Important ! River Restorations for Housy Watershed

[flyfishgb]

This is from the Taconic Chapter of TU's Meeting Notes.

Kirt Mayland’s talk

As Director of the Eastern Water Project, Kirt is looking for suggestions from us as to where TU can do a major river restoration project here in the Housatonic River watershed. Any suggestions for major restoration projects on the Housatonic, Williams, Green or Konkapot Rivers, Hop Brook, Alford Brook, etc. would be welcomed. He is hoping to secure funding from the GE PCB settlement to help pay for the project(s). If you have any suggestions for Kirt such as a dam removal, bank erosion control project, etc., please contact Kirt at [e-mail].


Well seeing as this is Great for these rivers, can we as a community think of what can be done for the watershed.

I have bolded these rivers because of there place in Fly Fishing History. Also because they are the most accessable with the least amount of private land surrounding. Both Konkapot and Hop brook both have Parks that run on the river. There are many impedements, old mills on the Konkapot. Hop brook has a abandonded car yard next to it(can you imagine the amount of oil seeping into the Housy???) and the Green I am not to sure (JLIBS can probably shed some light).

This is an awesome opportunity to help revive these once and still amazing rivers. I will be adding feedback of my own and pictures. Please use this thread to document what you have seen or know what can be fixed or worked on!

[AgMD]

I have limited experience w/ the Berkshire rivers but I have been following the restoration efforts on the Battenkill in Vt.
To oversimplify the story: It was observed that the trout population in the Battenkill ( a wild -- a no stocking river in Vt.) was in distress. After some shock surveys the Fish and Game determined the situation was serious enough to warrant immediate C&R regulations. This was followed by in depth studies of every aspect that could effect the fisheries health. It was determined that while the wild fish are breeding successfully and there is a good population of fish up to 10 inches or so , the population numbers drop off dramatically for larger fish. It is believed that this is due to a lack of the cover needed by the larger fish to escape predation. This seems to be born out in the shock surveys where the larger fish seem to be associated w/ cover of some form. The State and NGO's are in the process of creating "woody debris". Literally, they are installing large trees, root balls, etc. in the stream and its banks.
A more detailed explanation of this program can be found on the SWVTTU web page.
AgMD

[flyfishgb]

Thanks for the input AG.

From what i've seen with my own eyes that is definitly something the Konkapot is Lacking. From all of the times I have fished it, there is definitly not enough woody matter.

From JLIBS reports on the green river, it sounds like there is plenty of woody matter.

I am going to get out and get some pictures in the coming weeks of impedements, and issues on the rivers mentioned above.

[flyfishgb]

I have just began this thread to gain some input to forward along to Kirt. So i'll shoot him an e-mail and get some input from him and post it here.

[JoeOverlock]

This is pretty exciting! I've heard a lot of good things about Kirt.

The Taconic chapter is one of the best chapters in MA, I can't wait to see the results from this. Are you getting involved in this project, Andy?

[flyfishgb]

Hey Joe! Yea, I am trying to be somewhat involved in this, he's looking for projects. I've been out and about looking for things that need to be worked on.

I got a reply to my e-mail, he's wondering if we know any areas that need work on the Mainstem of the Housy, and its Tribs. I have already noted about a car yard with seepage into the river.

But I'd like to gain some input on maybe what we can do to make the TMA more suitable to retain Holdovers. Also any work that can be done to the TMA.

This isn't my field of expertise but please if you have seen anything or know anything please CHIME IN!

This could be our one chance to really make a difference. Funding like this doesn't come around all that often. And with a group of our size, as well as Trout Unlimited backing efforts, we can really achieve something here as flyfisher's and in conservation...

Thanks all and Happy Holidays.

[flyfishgb]

This is the link to the car yard. *edited* will get an image up instead of link.

[/URL]


From above you can see its proximity to Hop Brook and Housatonic River. It also has two feeder brooks lying right next to it if not through it. Also it looks like there is an old river oxbow right underneath it.

[ctroy36]

While this may be beyond the scope of the project, my concern is the planned hotel/retail complex that is scheduled to replace the old truck stop.

