Paddle With A Purpose — Water Chestnut Removal Work Parties

Thank you to all staff and volunteers for another successful season pulling Water Chestnut plants!

We are currently preparing for the 2026 season. If you are new to this effort, follow the links below to learn more and see last year’s schedule. We hope you’ll join us for the 2026 work parties.

View our 2025 paddling schedule and register to participate. 

Removing invasive water chestnut plants (Trapa natans) from local waterways is one of the Jonah Center’s major projects. Our work focuses on the Floating Meadows, a 1000 acre freshwater tidal marshland between Middletown and  Cromwell, where the Coginchaug River flows into the Mattabesset River. Pecausett Pond in Portland is another focus area, as well as the shoreline of the Connecticut  River between the Rocky Hill & Glastonbury Ferry and Middle Haddam.

Summer “paddle with a purpose” work parties begin in late May or early June.  We partner with the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) in this work. CRC has a limited number of kayaks you can borrow through the registration process. By registering, you will receive last minute weather-related updates or changes to the schedule.