Project Summary (from Proposal)

Transcription

1 Easygrants ID: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation NFWF/Legacy Grant Project ID: LI Sound Futures Fund Implementation - Habitat, Species, Invasives - Submit Final Programmatic Report (Activities) Grantee Organization: Connecticut Fund for the Environment Project Title: Pequonnock River Apron Fish Passage (CT) Project Period 10/01/ /01/2014 Award Amount $159, Matching Contributions $59, Project Location Description (from Proposal) The concrete apron is at degrees N x degrees W in Glenwood Park, Bridgeport, just north of Route 1, and about 2.5 miles north of Long Island Sound and 0.5 miles south of Bunnells Pond. Project Summary (from Proposal) Summary of Accomplishments Lessons Learned Install a step pool fish ladder through a concrete erosion apron in the Pequonnock River which is impeding upstream fish passage. Project will restore 5 miles of upstream river passage. CFE/Save the Sound worked with project partners and achieved the following: 1. Successful modification of the concrete apron with a pool and weir fish ramp to allow fish to pass. The CT DEEP Inland Fisheries Diadromous Fish report of June 10, 2014 counted 8,949 alewives. 2. Opened up 7.75 river miles and 33 lake acres for migratory fish access. 3. The number of migrant alewives forced to swim on their sides or with their backs out of water, which exposed them to predators and injuries in the past, has now been reduced to zero. 4. Installed a solar-powered, underwater video-monitoring system at the Bunnell's Pond Fishway a quarter mile upstream. As a result of the successful "fish cam" installation, we were able to transmit a video feed of migrating fish at the Pequonnock Dam to a viewing station at nearby Beardsley Zoo in spring Worked with the Bridgeport Parks Department to install an educational sign designed by CFE/Save the Sound, reviewed by project partners, and manufactured by Fossil Designs, on the river right bank of the Pequonnock River in Glenwood Park. 6. Held a celebration event where 70 volunteers installed 2100 plants along the riverbank next to the fishway. Lessons learned included the fact that the support of state, federal and local partners is not only important, but critical to project success. We also learned the value of making the best use of our down time to (1) enhance relations with current stakeholders, including Bridgeport, CT Mayor Finch and (2) maintain a community presence with beach cleanups, and other events. In addition, we learned firsthand how climate change may affect future projects. We were forced to suspend the project in December 2012 because the contractor was not able to control the seasonal high water following two major storms in a row -- Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent Nor'easter in our region. Most of the construction delays were beyond the control of project partners, such as the high flows resulting from the two storms. However, in hindsight, the project s construction delays might have been reduced with more site-specific, water-level data collection during the design phase. On the positive side, a notable project result is the innovative environmental education and engagement project we developed in

2 conjunction with nearby Beardsley Zoo, located in Beardsley Park also in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River # of workshops, webcasts, webinars, special events, meetings associated with activity Value at Grant Completion 2 special events Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River # of educational signs Value at Grant Completion 1 large sign Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River Other Activity Metric (Reduce % of migrant alewives swimming upstream on backs or sides, now 100%) Value at Grant Completion 0% Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River Other Activity Metric (Reduce % of migrant alewives that fall back during attempts to ascend, now 30%) Value at Grant Completion 5% Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River Acres of habitat restored or enhanced Value at Grant Completion 33 open lake acres enhanced Dedication/Celebration/Press Event Other Activity Metric (# of stakeholders involved in the activity) Value at Grant Completion 15 Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River Miles or linear foot river opened to anadromous or diadromous fish passage Value at Grant Completion 7.75 miles enhanced Spring herring run and cleanup event # of volunteers engaged in project Value at Grant Completion 40 Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River Other Activity Metric (Revise engineering plan) Value at Grant Completion 100% complete design plans Partnership with Beardsley Zoo # of educational signs Value at Grant Completion One interpretive sign at Zoo Partnership with Beardsley Zoo # of workshops, webcasts, webinars, special events, meetings associated with activity Value at Grant Completion One celebration event Fish viewing/video monitoring at Bunnells Pond Fishway and Beardsley Zoo Other Activity Metric (Equipment installed at Fishway and Zoo) Value at Grant Completion camera, housing, computer, equipment installed