When that piece of property is paved over and built up you will see serious runoff that at the least will raise temps.

Plus the plans -- as reported in the paper -- include "restoration of eroded river banks" which probably means removing all trees and vegetation and rip-rapping the banks. I ran into a guy surveying the banks last summer and he was marking what he said were high water lines, which indcates that something will be done to the banks

Also a worry is how the complex will affect access.

I can't do much from down here in Florida, but since folks back home seem eager to preserve the C&R sections, I'd hope someone would get on this. I don't know what public meetings/ permit hearings Lee will hold but somebody should check that out also.

[JoeOverlock]

Charley, GO FISHING! And then tell everyone how much you like Florida's Regulation Guides... ;D

I don't know to much about the TMA or why it has very little hold-overs. The easy thing to fix would be habitat, you can always add to the stream. If it's temp or fishing pressure then the solutions are much harder.

For them to understand why that section dosn't hold trout (or if it does and we just don't know it) there would have to be a study done. They would have to do shocking surveys at different times in the year to monitor the population.

Another study is PIT tagging the trout with check stations along the stream to monitor movement. That will tell you if they are migrating to other sections of the stream/tributaries.

There is a bunch of fun stuff that you can do. Whiked fun!

[flyfishgb]

Joe.

Last e-mail I got from Kirt stated they wanted to stay away from studies. They just want to secure funding and throw it right into work for the rivers.

Now It would be alot more beneficial if we could create some deep pools near the Thermal Refuges to create more holding area.

In the housy last year at the pulloff we didnt find that many holdovers before stocking. I was there with my brother and during heavy hatches of Evening duns, BWO's and Caddis. Only one fish was rising and we only got one fish. To my knowledge this was one of the few fish in the TMA we found. Then after that the river heated back up again and got extremely low.

Please any input here is greatly appreciated. Like I said earlier this could be the one chance we get as a group to really make a difference on the rivers and tribs we fish.

[ctroy36]

Andy:

Here's the problem. Back before C&R and stocking there were a number of resident browns. These fish probably came downstream from stocked lakes and streams in Pittsfield or up from South County tribs. They apparently figured out how to make a living thanks to abundant food, a few refuge areas -- and minimal fishing pressure.

With C&R and stocking, lots of fish were introduced to the river and competition for food and lies ensued. Add to that a terrific increase in fishing pressure -- not just from locals but folks from New York, Connecticut, Vermont and the Eastern end of the state -- and you have stressed population that is ill suited for a summer like the last with extremly low and hot water. The result, not many holdovers, even among the resident fish.

So what's to do?

First, you can forget eased pressure. Folks, myself included, will continue to beat the water in hopes of raising a fish.

If you were able to take out the dams at the now-closed paper mills and eliminate the release of the heated water held behind them, this could restore flow of the river and cooler more consistent flows.

If the state were serious about developing the river into a first-class trout river it could sink wells at strategic spots and ensure a steady supply of cool water.

Don't wait for either of those to come about.

Digging pools near refuge areas could be somewhat of a help, but as soon as you moved a bulldozer into the river you'd have Mass DEP and the local conservation commision after you head.

I'm sure that there must be some measures that both will benefit the trout population and pass muster with the DEP and conservation commisions. I just don't know what they could be.

Charley

[flyfishgb]

One way to create deeper pools is to drop large boulders in line creating a large oxygenated plunge pool, eventually the force of the plunge will create deeper pools. But with flooding you never know where the boulders will end up.

[JoeOverlock]

I like that idea about digging wells in the stream bed, Charley. Have you seen it used in other streams or know of any success stories?

[ctroy36]

Joe:

No, I don't have any knowledge of doing it. To me it just makes sense to introduce a constant source of cool water. That's what makes the super productive spring creeks in PA and out west so good. Same effect as a bottom-release dam such as in the Farmington and the Deerfield.

I don't know what well-drilling costs and I'm sure the state would balk. After all, they are in the put-and-take mode as far as trout are concerned. And I'm also sure that's really their position as far as the Housy is concerned. They throw us a bone by making a few C&R sections but in their heart of hearts they still see it as put-and-take and have no long range plans to improve the prospects for survivability.

