Riparian Restoration
WPI Students Work with NRWA to Explore the Importance of Stream Crossings
NRWA Mentors WPI Students on Stream Crossings Research and Training
This spring, the Nashua River Watershed Association mentored a team of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) students on a project exploring socioeconomic factors affecting stream crossings in the Nashua River watershed.
Their work combined field observations, data analysis, and interviews with local officials to better understand how funding, public awareness, and municipal capacity affect infrastructure decisions. As part of the mentorship, the students also completed NRWA-led certification training in the NAACC Non-Tidal Stream Connectivity Module.
A key takeaway from the project was that many residents are not aware of how important culverts are, which often leads to lower prioritization in town budgets. At the same time, communities face limited funding, high replacement costs, and complex grant processes, making it difficult to repair or replace failing stream crossings.
To help address this gap, the students created a short educational video for public outreach. (4 min.)
You can also read the students’ Stream Crossing Assessment and Analysis, and their Supplemental Material.
It was a rewarding experience for NRWA to serve as mentors for these WPI students. We would like to congratulate Kenerson Cronin, Adam Dean, Evan Goodman, and Dakota Wellerbrady on the completion of their project.
NRWA supports stream connectivity efforts through mentorship, training, and capacity building, helping communities improve stream crossings across the watershed.
The WPI team in the field participating in stream crossing assessment training led by the NRWA.
Questions?
Contact Jessica Veysey Powell, NRWA Water Programs Director, or Utkir Adkhamov, Senior Water Quality and Restoration Associate.
