Farmington River News

Transcription

1 Farmington River News Save paper, get FRWA newsletters online and see our photos in their full glory! Go to to sign up. Issues and Activities in the Farmington River Watershed. Floating Holidays - Make the Farmington Valley Your Staycation Not planning to travel this summer to a vacation destination? Not to worry. You re there already. Just follow the river. It s easy--you can travel alongside the Farmington practically anywhere throughout the valley and pick the recreation that suits you. Check out the possibilities: Go fish. The upper Farmington is fed by shady, cool natural tributaries and the chilly releases of the Colebrook and Barkhamsted Reservoirs and offers superb trout fishing in many locations. To see what we mean by superb, try web-browsing for trout fishing on the Farmington or get in touch with the Farmington River Anglers Association at Don t know how to fish? You can make fly-fishing lessons part of your vacation plan! Paddle to the sea. Well, not quite that far. But if you want to get on the water, outfitters are available to provide any craft and coaching you might need for getting afloat and staying that way. You will also learn about good river etiquette toward anglers, paddlers, and landowners. The river offers a wide range of paddling options, from the placid waters of Farmington and Simsbury to the worldclass rapids of Tariffville Gorge. FRWA s Farmington River Guide, available through our website or at our office, is a great way to find your way up and down the river with a paddle or a fishing rod. You can also get started by joining one of the FRWA canoe trips this summer (see page 5). Go tubular. For the special thrill that you can only get from being swept along by your backside, try tubing. Work got you down? Taking things too seriously? Tubing is guaranteed to take your mind off your troubles. Kids a little cyber-spaced? This will give 'em shrieking-and-laughing contact with natural reality. Row? Learn how to row with the Farmington Valley Rowing Association. (see page 3) Bike... The possibilities are many and riverside bike trails tend to be flat and family-friendly! To get started, request a trail map from the Farmington Valley Trails Council at or Hike. The Farmington winds through great big forests and great little towns. You have many choices for getting your heart rate up or for just sitting beside it with a good book, a good dog, good friend, good music, good food, maybe even a good moose. Put your feet up and gaze between your toes at the water. What could be better? One

2 The Farmington River Watershed Association Board & Staff Officers President - Matt Reichin Vice-President - Diana Goode Vice-President - Sia Bauer Treasurer - David Donaldson, Jr. Secretary - Rick Hartman Directors Susan Barney Mike Gagne Cherie Griffith-Dunn Anthony Healy Sarah Hincks John Laudati Debbie Leonard Alesia Maltz Mary Moulton John E. Robinson David Sinish Marlene Snecinski Frank Untermeyer Staff Executive Director Eileen Fielding Education & Outreach Coordinator Aimee Petras Water Quality Coordinator Alisa Phillips-Griggs GIS Specialist Jeff Bolton The Farmington River Watershed Association is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Farmington River and its Watershed through research, education and advocacy. River Inspired Jewelry to Benefit FRWA The sunlight swirling in soft waves on the Farmington River was the inspiration for this jewelry design by FRWA Board Member Deborah Leonard. She describes her process here: As a board member of FRWA, I was asked to come up with a design that would represent us. Water is what we are about, but this organization stands for far more than our watershed alone. We join forces with a concerned planet by conserving and protecting and being advocates for this basic commodity for all life. I wanted the design to be universal and beautiful. Hopefully, you will agree that Bill Selig s creations in precious metals have done this. Bill Selig Jewelers, in Simsbury and Windsor, is selling this design in white gold, gold, sterling silver and gold plate over sterling silver. It can be purchased as pendants in large, medium, or small as well as earrings, lapel pins and money clips. Deborah donated her design to this project and Bill gives FRWA a donation for every piece he sells. The slip of paper with information accompanying each piece was designed by Group 4 in Simsbury as a donation to FRWA. You can help us protect our precious river resource by purchasing a piece for Father s Day, a birthday, or anniversary. The Farmington River Watershed benefits from each sale. That means we can continue to protect, educate and advocate for you. Get your Rain Barrel from FRWA To our delight FRWA is hosting the New England Rain Barrel Company for another year. The rain barrels will be sold for $80, with $4 going to FRWA, marked down from $ The Rain Barrels purchased from the New England Rain Barrel Company are made from recycled 55 gallon plastic barrels. They clean them up (most barrels were used in the food industry), install hose fittings and an insect-proof inlet and put them out for distribution. Rain barrels are distributed mostly on a preorder basis with a limited number available for purchase on the day of distribution. To get your rain barrel you just need to do two things: 1. Pre-order one from the New England Rain Barrel Company by calling (877) or order from their online store at 2. Pick-up your pre-ordered rain barrel at the distribution site. This year our distribution sites are: Granby Town Center Parking Lot, June 13, 10 am - 1 pm Collinsville Canoe & Kayak, June 14, 10 am - 1 pm Whole Foods Market, Glastonbury, July, 18, 10 am - 1 pm Whole Foods Market, West Hartford, July 19, 10 am - 1 pm "It's a struggle all the way, all the time, but I believe what we do matters. If we do it in the right spirit, we can shape the future for the good of the river and ourselves. They aren't separate" William Least Heat-Moon Two

