Save Our River Festival

MRWC turns 50 this year. Five decades of showing up for the Merrimack — and the river is in far better shape than it was when we started.

But our water quality testing is picking up something we can't look past. In Newburyport Harbor, bacteria levels have jumped 3 to 10 times higher than what we saw in 2024 (and not just due to sewer overflow or stormwater runoff). That points to a source we haven't pinned down yet. Upstream, the Lawrence Dam impoundment is also showing unexplained high bacteria levels.

Here's how we think about it: knowing the water's unsafe is a warning. Knowing why is how we actually fix it. Tracking down the source is our big priority for 2026 — and our summer appeal is what gets us there.

The river is asking for help. We're stepping up. Want to be part of the story? Our Summer Appeal ends June 30th! Pledge your support today:

https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/04/16/newburyport-harbor-f***l-bacteria?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WBURToday_Editorial_051926&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.wbur.org%2fnews%2f2026%2f04%2f16%2fnewburyport-harbor-f***l-bacteria&utm_id=199516&sfmc_id=16846163&shem=rimspwouoe,

Seriously, nobody knows why? Pretty sure we all know why there is f***l bacteria in the Merrimack River. Millions of gallons of CSOs!

600,000 people rely on the Merrimack River for drinking water.

The Merrimack River supplies drinking water to 600,000 people. That's not a statistic we take lightly.

Water quality isn't just about what's in the river — it's about what that water becomes: the glass you fill at the tap, the water your kids drink at school, the source communities across the watershed depend on every day.

This spring, as we kick off our 2026 testing season, we're sharing more about how monitoring works, what we're looking for, and what the data tells us. Because the more you understand the science, the more the river becomes yours to protect.

Want to get involved? Join our citizen science team by visiting https://bit.ly/MRWCvolunteer

Image credit: Winslow Townson

Some progress to look forward to along the lower Merrimack River.

State Approves Low-Interest $66.5M Loan for Haverhill, $45M for Groveland, Others A $66.5 million project to upgrade Haverhill’s wastewater treatment plant and South Mill Street Pump Station top the list of area major water and sewer projects the state said last week are eligible for low-income loans and some loan forgiveness. Other area projects covered under the state’s Cle...

SORF is coming back in 2026 thanks to NBPT Co****le and their sponsors! Please consider sponsoring them if you are able!

There is no doubt that by any measurable metric that this year's Save Our River Festival was the best one yet. We were blessed with a beautiful Friday night which saw 50 players join our switcholio format co****le tournament. Total attendance for the festival is estimated between 200-250 and this year we raised just about $4000 for the Merrimack River Watershed Council.

This would not have been possible without plenty of help and teamwork. Thanks to the Newburyport Elks for hosting us, thanks to Justine's Baked Goods for keeping us fed, and thanks to Hat Trick Band for keeping the party going late into the night on Friday. Special thanks also go out to Richie & Alison Caram for helping out year after year, to Sue Griffith for all of her effort and support each year, and everyone who came out to support the cause.

Your Co****le Champions are as follows:
Top Tier:
🥇 Gary Clifford & Allison Kapoll
🥈 Scott Pelletier & Tyler Callahan
🥉 Richie Caram & Mike Gertz

Lower Tier:
🥇 Adam Johnson & Donna Williams
🥈Corey Rabeau & Shawn Miller
🥉 Todd Rabeau & Ray Talbot

Thank you again to all of our sponsors:
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Abraham's Bagels and Pizza
Aroma Joe's Coffee
Banter Barber & Clothier
Callahan Mechanical - HVAC & Plumbing
Casa Maria Tacos & Tequila
Enjoy Your Life
Flynn & Reynolds
FML Lock
Hudkins & O'Neil Estate Planning
Justine's Baked Goods
Hair Artist, Kimberly Bamford
Merrimack River Boats
Mill 77 Brewing
NBPT Detailing Co.
Park Lunch
Pomodori Newburyport
Caram Landscaping & Construction
Sam's Ski and Golf
Scarlet Fire BBQ
Sean Reardon for Mayor
Shane Bieber
The Healing Rose
WeatherGuard Industries
The Winner's Circle
Winner's Circle Co****le Club

We are pleased to announce the champions of the 2025 Save Our River Festival Steinholding Competition, presented by Mill 77 Brewing. Both champions have qualified for the Massachusetts State Championship, scheduled to take place on October 5 at Jack's Abby Brewery in Framingham.

Men's Champion: Wayne McCarthy
Women's Champion: Cathy MacKay

We extend our gratitude to the U.S. Steinholding Association for granting us the opportunity to host a qualifying event at our festival for the fourth consecutive year.

😢

We activated our bacteria sensor on Thursday, September 11th at 9 AM in Newburyport Harbor. The results were that bacteria levels were high enough to be extremely dangerous and failed to meet state guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by ten times. Bacteria results can change rapidly, and swimming is currently not recommended. The bacteria sensor will be activated again next Friday.

Last night was truly exceptional. As we tally the totals raised and continue to break down the details, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our sponsors. These businesses demonstrate a genuine commitment to preserving a clean Merrimack River, and we encourage you to support them whenever possible. Thank you again for making this year's event the most successful to date.

The 5th Annual Save Our River Festival is tonight! We have over $5000 in raffle prizes up for grabs. Attorney Sherrill Erickson was kind enough to donate 2 Celtics Tickets to a game next season. These will be packaged with $100 to Michael’s Harborside as a silent / live auction item. Festival starts at 6, co****le begins at 6:30, band at 7 PM. See you tonight!