Culvert Newsletter 3 - The Nature ConservancyCulvert Operations: Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the...
Transcript of Culvert Newsletter 3 - The Nature ConservancyCulvert Operations: Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the...
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
A (very) little stream ecology
Eastern brook trout and other aquatic life
Needs access to up- and downstream habitat for spawning, feeding, refuge
Needs cool, clean and well-oxygenated water
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Other organisms that need up- and downstream access:• Shad, herring, Atlantic
salmon, American eel
• Mussels
• Turtles
• Invertebrates
• Mammals
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
stream crossings:
Where roads, railroads, bridges, and dams cross streams
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
culverts:
When it comes to aquatic connectivity, some culverts
work well.
They let water flow under roads and allow fish and other organisms to move
freely up- and downstream.
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Other culverts don’t work so well.
They block the movement of fish and other organisms to
up- and downstream habitat.!!
culverts:
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Natural flow of streams and tributaries
Graphic: Scott Jackson, UMass.
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Road-stream crossings
Graphic: Scott Jackson, UMass.
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Road-stream crossings that block upstream
tributaries.
Graphic: Scott Jackson, UMass.
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Understanding aquatic continuityat the watershed scale
Ashuelot River watershed in southwestern N.H.
• 425-square miles
• 1,039 road-stream crossings
• ~ 150 river and lake dams
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Understanding aquatic continuityat the watershed scale
“The Ashuelot supports lots of our top priority species, including Atlantic salmon and American shad. These fish have traveled from the ocean to breed, so we’re trying to make sure they have high quality habitat for spawning.”
- Doug BechtelTNC Director of Conservation Science, NH Chapter
Doug Bechtel at site of removed dam in Winchester, N.H.
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
“Culvert Ops”
Goals:• Assess aquatic “continuity &
fragmentation” in Ashuelot River watershed;
• Assess physical features of road-stream crossings and dams;
• Rank which culverts are the biggest problem for wildlife and ecological processes;
• In long-term, restore fragmented habitat.
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Funding:• N.H. DES Watershed
Assistance Grant;• Moose Plate;• U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Protocol:• Adapted from Mass.
River & Stream Continuity Partnership
• Rigorous peer-reviewed standards by EPA
Field form
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Field Assessment:• 80 + Volunteers• Coordinated by Ashuelot
Valley Environmental Observatory;
• Assessed 663 Bridges and Culverts
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Dams:Nature Conservancy intern
Kate Kerivan assessed 128 dams in the watershed
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Culverts/Bridges Results:• Severe Barrier: 20%• Moderate Barrier: 56%• Minor Barrier: 20%• Passable: 4%
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Dam Results:91% Barriers
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Which culverts, if replaced, would restore the most miles of high-quality stream habitat?
*GIS Analysis:• Stream miles• Upstream watershed water quality• Up/downstream buffer habitat quality
* GIS: Geographic Information Systems
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Setting Priorities/Restoring Streams:Identifying crossings to restore habitat
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Next Steps:Working with Southwest Region Planning Commission and local
communities on restoration plans for priority crossings.
Mass. Riverways Program. – http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/pdf/stream_crossings_handbook.pdf
Culvert Operations:Assessing Aquatic Continuity in the Ashuelot Watershed
Photo by Jerry @ Marcy Monkman / www.ecophotography.com Other photos by Scott Jackson, UMass; Ashuelot culvert volunteers; TNC staff