Housatonic Valley Association Inc

REGION 5 - CONSERVATION OF THE FROST & CL&P RIVERFRONT PROPERTIES

THE HOUSATONIC VALLEY ASSOCIATION DEVELOPED PRELIMINARY DESIGNS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO BARRIER CULVERTS ON POND MOUNTAIN BROOK IN THE TOWN OF KENT. THESE DESIGNS USE STREAM SIMULATION DESIGN (SSD)- A METHOD FOR DESIGNING AND BUILDING ROAD-STREAM CROSSINGS THAT MIMICS THE NATURAL CHANNEL- ESSENTIALLY MAKING THE STRUCTURE INVISIBLE TO MOST FISH AND WILDLIFE AND INCREASING FLOOD RESILIENCY. REGION-WIDE ASSESSMENTS OF ROAD-STREAM CROSSINGS IN CONNECTICUTS NORTHWEST HILLS IDENTIFIED POND MOUNTAIN BROOK AND THESE BARRIER CULVERTS AS PRIORITIES FOR EASTERN BROOK TROUT CONSERVATION. ONCE COMPLETED- THESE PROJECTS RECONNECT OVER 3 MILES OF HIGH-QUALITY COLD-WATER HABITAT WITHIN THE MACEDONIA BROOK WATERSHED AND COULD POTENTIALLY SERVE AS A REGIONAL CLIMATE REFUGE FOR EASTERN BROOK TROUT. THE ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST TO REPLACE THE TWO STRUCTURES IS 595-921.27. THE TOWN OF KENT WILL FUND THE DOWNSTREAM STRUCTURE- AND HVA WILL UTILIZE 302-000 FROM A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO REPLACE THE UPSTREAM STRUCTURE. CURRENTLY THERE ARE 1.34 MILES OF BARRIER-FREE STREAM FROM POND MOUNTAIN BROOKS CONFLUENCE WITH MACEDONIA BROOK UPSTREAM TO THE FIRST TARGET CULVERT. REPLACING BOTH CULVERTS WITH SSD STRUCTURES WILL RECONNECT AN ADDITIONAL 2.15 STREAM- MILES UPSTREAM OF THIS SITE- FOR A TOTAL OF 3.49 STREAM-MILES OF HIGH-QUALITY EASTERN BROOK TROUT HABITAT IN THE POND MOUNTAIN BROOK WATERSHED. ONCE REPLACED- THESE STRUCTURES WILL SERVE AS A REGIONAL DEMONSTRATION OF THE VALUE OF AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE AS A BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE FOR IMPROVING FISH AND WILDLIFE PASSAGE- REDUCING FLOOD RISK- AND LIMITING MAINTENANCE COSTS- THROUGH LONG-TERM MONITORING OF PERFORMANCE OF THESE STRUCTURES DURING HIGH WATER.

FISHWAY REPAIR AND RIPARIAN VEGETATION RESTORATION

HOUSATONIC RIVER RECREATIONAL AMENITIES AT THE BEND AND OUTREACH

NORTHWEST CT STREAM HABITAT CONTINUITY ASSESSMENT

STILL RIVER CAR-TOP BOAT LAUNCH

NORTH KENT BOAT LAUNCH

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT FOR POND MOUNTAIN BROOK CULVERT REPLACEMENTS

THE HOUSATONIC VALLEY ASSOCIATION'S (HVAI) STILL RIVER WATERSHED CONNECTIONS PROGRAM ENGAGES DANBURY, CT YOUTH IN THE RESTORATION OF THE STILL RIVER IN ORDER TO BUILD A SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP, TEACH VALUABLE CAREER SKILLS AND PROVIDE A STEADY SOURCE OF VOLUNTEERS FOR WATERSHED RESTORATION PROJECTS. EPA FUNDING WILL SUPPORT SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF THE CONNECTIONS PROGRAM TO REACH TWO HUNDRED FIFTY ADDITIONAL AT-RISK YOUTH EACH YEAR. STUDENTS WILL WORK ON YEAR LONG STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS AND THEN MAKE A PRESENTATION AT AN END-OF-YEAR SYMPOSIUM. HVAI IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DANBURY YOUTH SERVICES (DYS) WILL PROVIDE PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES WORKING ON RIVER RESTORATION PROJECTS TO AQUATIC SCIENCE STUDENT ALUMNI. WITH SUPPORT FROM HVAI IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DANBURY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY AND OTHER LOCAL PARTNERS, AQUATIC SCIENCE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WILL DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO REAL-WORLD POLLUTION PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IN THE STILL RIVER WATERSHED PLAN.

