Twin Rivers Extension - Aug/Sept 2008

Plans are on the drawing board and the necessary permits and contracts are being secured and drawn up for the next phase of habitat restoration work in the Twin Rivers Farm Project. Building on the success and experiences gained in the earlier phases of the project, work on the next phase of the project is scheduled to begin in late summer/early fall of 2008. We'll be working in the reach of river upstream of the already restored sections. A map of the project site can be found at right. Additional details will be posted as they become available.

Project Summary:

The second (construction) phase of the Twin Rivers Farm Habitat Restoration Project was completed on September 19, 2007 with the anchoring of the last of the cover trees, seeding, mulching, and rehab of the upper landing and island (areas used by the crew for materials staging and for access to the river for the purpose of the project.) According to Scott Wixsom, Biological Technician with the Green Mountain National Forest, "the project turned out very well, weather and water levels cooperated, no injuries sustained nor breakdown of equipment." If you haven't stopped by yet to see the fruits of the labors of the many dedicated partners, be sure to check out the photos of the project site. (Phase 2 Photo Gallery and Phase 1 Photo Gallery).

Special Recognition and Thanks

Aside from the multiple partner organizations involved, much support was received from many people before and during the project, but one group that stands out and often receives little recognition is the corps of various contractors who played a key role in making incredible things happen on the ground and in the water: including Dean and Noel from Dydo, Pat and Shawn Salo, Joe Nolan and Nate, Steve Morse, and Keith Squires. All very professional, dedicated, and hard working individuals. A HUGE thank you for a job well done!

The first phase of the Twin Rivers Batten Kill Habitat Restoration Project in West Arlington has been completed. Staff from Green Mountain National Forest and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department worked with equipment and operators from Dydo and Company of Dorset to create cover and shelter for the trout in the upstream section of the project. The structures can best be viewed from the base of the long hill between Benedict Crossing and the Covered Bridge on River Road in West Arlington. The difference between the amount of cover and shelter now in the project area and the lack out of it is quite striking. The structures make use of existing features: for instance, at a big overhanging sycamore, three tree rootwads and a log are clustered together and anchored into the bank.

In addition to the ‘large woody debris’ structures along alternating sides of the river, large slate stones were installed on the floor of the pool areas of the riverbed to provide feeding stations for the trout. Trout are territorial, and tend to select and defend a particular feeding station at which they wait for the food that will come to them in the current or emerge from the riverbed. Large rocks provide useful shelter from the current as they wait and hunt.

This project is based on extensive scientific studies of the river by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and the Green Mountain National Forest. These studies indicated that the Batten Kill does not provide adequate cover for wild trout. Young trout in particular need cover as protection from predators, shelter from floods, and shelter from heat and low water. The normal recruitment of debris clusters has been impeded by deforestation of the riparian zone, removal of woody debris from the channel, and straightening of streambeds throughout the watershed.

The project site will be monitored for effects on the trout population. The expectation is that after about five years there will be a 10% to 50% increase in trout in the project area. In addition to the improvement in trout habitat, the Twin Rivers project will also improve the natural river dynamics of the stream, improving stability and reducing erosion and excess sedimentation. It is expected that the debris structures will capture other debris coming down the river in flood times, enhancing the cover and shelter. The Alliance will be reaching out to other riparian landowners to explore the possibility of expanding this restoration project upstream and downstream.

BKWA is financing this project with $60,000 from the Orvis Company and $30,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. These funds will be matched with funds from the Green Mountain National Forest to be used on this project and similar habitat restoration operations. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, the Bennington County Conservation District, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are also project partners. Thanks to Dr. and Mrs. Lesko for allowing us to use their property for access to the river, and to Mark Riley of Vermont Forest & Field for donating his services in identifying and harvesting trees and rootwads.

- Cynthia Browning

Update on Phase 2

The project partners have been hard at work over the winter, individually, and collectively. Two planning meetings for Phase 2 and beyond have been held to date - including one in Dec 2006 and another in March 2007. Tentative site design plans for Phase 2 are presented below. Please note, however, that these plans are tentative and have NOT yet been finalized or received final approval. Much depends on how the spring runoff affects the existing structures installed just upstream, in Phase 1. (See below for photos & diagrams from Phase 1.)

Below are two sets of drawings of the stretch of river that will be worked on in Phase 2. The first set represents the existing conditions prior to the beginning of the project. And the second set of drawings are a *preliminary* view of the planned in-stream structures that may be installed in Phase 2.

Update on Phase 1

The structures installed in Phase 1 2006 are holding up well, and to date, only one of the structures has been affected by high-water conditions.

According to Steve Roy, Fisheries Program Manager for the Finger Lakes/Green Mountain National Forests, as of January 3, 2007:

"The habitat work at the Twin Rivers site is doing its job of creating excellent cover and refuge for trout. The structures have withstood several high water events including one bankful (channel forming) event. The channel is changing as expected by forming depositional areas near the banks and scour holes around the structures."

Work on Phase 1 Completed.

Work on Phase 1 of the project began as scheduled on Monday, September 11 and wrapped up early on Friday, September 15, 2006. See below for images and video from the project site. More than 25 stream-bank an in-stream installations were placed. Most of the installations were created using a combination of large woody debris (root wads, large diameter tree trunks, and rock), were secured to the stream bank and existing trees using chain, re-bar and boulders. The stations were designed and laid out in such a way as to appear natural and as 'non-engineered' as possible. Several large slab rock structures were also placed mid-stream to provide additional cover from overhead predators. The images below show a sampling of the stream structures installed. Stay tuned for additional details regarding the plans for Phase 2 of the project, scheduled for implementation in 2007.