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*This trout is not in his
'Happy Place!'
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The Batten Kill near Rexleigh Bridge |
Next Batten Kill Cleanup Day
June 19th, 2010 9 AM
Rte
313 Rest area ~3 miles East of Cambridge,
NY.
Clearwater
Chapter adopted a ~3 mile stretch of
Rte 313 next to it's home water, the Batten Kill, and 4 times per year we’ll spend an hour or so picking up roadside
debris then enjoy a picnic afterwards with our friends from the
Batten Kill Conservancy.
Please
join us next season for a nice walk, some easy work, time with old & new friends, and
refreshments provided before and afterwards.
(Plus,
maybe some members will be willing to share their ‘secret’ spots on the
Batten Kill to those who participate…). |
John Morgan making lunch at a streamside cleanup in
2007 |
Ron Dorn and friends from the Batten Kill Conservancy |
April 2010 cleanup
Thank you to all the participants:
Scott Parker; Stan Duncan; Stu Bartow; Ed Wnek; Bob
Thomas; Heath Clayson;
Jessica Galasso; Bill Cosgrove; Bart Chabot; Tom & Jan Wolski; Ann
Kearney;
and Mike Morrison |
April 2010 cleanup |
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Batten Kill Activities
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Onesquethaw Creek
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Catskill Creek Assessment
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Schoharie Waters Branch
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Dwaas Kill
& Dwaas Kill Update
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White Creek Activities
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Kayaderosseras
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Activities Map
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Hudson
River Watershed
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Mettawee
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Eastern
Brook Trout Joint Venture |
Stream Assessment Workshop |
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CLEARWATER
CHAPTER TROUT UNLIMITED
Conservation
Report 2009
By Stan Duncan, Art Coleman, Greg Cuda, and Roy
Lamberton |
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Dwaas Kill
Update
Temperature Monitoring of DWAAS KILL / BEAR BROOK
Clifton Park, NY
Summer 2009
Attached is
the final report submitted to the Town of Clifton Park which was to
monitor the effects of storm water runoff
into Bear Brook and the impact on wild brook trout known to be present and
spawn in the stream. The headwaters of Bear Brook receive storm water runoff
from Shopper’s World, a complex with approximately 22 acres of impervious
surface consisting of parking lots and flat roof tops.
Final Report in PDF format
Get Free
Adobe Reader
to view Acrobat .PDF files |
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Dwaas Kill:
In 2006 the Town of Clifton Park purchased 250 acres of land and
designated it as the Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve. The Dwaas Kill contains
wild brook trout and runs about 1.3 miles through the Preserve. Spawning
brook trout have been observed. In 2008 the Town of Clifton Park Open Spaces
Committee began the process of developing a Master Plan for future use of
the Preserve and a consultant was hired to assist in the planning. The
Town has indicated a desire to maintain the Preserve in its present wild
condition and use it for public education. The Clearwater Chapter was
invited to assist on trout fishery issues. The Master Plan is to be
completed by early 2009.
During 2008, chapter volunteers and DEC surveyed the stream and some
tributaries, and documented brook trout spawning. Several culverts have been
identified as potential barriers to fish migration, water quality and storm
water management issues have been observed, and riparian plantings are
needed in some areas to stabilize some banks. Recent temperature monitoring
data obtained by TU volunteers is being retained and evaluated at the
Saratoga County Soil and Water Conservation District. This is a unique
opportunity to reserve a wild brook trout fishery in the middle of a highly
developed section of Clifton Park. It is also an outstanding example
of community planning through the joint efforts of the Town, County,
NYSDEC and volunteer organizations such as TU.
Download CD ready Power Point presentation & Viewer of Dwaas
Kill Nature Preserve Project.
Zip file: ~25 MB
download.
Spawning Trout Videos in Dwaas Kill (Windows Media
Player *.avi format)
Video1
Video2 |
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Batten Kill Hi-Brow (Skellie) Farm Site Habitat Restoration:
The Chapter initiated this habitat restoration project on the Batten Kill
River in East Greenwich to remediate damage from prior flooding. The river
had split into two channels which were over widened and shallow. The goal is
to put the river into its original channel, then add cover and shelter to
this reach of river. The channel also needs to be narrowed in sections, and
this work is scheduled to be completed in 2009. In 2008 a rock
structure was built to cutoff one of the river channels and redirect the
river. Several wood vanes were added to the pool above the cutoff adding
cover and shelter for trout. The pool was substantially deepened as the
result of the structure. The bench was built to bank full height to provide
the river access to the farm field during a flood event.
