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The Rivanna River Basin is home to a wealth of stewardship groups working to preserve and protect the watershed. These organizations engage in a range of activities such as stormwater management education, clean energy advocacy, stream monitoring, and tree planting. In regions with an abundance of stewardship activity such as the Rivanna River Basin, it is important that community members and leaders have a clear picture of existing stewardship networks to best leverage available resources.
The Rivanna River Basin is home to a wealth of stewardship groups working to preserve and protect the watershed. These organizations engage in a range of activities such as stormwater management education, clean energy advocacy, stream monitoring, and tree planting. In regions with an abundance of stewardship activity such as the Rivanna River Basin, it is important that community members and leaders have a clear picture of existing stewardship networks to best leverage available resources.
In November 2022, I reported on the high levels of E. coIi in Meade Creek, the stream that flows next to my house. Meade Creek at Meade Park had tested over 3000 MPN (the number of coliform organisms) on a scale that judged 410 MPN to be the outer limit of acceptable.
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A single rain barrel can save thousands of gallons of water annually, lowering your utility bills and reducing stormwater runoff. Interested in learning more & taking one home? Join the James River Association, the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, and the Thomas Jefferson Soil & Water Conservation District for a rain barrel workshop this Spring. Staff members will instruct workshop participants on how to assemble and install rain barrels at home. The registration fee for the workshop is $50 and each registration comes with a 55-gallon drum, DIY rain barrel installation kit, and a beverage. Rain Barrel Workshop at Cunningham Creek Winery in Fluvanna County Date & Time: Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 6:00 pm Location: Cunningham Creek Winery, 3304 Ruritan Lake Rd, Palmyra, VA Registration Link: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260266873170964 Rain Barrel Workshop at Starr Hill Downtown at the Dairy Market in Charlottesville Date & Time: Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6:00 pm Location: Starr Hill Downtown, 946 Grady Avenue, Suite 101, Charlottesville, Virginia Registration Link: https://form.jotform.com/form/253496875996989 Rain Barrel Workshop at Blue Mountain Barrel House in Nelson Date & Time: Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 6:00 pm Location: Blue Mountain Barrel House, 495 Cooperative Way, Arrington, Virginia Registration Link: https://form.jotform.com/form/260354652289968
Stay ahead of the storm and protect our local environment with these Smart Salting tips! ❄️ It’s easy to think more salt = safer roads and sidewalks. However, over-salting is not necessary and doesn't just waste money—it's permanent pollution. Remember, a 12 oz coffee mug filled with salt is enough for a 500 sq ft driveway or 10 sidewalk squares! Bird seed and sand are also great alternatives to add traction and protect the environment.