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12 History Anadromous Fish In 1878, James W. Beardsley donated 100 acres of land along the Pequonnock River to the City of Bridgeport to create an area that would keep the same forever as a public park. While this sec on of the river enjoys a touch of scenery and a breath of fresh air before it enters the urbanized City of Bridgeport and connects to Long Island Sound, it is s ll greatly affected by years of human made altera ons throughout the watershed. Each spring, anadromous fish such as blueback herring, alewives, and sea run trout hatch in freshwater ponds and streams, swim downstream to spend years in Long Island Sound and the Atlan c Ocean, then return as adults to freshwater to spawn and start the cycle again. The Pequonnock River watershed encompasses a 29 square mile area with the majority of the watershed locat ed within Monroe, Trumbull, and Bridgeport. This urban river faces many challenges including polluted storm water runoff, obstruc ons to fish passage, development near the riverbanks causing erosion, and other prob lems. One major altera on was the construc on of the Bunnells Pond Dam. This obstruc on prevented mi gra ng fish from reaching their spawning habitat. Reduc on in the numbers of these important species contrib uted to an overall reduc on in the health of Pequonnock River and Long Island Sound watershed. Their journey is difficult and dangerous. Predators and the rigors of their upstream migra on are constantly thinning their numbers and human made barriers further limit their success. Scien sts and environmental groups such as Save the Sound work to restore migratory fish passage by removing dams and installing fishways on rivers all around Connec cut. Ac ons by a public/private partnership have resulted in more fish accessing their upstream spawning habitat for the first me in decades. A historic photo of the Pequonnock River near Beardsley Park The Pequonnock River Apron Modifica on Project Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) Average size: 10 to 12 inches In 1963, the Connec cut Department of Transporta on built the concrete apron you see here during construc on of the downstream bridge to prevent erosion and scour of the streambed. Prior to construc on of the fishway, when stream flows were high, the ar ficially smooth surface caused water to flow so fast that fish could not get over the apron. When stream flows were low, fish had to flop on their sides and struggle through shallow water to get upstream, leaving them highly suscep ble to injury from the concrete surface and preda on by birds. In 2013, Save the Sound and project partners completed the removal of a por on of the apron and the construc on of a pool and weir fishway. The func on of the apron is maintained while improving passage for migra ng fish. This new deeper channel and series of pools and weirs allows anadromous fish to move upstream more successfully at most flow levels and reach the Bunnells Pond Fishway. Before: shallow depth of water flowing in the river makes it a gauntlet of death for fish During: Construc on of the fishway is underway with sandbags and plas c in place to divert water around the work area A er: fish can now swim up this sec on of the Pequonnock River unimpeded for the first me in 60 years Blueback Herring (Alosa aesɵvalis) Average size: 12 to 14 inches The plan ng plan was designed to complete restora on efforts and includes a diverse mix of Connec cut na ve plants Volunteer Plan ng The City of Bridgeport, dignitaries and volunteers joined Save the Sound to plant a streamside buffer along the fishway with shrubs and grasses na ve to Connec cut s streams and wetlands. This area will filter runoff from the park and nearby road, improving the quality of water in the Pe quonnock River and will provide habitat and food for wildlife in Glenwood Park Fishway at Bunnells Pond Dam Constructed in 2002, the Bunnells Pond Fishway is a steeppass design and is the largest of its kind in the Eastern United States. At roughly 150 feet long and climbing to a height of 31 feet, the fishway has regularly spaced internal vanes designed to slow the rushing water and allow migra ng fish to travel up to their historic spawn ing grounds. In a innova ve undertaking that involved coordina on between Connec cut DEEP, the City of Bridgeport, the Nutmeg Curling Club, the Beardsley Zoo, and with the help of private contractors, Save the Sound installed a camera at the upstream exit of the fishway to track fish passage. With special so ware, scien sts and volunteers will now be able to determine the species and quan es of fish using the fishway. You can see it for yourself! Check out the Pequonnock Fish Camera at Night herons (NicƟcorax nicɵcorax) perch on the lower por on of the fishway False Indigo (BapƟsia australis) Tu ed Hair Grass (Deschampsia caespitosa) Bu erfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Addi onal funding provided by The Jeniam Founda on

