NEWS. Squan-a-Tissit. February Chapter Meeting Fly-tying for the Annual Fundraiser Dinner. Inside:

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1 Squan-a-Tissit NEWS The newsletter for the Trout Unlimited chapter that champions sport and conservation on two northeastern Massachusetts trout rivers: The Squannacook & The Nissitissit. Inside: Presidents Letter Volume 16, Issue 6, February, 2016 February Chapter Meeting Fly-tying for the Annual Fundraiser Dinner Join us Tuesday night and bring your fly-tying gear! Calendar of Events Chapter News Info on the Annual Fundraiser Spaghetti Dinner We will discuss plans for the Annual Fundraiser Spaghetti Dinner and tie some flies for donation to the dinner. The silent auction of favorite flies tied by Squannatissit TU Chapter members is one of the many attractions at the annual dinner, and the flies are an outstanding fund-raiser for the chapter. The Chapter will provide fly boxes monographed with the Squan-A-Tissit logo for your flies! See you there! The Back Page Niss Webcam - 1 -

2 Squann-a-Tissit Chapter Officers: President vacant Vice President Michael Rosser Treasurer Scott Hraba Secretary Russell Schott Board of Directors Newsletter co-editor Dave Armstrong Walter Crissey Michael Hackney Tim McDaniel Webmaster Newsletter co-editor Kirk Reynolds Tom Towey Past president Jim Wilson Chapter website A Note from the President February s speakers were Dr Denise Burchsted and Andy Marion (Keene State University) and Dr. Peter Hazelton (MA Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program). Peter and Denise were partners on the Millie Turner dam removal project and are conducting a study of how the river changes and heals after the dam removal. Peter Hazelton, an equatic ecologist, is studying mussels in the river. Peter talked about rare and endangered mussels and how they were translocated upstream to suitable habitat. Several rare mussel species inhabit the Nissitissit, including the Eastern Pearlshell, which has a symbiotic relationship with wild brook trout. Denise Burchsted, a fluvial geomorphologist and river restoration specialist, and her student Andy have been on the river studying sediment and how it moves after the dam came down. Denise and Andy discussed the amount and grain size of sediment that had been trapped behind the Millie Turner dam, and showed how the sediment has moved downstream and collected in a large sandbar. Spring rains and high water shall move it further along. These presentations added to our understanding of the river and the healing process, and add chapters to the story of the knowledge of this great river. We will ask Peter and Denise to return in the future as more data is obtained. February s weather turned nasty. Temperatures dropped below zero and the wind pushed temperatures even lower. But a few weeks in the future is a ray of hope, a time of fellowship. The annual dinner will be here again March 19. We will gather to renew old friendships and forge new ones. The dinner is a time to reflect on this past years accomplishments, discuss ideas and future projects, enjoy good food and drink, and to plan future trips on distant rivers to cast favorite flies maybe even won at the dinner to Brookies on a favorite run. The Board of Directors still looking are for items for the raffle. This is the part of the job which is most demanding, but which assures a successful banquet. You can help make the dinner a success by offering or sourcing a raffle item or a donation. The good work of the chapter is dependent on the dinner, the money raised is the single largest source of funds the chapter raises in the year. Thanks for your support! Michael Rosser - 2 -

3 Upcoming Activities Save the Date! The Squannatissit TU annual Fundraiser Spaghetti Dinner will be held Saturday, March 19 at the Pepperell VFW. Doors open at 5:00. Join us! Activity Feb BOD Meeting Tuesday, Feb 9, 7:00 Healing Waters Chapter Meeting Tuesday, Feb 23, 7:00 Calendar Member participation is needed to help make the Dinner a success. Take pride in your Chapter and sign up to help! March Chapter Meeting The regular Chapter meeting in March will not be held b/c the Annual Banquet will have been held the weekend prior. Mar BOD Meeting Tuesday, Mar 8, 7:00 Healing Waters Annual Fundraiser Saturday, Mar 19, 5:00 Apr BOD Meeting Tuesday, Apr 12, 7:00 Healing Waters Chapter Meeting Tuesday, Apr 26, 7:00 - Sign up All Squan-a-Tissit Chapter members are asked to please sign up for the announcement list: Trout Unlimited - Our Vision By the next generation, Trout Unlimited will ensure that robust populations of native and wild coldwater fish once again thrive within their North American range, so that our children can enjoy healthy fisheries in their home waters. Operation of ATVs is illegal in Wildlife Management Areas. To report violations of off-road recreation vehicles, environmental, or wildlife laws please contact the Environmental Police Radio Communications Center

4 Chapter News Squan-a-Tissit TU Annual Dinner This year s Annual Dinner Fund Raiser will be held Saturday March 19, at the Pepperell VFW, 55 Leighton Street, Pepperell, MA Doors will open at 5:00, and the dinner will start around 6:00. Tickets: Adults $25, teens (13-19) $10, and 12-and-under free. The dinner fare will be TU s traditional spaghetti dinner made with Bob Grady s outstanding homemade spaghetti sauce, salad, and dessert. Many fine items will be available for raffle, including fly rods, hand-tied flies, a glider rocking chair, birdhouses, and much more look for more information on raffle items in next Month s Newsletter

