Latest news with #SaveTheRiver
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Save the River begins beach water testing
Jul. 6—CLAYTON — Save The River's Beach Watch Water Quality Testing Program is scheduled to begin on Monday. Staff and volunteers will test the Thousand Islands' most popular swimming beaches. Bathtub Bay off Picton Island has been added to the list of tested locations. The other eight: Wilson's Beach, Sawmill Bay, Potters Beach, Frink Park, Round Island, the Thousand Islands Park Cove, Lake of the Isles and Scenic View Park. All will be tested for E. coli through the summer. Save The River tests for E. coli because it is a simple measure of water quality. More than 235 E. coli colonies in a 100-milliter sample is considered unhealthy for people by the New York State Department of Health. Excessive E. coli in the River can indicate a leaking sewage, pollution from runoff and high levels of human and animal excrement. Testing is completed by Converse Laboratories in Watertown. Results are shared weekly on Save The River's social media, website and with the press to ensure another healthy swimming season on the St. Lawrence River. More information can be found at by calling (315) 686-2010, and emailing info@
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Floating Classrooms returning, but On the Water seeks rescue
May 25—CLAYTON — Save The River's Floating Classroom is back this summer with more days on the water being added to the schedule. But funding for a related program held during the school year has been cut, resulting in a fund drive to keep it operating. Floating Classroom Camp Days of summer offer students the chance to learn about the St. Lawrence River ecosystem through a variety of lessons and activities, including guest presentations from partners like the Thousand Islands Biological Station, St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management, the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, the U.S. Coast Guard, local college professors and more. The Floating Classroom is the summer version of Save The River's "On the Water" program, which is in financial jeopardy after 16 years in operation. Both programs take students on boat field trips, but On the Water is organized with teachers during the school year to take their classes out on the St. Lawrence River. Due to federal funding cuts throughout New York State, Save the River announced recently that its On the Water education program is no longer eligible for a grant. Earlier this year, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced new guidelines for their Connect Kids to Parks Field Trip grant. Funding from this program originally covered the cost of boat transportation to and from popular sites along the St. Lawrence, like state parks only accessible by water. The new stipulations no longer cover the cost of boat transportation "Save the River is concerned about the funding cuts because On the Water is our most accessible way to put students on the water," said Emma French, outreach coordinator for Save the River. "Being directly through the schools, parents don't need to worry about extra costs, drop off and pick up, etcetera. Floating Classroom is an independent sign-up for parents in the summer and open to both local and seasonal students." Save The River has launched a fund drive to sponsor the On the Water program, which operates with the help of Clayton Island Tours. Field trip boats are specifically designed to immerse students in the St. Lawrence River. The nonprofit is asking $30 to sponsor a student, which would allow that student from a local school access to experience the ecological importance of the river. For details on making a donation, go to For this summer's Floating Classroom program, mornings will include guided boat tours along different sections of the river thanks to partners like the Antique Boat Museum and Clayton Island Tours. Camp days run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with varying drop-off locations depending on the programming. There is a $10 registration fee per student. For students in grade 1 to 5, Save The River is holding two camp days: July 28th at the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center and Aug. 14 at the Antique Boat Museum. For middle and high school students, a camp day with the Thousand Islands Biological Station is on July 17 and the second is Aug. 4 at the nature center. To register or for more information, go to STR Education Coordinator Dan Bellinger is also available for questions at education@ or (315) 686-2010.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Floating Classrooms returning, but On the Water seeks rescue
May 25—CLAYTON — Save The River's Floating Classroom is back this summer with more days on the water being added to the schedule. But funding for a related program held during the school year has been cut, resulting in a fund drive to keep it operating. Floating Classroom Camp Days of summer offer students the chance to learn about the St. Lawrence River ecosystem through a variety of lessons and activities, including guest presentations from partners like the Thousand Islands Biological Station, St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management, the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, the U.S. Coast Guard, local college professors and more. The Floating Classroom is the summer version of Save The River's "On the Water" program, which is in financial jeopardy after 16 years in operation. Both programs take students on boat field trips, but On the Water is organized with teachers during the school year to take their classes out on the St. Lawrence River. Due to federal funding cuts throughout New York State, Save the River announced recently that its On the Water education program is no longer eligible for a grant. Earlier this year, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced new guidelines for their Connect Kids to Parks Field Trip grant. Funding from this program