13 Pequonnock River Cement Apron Project Press clips 2014 Volunteers work to protect Long Island Sound, May 10, CT Post, Fausto Giovanny Pinto Blog post May 2014: Blog post May 2014: Blog post March 2014: Public-private teamwork helps save Connecticut s threatened alewives, May 7, Christian Science Monitor, Cathryn J. Price Blog post October (picked up by the Sacramento Bee, of all things!) Long Island Sound fund awards grants for area projects, Oct. 14, CT Post, Frank Juliano

14 From: Karen Baar Pequonnock River Partner Memorandum 03/25/2013 To: Lynn Dwyer Cc: Dean Economides Re: Suspension of work on the Pequonnock River Apron Fish Passage (Projects # and 28523) This has been an especially brutal winter to be working outdoors. It has been even more difficult to do any river work that requires extensive water control. In the Pequonnock River, the combination of hurricane, blizzard and high tide events made the contractor s ability to successfully control water impossible. Water control structures including sand bags, jersey barriers, and thick plastic liners repeatedly failed in the face of large storm events. Water control solutions were redesigned a number of times with only limited success. Because of these recurring problems, we could not with confidence commit to limiting our work inside a functioning cofferdam to the period between March 1 and June 1 (the fish passage season), as required by our DEEP permit. Therefore, in accordance with a decision by the DEEP Inland Fisheries Division, we suspended work on the fishway until after the end of the fish run and seasonal high flows. The fish run will be over by June 15. At that time, work will resume under low flow conditions with a redesigned cofferdam that will be able to control the water. We plan to be ready to reenter the water on June 14 or 17, pending approval from DEEP. Hydrologic data provided by the engineer and data from DEEP staff collected last summer at the site show significantly lower, more easily controlled water levels in the summer months. Our contractor, Terry Contracting, has secured the site and demobilized as required during the suspension. The failure to install a successful cofferdam and damage to equipment and materials during storm events resulted in significant cost overruns which will be absorbed by Terry Contracting and CFE/Save the Sound. Terry Contracting is aware that they will not be able to recoup all of their costs; however, they have several times reiterated their commitment to complete the project in a professional and timely manner once work recommences. And CFE/Save the Sound will attempt to raise funds to cover a portion of the cost overruns. LISFF Project # currently has an extension until September 1, 2013; we expect construction to be completed by that date. I will request a one year extension for project # 28523, which is currently slated to end on May 31, This has been a challenge to our team, since we have a track record of completing projects within budget and on time. We intend to use this time to ensure that once the project resumes, it is completed as quickly and efficiently as possible. As project manager and fiduciary, it is our intention to safeguard the interests of our project funders, the City of Bridgeport, and the fish that we are trying to protect. If you have any questions or comments, please contact John Champion or Gwen Macdonald at or by (jchampion@ctenvironment.org; gmacdonald@savethesound.org. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

