The HATCH Newsletter of the Southwestern Vermont Chapter of Trout Unlimited Summer 2007 In this issue: - E-Shocking The Twin Rivers Farm Project Area (p.1) - Stop Rock Snot! (p.1) - Conservation Corner (p.2) - Save a Trout! Plant a Tree! Eat a Dog! BK BBQ (p.3) - Recap of Spring Events (p.4) - Watershed Planning (p.4) - Odds and Ends (p.5) - Riparian Buffer Planting Project (p.6) - Fluvial Geomorphology (p.6) Trout Unlimited's mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. Page 1 S W V T T U . O R G (e)Shocking Results! On July 17th the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, under the guidance of fisheries biologist Ken Cox, conducted the third annual trout population survey of the Twin Rivers Farm section of river, located approximately one quarter-mile upstream from the junction of the Green River and the Batten Kill. The test waters included a 313-foot riffle stretch and a 337-foot pool stretch. The goal of the population survey was to compare populations of yearling and older trout within these stretches to past yearsÕ results. The major difference between this yearÕs survey and those of the previous two years is the significant habitat restoration completed in the pool stretch and more modest but still significant habitat restoration completed in the riffle section last fall. The riffle section was surveyed first, and it took little time for the crew to begin capturing trout adjacent to the new habitat structures. After three passes through this section of river a total of 24 trout of juvenile age and older were collected, as well as numerous young of year trout. There were also many non-trout fish that were shocked but not kept for evaluation, which confirms that there are a lot of calories out there for the bigger fish. Two large fish were shocked but did not make it to the collecting buckets so these were not included in the final count. The larger of the two was approximately 16 inches long. So, how do the results compare to 2005 and 2006? The average number of juvenile + trout collected over the last two years was 10 fish. The number of trout collected in the riffle this year was 24 fish. All trout collected were under 10 inches and several were not quite yet at the ÒcatchableÓ 6-inch length but were indeed yearling trout. As noted, two large fish were not included in the final numbers. The results show that the yearling and older population doubled over the past season. The amount of available habitat for the trout in this section of river was improved from less than 1% to approximately 6% and as mentioned previously most structures that had been introduced held juvenile class fish. While the results in the riffle were exciting, it was the pool section that the crew was anxious to get into and find out how the trout population was faring in there. Prior to restoration, the restored pool had habitat that equated to approximately 3% of the wetted area. After the introduction of large woody debris, brush piles, and a number of large slate slabs placed in the streambed, habitat was improved to approximately 22% of the wetted area. With this sort of massive habitat restoration in place, all were anxious to see if the trout were taking advantage of this excellent fishy structure. (Continued on page 3) Didymo Alert! Update your list of invasive species to include the aquatic diatom (a unicellular algae) known as didymo, or Didymosphenia geminata. ÔRock snotÕ was confirmed present in the Upper Connecticut and White Rivers in Vermont in June of this year. And as if this news wasnÕt bad enough, biologists with the USGS, NY DEC and VT ANR just confirmed Didymosphenia geminata is also present in the Batten Kill in VT and NY. By the time you read this, there will be signs posted on the Batten Kill advising all river users of the presence of didymo in the river, and offering recommended procedures to help prevent its spread to other waters. While we wait to hear of the plans devised by VT, NY, and NH environmental agencies, who are cooperating in this effort, as to how they intend to deal with didymo, here are a few facts about didymo, what to do if you think youÕve found it, and most importantly, what you should do as a responsible angler to help prevent spreading it to other waters. Didymo can form extensive mats or ÔbloomsÕ on the bottom of rocky stream beds. When it does this, it can make survival impossible for aquatic macro invertebrates, plants, and other organisms by smothering them. A single cell of didymo is microscopic, making it nearly impossible to detect on waders, boots, or clothing. Therefore, it is essential for all anglers to adopt a preventive attitude, and follow these guidelines established by New Zealand Biosecurity: Check, Clean & Dry. (For more details on these steps, see page 3.) According to the EPA, decontaminating your equipment in between uses in different freshwater systems is vital to preventing the spread of didymo. Sightings of Didymo in VT should be reported to: Didymo Identification, Water Quality Division 103 S. Main St., Bldg 10N, First Floor Waterbury, VT 05671-0408 (802) 241-3770 or (802) 241-3777 (Continued on page 3) ====== Page 2 S W V T T U . O R G From the President 2007 has been a great year for our chapter so far. Early chapter meetings with guest speakers