As far as individuals taking action to create pools and such, you'd have to do it in the dark of the moon to avoid the wrath of the DEP and local conservation commissions. You simply can't mess with what they consider their turf. Besides, it's illegal.

Charley

[flyfishgb]

Springs would have to he located , to do drill wells.

But what about management strategies? What kind of managements strategies could be taken to produce more holdover's?

Stocking larger trout? Creating a Survivor strain?

[flyfishgb]

FlyDanMan,

As per the Konkapot river, I have found a large dam in the town of Mill river that holds back flow and slows down the lower half of the river.

Also there are many cold water sources that simply just have those metal tubes that drop into a pool... I will get some pictures up by the end of the week as I am in MA right now. If the tubes are removed and a true underpass is created this might just help a little bit but it will still help...

[flyfishgb]

The great thing here is that we are not asking the state for funding. The funding will be provided through TU securing funding for the Housatonic its tribs through the General Electric settlements.

Now the dam your talking about south of town actually isn't the problem. Nor actually a problem at all.

The Dam by the new bridges built actually IN the town of mill river are the problematic dam's. Now they "may" protect the town from flooding but something can possibly replace it. This dam was also stated as a problem in Edward Hewitt's book more then 50+ years ago when the Konkapot was considered to him, a world class brown trout fishery. He also states that the Konkapot has the best wintering holes he has ever seen in any river of that size, and with proper management the fishery shall remain world class. But 50 years later, its stocked with rainbows, and is periled by warm water, and blocking of its cold water sources....

Now for something else that I think of when I stare at Lake Buel. Lake Buel is a direct feed for the Konkapot, but we have a major beaver problem and we also have a major flooding problem. Year after year millions of dollars of damage are done to the houses (including mine) on the lake. Each year something bad happens. This year the lake flooded and got into the AC Ducts of someones house and the house caught fire and burnt down. Thats just One thing.

Now where I'm getting at is that what "if" Lake Buel could have a bottom release dam installed, that also would control flooding of the Lake, and the town of Mill River. The Lake is deep enough to provide cold water through the summer, and the Outflow of the lake isn't very large so the Dam wouldn't have to be huge.

Mind I am just dreaming.....

[Salter]

I am really interested in the Konkapot restoration. While I don't spend a lot of time in the western part of the state, I do get out there a few times each year; my in-laws have a house in northwest CT.

During the last seven years I have been deeply involved in the restoration of Red Brook which is undergoing a complete restoration. TU and Riverways (Dept. Fish & Game) are the main restoration partners. Here is some info. on Red Brook:

www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/programs/priorityprojects/redbrook.htm

www.thetrustees.org/pages/330_lyman_reserve.cfm


flyfishgb - Can you please tell me which book by Edward Hewitt discribes the Konkapot.

Michael

[flyfishgb]

Michael,

Glad you have found this thread.

The book is called A trout and salmon fisherman for seventy five years. It is not an easy find, and if you find it, its not cheap. I would check your local library and see if they can hunt it down and then just take it out and read it.

Incredible insight that man Hewitt has.....

I have been working with my professor's to try and put together a game plan to attack this.

[Salter]

Andy,

Thanks for the information on Edward Hewitt's book; I found a copy online for short money and ordered it, look forward to reading up on the Konkapot.

Regarding your restoration efforts, you should contact Tim Purinton, River Restoration Planner for Riverways Program. Tim is the Riverways project leader on the Red Brook restoration.

You can reach him at: [e-mail]

Here is a link to the Riverways Staff:

www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/about/staff.htm

Shoot me a PM, I would like to talk to you about the Konkapot off line.

All the best,
Michael

[deanh]

Andy if you are interested in the Konkapot the section just past the swimming hole where the Tornado took all the trees down and the town dozed them all out and put up big metal cages to keep the road from going in. I have found only Brook trout up by my house. I don't recall ever catching a Brown. besides the stock fish.