LAWRENCE — Don’t call the scientist filling the newly created position the czar of Merrimack River water quality but the title could certainly fit.
The Merrimack River Watershed Council is creating a full-time lead science position to tackle efforts to eliminate contaminants spoiling the Merrimack River and work with municipalities, water treatment operators and environmental justice communities in improving the 5,000-square-mile watershed.
First, the new job will be dedicated to designing and leading two major, multiphase investigations: one in Newburyport Harbor, and one in the Lawrence dam impoundment. The two locales see some of the heaviest recreational use on the Merrimack and each carry a legacy of industrial and wastewater pollution that continues to shape water quality today.
“These are two of the places where the most people come into contact with this river — swimming, boating, fishing. Our data has shown there is cause for concern. This role means we finally have the dedicated capacity to find out what, and to work with the communities and agencies who can help fix it,” said Curt Rogers, executive director of MRWC.
Besides the investigations, the lead scientist will supervise the council’s Water Quality Program Manager and a growing team, as well as oversee the organization’s baseline and hotspot monitoring on the Merrimack.
For the past two years, MRWC’s volunteer-powered monitoring network has detected unexplained spikes in fecal bacteria in these two areas, in both wet and dry weather. The new lead scientist will work side-by-side with council’s existing water quality team and community volunteers.
The position reflects council’s strategy of turning years of volunteer-collected data into targeted, long-term scientific investigations rather than just sampling.
“Every one of our water quality tests, every staff and volunteer hour, every data point – it’s what allows us to execute our mission to improve and protect the watershed for everyone,” Rogers said.
“This role will allow us to expand our impact dramatically.”
The organization has secured funding from both the state and from foundation partners to create the new position. MRWC is advertising a salary between $80,000 and $100,000, depending on experience.
The need for this heightened level of monitoring was emphasized this summer when a major sewer failure in Haverhill sent untreated wastewater into the Merrimack River.
On June 26, during a torrential rain storm, a 42-inch sewer force main near the city’s South Mill Street Pumping Station broke, with crews later discovering a second break along the same force main. The city estimated that about 8 million gallons of untreated wastewater a day were entering the river during the incident period.
The discharge was stopped July 1 after the city installed a temporary bypass pumping system that redirected the wastewater to the Haverhill Wastewater Treatment Plant. The incident prompted downstream beaches and shellfish-area closures as officials and agencies monitored bacteria levels in the river.
MRWC was one of many groups testing downstream daily during the Haverhill break.