3 Farmington River Watershed Association Winter 2009 Engineers Will Work for Fish Ready for good economic news? FRWA was recently awarded two Farmington River Enhancement Grants from the CT DEP for the improvement of fish habitat in the Farmington River. The grants, totaling $110,500, will allow FRWA to oversee and fund engineering studies at two sites in the river where fish passage is restricted by obsolete dams. One site is the old Spoonville Dam in Bloomfield/East Granby. The dam was breached in 1955, and its remnants still sit in the river, pinching the river s flow to a narrow, fast current. This bottleneck is exciting for whitewater paddlers but obstructive to migratory fish species such as shad, alewife, and blueback herring as they return from the ocean and try to swim farther upriver to good spawning habitat. The grant Ariel Photo of Winchell-Smith (aka Grist Mill) Dam funds will be used for an engineering study that will identify possible modifications to this site that will allow better fish passage. The second grant will fund a study to identify options for better migratory fish passage at the old Winchell- Smith (or Grist Mill) Dam in Farmington, where the dam is no longer functional but still spans the breadth of the river channel. In this case, the study will primarily focus on designing a fishway around the dam, through land owned by the Town of Farmington. In both cases, engineering alternatives will be evaluated not only for benefits to fish but also for benefits to recreational users of the river. The upper reaches of the Farmington offer abundant spawning habitat to commercially and culturally valued species of fish. Right now, that habitat is under-used because of barriers to upstream passage. These grant awards allow us to move two steps in the right direction toward restoration of the routes these fish historically used for dispersal and migration. The studies are expected to get underway in late summer or early fall. Learn to Row on the River The Farmington Valley Rowing Association (FVRA) will hold its annual Learn to Row Day on Saturday, June 6, from 11 am to 2 pm. A free lesson is available for anyone who is interested in learning to row. Participants will row with experienced rowers for a short time in a shell that holds eight rowers and a coxswain. The event is free, but participants must call ahead to reserve a spot. This year's regular adult novice clinics start on June 2, July 7 and July 28. Clinics run for three weeks from 6-8 pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings with a final session on the last Saturday. To reserve a seat for Learn to Row Day, or inquire about clinics, please call Other information is also available at FVRA also offers coaching to all levels of sweeps rowers and scullers. Members can be as competitive as they like, and the club routinely sends boats to regattas in Hartford, Providence, in addition to participating in Boston's Head of the Charles in October. The Simsbury-based club draws membership from all the Farmington Valley & surrounding towns, and the rowing season runs from mid-april to the end of October. The FVRA rows out of the Paine Boat House in Simsbury, and serves membership from the greater Hartford and northwestern Connecticut areas. Why Row? Rowing is an ideal exercise combining full body fitness with the opportunity to commune with nature along the Farmington River. Rowing involves all of the body s major muscle groups, and produces a calorie burn that is double that of activities such as jogging or tennis. Rowing can increase flexibility because it moves the body through a wider range of motion than most activities, stretching the muscles and rotating the joints. It is a great aerobic workout, it is non-weight-bearing and it is a low-impact sport on the joints. Rowers can continue to participate well into their 90's, and among women over 50, rowing is one of the fastest growing sports. There are two types of boats used in rowing, sweep boats & sculling boats. In sweep rowing, each rower uses only one oar. Sweep boats can have 2, 4, or 8 rowers and often carry a coxswain (pronounced coxn) to steer. In sculling, the rower uses two smaller oars, or sculls. Sculling boats have 1, 2, or 4 rowers. Rowing shells are very fast & not quickly maneuverable thus rowers are careful to follow river etiquette & row on the starboard side of the river except when it is necessary to stay in the deeper water of the channel under bridges Three

