By Colin Lawson
The New England Culvert Program had a very successful 2016 field season completing over 10 restoration projects across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Our team of three full-time and eight seasonal staff reconnected more than 17 miles of u
pstream brook trout habitat, assessed over 1,800 road stream crossings for AOP and hydraulic vulnerability, completed 12 final engineering plan sets, submitted and received 15 wetlands permits, and installed over 110 large wood structures on nine properties restoring over five miles of high-quality in-stream habitat.
This tremendous effort could only have happened with the financial and technical support received from our NGO, state and federal partners. NECP submitted 10 grant proposals in 2016 and received six of those grants. Project expenses for 2016 totaled well over $1.5 million.
Here’s a closer look at the highlights from the program.
Engineering and Construction Projects
1. Andorra Forest Restoration Project (Robinson Brook, Stoddard, N.H.)
· completed design & engineering (D&E) for bridge and by-pass channel; construction in 2017
· funding for this project is approximately $90,000.
· will reopen 3 miles of upstream habitat/refugia in 2017
2. Beebe River Restoration Project (Campton/Sandwich, N.H.)
· completed D&E on 5 steel stringer bridges; construction scheduled for 2017
· funding for this effort surpasses $500,000.
· will reopen 5 miles of upstream habitat/refugia in 2017
3. Oliverian Brook Restoration Project (Page Road, Haverhill, N.H.)
· completed D&E and installation of a 42-foot bridge; continuing to monitor site through 2017
· funding for this restoration was $195,000.
· reopened 6 miles of upstream habitat with a large portion of it on the White Mountain National Forest
4. Mettawee River Restoration Project (Lower Hollow Road, Dorset, Vt.)
· completed D&E and installed by-pass rock ramp; eliminated barrier for spawning brook trout
· funding for this overall restoration was approximately $60,000.
· 1 mile of upstream habitat was reopened; next upstream barrier to be removed in 2017
5. NH NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) – Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)
· completed 110 large wood installations on nine properties
· funding for these restorations was $105,000.
· recreated high-quality instream habitat on over 4 miles of stream channel
6. Falls Brook Restoration (Hale Hill Road, Swanzey, NH)
· completed D&E and installation of an open bottom arch; continuing to monitor site through 2017
· funding for this effort was $185,000.
· reopened access to over 10 miles of upstream spawning habitat and thermal refugia
Assessment Projects
7. Ammonoosuc River Culvert Assessment Project
· completed assessment on over 750 road stream crossings
· modeled hydraulic vulnerability/geomorphic compatibility / aquatic organism passage
· overall funding for this effort was $205,000
· 2017 – community outreach efforts begin
8. Southeast VT Culvert Assessment Project
· completed assessment on over 500 road stream crossings
· modeled hydraulic vulnerability / geomorphic compatibility / aquatic organism passage
· overall funding for this effort was $110,000
· 2017 – community outreach effort begins
9. Deerfield River Culvert Assessment Project (MA & VT)
· field assessed the remaining 200 crossings out of 1,400 road crossings in the project
· modeled hydraulic vulnerability / geomorphic compatibility / aquatic organism passage
· overall funding for this effort was $120,000.
10. Ipswich – PIE Rivers (Parker, Ipswich, and Essex Rivers)
· completed modeling on over 380 road crossings
· modeled hydraulic vulnerability / geomorphic compatibility / aquatic organism passage
· funding for this effort was $20,000.
Staff: Colin Lawson – Project Manager, Erin Rodgers – Project Manager, Gabe Bolin – Project Engineer