Clean River Project

Merrimack River in Nashua New Hampshire 50 feet up and 50 feet down we climb the hill to inspect an abandoned homeless camp reaking of human urine. We loaded all the wet clothing and blankets and trash into nylon dumpster bags. Then we proceeded to pulling up the wet, soaked urine flooring. when all said and done, it looked like something from the Beverly Hillbillies going up River with all the items piled on the boat and on the roof. after loading it into one of our trucks, we headed for the scale house to see how much it weighed. It was a whopping 1500 pounds.

This morning the Clean River Project headed to Nashua New Hampshire where we have a Boat named the Black Pearl, the oldest Boat in the Fleat. It started out as a beautiful day. The water was flat and beautiful. We started cleaning up the shore lines as we went down river stopping by several abandoned homeless camps we made our way up on the hill by the train tracks along the river's edge. We couldn't believe how much trash and tires we witnessed. We will be looking into seeing who owns the property. the city or the railroad company for this might be a future cleanup for Clean River Project. one of the most unique things were seeing is 45 shopping carts lined up with trash and half of the carts had a plastic cover over half of them.🤷 and two chemical barrels, full of something ☠️☠️☠️☠️

On Tuesday, September 29, we began dismantling our booms in Lawrence, Massachusetts, for the winter.

During the process, our crew collected more than 1,500 pounds of debris that the booms caught and kept from continuing downstream.

And when we say debris, we mean just about anything that floats—plastic bottles, foam, car parts, condoms, feminine hygiene applicators, hypodermic needles, and much more.

Rocky’s unique “Catch and Keep” boom design is amazing. These booms don’t just catch the larger, more visible trash; they also filter out smaller and potentially hazardous debris floating on the water.

After another successful season protecting the Merrimack River, the booms will be dismantled and stored safely for the winter. When spring arrives, we’ll bring them back out and put them to work again!

More than 1,500 pounds removed—and that’s 1,500 pounds of debris that won’t continue traveling down the river.

Thank you to our hardworking crew for another job well done! 💪🌊♻️

Hi Everyone. Just a HUGE THANKS to all of you who have been generously supporting our "Re-cycling Program" through both purchasing and bike donation. We are happy to also share that 50+ bikes (to include all of the toddler's bikes) have left our Methuen Headquarters and are on their way to other countries. SUPER STUFF! If you have a bike that you would like to donate, please drop it off at our Methuen Office located at 1022 Riverside Drive • Methuen MA • 01844 and please phone 978-590-9374 if you are interested in purchasing one. Thanks again!

Wow! These guys can sing! 🎶💕

This was one of our annual Ladies Cancer Survivor Boat Cruises, and this year we also got to celebrate the birthday of one of the lovely ladies on board! 🎂🎉

What a wonderful evening filled with singing, laughter, celebration, and great company. We all had such a great cruise! 🚤💗

North Andover Watts Donates Jet Ski for Merrimack River Cleanup
by The Town Common

Wednesday September 23, 2026

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – As part of their continued partnership, Watts donated the funds for the purchase of a jet ski to the Clean River Project to help provide the nonprofit with a more efficient way to survey the Merrimack River, monitor cleanup areas, and locate debris beneath the water’s surface.

The Clean River Project based in Methuen, Massachusetts works to protect the Merrimack River by removing illegally dumped materials, including tires, mattresses, hazardous objects and vehicles. According to Clean River Project President Rocky Morrison, the organization has operated for 23 years, typically removes approximately 100 tons of debris annually, and has recovered 87 vehicles from the river.

The new jet ski will allow the organization to travel quickly along shorelines, inspect its containment booms and reach shallow areas that are difficult to access with larger boats. Its smaller size will also enable a limited crew to transport and launch the equipment with one truck, helping the team survey larger sections of the river more efficiently.

“This jet ski will help us reach spots we can’t access with a big boat,” said Clean River Project President Rocky Morrison. “A small team can launch it, survey a large area of the waterway and get a better understanding of what needs to be addressed.”

The jet ski is equipped with side-scan sonar donated by Raymarine which will help Clean River Project examine the riverbed and pinpoint vehicles, tires, and other unusual objects that may require further investigation by its dive team.

“The support we receive from Watts makes a real difference,” said Morrison. “Their employees and continued partnership help us carry out our mission and make a positive change along the Merrimack River.”

“Water stewardship extends beyond the products we manufacture to the communities and ecosystems we serve,” said Kenneth Lepage, General Counsel, Chief Sustainability Officer & Secretary at Watts. “The Merrimack River is an important resource for our region, and we are honored to support Clean River Project’s efforts to protect and preserve it. This jet ski will help their team reach more areas of the river and continue their important work.”

In addition to cleanup work, Clean River Project provides educational opportunities that teach students about recycling, the river’s ecosystem and the importance of protecting a waterway that serves surrounding communities. The organization also conducts school outreach and brings students onto the river as part of its educational programming.

“We are grateful to everyone at Watts who have participated in cleanups and helped make this donation possible,” said Morrison. “The partnership means a great deal to me and my team.”

Learn more about the Clean River Project by visiting www.clean
riverproject.org. ♦

A huge thank you to Raymarine and Watts Water Technologies for helping Clean River Project add an exciting new capability to our river operations!

Last week, Jim from Raymarine came out to install an Axiom+ 7 RV side-scanning unit, generously donated by Raymarine, on our new jet ski, which was generously donated by Watts Water Technologies.

The new side-scanning technology will allow our crew to search beneath the surface of the Merrimack River for submerged vehicles and other large objects that cannot be seen from above the water. Being able to locate and identify these objects is an important first step in determining what is below the surface and what may need to be addressed or removed.

Mounting the scanner on the jet ski gives our crew a highly maneuverable platform for searching different areas of the river, including locations that may be more difficult to access with our larger cleanup boats.

We are incredibly grateful to Raymarine for donating the Axiom+ 7 RV side-scanning unit and for Jim taking the time to come out and install it, and to Watts Water Technologies for donating the jet ski that made this new capability possible.

Specialized equipment and technology like this continue to expand what Clean River Project can accomplish on the water and help us better understand what is hiding beneath the surface of the Merrimack.

Thank you, Raymarine and Watts Water Technologies, for your generosity and continued support of our mission to clean, protect, and preserve the Merrimack River! 🌊