The work was funded by the Clearwater Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the
Batten Kill Watershed Alliance. Technical assistance was provided by Art
Coleman and Dr. John Braico of Clearwater and Adirondack TU chapters,
respectively. Design and implementation was provided by Carl Schwartz with
the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Hi-Brow Farms contributed rock and
trees for the project. The projected work for 2009 includes adding
more large woody debris to the pools reaches, and building rock vanes to
narrow and deepen the river where needed. We have a commitment for trees,
rock and the use of an excavator from Hi-Brow Farms.
Battenkill update 3/3/2010:
BattenKill Watershed Alliance (BKWA) has at least one large land owner near
the NY/Vermont state line that is interested in having river restoration
work done on there reach of river. Art Coleman, John Braico and co.
will be doing the survey work this spring. Any projects will be funded
by the US Fish and Wildlife grant, TU, and BKWA. Stay tuned.
Battenkill update
6/16/2010: the installed structures had some minor damage and will be
repaired this year.
Battenkill from Rt.313 parking area
near VT downstream - chapter volunteers, led by Art Coleman, will begin
surveying to provide data used by the USF&WS to design habitat structures. |
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Batten Kill Luty Site:
With USF&W, we looked at an eroding bank threatening a
summer home and provided advice to the homeowner.
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Batten Kill Access:
We are attempting to determine the location of all
public access points on the Batten Kill in a joint effort with the
Batten Kill Conservancy and DEC.
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Batten Kill Foster Farm Site:
Chapter volunteers planted tree seedlings at last year’s project site.
Update 6/16/2010: The Installed structure
developed a small breach and will be repaired this year
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Roadside Cleanup:
We started with the first of four highway cleanups on Route 313 along the Batten Kill,
partnering with the Batten Kill Conservancy for 4.5 miles of roadside.
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White Creek in Salem:
Clearwater and Adirondack Chapter volunteers planted tree seedlings and
assisted USF&W with placement of boulder clusters to improve fish habitat.
This is a continuing project with the Adirondack Chapter.
Update 6/16/2010: The USF&WS has dedicated funds for habitat work
over the next
several years. The Batten Kill Watershed Alliance is the lead
non-governmental organization, in partnership with our chapter, the
Adirondack Chapter, and NYS DEC. Greg Cuda is the chapter 's
liaison.
A
berm which prevents flood plain access, is scheduled to be removed this
year.
A
separate project involving chapter volunteers and the USF&WS to measure
sediment transport, is being delayed until next year, while a new measuring
protocol is being developed. |
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Little White Creek:
Volunteers planted tree seedlings and assisted USF&W with a bank
stabilization project.
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Mettawee:
Clearwater and Adirondack Chapter
volunteers surveyed a reach to provide data to USF&W for design of habitat
improvement structures within the Granville Town Park. We met with
Granville officials and showed them some of our structures on White Creek
and the Batten Kill.
Update 6/16/2010: Habitat work, including initial surveys by
volunteers from the Clearwater and
Adirondack Chapters, has been delayed because of
discovery of coal tar contamination and ongoing remediation by DEC. It is
planned to do some surveying this year in a reference reach in VT.
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Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture:
Nine Clearwater volunteers participated about 313 hours to complete the
survey of all 34 sites assigned by DEC in 2 sub watersheds, searching for
brook trout by fly fishing. Brook trout were caught at 12 sites and
observed at 2 others. One brown and a number of rainbows were caught at 3
sites. At all sites chemical and physical measurements were made and a
threat assessment was completed. The project will be continued even more
vigorously next season. |
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Kayaderosseras:
Volunteers toured a number of possible project sites
with Saratoga County Soil & Water, USF&W, an engineering firm, county
officials, DEC, and Adirondack TU.
Update 6/16/2010: Clearwater and Adirondack Chapter volunteers have
surveyed sites for
habitat work on the property of the Boy Scouts of America at Middle Grove.
Also, a site at a park in Rock City Falls has been surveyed so that USF&WS
can design habitat improvement structures including breaching an old dam to
allow fish passage. Root wads, a channel block, and cross vanes will
probably be used. Funding is being provided by Saratoga County. |
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Stream
Assessment Workshop:
Chapter member Art Coleman assisted John Braico from
the Adirondack Chapter in running a stream assessment workshop held at the
Pack Forest in Warrensburg. |
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Onesquethaw-Coeymans Creek:
The Clearwater Chapter was one of the founding organizations of the OC
Watershed Council. The Council received a grant from DEC’s Hudson River
Estuary Program to develop a watershed management plan in partnership with
watershed municipalities and other stake holders. Chapter volunteers have
worked with a consultant to complete a watershed assessment, and volunteers
are now preparing an outreach program for watershed communities. The OC is
not stocked for most of its length and contains a very healthy population of
wild brown trout.