5 Chapter News Two Potential Future Projects Identified. The chapter has identified 2 sites that have breached dams where stream restoration work could improve fish passage. The top photo shows a breached dam on Willard Brook in Ashby, a headwater to the Squannacook River, and the bottom photo is on Gulf Brook in Pepperell, a trib to the Nissitissit. The BOD is looking into these as future projects for the chapter

6 Chapter News Congress recently authorized a study to evaluate whether portions of the Nashua, Nissitissit, and Squannacoook Rivers will be designated as Wild and Scenic Rivers! Links for Nashua River Watershed Association: protect-water-and-land/wild-and-scenic-rivers.html National Park Service: projecthome.cfm?projectid=48781 Basic steps of the Study and Designation Process? Prepare a Wild and Scenic Study Report. Determine eligibility and suitability - is there enough local support to warrant becoming a wild and scenic river? During the period of the Study, prohibitions against federal permits and projects that might harm the river e.g. new dams are temporarily effective, giving the towns a three year "test run". Identify the issues and threats. Gather community input and establish goals and objectives. Evaluate all existing protection measures like state and local regulations and determine gaps. Town Meeting votes on whether to request designation or not. If both eligible and suitable, a bill can be introduced into Congress for a Wild and Scenic River designation

7 Nashua River Wild & Scenic Study Committee Squan-a-Tissit TU Agencies voting members Towns initial voting members Towns potential members Non-voting Agencies - 7 -

8 River Notes Squan-a-Tissit TU Chain Saws and Trout Streams Don t Mix A sobering loss of a brook trout stream on the Cape should serve as a reminder that we need to remain constantly vigilant to protect our local trout streams and their headwaters less they suffer the same fate during our watch. Excerpts from an article on this are below. Go here to read the full article: HOW TO KILL A SALTER STREAM Warren Winders, Director SRBTC, October 20th, 2015 While our backs were turned, the Santuit River quietly died.... The Santuit River was one of only three salter streams of any significance remaining on Cape Cod, and until recently it was home to an abundant population of genetically stream specific salter brook trout. According to Steve Hurley, although the Santuit River was always considered the third best trout stream on the Cape, it produced big salters, perhaps the finest brook trout of all of the remaining salter streams....another adverse impact to the Santuit s trout is the loss of woody debris along the stream s banks and in its channel. When Hurley had electro-fished the Santuit with Brendan Annett back in 2003 to acquire samples for genetic research on salters that Annett was doing for a thesis, the Santuit was both full of trout and full of wood. While the downed trees had made electro-fishing difficult, Hurley said that they made excellent habitat for the stream s trout by providing lots of overhead cover and deep scour holes throughout the stream s channel. Meanwhile, it was plain to see that the Santuit that we were wading in on this fall day had, since 2003, been deliberately cleared of all of its wood. The stump ends of saw cut trees could be seen all along the river. The stream channel itself was exposed and featureless, and except for undercuts in the stream bends, there was very little cover for the stream s fish. Looking at the cleared stream, left wide open to the sun, Steve Hurley shook his head saying only that, Chainsaws and trout streams don t mix well

9 Woody debris is the major contributor to habitat complexity in lowgradient sand and gravel bed streams like the Nissitissit and Squannacook Rivers. Wood provides some important features that help support trout, such as habitat, cover, and food. This photo of a downed tree in the Nissitissit illustrates the effect of woody debris in the river. The flow of water under the downed tree scours the streambed, creating a deep hole. The tree creates a velocity shelter during higher flows, provides cover and shade during the day, and creates a surface for algae and macroinvertebrates to live - 9 -

10 February on the Niss, via the Chapter s webcam: JOIN TROUT UNLIMITED TODAY! To join or renew your membership in Trout Unlimited, please go to: and click on the Join the Community and Become a Member tabs Fill out the name, address and credit card information. Be sure to indicate Squann-a-Tissit as your local TU Chapter! Any amount can be given above regular membership as an additional gift to help Trout Unlimited promote coldwater conservation. Trout Unlimited is a 501c(3) organization. Membership fees and other contributions to TU and the local chapter are tax exempt to the extent allowable by law

11 Squan-a-Tissit Chapter of Trout Unlimited P.O. Box 654 Pepperell, MA Return Service Requested Please Mail To: Monthly Meeting The Squan-a-Tissit Chapter of Trout Unlimited holds monthly meetings for chapter members and guests on the fourth Tuesday of the month (Sept. through May). September s meetings will begin at 5:30 p.m. Directions From Rt. 3: Take the Rt. 113 Exit (Tyngsboro, Dunstable) and proceed west on Rt. 113, 6.5 miles, through Dunstable and into Pepperell. The Millie Turner dam is 0.7 mi north of the rotary on Rt 111 From Rt. 495: Take the Rt. 119 Exit (Littleton Common) and proceed west on Rt. 119, 9 miles, through Groton and into Pepperell. Turn right onto Rt. 111, and proceed 2.7 miles to a rotary. The Millie Turner dam is 0.7 mi north of the rotary on Rt 111 From Rt. 2: Take the Rt. 111 Exit (Ayer, Harvard, Clinton) and proceed north on Rt. 111, approximately 12 miles (total, to the Pepperell rotary), through Ayer and Groton to Pepperell. Route 111 merges with Rt. 119 in Groton. Once in Pepperell, Rt. 111 bears to the right (off of Rt. 119). Turn right onto Rt. 111 and proceed 2.7 miles to a rotary. The Millie Turner dam is 0.7 mi north of the rotary on Rt