipment and take samples. The river is broken into four sections from the (1) state line in Tyngsboro to Lowell, (2) Lowell to Lawrence, (3) Lawrence to Haverhill and (4) Haverhill to the estuary in Newburyport. MRWC is looking to have four teams (one motor boat operator and two samplers) per section so that no team would have to monitor more than once per month (about 3-4 hours each time you are out).
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Office Administration AssistanceThursday, October 01, 2009 - Thursday, September 30, 2010We can definitely use some office help!
• Can you answer phones?
• Can you enter data into our membership software?
• Can you sort and send out office mailings?
• Do you know how to write and/or put together newsletters?
• Do you have experience putting together press releases?
• Do you have marketing experience?
• Do you know how to design or maintain a website?
If you have time to donate and are interested in helping us out in the office, please fill out the volunteer form on the Get Involved page and our office manager will contact you. No experience is necessary!
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Marketing SpecialistThursday, October 01, 2009 - Thursday, September 30, 2010Do you have skills in creating brochures, writing press releases, and/or writing newsletters? Are you interested in conducting surveys and analyzing the data for a good cause? Then we have an opportunity for you. We need someone who is very motivated and interested in helping us spread the word on who we are and what we do. Want more information? Give us a call!
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Natural Resource ConservationWater Quality Monitoring Training SessionThursday, October 01, 2009 - Thursday, September 30, 2010This training session is required for volunteers interested in collecting water quality information on the Merrimack River as part of the Merrimack River Water Quality Monitoring, Analyzing, Protecting and Promoting (MAPP) Project. During the session you will learn how to use and calibrate a multi-parameter water quality probe, how to use a GPS unit to find the monitoring stations, and why this program is critical to protecting the health of the Merrimack River.
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LaminatorMRWC needs a laminating machine both for creating public outreach displays and for protecting important information and instructions from water damage during water quality monitoring work. The laminator needs to be able to work with standard 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper as well as smaller size documents such as photos.
JMP8 Statistical SoftwareIn order to analyze water quality data collected during our monitoring season, we need statistical software that can identify significant trends and descriptive statistics. This software will also help us determine areas in the watershed where measured parameters exceed allowable limits.
Digital CamerasWe need several digital cameras for use in our Shoreline Survey and water quality monitoring programs to document problems and outfalls found along the Merrimack River. These cameras will be used on the water, and the waterproof feature of the Olympus Stylus series would be especially helpful.
Laptop ComputerMRWC needs 2 laptop computers with DVD drives no more than 2 years old for conducting outreach programs about the importance of clean water.
Desktop ComputerOur current office computers are more than 6 years old and are no longer capable of running up-to-date software. Please help us improve our office efficiency by donating up to 5 desktop computers, no more than 2 years old, that include DVD drives.
Office ChairsWe need 6 new or almost new office chairs. Our existing chairs are lumpy and falling apart, to the point that one has dumped people on the floor!
Future of the Merrimack River - Part 1Pop quiz!
What do the following have in common?
Recreation
Fishing
Boating
Paddling
Drinking water
Hydropower
Fish passage
Flooding
Irrigation
Transportation
Habitat
Food
Waste treatment disposal
Combined sewer overflow
If you guessed the Merrimack River, you are correct! With so many uses and issues on the river it would be nice to know that the local, state and federal authorities are keeping track of it all and making sure that this valuable resource is protected. Unfortunately, that is NOT the case.
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Future of the Merrimack River - Part 2History
Our Merrimack River once served as an “open dump” for industry and communities. Some of you remember warnings about not going near the river, nevertheless, swimming, boating or fishing in the river. There was a time when the Merrimack was so polluted that parents warned their children to stay away or risk severe health problems.
That is where we come in! Every great river in the Commonwealth and in the world is sustained by an organization that protects, monitors, advocates, and cares about it. The Merrimack River Watershed Council, Inc. (MRWC) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization formed in 1976 by citizens and regional planning commissions to promote citizen involvement in the clean-up of the Merrimack River. For over thirty years, we have been fulfilling our mission to protect and promote the wise use of the Merrimack River Watershed. Now, children in our communities learn to sail on the river and no shots are required!
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Future of the Merrimack River - Part 3Are river concerns relevant today?
The Merrimack River is an incredibly valuable resource. Although water is not a hard asset, it is a limited resource that needs to be protected; it affects the lives of millions of people who live, work and play in the Merrimack Valley. The main stem of the Merrimack River Watershed alone is:
- a source of drinking water for over 300,000 people,
- a cause of flood concerns for many home owners,
- a source of recreational enjoyment for many boaters,
- a source of food for a number of people who fish, and
- a health risk during large storm events as a result of combined sewer overflows in the three environmental justice communities of Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill.
…but if local, state and federal authorities are not keeping track of it all and making sure that this valuable resource is protected who will represent it and advocate for the Merrimack River?
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Future of the Merrimack River - Part 4Mission Possible!
MRWC is the “voice of the Merrimack.” We advocate for the health of the river and the constituents who depend on it through environmental monitoring, education and outreach, community organizing, advocacy and recreation. Our monitoring program is the first program to consistently monitor the main stem of the Merrimack River in MA in over a decade. The MAPP Project, which includes the elements of how we accomplish our mission through education, community organizing and advocacy, will change the way we perceive the river and understand it. Our recreation program offers over thirty paddling trips each year throughout the watershed. We understand that those who love the river will protect the river.
Your Turn
If you knew there was a need that directly affected your community, your family and your business, wouldn’t you support it? Isn’t the drinking water for close to half a million people where you live, work and play worth protecting? We think so…
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Future of the Merrimack River - Part 5Here is how you can get involved:
Donate
The funding we receive from our members enables us to monitor the river, educate people on the importance of clean water, work with local communities to prevent contamination, and promote a healthy water quality, which is vital to the sustainability of our homes, businesses and lives.
Volunteer
Volunteer opportunities include MRWC-trained water quality monitoring volunteers, motor boat operators who transport monitoring volunteers, web designers, office help, marketing specialists, grant writers, paddling trip leaders and more. If you have a talent and want to make a difference, we can employ it.
Spread the word
The old adage is true: Knowledge is power. Studies have shown that the economic growth of a region is directly tied to the ecological health of the major resources of that region. To support MRWC is to support the health of the river, which will positively impact the growth of the Merrimack Valley…so tell a friend.
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Future of the Merrimack - SummaryWith increased development and industry throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the river needs a representative, a voice. Please choose to add your voice to ours by supporting the work of the Merrimack River Watershed Council. Will you donate? Will you volunteer? Will you spread the word? We hope you will and look forward to including you in our family.
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MAPP Project Assistant InternThe Project Assistant Intern works under the Project Manager to accomplish MRWC programs. S/he is mainly responsible for volunteer recruitment, training and coordination as well as data analysis and some reporting for the watershed monitoring, analysis, protecting and promoting (MAPP) project. Our office is an ideal work environment with a mix of friendly atmosphere and hard-working dedication to our mission.
Qualifications include an education equal to BA/BS in Environmental Science or similar work experience, proficiency with Microsoft Office software, excellent people skills and good writing skills.
This internship is open beginning January 2008 and is flexible in length. Winter and early spring consists primarily of office work, while late spring, summer and fall work will be a combination of office and field work. Office hours are flexible. Field work hours are scheduled in coordination with our volunteers and may require some weekend work. This position is unpaid.