THE OVERALL PROJECT GOAL IS TO USE STREAM SIMULATION DESIGN TECHNIQUES TO RETROFIT AN EXISTING BARRIER CULVERT ON KIRBY BROOK, IN ORDER TO RESTORE FULL AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE THROUGH THE STRUCTURE, OPENING UP AN ADDITIONAL 1.8 MILES OF HIGH QUALITY FISH HABITAT IN KIRBY BROOK (WASHINGTON, CT) AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. THE TARGET BARRIER CULVERT IS APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET UPSTREAM OF THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE SHEPAUG RIVER, ONE OF THE HEALTHIEST MAJOR TRIBUTARIES OF THE HOUSATONIC RIVER. DESPITE THE STRUCTURE S STATUS AS A MAJOR BARRIER TO THE UPSTREAM MIGRATION OF FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC ORGANISMS, THE CULVERT IS STILL IN OVERALL GOOD CONDITION AND TOWN OF WASHINGTON HIGHWAY CREWS HAVE REPORTED THAT IT DOES NOT FLOOD THE ROADWAY OR REQUIRE FREQUENT MAINTENANCE OR DEBRIS REMOVAL. THEREFORE, THE HIGH COST OF A FULL STRUCTURE REPLACEMENT IS NOT FEASIBLE FOR THE TOWN AT THIS TIME, IF IT IS NOT NEEDED TO ACHIEVE MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES. THIS MAKES THE STRUCTURE A PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR A RETROFIT THAT RESTORES FULL PASSABILITY FOR AQUATIC ORGANISMS. THE RETROFIT TECHNIQUES WILL INCLUDE ROCK STEPS ARE INSTALLED DOWNSTREAM TO BACK UP WATER THROUGH THE STRUCTURE. THIS DESIGN WILL INCREASE SEDIMENTATION, NATURAL MATERIALS, AND THE DEPTH OF WATER THROUGH THE STRUCTURE AND ELIMINATE THE OUTLET DROP, FULLY RESTORING PASSAGE FOR FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC ORGANISMS. THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A TOTAL OF OVER 8 STREAM MILES OF OPEN AQUATIC HABITAT IN THE SHEPAUG RIVER AND KIRBY BROOK (WITH EVEN MORE OPEN STREAM MILES IN THE SHEPAUG RIVER, UPSTREAM OF THE KIRBY BROOK CONFLUENCE). FURTHERMORE, THE COMPLETED STRUCTURE WILL ACT AS A REGIONAL DEMONSTRATION SITE FOR AN INNOVATIVE STREAM PASSAGE RESTORATION RETROFIT.