4 Bird Migration Study along the Farmington River It is well known that birds use features such as coastlines, mountains, and rivers as visual cues during migration periods. There are four major flyways, as they are known, in the continental United States that are used in both spring and fall. These major flyways include the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, the Mississippi River Valley, and the Central Flyway where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains. As birds move north along the Atlantic Flyway in spring, they branch off from the coast onto secondary flyways. In southern New England, the Housatonic, Thames and Connecticut Rivers, serve as secondary flyways from which birds may enter the interior of Connecticut. From these Rivers, birds move throughout the state. Recently, the Lower Farmington River Wild & Scenic Study Committee asked Jay Kaplan at Roaring Brook Nature Center (RBNC) what role the River plays as a migratory corridor here in the Farmington Valley. Jay is an expert birder and very experienced in bird surveys, so the question piqued his curiosity. Although RNBC has accumulated numerous reports of unusual bird sightings in the Farmington Valley over the years, to his knowledge there have been no surveys to quantify bird movements along the River during the spring migration period. As it was too late to mount a full blown study of migration The Farmington River Corridor serves as a bird highway. along the Farmington this year, RBNC choose to provide a snapshot of spring migration along the River. Calling on members of the Hartford Audubon Society, the Nature Center asked for volunteers to help in monitoring migration along the River this spring and devised a simple strategy. Participants would devote at least three mornings to watching birds along the River this spring during what most consider the peak migration period. The birders would spend 2 hours at selected points on the River in the early morning. They would also count every bird seen during that time period, including birds seen within a one quarter mile of either riverbank. Areas to be covered include Canton s Town Bridge, Tunxis Meade in Farmington, Nod Brook Wildlife Management Area, Pinchot Sycamore and Loomis-Chaffee School in Windsor. It would be exciting to discover that the river corridor supports many rare bird species that depend upon the River to complete their migration. In reality, it s more likely that the river corridor is used by a wide range of species, some of them notable. Early results indicate Ospreys (known as fish hawks ) do use the River as a migration corridor, perhaps to be in close proximity to their favorite food at mealtime. The Farmington River is known for its diversity of conditions found along its banks, from sandbanks to rocky outcroppings and from agricultural lands to forests. Because of this variety of habitats, the survey birders probably will Millrace Bookstore Sponsors River Celebration On May 31st, the Millrace Bookstore in Farmington will hold a river celebration to celebrate the river that captivated both native Indians and English settlers with three different presentations. Jan Owens from the Farmington River Literary Arts Center (FRLAC) will begin the day with some River Readings. Peg Yung from the Farmington Historical Society will present the Indian & Amistad stories. Finally, Alisa Phillip-Griggs will lead a guided walk to the site of last year s Pequabuck River Buffer Project and highlight the plantings along the Nancy Conklin river trail. She will describe how FRWA builds better buffers along stream corridors to improve water quality. Please join us: May 31, 2009, festivities begin at 4 pm at the Millrace Bookstore, 40 Mill Lane, Farmington, CT. To register, call , $10 (FRWA & FRLAC Members Free) see a wide range of migrants. They also expect to see species that remain to nest along the River. From Double-crested Cormorants in Canton to Common Mergansers in Windsor, from Spotted Sandpipers in Simsbury to Killdeer along the Farmington flats, the River provides suitable habitat for nesting birds as well as migrants. It is hoped that this snapshot of spring migration along the River will provide yet another reason why the Lower Farmington River deserves designation as a Wild & Scenic River by Congress Four

