Volunteers sought for Weymouth Herring Run cleanup 4-3-2018

Volunteers sought for Weymouth Herring Run cleanup
Wicked Local Weymouth

By Ed Baker
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Posted Apr 3, 2018 at 2:15 PM
Updated Apr 3, 2018 at 2:15 PM

The removal of a skatepark at Lovell Playground has diminished the amount of trash discarded in the Weymouth Herring Run by youngsters, but there is plenty of twigs and small branches that fell into the waterway during the winter

The removal of a skatepark at Lovell Playground has diminished the amount of trash discarded in the Weymouth Herring Run by youngsters, but there is plenty of twigs and small branches that fell into the waterway during the winter.

Weymouth Herring Warden George Loring said the annual cleanup of the herring run will take place at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 7, and volunteers are welcome to assist.

"The department of public works took care of the big stuff like (fallen) trees and big branches," he said. "It is the little stuff that needs to be removed."

Loring said there has not been much trash disposed in channel during the past few years and the amount of discarded refuse declined since a skatepark at Lovell Playground was removed to accommodate a $6.4 million makeover that installed new playing fields for youth soccer, football and lacrosse leagues.

"Thing have changed since that skatepark is no longer there," he said. "The amount of debris has diminished ten-fold. We don't see much of it anymore."

Loring said he is concerned the refuse in the channel could increase when visitors begin going to sporting events at Lovell this spring.

"There will be a new group of people hanging around," he said.

Loring said volunteers who wish to assist the annual cleanup should report to the herring run park behind Niko's Restaurant at 8 a.m.

"Newcomb's will be providing egg sandwiches and Brady Package Store will be providing spring water," he said. "Dunkin' Donuts will provide coffee, hot chocolate and munchkins."

Loring said the amount of volunteers assisting the cleanup varies each year.

"We average about 100 people a year," he said. "Sometimes the number will drop if it is a nice day."

Loring said the volunteer turnout increases when the weather conditions are almost nice but not completely desirable.

"That is when we get the most," he said.

Loring said the removal of debris from the channel helps make it easier for the river herring to make their annual migration upstream which is expected to occur in late April.

"Most of the time the fish can get around it, but it is nice for them not to have to," he said.

The Weymouth Herring Run is among the biggest in the Bay State and the alewives migrate from the ocean through the Back River to Whitman's every spring to mate and lay eggs before returning to the Atlantic a few months later.

The alewives begin their journey northward from the mid-Atlantic off the Carolina coast in late March through mid-May, according to the Division of Marine Fisheries

Loring said the average date for the fish to begin arriving at Whitman's is April 22-23.

"The smelt are here," he said. "One of our fish wardens Brad Chase was checking out the elevation near the river and he saw smelt eggs."

Loring said the channel has gotten cleaner in recent years because fewer people are discarding bulk items like car batteries, tires and washing machines into the stream.

"You name it, it was thrown in there," he said.

Loring said some people do discard large refuse near the Iron Hill Dam.

"This year, if we have enough folks we could concentrate on getting a lot of the junk removed out of Iron hill," he said. "There is always something there."

Loring said some debris found near the dam includes paint cans, mattresses and bed frames.

"Kids will sometimes float it (mattresses) downstream when they are out playing," he said.

Loring said discarded Christmas trees have also been found near the dam and wooden fish ladders by cleanup volunteers.

"Some people who live around the pond throw stuff into the pond like Christmas trees that make their way to the ladders during the winter," he said. "Anything thrown into Whitman's Pond ends up in the herring run."

Loring said the cleanup of the herring run also will include replacing wooden baffles in the fish ladders at Iron Hill Dam.

"They are inserts that go into ladder to slow down the water flow," he said. "It creates a tube where there is not a lot of water coming down. It is like a cone that provides the fish an easy way to get through."

Loring said the cleanup time varies depending on how many volunteers participate.

"Sometimes it could take an hour or two," he said. "Sometimes it takes four hours. We appreciate any help or time they can give."

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