HOUSATONIC VALLEY ASSOCIATION - IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RENNIA ENGINEERING DESIGN, TROUT UNLIMITED, AND TROUTSCAPES RIVER RESTORATION - IS SEEKING FUNDING FROM THE EASTERN BROOK TROUT JOINT VENTURE IN AN URGENT EFFORT TO RESTORE APPROXIMATELY 1400 OF DEGRADED STREAMBANK ALONG LOWER WELLS BROOK IN DOVER, NY. WELLS BROOK CURRENTLY SUPPORTS EASTERN BROOK TROUT (EBT) AND GIVEN ITS CONSISTENTLY COLD WATER HAS THE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY HABITAT AS THE CLIMATE CONTINUES TO WARM. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CLEARING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION HAVE CREATED STREAM INSTABILITY AND DEGRADED EBT HABITAT QUALITY ALONG LOWER WELLS BROOK.HVA HAS BEEN CONDUCTING MONITORING AND RESTORATION ACTIVITIES IN THE WELLS BROOK WATERSHED SINCE 2013, FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE REACHES ADJACENT TO AND BELOW COMMERCIAL AREAS IN DOVER PLAINS. THIS EFFORT HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DOVER COMMUNITY TO ASSESS WATER QUALITY AND HABITAT CONDITIONS, RESTORE RIPARIAN VEGETATION IN AREAS WHERE BANKS ARE STILL STABLE, AND DEVELOP PROJECTS AIMED AT MITIGATING STORMWATER RUNOFF, RECONNECTING FLOODPLAINS TO THE CHANNEL AND ENHANCING IN-STREAM HABITAT. IN 2015, HVA AND PARTNERS COMPLETED AN ASSESSMENT OF LOWER WELLS BROOK THAT DETAILS THREATS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR REACHES FROM NYS RTE 22 TO THE CONFLUENCE OF WELLS BROOK AND THE TEN MILE RIVER. THIS ASSESSMENT IDENTIFIES LOSS OF NATIVE RIPARIAN VEGETATION, DIRECTLY CONNECTED IMPERVIOUS COVER, FLOODPLAIN ENCROACHMENT AND STREAM INSTABILITY AS SIGNIFICANT THREATS TO AQUATIC SPECIES.HVA AND PARTNERS HAVE CONTINUED MONITORING CONDITIONS SINCE THIS INITIAL ASSESSMENT. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT LOWER WELLS BROOK CURRENTLY SUPPORTS EBT, DESPITE LOCALIZED WATER QUALITY IMPACTS. WE ALSO SUSPECT THAT WELLS BROOK IS AN IMPORTANT THERMAL REFUGE FOR FISH FROM THE MAINSTEM TEN MILE RIVER. A TEMPERATURE LOGGER PLACED IN THE TEN MILE RIVER JUST UPSTREAM OF THE WELLS BROOK CONFLUENCE IN 2019 RECORDED AN AVERAGE JULY TEMPERATURE (22.85C) THAT WOULD PUT THE TEN MILE IN THE WARM STREAM THERMAL CLASS. THAT SAME SUMMER, AVERAGE OVERALL SUMMER TEMPERATURES AND THE MAXIMUM DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE INDICATE THAT THE TEN MILE WAS IN THE HIGHER END OF THE COOL TRANSITIONAL THERMAL CLASS. WELLS BROOK SEEMS TO BE LESS VARIABLE IN TEMPERATURE THAN THE TEN MILE AND IS RELIABLY COLDER IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.THIS PROJECT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A HIGH-PRIORITY ACTION IN THE TEN MILE RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN BY THE TEN MILE RIVER COLLABORATIVE. STORMWATER RETROFIT PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMERCIAL AREAS UPSTREAM OF THE PROJECT SITE WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY ACTIONS. SINCE THE COMPLETION OF THE TEN MILE RIVER MANAGEMENT PLAN IN 2021, HVA HAS SECURED FUNDING FOR PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION FROM THE USDA NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM AND THE IROQUOIS GAS TRANSMISSION COMPANY. THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW HVA, TROUT UNLIMITED, RENNIA ENGINEERING DESIGN AND TROUT SCAPES RIVER RESTORATION TO SECURE NECESSARY PERMITS FROM NYS DEC AND TOWN OF DOVER, AND COMPLETE CHANNEL RECONSTRUCTION, INSTREAM HABITAT AND RIPARIAN BUFFER RESTORATION PLANNED FOR THIS SITE.FUNDING FROM EBTJV WILL PROVIDE CRUCIAL SUPPORT FOR MONITORING, MAINTENANCE AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THIS PROJECT. EBTJV FUNDS WILL BE USED TO ENSURE THAT RIPARIAN PLANTINGS BECOME ESTABLISHED AND SELF-SUSTAINING TO TRACK PERFORMANCE OF IN-STREAM STRUCTURES IN HIGH WATER TO RECORD CHANGES IN STREAM GEOMORPHOLOGY AND AQUATIC HABITAT ARISING FROM THE PROJECT AND DOCUMENT CHANGES IN FISH AND MACROINVERTEBRATE POPULATIONS ALONG THE PROJECT REACH.

PER YOUR APPLICATION REQUEST DATED MAY 13, 2009, THIS GRANT IS BEING AWARDED TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS AND TOURS OF THE HOU

BEND RIPARIAN SHORELINE RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.