15 Pequonnock River Fish Passage The Pequonnock River From Bucolic to Urban In 1878, James W. Beardsley donated 100 acres of land along the Pequonnock River to the City of Bridgeport to create an area that would keep the same forever as a public park. While this section of the river enjoys a touch of scenery and a breath of fresh air before it enters the urbanized City of Bridgeport and connects to Long Island Sound, it is still greatly affected by years of human-made alterations. The Pequonnock River watershed encompasses a 29 square-mile area with the majority of the watershed located within Monroe, Trumbull, and Bridgeport. This urban river faces many challenges including polluted stormwater runoff, obstructions to fish passage, and development near the riverbanks causing erosion. One major alteration was the construction of the Bunnells Pond Dam. This obstruction prevented thousand of migrating fish from reaching their historic spawning habitat. Over generations, this caused a reduction in the numbers of important fish species and contributed to decrease in the health of the Pequonnock River and Long Island Sound. Actions by a public/private partnership have resulted in more fish accessing their upstream spawning habitat for the first time in decades. The Pequonnock River Apron Modification Project In 1963, during construction of the downstream bridge, the Connecticut Department of Transportation built the concrete apron you see here to prevent erosion and scour of the streambed. Prior to construction of the fishway, when stream flows were high, the artificially smooth surface caused water to flow so fast that fish could not get over the apron. When stream flows were low, fish had to flop on their sides and struggle through shallow water to get upstream, leaving them highly susceptible to injury from the concrete surface and predation by birds. In 2013, Save the Sound and project partners completed the removal of a portion of the apron and the construction of a pool and weir fishway. The function of the apron is maintained while improving passage for migrating fish. This new deeper channel and series of pools and weirs allows anadromous fish to move upstream more successfully at most flow levels and reach the Bunnells Pond Fishway. Pequonnock River Apron BEFORE Pequonnock River Apron CONSTRUCTION Pequonnock River Apron AFTER Counting Fish at Bunnells Pond Fishway Constructed in 2002, the Bunnells Pond Fishway is a steeppass design and is the largest of its kind in the Eastern United States. At roughly 150 feet long and climbing to a height of 31 feet, the fishway has regularly spaced internal vanes designed to slow the rushing water and allow migrating fish to travel up to their historic spawning grounds. In an innovative undertaking that involved coordination between Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the City of Bridgeport, the Nutmeg Curling Club, the Beardsley Zoo, and with the help of private contractors, Save the Sound installed a solar powered camera at the upstream exit of the fishway to track fish passage. With special software, scientists and volunteers will now be able to determine the species and quantities of fish using the fishway.

16 Final Programmatic Report Narrative Instructions: Save this document on your computer and complete the narrative in the format provided. The final narrative should not exceed ten (10) pages; do not delete the text provided below. Once complete, upload this document into the on-line final programmatic report task as instructed. 1. Summary of Accomplishments In four to five sentences, provide a brief summary of the project s key accomplishments and outcomes that were observed or measured. Our project to modify the cement apron on the Pequonnock River is complete, including building the pool and weir fishway, and installing and testing the solar-powered, underwater video-monitoring system at the Bunnell's Pond Fishway, a quarter mile upstream. The project opened up five river miles and 33 lake acres for migratory fish access: the CT DEEP Inland Fisheries Diadromous Fish report of June 10, 2014 counted 8,949 alewives at the site. As a result of the successful "fish cam" installation, we were able to transmit a video feed of migrating fish at the Pequonnock Dam to a viewing station at nearby Beardsley Zoo in spring CFE/Save the Sound had a celebration event and plant-a-thon on May 10, 2014, where more than 70 volunteers planted more than 2100 native plants along the river bank. 2. Project Activities & Outcomes Activities Describe and quantify (using the approved metrics referenced in your grant agreement) the primary activities conducted during this grant. Project activities during the grant period, October 1, 2011 through July 1, 2014, included: October 2011 August 2012 Between October 2011 and June 2012 CFE/Save the Sound completed the engineering design and permit documents. However, when a representative from Terry Contracting visited the site to review the design plans and estimate the cost of implementing the project, he found site conditions to be different than those used in the original design. EA Engineering made changes to the designs, which were reviewed by CFE/Save the Sound staff and Steve Gephard of Inland Fisheries. These changes included: Modification of the concrete apron to allow flow deep enough for fish passage. Installation of a series of five weirs and one rock step pool in the center of the channel. Each pool would be 12x15 feet and 12 inches deep during normal flow conditions, which would allow for proper hydraulic energy dissipation over the length of the fishway. The total length of the fishway was shortened from 120 feet to 85 feet and the number of weirs reduced from eight to five weirs. EA also drafted and revised technical specifications and created bid documents. September 2012 June 2013 CFE/Save the Sound published a bid notice in the Connecticut Post and on our website and held a site visit with interested contractors. We received three bids and selected Terry Contracting to perform the work. Terry Contracting submitted required bonding and insurance. CFE received all necessary state and federal permits for the project, including the CT DEEP OLISP Certificate of Permission, the IWRD Flood Management Certificate Application, and our Category 1 approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, New England Division. Upon selecting Terry Contracting to complete construction, we received our CT DOT encroachment permit and CFE signed a contract with Terry.