were well attended at the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, our new location for general meetings. Ken Cox, Rich Langdon, and Mark Ferguson came to discuss their book ÒThe Fishes of VermontÓ and Lawton Weber, writer, guide, and editor of the new edition of ÒVermont Trout StreamsÓ gave a great presentation on fishing in New Zealand. Every meet- ing, weÕre seeing new faces, including some young anglers, and weÕre all very enthusiastic about where our chapter is headed. Speaking of enthusiastic, I couldnÕt be more enthusiastic over the hard work and dedication VP Doug Lyons and Secretary Peter Bellamy have put into raising $11,000 by meeting with key state, federal, and private donors and getting matching grants. Both attended a regional TU meeting in the Boston area that proved instrumental. Kudos to these two and their dedication and energy (and savvy money raising). This money will go a long ways toward conservation efforts on our local rivers. The Batten Kill remains an important river in the area, but while historic and famous, it is no more important than the other waters for which we are stewards. Projects on the Mettawee are being discussed, as well as efforts on the Wal- loomsac and other waters. Our Walloomsac River Cleanup for Green Up VT Day went well. See the event recap on page 4. Special thanks to Peter Basta for organizing it, and to Josh Gorman, Steve Hemkens, and that guy, whatÕs his name, Peter Bellamy. Mr. Bellamy also saw to it that our Batten Kill efforts made the Spring 2007 issue of TUÕs TROUT magazine. I think Peter has cloned himself, with all this work heÕs doing on the web and on the ground; because I know he couldnÕt get all this work done AND fish, and I know heÕs not going to go without that. While we are speaking of fishing, anglers report seeing more fish on the Batten Kill and more fish between 10-12Ó. A good sign. I know I have seen more anglers on the water, including a pair of teenagers out there having a good time; theyÕd picked up three browns, Òtwo small ones and one about 1 inches.Ó A chapter BBQ is in the works for August, to be held at the Arlington Recreational Park. See page for details. In September, weÕll resume our general meeting schedule with enter- taining and informative guests, some fly tying, and socializing. We hope you join us. From the President - Eric Rickstad Conservation Corner There has been a lot of activity on the Conservation front for the Chapter recently. This spring, the Chapter was awarded a grant for $4,500 through the Vermont Clean and Clear Fund and a matching grant was also received from the USFS - Green Mountain National Forest, by way of the Batten Kill Watershed Alliance. ThatÕs a total award of $9,000 to be used for a Riparian Buffer Zone Planting Project within the Batten Kill Watershed. Outreach letters have been mailed to key water-front residents within the watershed, and additional plan- ning work will be done over the balance of the year to identify appropriate parcels of land along the Batten Kill and its tributaries where riparian improvement is needed. Planting will take place next spring. If you are a landowner along the Batten Kill or one of its tributaries and are interested in participating, please contact Chapter Secretary Peter Bellamy at Secretary@TUSWVT.org. Peter can arrange a site visit and discuss how to move forward from there. It is important to note that this grant was made possible through the joint efforts of our chapter and Josh Gorman, the newly hired Watershed Coordinator in Basin One (which includes the Hoosic, Walloomsac and Batten Kill Rivers). We see this as a great first step in working with Josh and the State of Vermont. [For more details on Watershed Planning in Basin 1, see article on page 5.] The Chapter was recently presented with a check for $2,000 from the Greater Boston Chapter of Trout Unlimited to be directed towards habitat work on the Batten Kill. This is the second such donation that Greater Boston has made and there is a commitment from this generous chapter to continue supporting Batten Kill efforts for the next four years. Thanks very much to the folks in Boston! Immediate conservation and restoration plans for our chapter are to continue working with the Batten Kill Watershed Alliance as well as state and federal agencies to extend the habitat work on the Twin Rivers Farm site to maximize the benefit of the work being done along this section of river. If any chapter member wishes to contribute towards this effort all money raised will be matched by the USFS - Green Mountain National Forest. If you are interested in making a contribution and would like further details, please contact Doug Lyons, our chapter Conservation Task Force Coordinator at VP@TUSWVT.org. As a side note, an angler fishing the Twin Rivers Farm site during the Hendrickson hatch (between the rains) observed good numbers of fish rising within the newly created habitat Ñ a good early sign that the habitat work is doing as it was intended to. If you choose to fish in through here, drop us a note and let us know how you do. [Additional details, see the (e)Shocking article starting on page 1.] In the fall, the Chapter will host a meeting to discuss the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, a major TU