Photo of surveying work being done on Coeymans Creek, in
preparation for a bank stabilization - trout habitat project. Construction
is expected to begin in 2010 after completion of design, permits, materials
acquisition, and equipment acquisition. This will be a partnership of
Clearwater Trout Unlimited, US Fish & Wildlife Service, NYS Department of
Transportation, Onesquethaw Coeymans Watershed Council (OCWC), Albany County
Soil & Water Conservation District (ACS&WCD), Albany County Office of
Environmental Planning, and the land owners.
Roy
Lamberton presented the OC Watershed Study to the Berne Town Conservation and
Planning Boards on Monday December 7, 2009. The other municipalities have
already assigned liaisons to an inter-municipal work group established to
create a Watershed Management Plan from the Watershed Study. The first
inter-municipal group meeting was scheduled for Tuesday January 12, 2009.
The municipalities are the Towns of Berne, New Scotland, Bethlehem,
Coeymans, and the Village of Ravena.
Barber Property - Carl Schwartz (USF&WS) is designing several structures to
stabilize the Coeymans stream bank and create trout habitat at the Barber
Property. Because the stream is threatening Rt. NY 396 as well as the
Barber home, DOT donated $5,000 of delivered rock to the property in
November. Roy now has to obtain the DEC permits for the in-stream work. We
still have to find funding for the equipment rental, estimated to be under
$2,000. Assuming this project is successful, it will be a model for other
projects. The other projects would be for habitat and stabilization along
the 1-1/4 +/- mile of Public
Fishing Rights (PFR) the Town of Bethlehem has granted to NYS. This could
result in an excellent trout fishery here in the Capital District.
Tony Latham has completed the temperature monitoring reports on all the
streams for which we have data.
Update 6/16/2010: The Onesquethaw-Coeymans Creek Barber
Project is likely to be approved by DEC and the USACE. The project consists
of 2 rock vane j hooks, 2-3 rock vanes, and 2-3 root wads. The design
was by the USF&WS, surveying by chapter volunteers and the Albany County S&WCD,
rock provided by the NYS DOT, and equipment rental provided by Clearwater
Chapter. The project will stabilize the bank and provide trout habitat. Work
is scheduled to be completed during a week in August.
The Onesquethaw-Coeymans Creek Watershed Management
Plan has been completed with the participation of local governments,
industries, and other stake holders. The Plan will be a guidance document
for communities and users of the resource, designed to protect and improve
the quality of the stream. The OC has a healthy self-sustaining population
of wild brown trout. |
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Schoharie Waters Branch
TBA |
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Ten Mile and Catskill Creeks:
Ten Mile Creek is a tributary of Catskill Creek, and
both contain wild populations of rainbow trout. Clearwater volunteers are
talking to members of the Columbia-Greene TU Chapter and the Greene County
Soil and Water Conservation District regarding joint efforts on the creeks.
Catskill Creek has its headwaters in Schoharie and Albany Counties, and its
tributary, Ten Mile Creek, begins in Albany County.
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Hudson River Watershed Alliance:
A Clearwater volunteer is representing the Onesquethaw-Coeymans Watershed
Council and Trout Unlimited on the steering committee of the
Hudson River
Watershed Alliance. The mission of the Alliance is to protect,
conserve and restore the water resources of the Hudson River Basin through
collaborative outreach, education, networking, science, information sharing
and technical assistance by and for the stakeholders of the region. The work
of the Alliance will be a strong resource for TU chapters as well as
decision makers. |
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Temperature Loggers
Tony Latham has launched the 10 chapter working loggers. Ron Dorn will
oversee the placement of 3 loggers in Cayadutta Creek; Art Coleman will
place 3 in the Battenkill and 2 in White Creek; and Tony will place 2 in the
Onesquethaw-Coeymans. |
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Tree Plantings
Chapter volunteers were involved in planting riparian vegetation provided by
DEC: 300 along White Creek, 100 along Fox Creek, and 200 along Catskill
Creek. |
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Little Hoosic
Our neighboring Homewaters Chapter and the Little Hoosic Watershed
Association are involved in a bank stabilization and farm equipment
crossing, working with the USF&WS. Clearwater volunteers performed the
surveying needed for the design. |
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Map of Clearwater Conservation
Project Areas:
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