17 Terry Contracting mobilized to the site on October 21, 2012 but did not begin in water work until the week of November 12 because of Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent Nor easter. The project then stalled because of high flows in the river, and Terry s inability to control the water required a reevaluation of the plan of construction. In accordance with a decision by the DEEP Inland Fisheries Division, we suspended work on the fishway until after the end of the fish run and seasonal high flows, when work would resume under low flow conditions with a redesigned cofferdam that would be able to control the water. (Please see Uploads for memo sent to project partners on March 26, 2013.) Terry Contracting secured the site and demobilized as required during the suspension. During the winter, Terry Contracting, CFE/Save the Sound and Steve Gephard consulted on developing a strategy and a plan to move forward. The agreed-upon solution was to shift the channel to river left and to reconfigure the cofferdam in order to better direct the river flow away from the proposed work area. This collaborative solution proved to be a viable option. July 2013 September 2013 On July 1, Terry Contracting reentered the water and restarted the project. They installed the revised coffer dam, saw cut the existing apron, excavated material to final grade, and formed and poured concrete in staggered sections including five pools, wall sections, and five weirs. They completed the formwork and the concrete work necessary to produce the fishway as agreed. During this time, CFE/Save the Sound had a significant presence on the worksite to inspect forms and rebar placement. Staff kept a daily progress log (please see Uploads), took photographs of project progress and suggested several improvements to insure that the work was performed in an environmentally friendly manner. Terry Contracting removed all cofferdam materials from the water and began hauling materials offsite. On September 10, they installed the rock weir at the upstream end of the new fishway, with Steve Gephard on site to supervise the placement. Terry Contracting then restored the work site to preconstruction conditions. This involved removing all remnants of the construction equipment and debris and material, replacing topsoil, reseeding, replacing any damaged trees and repairing the fence that was altered to allow access to the site. November 2012 May 2014 CT DEEP installed a fish camera at the top of the fish ladder at Bunnells Pond to track the numbers of diadromous fish swimming up the Pequonnock into the Pond. CFE/Save the Sound worked with Elektron Solar and the Nutmeg Curling Club to install a solar-powered battery for the camera and the equipment necessary to have the camera feed stream live on the internet. Elektron Solar installed four 150-watt solar panels with a battery back-up system to a pole at Bunnells Pond. These photovoltaic panels provide electricity to the camera and computer equipment. The Nutmeg Curling Club, located just across the dam from the camera and computer, agreed to allow CFE to use their internet connection in order to have the fish camera images stream live on the internet. Video feed will be on-line from March to July during spring fish migration season. The camera will be removed and stored by CT DEEP from August to February. A video of alewives swimming past the Pequonnock fish camera is available on our website at Click the link below the video to view a live stream of the fish using the Bunnells Pond Fishway from March to July. On May 7, 2014 the Bridgeport Parks Department installed an educational sign designed by CFE/Save the Sound, reviewed by project partners, and manufactured by Fossil Designs (please see the attached proof of the sign). The sign was installed on the river right bank of the Pequonnock River in Glenwood Park. On May 10, 2014, CFE/Save the Sound had a celebration event and plant-a-thon. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Beardsley Zoo Director Gregg Dancho, CT DEEP Inland Fisheries Division Supervisor Steve Gephard, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Bridgeport Christopher Anastasi and Save the Sound Executive Director Curt Johnson spoke briefly. Seventy volunteers from in and around Bridgeport helped to plant over 2,100 native plants along the riverbank next to the fishway. The planting plan was designed by Site Systems, Inc. the company that won the Connecticut Landscape Architect Association award for their design of a streamside buffer project on the Pequonnock River just upstream in Trumbull. These plants will not only beautify Glenwood Park, they will also provide habitat for creatures living near the