initiative. We hope to learn how the Venture is being managed within Vermont and will also be looking for ways that the Chapter can participate in this important initiative to protect and expand the range of our regionÕs native salmonid, the brook trout. Further details will be presented in an upcoming edition of The Hatch and on the chapter web site. Finally, the Chapter is looking to expand its work beyond the Batten Kill. We have been approached by one landowner regarding restoration work along the Mettawee. There are no doubt other opportunities available, but this will require the active participation of members, so if you are interested in getting involved with the conservation efforts of the Chapter, please drop Doug Lyons a note at needed. Planting will take place next spring. If you are a landowner along the VP@TUSWVT.org. -Doug Lyons ====== Page 3 S W V T T U . O R G Batten Kill BBQ Date: Saturday, August 18th, 2007 11:30am -- 2:30pm (Rain or shine) Location: Arlington Recreation Park, Arlington, VT Cost: Just $5/person -- All you can eat! Food: Burgers, hot dogs, ice-cream, and more! Fun: Fly casting demonstrations and competitions! Raffle Prizes: 50/50 cash raffle, and big and small prize raffles. Prizes include hand-carved, limited edition Sam Lacina landing net, a gently used fly-rod, angling art, guided fishing trips, gift certificates to local vendors and restaurants, and more! All proceeds go to benefit our local river restoration projects, such as the Riparian Tree Planting Project. (p.6) Volunteers Needed! If you can flip burgers, judge a fly casting competition, or pull raffle tickets out of a hat, then we need you! Contact Jeff.Swedberg@TUSWVT.org if you can help. Most importantly, join us for a good time and a great cause! Save a Trout! Plant a Tree! Eat a Dog! Didymo in VT: Check, Clean & Dry (Continued from page 1) The VT ANR is urging anglers and all freshwater recreationists to follow these procedures outlined by New Zealand Biosecurity for preventing the introduction and spread of didymo: Check, Clean and Dry. 1. Check: Before leaving a river or stream, remove all obvious clumps of algae and look for hidden clumps. Leave them at the affected site. If you find any later, do not wash them down drains; dispose of all material in the trash. 2. Clean: Soak and scrub all items for at least one minute in either hot (140 degrees F) water, a two percent solution of household bleach or a five percent solution of salt, antiseptic hand cleaner or dish washing detergent. Be sure that the solution completely penetrates thick absorbent items such as felt-soled waders and wading boots. 3. Dry: If cleaning is not practical, after the item is completely dry to touch, wait an additional 48 hours before contact or use in any other waterway. Electro-Shocking Results from the Twin Rivers Farm Project Site (Continued from page 1) The results were, very simply, outstanding. Over the previous two years the average number of trout sampled was 10 juvenile and older trout Ñ similar to the results of the riffle section. This year, after four passes through with electro-shocking equipment 50 juvenile age and older trout were collected. As with the riffle stretch several were not quite at the ÒcatchableÓ size, but given another monthÕs growth they will no doubt fall into the ÒcatchableÓ class. This is a 5-fold increase in the number of trout over the previous two years average. As with the riffle section, the trout in the pool were making good use of the new structures. An interesting benefit was that the brush cover added to the sections of river not in the main flow are attracting young of year trout. Young of year bait fish have also been observed using cover. Teasing out the population that was collected a bit further showed 38 trout up to 9.9 inches, nine trout from 10 to 17.9 inches, and three trout between 18 and 21.3 inches. That too is extremely encouraging news, as one of the goals of the habitat restoration, particularly in the pool section of river, is to provide more cover for the important Òmid-sizeÓ trout. After less than a year the structures would appear to be doing just that. It is important to note that before declaring victory it will be necessary to demonstrate positive results such as those seen this year over the next two or three years. The hope is that with an additional year, more trout will be found within the restored area and even more mid-sized fish will turn up. Please note that if you do fish this stretch all trout sampled had their adipose fins clipped off. This is in order to determine what sort of hold-over rate is occurring in the years to come. Please do not mark any fish you catch either here or elsewhere on the river Ñ several trout captured in the survey do appear to have been marked by an angler who is probably doing informal checks to see if he or she is catching the same fish over time. If you do catch an adipose-clipped trout, it is not a stockie migrating up from NY. Work on phase two of the project will continue this fall. An additional quarter-mile of river will be restored with approximately 25 large woody debris and rock structures. [Thanks to Doug Lyons who attended the 7/17/07 electro-shocking, took the accompanying photos, and submitted this article.] ====== Page 4 S W V T T U . O R