Eight lucky watershed groups who participate in the 6th Annual Ohio River Watershed Celebration on September 20 will receive one of four $500 or four $250 grants to support local watershed restoration efforts.

How can your group be a recipient of an award? Register and bring a poster display to the Riverboat Cruise. Your display will be judged and voted on during the trip by a panel of judges.

The award categories are: Community Outreach and Education, Most Innovative and Cutting Edge Projects, Best Overall Display and Best Example of Partnership Group. The results will be announced at the end of the cruise and checks awarded at that time.

Grant eligibility requirements include: organizations must be from the Ohio River Watershed; work on a local watershed issue; be a formal or informal association, alliance, conservancy, hunting or fishing club, school group, environmental group, FFA, 4H or other like minded organization; and not be a local, state or federal agency or private consulting firm.

The Ohio River Watershed Celebration will be held aboard the Gateway Clipper’s Majestic Riverboat. Departure will be from Station Square in downtown Pittsburgh.

Most of us cross our rivers and streams on bridges without the opportunity to see a river and its scenic sights and landmarks from a boat. Here is the opportunity to do that and much more. Our pre-trip activities include games and activities for everyone, supervised fishing from the dock, macroinvertebrate, fish, bird and mammal exhibits, key environmental speakers, and an awards ceremony.

Over fifty watershed and environmental groups will have poster displays on board that tell the stories of what is being done to improve the quality of water, land and air thus improving our “quality of life”.

We will depart Station Square on the Gateway Clipper Majestic and sail up the Monongahela River through the new Braddock Locks and Dam and back to the Point during the three hour cruise.

Many points of interest, current and historical, will be highlighted with a very informative narration provided by Celebration Committee members. The Celebration schedule offers opportunities for everyone of all ages to learn about and celebrate the recovery of our rivers and watersheds.

There will be several short environmental presentations on-board from distinguished speakers representing business, industry, agencies and watershed organizations who are working with new and exciting technologies.

Watch this webpage on how to register for the Ohio River Watershed Celebration.

7/6/2007