News

Posted: June 1, 2026 by wrp_admin

Upcoming events

June 10: Swim Smart Monitoring begins

Save the date: the 2026 Swim Smart Monitoring season begins on Wednesday, June 10.

Every other Wednesday through August 19, trained volunteers will gather water samples at 16 swimming holes throughout the watershed. Then WRP staff analyze the samples to determine if the river is safe for swimming and share the results with you!

Follow this link to learn more about the program.

June 20: 30th Anniversary event series begins

The WRP turns 30 this year and we invite you to help us celebrate! We’re hosting a Restore & Explore event series to highlight WRP restoration project sites along the White River that also provide public access:

Saturday, June 20: Hiking Outing to Carla’s Meadow in Bethel
Saturday, July 18: Tubing Outing from Avery’s Rocks in Royalton to White River Access in Sharon
Saturday, August 22: Snorkeling Outing at CCC Camp in Rochester

All events start at 2pm. Follow this link for more information and to RSVP!

June – September: Seeking Water Trail Stewards

The WRP is seeking interested volunteers to help us provide safe recreational access to the White River this summer. Follow this link to see the White River Water Trail sites across the White River watershed that require a site steward!

For more information about getting involved, contact maryATwhiteriverpartnership.org.

Stay posted: WRP social media

The WRP posts information about on-the-ground watershed improvement projects, events, and volunteer opportunities on Facebook and Instagram. We invite you to “Like” or “Follow” us in order to stay posted on our work to improve the long-term health of the White River and its watershed.

Stay posted: WRP e-newsletter

The WRP distributes a regular electronic newsletter to share information about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, project updates, and more. We invite you to sign-up to receive our e-newsletter by completing the form on the right-hand side of this webpage.

Support us: Get involved

The WRP depends on volunteers and stewards to accomplish much of our important work. Follow this link to learn more about opportunities to get involved and to help improve the health of the White River!

Support us: Make a donation

The WRP depends on contributions of time and money to support our on-the-ground work to improve the White River. Please support our good work by making a donation today!

Select the “Donate” button on the right-hand side of this page to donate via credit card or PayPal.

Or print and return our WRP Membership Form with a check.

Contact us: For more information

Please contact us for more information about our projects, upcoming events, or other ways to get involved!

Posted: June 25, 2026 by wrp_admin

Is the White River clean?

The White River Partnership is a local group working to keep the river safe for recreation.

In 2026, volunteers will help us monitor bacteria at 16 White River Water Trail sites to determine whether the White River is safe for swimming. In short, fewer bacteria = cleaner water.

Results map

Sites on the map below are color-coded based on the most recent results:

Blue = SWIMMABLE based on the latest test results (less than 235 bacteria in 100mL)
Yellow = NOT SWIMMABLE based on the latest test results (more than 235 bacteria in 100mL)

No matter what the latest results are, we recommend that you avoid swimming or tubing in the White River during and immediately after a rain event – there is an increased risk of exposure to pollutants that can make you sick.

Get Involved

EXPLORE – The White River Water Trail is a network of public access sites along the river. Check out this map to find the river access sites near you.

REPORT – Got trash? We invite you to report any trash you find in or along the White River using this form. We’ll use your reports to focus our cleanup efforts this summer.

VOLUNTEER – Interested in helping us keep the river safe for recreation? Learn more about becoming a White River Water Trail Steward this summer.

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Thank you to our 2026 program sponsors:

Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

Watersheds United Vermont

We couldn’t do this work without their financial support – and yours: help us keep the White River clean and accessible by making a donatio n today!

Questions? Contact us.

Posted: May 29, 2026 by wrp_admin

2026 Restore & Explore event series

Saturday, June 20: Hiking Outing to Carla’s Meadow in Bethel – Join us for a short hike to Carla’s Meadow, a 10-acre property purchased to protect and restore an active floodplain immediately upstream of Bethel village. We’ll meet at the Bethel soccer fields, then walk a path along the Third Branch about 0.3 miles to tour Carla’s Meadow. We’ll walk back to enjoy refreshments and wrap-up by 4pm. No space limits.
Saturday, July 18: Tubing Outing from Avery’s Rocks in Royalton to White River Access in Sharon – Join us for a float between 2 White River Water Trail sites that received new river access improvements in 2025. Drop your tube at Avery’s Rocks, then drive your car to the White River Access pull-off by 2pm – we’ll carpool back to the starting point, then float 1.5 miles to the takeout for refreshments. No space limits.
Saturday, August 22: Snorkeling Outing at CCC Camp in Rochester – Join us for an adventure under the water at the Forest Service CCC Camp property in Rochester (2924 Brandon Mountain Road). We provide the snorkels and masks (and wetsuits as needed), so you can see all of the aquatic species thriving in a habitat restoration project area on the White River’s West Branch. Outing is limited to 25 attendees on a first come, first served basis – see RSVP info below.

All events start at 2pm. RSVP to maryATwhiteriverpartnership.org.