G Recap of Events Walloomsac River Cleanup A small, hard working group of dedicated SWVTTU members partnered with friends to haul approximately 50 large garbage bags and several pick-up truck loads full of scrap metal out of the Walloomsac River, in Bennington, VT on Friday, May 4th, 2007. The groupÕs haul consisted of several rusted bicycles, multiple shopping carts, numerous carpets, towels and clothing, heavy duty plastic tarps, scrap lumber and construction debris, countless plastic, glass and aluminum cans and bottles, hunks of dangerous rusty metal junk, plastic worm containers, a toilet, bicycle and car tires, and much more out of the water and stream-side vegetation, and from the roadside access points from the Woodford town office on Rt 9 east of town, downstream to the state line. The weather cooperated and we had a great day for our clean up. All who par ticipated were happy to have been a part of the overall Green Up Vermont effort. Next year, weÕll aim for more member participation and possibly work to clean up multiple streams. (Coordinated by Peter Basta & Scott McEnaney). Introducing the Next Generation to Fly Angling For several years now, past chapter president Bill Bullock quietly intro- duced the next generation to fly angling by offering fly casting and fly tying classes at several local area schools. In 2002, Bill started a program at Arlington High School which pro- vided an introduction to fly angling and introduced the elements of fly casting and fly tying. That program continues today under the guidance and leadership of Leigh Oliva. Building upon the early success of the program at Arlington High School, Bill started a program at Fisher Elementary School in Arling- ton as part of their Arts Enrichment Program. In 2007, Bill launched a new program at Manchester Elementary School, as part of their ÒJust For BoysÓ program. In early May, Bill and a few volunteers lead 28 eager participants for one day of fly casting and one day of fly tying. If youÕd like to step up and help carry on this important tradition of introducing the next generation to fly angling, come join us at one of our upcoming meetings and share your ideas. 17th Annual Green Mountain National Forest Youth Fishing Derby The Seventeenth Annual Green Mountain National Forest Youth Fishing Derby was held on Saturday, June 9th, 2007 at the Hapgood Pond Recreation Area, in Peru, VT. Judging by the smiles on the faces on the participants, young and old, the derby was a definite success. Thanks to SWVTTU members: Steve Hemkens, Scott McEnaney, Jeff Swedberg and Kevin Andrezejewski. 2nd Annual Pancake Breakfast Despite the distinctly un-Spring-like conditions, our Second Annual Opening Day Pancake Breakfast, held on April 14, 2007, was a success due to the generosity and support of many individuals and organiza- tions. For a complete list of donors and volunteers, see our web site. A modest crowd of about 50 hardy souls braved the cold to join us for breakfast in support of local river restoration projects. In addition to the breakfast, we also held a 50/50 raffle and started selling raffle tick- ets for several items (including a one of a kind hand-carved landing net, and a print by photographer Thomas Ames Jr., author of ÒFish BugsÓ and ÒHatch Guide for New England StreamsÓ). Special thanks to Kevin Andrezejewski for coordinating this yearÕs Pancake Breakfast. ====== Page 5 S W V T T U . O R G Miscellany How would you like it if someone interrupted you while you were, ahem ... busy? Right. Now step up and do your part to help protect spawning rainbows in the Winooski. Visit the chapter web site and sign the e-petition in favor of keeping critical spawning tributaries of the Winooski River closed until May 31. All petitions will be forwarded to the VT F&W Department at the end of the 2007 trout season. While you were out... In case you missed it, the Spring 2007 issue of Trout and the July 2007 issue of Fly Fisherman both included pieces featuring the Batten Kill. Both articles are available in electronic format on the chapter web site. Help Wanted! New SWVTTU chapter leaders will be needed for 2008 All Executive Officer terms expire at the end of 2007 and all positions will be open for election. More active volunteers are always welcome to assist on the ground with projects. Aside from Executive Officers and Directors, more active leaders are still needed as there are several areas within the chapter that are currently without a chairperson Ñ e.g. membership, education, etc. Batten Kill Watershed Alliance Executive Director The BKWA is searching for an Executive Director. This position will require ~25 hours/wk. Ideal candidates will have previous experience with fund-rais ing, non-profit organizations, conservation issues, and project management. For more details, see the BKWA web site (battenkillalliance.org) or contact Info@battenkillalliance.org. Any other bright ideas? Share your thoughts on what we can do to make the chapter meetings, web site and newsletter more interesting and useful. Submit your comments to Info@ TUSWVT.org or better yet, join us at an upcoming event and tell us in person! Batten Kill, Walloomsac and Hoosic River Watershed Planning Meetings The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has begun the process