Paddle With A Purpose — Water Chestnut Removal Work Parties

View the 2026 Paddling Schedule and Register here

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 usually 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 for select dates.

See the 2026 Paddling Schedule for dates and registration forms.