Connecticut River Watershed Council Inc

CRC WILL WORK WITH USFWS STAFF AT THE NULHEGAN BASIN TO REMOVE AND REPLACE BARRIERS (PERCHED AND UNDERSIZED CULVERTS) TO AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE BY CONTRACTING WITH VENDORS AS INDICATED IN THE BUDGET.

HABITAT RESTORATION AND CONNECTIVITY IN THE UPPER CONNECTICUT RIVER SYSTEM, VT AND NH

THE CONNECTICUT RIVER CONSERVANCY WILL CONTINUE AND EXPAND COMMUNITY SCIENCE, EDUCATION, MONITORING, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS IN SUPPORT OF THE COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT GOALS FOR MIGRATORY FISH IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED. THE TASKS UNDERTAKEN THROUGH THIS PROJECT ARE PART OF A LARGER SET OF GOALS COMPILED BY MEMBERS OF THE COOPERATIVE, DEVELOPED BY THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, AND ENDORSED BY THE FULL COOPERATIVE. COLLECTIVELY, THE TASKS WILL SUPPORT COOPERATIVE PRIORITIES OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COORDINATION AND SUPPORT OF RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AIMED AT COLLECTION OF SCIENTIFIC DATA NECESSARY TO ASSESS AND MANAGE THE FISHERY RESTORATION PROGRAM AND SUPPORT OF AGENCY INVOLVEMENT WITH EVALUATION OF SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND TIMELY FISH PASSAGE FOR BOTH UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM PASSAGE FACILITIES. THE FOUR TASKS INCLUDE 1 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY AND APPLIED SCIENCE MONITORING INITIATIVES 2 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT ANGLER SURVEYS 3 MONITOR FISH PASSAGE AND 4 COMMUNICATION ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH TRANSLATION. AS PART OF THE PROJECT TASKS, CRC IS PROPOSING TO CONTINUE ONGOING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY SCIENCE SEA LAMPREY NEST SURVEYS, ANGLER SURVEYS, AND FACILITATING FISH PASSAGE VIDEO MONITORING COUNTS EXPAND SOME OF THESE ONGOING ACTIVITIES INTO COMMUNITIES WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED REINVIGORATE INITIATIVES THAT HAVE LACKED CAPACITY FOR FULL ENGAGEMENT E.G. RIVER HERRING COMMUNITY SCIENCE MONITORING AND MAKE EXTENSIVE NEW MATERIALS AND EFFORTS IN THE REALM OF OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND ENGAGEMENT REGARDING COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY THROUGH WEBSITE IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONS.

PROJECTS DETAILED IN THE NARRATIVE WILL INCLUDE THE WORK OF TWO CRC STAFF TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY SCIENCE AND STAFFED MONITORING PROJECTS AROUND MIGRATORY FISH MONITORING AND FISH PASSAGE RESTORATION IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED. CRC STAFF ON THIS PROJECT ARE OUR FOUR RIVER STEWARDS AND ECOLOGY PLANNER. IN ADDITION TO EXISTING STAFF, CRC WILL TAKE ON THE HIRING OF TEMPORARY SEASONAL HOURLY POSITIONS TO CONDUCT THE ANGLER SURVEYS AND FISH PASSAGE MONITORING OF DATA AT HYDROPOWER FACILITIES ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. FUNDS WILL ALSO SUPPORT NEW AND OLD PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO DESIGN A CAMPAIGN AIMED AT AWARENESS AND EDUCATION AROUND MIGRATORY FISH AND THE PRIORITIES OF THE CRASC S MISSION.

CONNECTICUT RIVER CONSERVANCY (CRC) AND THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK COOPERATIVELY TO RESTORE, ENHANCE AND RECONNECT BROOK TROUT HABITAT WITHIN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER BASIN IN VERMONT. CRC WILL WORK ON TWO TASKS ASSOCIATED WITH HABITAT RESTORATION AND CONNECTIVITY: (1)CRC WILL FACILITATE THE DESIGN AND REMOVAL OF BARRIERS (DAMS AND OR CULVERTS) TO AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER BASIN IN COORDINATION WITH USFWS BIOLOGISTS. (2)CRC WILL FACILITATE THE RESTORATION OF IN-STREAM HABITAT THROUGH RIPARIAN RESTORATION IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL PARTNERS, LANDOWNERS AND USFWS BIOLOGISTS. FOLLOWING THIS COOPERATIVE PROJECT, CRC WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PARTNERS AND LANDOWNERS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED TO ACHIEVE RESTORATION OUTCOMES DEVELOPED THROUGH THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN AND OTHER SHARED OBJECTIVES IDENTIFIED BY USFWS.

UPPER CONNECTICUT RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT

GREEN RIVER ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROJECT, GREENFIELD, MA

LANDSCAPE SCALE RESTORATION: RESTORING RIPARIAN AND FLOODPLAIN FORESTS IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED

1.NEED STATEMENT:REMOVAL OF AN OLD EARTHEN DAM WILL RECONNECT FOUR MILES OF PRISTINE BROOK TROUT HABITAT IN KIMBALL BROOK, A DIRECT TRIBUTARY TO THE UPPER CONNECTICUT RIVER, IN NORTH STRATFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO REMOVAL A HAZARDOUS PUMP HOUSE WITH OPEN WELLS.2.OBJECTIVES: REMOVAL OF THE DAM AND PUMPHOUSE, PLACE STREAM BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL CHANNEL, REMOVAL OF FLOODING THREAT, OPEN UP 4 MILES OF A CONNECTCUT RIVER DIRECT TRIBUTARY.3.APPROACH / METHODS:FINAL ENGINEERING DESIGNS ARE COMPLETE, AND HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE USACE AND STATE OF NH FORPERMITTING. REMOVAL ACTIVITIES WILL BEGIN IN SUMMER 2023 AND WRAP UP BY OCTOBER 1, 2023. RESTORATIONWORK WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SPRING 2024 TO ENSURE TREE/SHRUB SURVIVAL AFTER SPRING HIGH WATER AND ICE OUT.REMOVAL WILL OPEN 6 MIGRATORY MILES OF COLD WATER HABITAT FOR NATIVE BROOK TROUT.4.EXPECTED RESULTS, BENEFITS, OUTCOMES: OPEN 4 MILES RIVER FOR BRROK TOUT AND OF NATIVE SPECIES, REMOVAL FLOOD THREAT, REMOVAL PUMPHOUSE HAZARD, CORRECT DEIMENT TRANSPORT DOWNSTREAM, AND DECREASE STREAM TEMP BY REMOVAL OF POND.5.PROJECT LOCATION:KIMBALL BROOK, NORTH STARTFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - DAM SITE @ 44.7416, -71.59946.TIMELINE / MILESTONES:SPRING 2022 - ENGINEERING DESIGN PLANS COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED FOR PERMITTING.SUMMER 2022 - PERMITS TO BE OBTAINED.WINTER 2022 - SECURE LOCAL CONTRACTOR VIA RFP BID PROCESS.SPRING 2023 - PRECONSTRUCTION SITE VISIT WITH ALL AGENCY PARTNERS AND CONTRACTORS.SUMMER 2023 - REMOVAL OF DAM AND RELATED WORK.FALL 2023 - RESTORATION PLANTINGS.SPRING 2024 - FOLLOW UP RESTORATION PLANTINGS AS NEEDED.SUMMER/FALL 2024 - MONITORING SITE AS REQUIRED BY PERMITS.-7.KEY PERSONNEL (PI/PD): RON RHODES, ANDY FISKE

THE CONNECTICUT RIVER CONSERVANCY AND US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WILL COLLABORATE THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT TO REMOVE A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD DAM IN UNSAFE CONDITION IN MASSACHUSETTS. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE FLOOD RESILIENCY ELIMINATE A SAFETY HAZARD RESTORE NATURAL STREAM FUNCTION RESTORE AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE TO APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILES IN THIS STREAM DESIGNATED AS A COLD WATER FISHERIES RESOURCE.

PINE MILL DAM REMOVAL

THE CRC AND THE USFWS WILL COLLABORATE TO REMOVE AN ABANDONED PUMP HOUSE ONCE USED TO GENERATE WATER FOR THE FORMER HICKORY RIDGE GOLF COURSE IN AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS. ONCE THE STRUCTURE IS DEMOLISHED AND REMOVED, THE SLOPES WILL BE REGRADED TO MATCH THE SURROUNDING LAND RESTORING THE RIVERS ACCESS TO THE FLOODPLAIN. THE PROJECT IS PART OF A MULTI-PARTNER EFFORT TO RESTORE THE FORT RIVER, NATURAL FLOODPLAINS, WETLANDS, AND WILDLIFE HABITAT AT THE TOWN OWNED CONSERVATION LAND AND WILL BENEFIT NUMEROUS SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN IN THIS COLD-WATER FISHERIES RESOURCE.

THIS IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT WILL WORK WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE FOR REMOVAL IN THE MASCOMA RIVER WATERSHED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. REFUGE STAFF WILL WORK WITH CONNECTICUT RIVER CONSERVANCY TO ASSESS EXISTING STRUCTURES WITHIN THE MASCOMA RIVER WATERSHED AND DESIGN ENGINEERING PLANS FOR NEW STRUCTURES TO PASS HIGHER STORM FLOWS AND ALLOW MOVEMENT OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS FOCUSING ON BROOK TROUT AND WOOD TURTLE AS FOCAL SPECIES. AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL HABITAT RESTORATION WILL BE INCORPORATED TO IMPROVE SPECIES DIVERSITY.THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ASSESS AND DESIGN PLANS TO RESTORE HABITATS TO MAKE THEM MORE RESILIENT IN HIGHER RAINFALL EVENTS. AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL HABITATS THAT HAVE BEEN ALTERED BY PREVIOUS LAND USE HISTORY WILL BE RESTORED TO IMPROVE SPECIES DIVERSITY, BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION AND INCREASE RESILIENCE.

THIS ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT PROJECT WILL REMOVE INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANT SPECIES TO RESTORE NATURAL ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES, IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, AND ENHANCE HABITAT FOR AQUATIC ORGANISMS IN THE FARMINGTON RIVER WATERSHED IN CONNECTICUT. LANDOWNER WILL WORK WITH CONNECTICUT RIVER CONSERVANCY TO ASSESS EXISTING VEGETATION WITHIN THE FARMINGTON RIVER WATERSHED AND DEVELOP PLANS FOR MECHANICAL REMOVAL, HERBICIDE APPLICATION (WHERE APPROPRIATE), AND YEAR-LONG MONITORING OF EMERGENT PLANTS. AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL HABITAT RESTORATION WILL BE INCORPORATED TO SUPPORT WETLAND-DEPENDENT BIRDS, MACROINVERTEBRATES, REPTILES, FISH, AND AMPHIBIANS.

CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED HABITAT RESTORATION

STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FISH PASSAGE STRUCTURES FOR AMERICAN EEL