18 river and filter run-off from roads to keep the water clean for fish. Participants, including individual volunteers as well as members of Beardsley Zoo s Conservation Discovery Corps, BuildOn Bridgeport, Gap Inc., GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc., and National Charity League s Fairfield chapter, helped to plant, and also laid straw and mulch around the entire planting area. Mulch was donated by Wood Grinding, Inc. and Bridgeport Parks Department donated their water truck and labor hours to plant the hard to reach steep sections of the bank. Bridgeport Parks will be responsible for maintaining the planting area and watering throughout the summers. Briefly explain discrepancies between the activities conducted during the grant and the activities agreed upon in your grant agreement. As described above, there were two major changes in the activities described in the grant agreement and the activities conducted during the grant period. These changes caused significant delays in getting the project completed. First, as described in the section labeled June August 2012 above, the engineering design needed major changes as a result of a site visit by Terry Contracting, Inc., when site conditions were found to be different from those used in the original design. Second, once the contract was awarded, weather conditions caused significant delays in getting started. Then, two major storms and high flow conditions that the contractor could not control necessitated a re-evaluation of the construction plan. Finally, CT DEEP mandated a suspension of the project until after the fish run and seasonal high flows, when the project resumed with a redesigned cofferdam. (Please see section labeled September 2012 June 2013.) Outcomes Describe and quantify progress towards achieving the project outcomes described in your grant agreement. (Quantify using the approved metrics referenced in your grant agreement or by using more relevant metrics not included in the application.) Outcome/Metric Proposed Value at Grant Actual Value at Grant Completion Completion Activity: Install a pool and weir fishway in a cement apron on the Pequonnock River 100% complete design plans Completed design plans Design plans needed to be redone by EA Engineering after visit to site by Terry Contracting (please see above), # of workshops, webcasts, webinars, special events, meetings, including a spring herring run and cleanup event but were completed. 2 cleanups CFE/Save the Sound coordinated several cleanup events, which involved 192 volunteers and 461 volunteer hours Planting event: 70 volunteers planted more than 2100 native plants Event celebrating World Fish Migration Day: 30 people (see #4 Dissemination section, below) members of the public visited the apron modification and the fish camera at Bunnells Pond. Each visitor was given a factsheet about the project (please see Uploads ) and learned about the importance of migratory fish in coastal Connecticut

19 # of educational signs 1 educational sign 1 sign was installed on the river right bank of the Pequonnock River in Glenwood Park on May 7, 2014 by the Bridgeport Parks Department. Reduce % of migrant alewives 0% 0% swimming upstream on backs or sides, now 100% Reduce % of migrant alewives that fall 5% 5% back during attempts to ascend, now 30% Acres of habitat restored or enhanced 33 open lake acres 33 open lake acres Miles or linear foot river opened to anadromous or diadromous fish passage 7.75 miles enhanced 7.75 miles enhanced Activity: Partnership with Beardsley Zoo # of educational/interpretive signs 1 interpretive sign at Zoo 1 sign installed at Beardsley Zoo # of workshops, webcasts, webinars, special events, meetings 1 celebration event Celebration event held on May 10, 2014 Activity: Fish viewing/video monitoring at Bunnells Pond Fishway and Beardsley Zoo Equipment installed at Fishway and Zoo Camera, housing, computer, equipment installed Equipment was installed and running from March to July during spring fish migration season. The camera will be removed and stored by CT DEEP from August to February Activity: Dedication/Celebration/Press Event # stakeholders stakeholders, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, Beardsley Zoo Director Gregg Dancho, CT DEEP Inland Fisheries Division Supervisor Steve Gephard, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Bridgeport Christopher Anastasi, Briefly explain discrepancies between what actually happened compared to what was anticipated to happen. Provide any further information (such as unexpected outcomes) important for understanding project activities and outcome results. 3. Lessons Learned Describe the key lessons learned from this project, such as the least and most effective conservation practices or notable aspects of the project s methods, monitoring, or results. How could other conservation organizations adapt their projects to build upon some of these key lessons about what worked best and what did not? A notable project result is the innovative environmental education and engagement project we developed in conjunction with nearby Beardsley Zoo, located in Beardsley Park also in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Beginning with the spring 2014 fish run, using state-of-the-art equipment, including a solar-powered video camera, the project will transmit to the Zoo a live video feed of fish swimming through the nearby Bunnell's Pond Fishway to get to their native spawning grounds. We have set up a program in conjunction with the Beardsley Zoo and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) to count fish, develop a database, and stream the video for a new exhibit at the Zoo.