originally covered the cost of boat transportation to and from popular sites along the St. Lawrence, like state parks only accessible by water. The new stipulations no longer cover the cost of boat transportation "Save the River is concerned about the funding cuts because On the Water is our most accessible way to put students on the water," said Emma French, outreach coordinator for Save the River. "Being directly through the schools, parents don't need to worry about extra costs, drop off and pick up, etcetera. Floating Classroom is an independent sign-up for parents in the summer and open to both local and seasonal students." Save The River has launched a fund drive to sponsor the On the Water program, which operates with the help of Clayton Island Tours. Field trip boats are specifically designed to immerse students in the St. Lawrence River. The nonprofit is asking $30 to sponsor a student, which would allow that student from a local school access to experience the ecological importance of the river. For details on making a donation, go to For this summer's Floating Classroom program, mornings will include guided boat tours along different sections of the river thanks to partners like the Antique Boat Museum and Clayton Island Tours. Camp days run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with varying drop-off locations depending on the programming. There is a $10 registration fee per student. For students in grade 1 to 5, Save The River is holding two camp days: July 28th at the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center and Aug. 14 at the Antique Boat Museum. For middle and high school students, a camp day with the Thousand Islands Biological Station is on July 17 and the second is Aug. 4 at the nature center. To register or for more information, go to STR Education Coordinator Dan Bellinger is also available for questions at education@ or (315) 686-2010.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Save the River collaboration enhances water testing ability
Apr. 22—Save the River collaboration enhances water testing ability CLAYTON — Converse Laboratories Inc. has announced a new partnership with Save The River, designating the nonprofit's office at 409 Riverside Drive as an official water sample drop-off point. Save the River says that the collaboration will provide a convenient drop-off location for residential and business community members to conduct water testing along the St. Lawrence River. "We are thrilled to partner with Converse Laboratories," Bridget Wright, Executive Directo at Save The River, said in a news release. "Their commitment to environmental stewardship and their decades of testing water samples for our Beach Watch program has enhanced our ability to collect and analyze water samples and provides us with crucial data to safeguard the health of the river." Since 1999, Save The River's Beach Watch program has monitored swimming water quality at popular swimming areas along the River Converse Laboratories, a respected environmental testing facility based in Watertown, is dedicated to providing accurate and reliable water analysis. Their expertise and resources will be invaluable in ensuring the integrity of the data collected through Save The River's monitoring programs. Community members interested in submitting water samples for analysis should contact Converse Laboratories for specific instructions at (315) 788-8388 or email at customerservice3@ Sampling bottles, kits and forms are available at Save The River's Clayton office at 409 Riverside Drive during their regular business hours. Samples can be dropped off on Thursday mornings by 10 a.m. and, starting on May 5, Mondays and Thursday mornings by 10 a.m. (Lab is closed on Memorial Day, May 26th). For questions regarding drop off dates and time, contact Caryn Clements, program coordinator for Save The River, at (315) 686-2010, or programs@
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Save the River begins battery recycling pilot program
Feb. 16—CLAYTON — Save the River is taking charge of the dead battery issue. As part of upcoming National Battery Day, Save The River on Tuesday launched a battery collection pilot program. The nonprofit river advocacy group is accepting single-use alkaline and lithium (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-Volt) batteries; rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries along with lithium ion and nickel metal hydride batteries. Old batteries can be dropped off at Save The River's office at 409 Riverside Drive, Clayton. They should be placed in the bucket outside the side door for 24/7 drop off. Save the River is partnering with Call2Recycle, the country's largest battery recycling program. Battery Council International designated Feb. 18 as National Battery Day to celebrate the importance of batteries as a key component in the global economy and the role BCI's members play in supporting critical applications ranging from cars and trucks to data center backups to forklifts to grid-scale energy storage. Feb. 18 is the anniversary of Alessandro Volta's birth in 1745. The Italian physicist and chemist invented the electric battery. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, it's illegal to throw used rechargeable batteries into the trash. However, any retailer that sells covered rechargeable batteries or rechargeable battery containing products must accept used rechargeable batteries from consumers for recycling. The DEC says that alkaline batteries can be disposed of in household trash since they no longer contain mercury or other harmful heavy metals and are not considered hazardous. Call2Recycle's website says, "Depending upon your location, select drop-off sites do accept single-use batteries. Unlike the rechargeable battery program, which is funded by battery and battery-powered product manufacturers, there is currently no national stewardship solution to allow for free recycling of single-use batteries, except in Vermont and The District of Columbia."