of developing a five-year Basin Plan for the Walloomsac River, Hoosic River and Batten Kill. The first round of public meetings was held in June, and the next round of meetings will be held in August. (See below for dates.) The meetings are open to the public and designed to invite community involvement, and identify water quality concerns, interest and goals. These public forums are the initial steps in the planning process. All are welcome to participate in developing a basin plan for the Batten Kill, Hoosic and Walloomsac Rivers. For additional information, contact Josh Gorman, DEC Watershed Coordinator, at #802/447-6501 or via e-mail, at Joshua. Gorman@state.vt.us. The next round of public meetings will be held: Aug.. 7 - Bennington, Aug.. 14 - Pownal, and Aug.. 9 - Manchester. All meetings run from 6:30-8:00pm. For more details, refer to the new VT WQD web site for Basin #1 at http:// www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/planning/htm/pl_battenkill.htm Tie This One On! Excerpted from the new ÒFly Tyers CornerÓ on the chapter web site. The PB Wild Turkey Bugger Ñ developed and tied by chapter member Paul Buccheri. Materials: Thread: Black monocord Hook: 3X Long Tiemco 5263 sizes # 2-6 Tail: 2 wild turkey marabou feathers wrapped 360 around hook and copper Krystal flash 2 strands on each side Body: Green Krystal flash chenille Submit a tie or pattern of your own to Info@TUSWVT.org and weÕll post it on the web site, and possibly feature it here in an upcoming issue of The Hatch. ====== Page 6 S W V T T U . O R G Fluvial Geomorphology: Ò... a science devoted to understanding how the natural setting and human land use in a watershed determine the shape of the river channel.A fluvial geomorphologist seeks to predict what physical changes will occur to a stream channel in response to alterations in watershed conditions; and, in turn, how these changes will impact human infrastructure and fish habitat.A riverÕs adjustment to watershed perturbations may take thousands of years, as is the case throughout much of New England as the result of deglaciation. In other instances, channel modifications may occur in less than a decade, as is frequently the case with direct human activity in a stream channel.... River managers are rapidly recognizing the role fluvial geomorphology can play in as sessing channel condition, identifying long-term solutions for channel instability, and evaluating the effectiveness of restoration efforts.A geomorphological approach to river management reduces flood damages while improving salmon and trout habitat. - John Field, PhD Regular Monthly Meetings WeÕll resume our regular monthly meetings on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007. Meeting location will be the West Mountain Inn, in West Arlington, VT. Meeting time: 7pm. We may have a guest speaker for the September meeting, but we donÕt have one on the agenda yet, so stay tuned to the chapter web site for up-to-the-minute details. Riparian Buffer Planting Project Update: WeÕve identified several parcels of land on the BK and its tributaries that are sparse in the riparian zone department and weÕve sent outreach letters to those property owners asking for their willing participation in this buffer zone planting project. WeÕve secured $9,000 in funding via the VT Clean and Clear Program and through a matching grant from the USFS - GMNF via the Batten Kill Watershed Alliance. Our goal is to add approximately 250-300 native trees and shrubs, ranging in size from 6-8Õ all the way up to 15-20Õ tall, to the riparian zone along the Batten Kill and its tributaries next spring. If you are, or know of, a land-owner in the BK watershed, and your stream bank needs some riparian love, contact Peter Bellamy at Secretary@TUSWVT.org Invasive Species Alert! Didymo Didymosphenia geminata Ñ aka ÔdidymoÕ Ñ was identified in VT in the Connecticut and White Rivers in June, and most recently in the Batten Kill. Links to detailed information on didymo are available on the chapter web site, including information provided by state and federal agencies, various private and other third-party organizations, and recent media coverage on this issue. Read more about didymo and what you can do to help prevent its spread in this issue. Batten Kill BBQ! Join us Saturday, August 18th, 11:30-2:30pm, at the Arlington Rec. Park for an all-you-can-eat cook-out to benefit SWVTTU river res toration projects, such as our riparian buffer zone planting in the Batten Kill Watershed. Great raffle prizes, fly casting contests and demonstrations, good food, and more! See inside for details. Eat a Dog! Plant a Tree! Save a Trout! Do you know any of these guys? Bamboo@TUSWVT.org, TroutBum@TUSWVT.org, RedQuill@TUSWVT.org, WoolyBugger@TUSWVT.org, FlyAngler@TUSWVT.org, Zonker@TUSWVT.org They could be you! If youÕd like a ÔvanityÕ e-mail address like one of these to show off your passion and support your TU chapter, drop us a line at Info@TUSWVT.org and weÕll tell you what you need to do! ------------------------------------------------------- - The Southwestern Vermont Chapter of Trout Unlimited - - - - PO Box 88 - - Manchester Center, VT - - - - Web site: http://www.TUSWVT.org - - General E-mail: Info@TUSWVT.org - -------------------------------------------------------