20 The project will enable Zoo visitors to observe the fish migration in real time and empower citizen-scientist volunteers to participate in actual fish counts and collect data for use by CT DEEP. This promises to be a valuable engagement project for the local, urban community. Unexpected outcomes for this project included multiple delays due to financial, administrative and engineering/design issues. Lessons learned included the fact that the support of state, federal and local partners is not only important, but critical to project success. We also learned the value of making the best use of our down time to (1) enhance relations with current stakeholders, including Bridgeport, CT Mayor Finch and (2) maintain a community presence with beach cleanups, and other events. Also, we learned firsthand how climate change may affect future projects. We were forced to suspend the project in December 2012 because the contractor was not able to control the seasonal high water following two major storms in a row -- Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent Nor'easter in our region. Most of the construction delays were beyond the control of project partners, such as the high flows resulting from the two storms. However, in hindsight, the project s construction delays might have been reduced with more site-specific, waterlevel data collection during the design phase. What really brought the project back on track was considerable time spent by CFE/Save the Sound staff in conjunction with oversight by the CT DEEP Inland Fisheries Division. STS staff members were on site at least once if not twice daily to ensure construction progressed as efficiently as possible while still minimizing disturbance to the site and maintaining a high level of quality. Inland Fisheries staff oversaw the installation of the upstream rock weir, which serves as the transition between the concrete pool and weir fishway and the natural streambed. Only two days after the rock weir was complete, white suckers (C. commersonii) were observed in the pool between the rock weir and the fishway. 4. Dissemination Briefly identify any dissemination of lessons learned or other project results to external audiences, such as the public or other conservation organizations. In addition to the events proposed in our application and listed in the Outcomes section above, CFE/Save the Sound held an event celebrating World Fish Migration Day on May 24, when 30 members of the public visited the apron modification and the fish camera at Bunnells Pond. Each visitor was given a factsheet about the project (please see Uploads) and learned about the importance of migratory fish in coastal Connecticut. The Beardsley Zoo has a Trout in the Classroom exhibit in one of their educational buildings. The Zoo works very hard to educate students about the wildlife in their backyard and connect them with Connecticut s watersheds. A sign with information about the fish that use the fishway was designed and installed in the classroom building (see Uploads for proof of the sign). This sign, along with other parts of the exhibit, such as a fish tank with juvenile brook trout, are used during educational programs for children. The fishway was featured on CFE/Save the Sound s blog Green Cities Blue Waters (accessed at posted October 31, 2013 titled "Save the Sound Restores Fish Passage on the Pequonnock River" and in another blog post on October 28, 2013 titled "Building Key Fish Populations through Habitat Restoration". The projects is featured on our website: where there is also video of Pequonnock River alewives passing the fish ladder at Bunnells Pond. The press release for the celebration event can be found at and a summary with pictures of the celebration event can be found at clean-river/ Please see the Uploads section for a summary of press for the project. 5. Project Documents Include in your final programmatic report, via the Uploads section of this task, the following:

21 2-10 representative photos from the project. Photos need to have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and must be accompanied with a legend or caption describing the file name and content of the photos; report publications, GIS data, brochures, videos, outreach tools, press releases, media coverage; any project deliverables per the terms of your grant agreement. POSTING OF FINAL REPORT: This report and attached project documents may be shared by the Foundation and any Funding Source for the Project via their respective websites. In the event that the Recipient intends to claim that its final report or project documents contains material that does not have to be posted on such websites because it is protected from disclosure by statutory or regulatory provisions, the Recipient shall clearly mark all such potentially protected materials as PROTECTED and provide an explanation and complete citation to the statutory or regulatory source for such protection.