What Lives in the River

Join us Saturday, June 7, 2025 9-11am at Middlebridge Preserve.

This popular family science and exploration event is held annually on one Saturday morning in June and one Saturday morning in September at 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett.

About What Lives in the River:

All ages are invited to join Narrow River Preservation Association for this hands-on exploration of fish, shellfish, crabs and other inhabitants of Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River. We will use nets large and small to catch river creatures and examine them in touch tanks and under microscopes. Experts and guide books will be on hand.

FREE and open to the public – FUN for all ages! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. All young children and youth should be supervised closely at all times.

Participants are welcome to get into the water, please dress appropriately. Because this is a natural environment, there are sharp objects in the water. Boots, sandals or shoes that can get wet are recommended. The gathering area is a field with grass and dirt surfaces. Wheelchairs are welcome.

Clinging jellies have been found in Narrow River. Click here to learn more about clinging jellyfish.

Online registration will be available soon.

Thanks to all who joined us on Sunday, September 22, 2024 for What Lives in the River!

With the help of our wonderful volunteers and our many participants, we found the following critters:

Silverside
Pipefish
Blue Crab
Green Crab
Hermit Crab
Grass Shrimp
Sand Shrimp
Slipper Shell
Goby
Comb Jellyfish (ctenophore)
Stickleback
Purple shore crab
Asian Shore Crabs

Wading into the Narrow at NRPA’s “What Lives in the River”

by Betsy Archibald

Young and old gathered at the Narrow River on Sunday, September 22 to enjoy the excitement of seeing what lives in these precious waters, also called the “Pettaquamscutt Estuary”. The cool, rain-delayed and blustery weather did nothing to deter the turnout.

Youngsters eagerly waded into the cooling river waters. Many helped with the seine netting or used small hand nets that NRPA supplied. Whenever the seine nets were brought to shore, cries of delight rang out, and everyone closed in to get a closer look. Crabs and minnows were the first to be identified, but then suddenly someone would spot a creature, not so obvious on the first look. A grass shrimp! A pipefish! Adult onlookers clearly enjoyed seeing the looks of excitement on the faces of the youngsters. Some participants were first timers; others have been regular attendees of “What Lives in the River”.

As kids used buckets of water to transfer their catch to the river-water touch tanks, they were able to do closer observation and gently touch the various specimens brought from the river. They listened attentively to what biologist Walter Berry had to say about the features and habits of each species. He demonstrated, for instance, how to safely pick up a green crab and identify its sex. There was one feisty blue crab, however, that Walter recommended be left alone! He also was able to call attention to some of the overlooked samples in the tanks such as the variety of algae that grows in the river.

Walter Berry has a PhD in biological oceanography and did scientific outreach for many years, taking touch tanks into elementary and middle schools. He’s been volunteering at What Lives in the River, both in June and September, for six years. What he especially appreciates about this NRPA event is that it’s even more exciting and relevant because here “the river is the classroom”.

An amazing number of animals were identified at the touch tanks including silversides, pipefish, blue crabs, green crabs, hermit crabs, grass shrimp, sand shrimp, slipper shells, sticklebacks, purple shore crabs, Asian shore crabs and just one ctenophore. Both green crabs and Asian shore crabs are invasive; Berry said that green crabs have been wreaking havoc along the east coast for decades, but this was the first time he saw Asian shore crabs in the Narrow River.

One of the best moments of the morning was when Chloe Wild, 11, demonstrated the use of her crab traps. As she stood on the dock, while toddlers and older kids stood transfixed, she hauled out a couple of her traps and pulled out the crabs. She throws most of them back, but on occasion she takes blue crabs of legal size and gives them to neighbors. Chloe lives close by, and she checks her traps every day. When asked what she likes best about the NRPA events on the river, she answered: “I get to go in the water!” And indeed, Chloe proved herself a determined seine-netter on Sunday.

The Beach Hut in Wakefield donated a door prize consisting of two very attractive embroidered sweatshirts and a beach towel. This was won by Jean Marsocci. An added feature of Sunday’s river event was a walking tour of the Garrison House Acres, a 26 acre coastal property on the Narrow River in South Kingstown. The walk was sponsored by the Narrow River Land Trust which acquired the property in 1990. Nick Ernst, a wildlife biologist with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service led participants along a loop trail through the freshwater fields and salt marshes that border the Narrow River.

All about WHAT LIVES IN THE RIVER:

This popular family science and exploration event is held annually on a Saturday morning in June and a Saturday morning in September at 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett.

About What Lives in the River:

FREE and open to the public- FUN for all ages! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. All young children and youth should be supervised closely at all times.

Clinging jellies have been found in Narrow River. Click here to learn more about clinging jellyfish.

Thanks to all who joined us on Saturday, June 1st! Scroll down to see photos from that event.

Thanks to volunteer Betsy Archibald for this fabulous article!

Narrow River Preservation Association hosts “What Lives in the River”

On the morning of Saturday, June 1 participants of all ages gathered at the Middlebridge Preserve to explore the wide variety of creatures that inhabit the river and coastal zone.

Visitors took part in a range of free, hands-on activities including various netting techniques, river-water touch tanks, and close observation of specimens under the microscope. Experts were available to demonstrate techniques and explain the vital importance of the river creatures and the plant life of the estuary.

Jake Piertzak and biologists Jerry Prezioso and Harvey Zendt showed how to use seine nets as participants entered the water to find an abundance of creatures such as small winter flounder, green crabs and shrimp. Pat Salzillo demonstrated the plankton net. Ten-year-old Chloe Wild scored the biggest catch, a huge, spirited horseshoe crab encrusted with slipper shells.

At the touch tanks biologist Walter Berry helped visitors identified 20 different species. The stereoscope provided by Ed Baker allowed for close examination of tiny creatures.

Many of those attending were repeat visitors and emphasized how much their family valued the experience. Attendance at the event this year exceeded that of all previous years.

The Beach Hut in Wakefield donated a door prize consisting of an embroidered sweatshirt and towel and other summery items. This was won by Derek and Stephanie Miller of Saunderstown.

A second “What Lives in the River” event is scheduled for the fall on Saturday, September 21, 2024