About OAR

The Organization for the Assabet River (OAR) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance the natural and recreational features of the Assabet River, its tributaries, and the watershed. Established in 1986 by a group of concerned citizens, OAR currently has approximately 920 members, a 14-member Board of Directors, and 5 part-time staff. Together with our volunteers and partners, OAR has been working for over 20-years towards achieving our mission.

OAR's three-pronged approach to its mission is to:
• Raise awareness of the river's natural beauty, habitat value and physical importance to the watershed communities, governments and other stakeholders as well as bringing attention to the problems that affect the river’s quality;
• Collect data and advocate for additional information gathering in order to insure that decisions affecting the river are based on scientific research; and
• Work collaboratively with local and state governmental officials, community members, and others toward solutions that will help the river achieve its "fishable and swimmable" state standard.

Awareness and Stewardship. OAR believes that by increasing public awareness, stewardship will naturally result. With this in mind, OAR offers a variety of opportunities to get involved, enjoy and learn about the river. Our public outreach, education, and recreational programs include: canoe and kayak trips, summer solstice and Earth Day celebrations volunteer-based water quality monitoring, summer Water Wise Workshops series , lectures with featured speakers, and (of course) this perfectly fabulous website. OAR also publishes a newsletter two times a year and has spoken at conferences, civic organizational meeting and local schools.

Science. To ensure that decisions affecting the river are based on sound science, OAR has been monitoring the quality of the river and its tributaries since 1992. OAR has also been extremely successful in advocating for further study in the Assabet . As a result of OAR’s leadership, a nutrient TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) analysis of the river and a USGS hydrologic study of the Assabet's aquifers were completed in 2004, and an Army Corp of Engineer's sediment remediation study received funding and is currently underway.

Solutions. OAR works to improve water quality and protect water quantity by encouraging low impact development (LID), commenting on proposed developments, new water withdrawal permits, wastewater facility permits, and other projects with potential impact on the Assabet River. We work closely with regulatory agencies and municipalities to assure the river has a "strong voice" in all major decisions that affect it.

As a participant in the Assabet Consortium's Comprehensive Wastewater Planning process, a member of the Assabet River Sediment Study and Dam Removal Study Coordination Team, and many other collaborative efforts, OAR works with the six watershed communities, state, and federal agencies to protect the river.

OAR relies heavily on volunteers to accomplish our goals; over 175 volunteers participated in the 2007 annual cleanup (removing several tons of trash from the river). We are also very fortunate to have volunteers that donate their professional services to OAR including graphic design, writing, computer support, web design and maintenance, fundraising and public relations skills, and scientific and legal analysis. We are extremely grateful to the many OAR members who have used their time and talents to help OAR and the Assabet River and we owe much of the organization's success to their efforts.