5 2009 FRWA Canoe Trips & Watershed Walks Watershed Walks: Explore on-foot the beauty & diversity of the Watershed. Bacteria for Naturalists - Saturday, July 25, 1:00 to 3:00 PM: There are far more bacteria on Earth than there are stars in the universe; they make up most of the living biomass on the planet and their influence on the environment is vast and profound, yet, due to their microscopic size, they are mostly overlooked. Many bacteria, however, can be identified by macroscopic field marks, characteristics that anyone can see, smell, or sometimes even hear without the use of a microscope. Betsey Dexter Dyer, Professor of Biology at Wheaton College and author of A Field Guide to Bacteria, will lead us on the mother of all nature walks as we search through stream, pond, forest and wetland for signs of bacteria. (Note: this walk is oriented towards curious naturalists with some background in biology.) FREE Shoot the Wildflowers Saturday, August 8, 10:00 AM to Noon: Hike along stream and wet meadow to discover and identify native wildflowers of the Upper Farmington River Watershed, then photograph them. Valerie Allgrove, writer, photographer, and botanist specializing in northeast native wildflowers, will share her tricks for wildflower identification and secrets for taking good photos. (BYOC- bring you own camera) FREE Canoe Trips: Canoe trips take from 2-4 hours and paddlers must be able to handle a canoe in flat water. Canoes courtesy of Huck Finn Adventures, Collinsville, CT. Cost per person: Members: Need a boat: $15; Have own boat $10; Non-members: Need a boat: $20; Have own boat: $15 Farmington River Archeology - Saturday, July 11, 11:00 AM: Paddle along our own ancient Native American canoe trail as we explore the fascinating culture of the people who inhabited the Farmington River Valley thousands of years ago. Learn about the latest archeological discoveries from Ken Feder Professor of Anthropology, Central Connecticut State University, and founder of the Farmington River Archeology Project. Twilight Wildlife Tour - Saturday, July 18, 5:45 PM: Slip quietly down the River in the cool of evening in search of crepuscular wildlife. Jay Kaplan, Naturalist and Director of Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton will share his vast knowledge of local plants and animals visible along the River at sunset. Waters of Windsor - Saturday, August 15, 11:00 AM: Paddle the waters of the lower Farmington and discover the nature of Windsor with Northwest Park Naturalists Kathryn Pelton & Tom DeShais. We ll take out near Bart s Drive-In where you can replenish with a late lunch at the Windsor landmark famous for their chili dogs, fried clams, fresh fish, & soft serve ice cream. To participate in any of these events pre-registration is required. Space is limited and trips sell out quickly so please contact FRWA at (860) , or river@frwa.org to register. Simsbury Land Trust Gets Wet! Join the Simsbury Land Trust (SLT) for a joint canoe trip with FRWA on Water Trails. SLT and the FRWA will team up to host a canoe/kayak trip on the Farmington River. Trip begins at the Pinchot Sycamore Park and ends at Curtis Park. A brief introduction to water trails will be given at the beginning of this event. Pricing is $25 per boat if you need a boat and if you are bringing your own boat it is $10 per SLT member and $15 per non-member. Additional details will be available on the SLT website at or by phoning the office at Pre-registration required. Five

6 Farmington River Coordinating Committee (FRCC) Grant Program In 1994, the U.S. Congress designated the upper 14 miles of the west branch of the Farmington River as Wild & Scenic based on its outstanding fish, wildlife, historical, and recreational resources. The Farmington is a partnership river because its stewardship is based on a partnership among local, state, and federal entities. The Committee (FRCC) is made up of representatives of the five river fronting towns (Hartland, Colebrook, Barkhamsted, New Hartford and Canton), CT DEP, Metropolitan District Commission, Farmington River Anglers Association, Farmington River Watershed Association, and National Park Service. Periodically, the National Park Service provides funding to support FRCC activities. As part of its effort to support local endeavors and enhance protection of the upper Farmington River, the FRCC offers small grants for applicable projects. Project Eligibility Projects that enhance the protection of the upper Farmington River and its watershed are eligible for consideration. Project focus can range from riverbank to watershed level. The project must be consistent with the Upper Farmington River Management Plan and should directly benefit at least one of the following general areas: Conservation/restoration of the river and riverrelated resources (including critical uplands). Promotion of responsible recreational use. Public education about the river, its resources, and methods of protection. Public involvement in river-related issues. For more information on grant requirements and to apply, visit FRCC High School & College Scholarships Are you a high school senior or college student from Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Hartland or New Hartford? Are you planning on studying environmental science? The Farmington River Coordinating Committee has two scholarship programs that you can apply for: The Pat Keener Scholarship ($1,000) is awarded each year to a high school student from one of the five riverfront towns going on to college to study environmental science. The Nancy Johnson Scholarship($1,000) is awarded to a college student from one of the five riverfront towns that is currently studying environmental science. Call FRCC at for more information. Pequabuck River Watershed Association News The Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA) was recently awarded a grant of $100,000 to develop a plan to bypass or remove the Middle Street Dam on the Pequabuck River in Bristol. The money was one of many Farmington River Enhancement Grants awarded by CT DEP recently from their Supplementary Environmental Projects Fund. Located along Route 229, this dam has long been identified as an impediment to fish passage by the DEP and PRWA. The Pequabuck supports a healthy population of trout and is one of the targeted streams for the Atlantic Salmon Restoration Project. Removal or bypassing this impediment will further improve the habitat and the recreation along the Farmington River s largest tributary. PRWA s recent annual meeting featured Don Mysling, fish biologist for DEP. He presented an informative program about impacts of the new Route 72 extension and the mitigation projects underway to minimize the negative impacts on our river s health. The Enviroscape was the feature at the PRWA booth for Plainville s Earthstock event on April 19 and at the Duck Race in Forestville on Sunday, May 3. This interactive landscape demonstrates the impact of non-point source pollution on rivers and other waterbodies. It can help everyone see the effect of common activities can have on our shared environment. The April 25 spring clean-up expanded into Terryville this year, for the first time. We were excited to see the interest and enthusiasm of two great groups of volunteers! The Bristol group focused on the Forestville section of the river, and along Memorial Boulevard. The Terryville volunteers cleaned around and up-stream of Horseshoe Falls. Many thanks to Hildegarde Siemiatkoski for her work coordinating the new area and thanks to Mike Barden and Moran Environmental Recovery for hauling away the trash collected. Six

7 Your FRWA Membership Benefits You AND the Environment! This is the time of year where we ask for membership support. If you recently responded to a reminder with your donation; thank you! If you haven't sent in a renewal yet, consider this your reminder and please respond with the form below. We will be sending out another reminder in the coming weeks. If you are currently not a member, consider joining us! We have a New Membership Campaign where new members can join at any price. See our form below for selections. Remember: joining FRWA has lots of benefits besides the most important ones: a clean river and a healthy environment. You can show your membership card at these participating businesses for special discounts. [If you don t see your favorite retailer listed here, consider asking them if they will provide our members benefits. Call to give us the contact details or have them call us.] Discounts on FRWA events & 20% discount on FRWA merchandise New! EMS in West Hartford and Simsbury 10% discount excluding bikes & boats New! 10% off any service at Tunxis Medical Massage, LLC New! Awakenings Natural Healing, Simsmore Square, Simsbury, CT $3 off purchase of $ % discount on in-stock accessories at Collinsville Canoe & Kayak Store $5 off canoe rentals at Huck Finn Adventures, Canton % off purchases over $50 at Vincent Sports Shop, Inc., Simsbury % off framing of FRWA posters Artful Framer, Avon % discount at Blue Sky Foods, excluding catering % discount at Joe s Bait & Tackle, Windsor Locks % off any purchase at Classic & Custom Fly Shop, New Hartford Please cut out the form below and mail it back to us, or go online to and click on Donate Now! Thank you all! Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Phone Number: Check one: New Member Campaign (select amount below) $6.09 $16.09 $26.09 $46.09 $60.90 $ Annual Individual or Gift Membership ($40) Annual Family Membership ($60) Annual Sustaining Membership ($120) Gift Membership to In Memory donation to Other Donation Amount, please specify: $ Please send acknowledgment to (if different from above): Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: I have enclosed my check payable to FRWA, or please charge my MasterCard or Visa. Card #: Expiration Date: Amount $ Name on Card: Signature Please send to: Farmington River Watershed Association, 749 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT Credit card donations may be phoned in to Aimee Petras at (860) x. 201 or submitted online at via our secure online contributions server. Seven

8 The Farmington River Watershed Association 749 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Simsbury, CT Permit No. 26 Protecting The Farmington River, For You, For All, Forever. FRWA 2009 Calendar of Events Date Event Location May 31 Farmington River Celebration at Millrace Bookstore, 4pm 40 Mill Lane, Farmington, CT June 6 Learn to Row Day, 11 am - 2pm Paine Boat House, Simsbury July 11 Farmington River Archeology Canoe Trip See Page 5 for Details July 18 Twilight Wildlife Canoe Trip See Page 5 for Details July 25 Bacteria for Naturalists Riverside Walk See Page 5 for Details August 8 Shoot the Wildflowers Riverside Walk See Page 5 for Details August 15 Waters of Windsor Canoe Trip See Page 5 for Details Please RSVP to (860) ext. 0 to ensure we have adequate food and supplies for all events. Check the Events page at for more information on our events. Printed on 100% recycled paper, always.