Location

UMass Amherst

Start Date

27-6-2011 3:25 PM

End Date

27-6-2011 3:45 PM

Description

Anthropogenic fragmentation of river and stream corridors is often identified with remnant dams throughout the Northeast; however, stream-road crossings also play a significant role. Culverts that block passage of aquatic and terrestrial organisms are surprisingly common- underscoring the importance of recent efforts to identify and retrofit crossings. The Massachusetts River and Stream Crossing Standards utilize a stream simulation approach for road crossing replacement that strives to restore continuity and facilitate movement of all aquatic organisms, including terrestrial species dependent on the river's edge. In western Massachusetts, a perched culvert at the confluence of Mitchell Brook and West Brook, gravel bed streams in the Connecticut River watershed, was targeted for retrofit to reconnect habitat for resident native brook trout. The Nature Conservancy and American Rivers, in partnership with the Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center for the West Brook Stream Continuity study, contracted Princeton Hydro LLC to design the replacement of the perched culvert with a simulated stream channel. Conte and The Nature Conservancy have accumulated several years of data on the movement and health of resident trout populations in the West Brook watershed that will be utilized to evaluate the performance of the proposed replacement. This replacement is an important component to the long term study to better understand stream continuity for resident trout populations in the watershed and stream connectivity and barrier removal in the region. The successful completion of this culvert replacement will allow the partners a firsthand chance to analyze the success of culvert replacements using the Massachusetts River and Stream Crossing Standards and will act as a model for future projects that look to defragment highly impacted streams throughout the Northeast.

Comments

Mr. Pail Woodworth earned a Master's degree focused on fluvial geomorphology from the University's of Connecticut, Department of Geography. As a part of Princeton Hydro, Mr. Woodworth applies fluvial geomorphology to all phases of barrier removal and stream restoration projects from initial field assessment to final construction. Mr. Woodworth is also a member of the NJ AWRA Stream Restoration Committee and has presented two barrier removal projects at the 2009 joint conference of the Mid-Atlantic Chapters of the Ecological Society of America and Society for Ecological Restoration.

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Jun 27th, 3:25 PM Jun 27th, 3:45 PM

Session A3- Removing barriers at road crossings using stream simulation techniques in the northeast United States

UMass Amherst

Anthropogenic fragmentation of river and stream corridors is often identified with remnant dams throughout the Northeast; however, stream-road crossings also play a significant role. Culverts that block passage of aquatic and terrestrial organisms are surprisingly common- underscoring the importance of recent efforts to identify and retrofit crossings. The Massachusetts River and Stream Crossing Standards utilize a stream simulation approach for road crossing replacement that strives to restore continuity and facilitate movement of all aquatic organisms, including terrestrial species dependent on the river's edge. In western Massachusetts, a perched culvert at the confluence of Mitchell Brook and West Brook, gravel bed streams in the Connecticut River watershed, was targeted for retrofit to reconnect habitat for resident native brook trout. The Nature Conservancy and American Rivers, in partnership with the Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center for the West Brook Stream Continuity study, contracted Princeton Hydro LLC to design the replacement of the perched culvert with a simulated stream channel. Conte and The Nature Conservancy have accumulated several years of data on the movement and health of resident trout populations in the West Brook watershed that will be utilized to evaluate the performance of the proposed replacement. This replacement is an important component to the long term study to better understand stream continuity for resident trout populations in the watershed and stream connectivity and barrier removal in the region. The successful completion of this culvert replacement will allow the partners a firsthand chance to analyze the success of culvert replacements using the Massachusetts River and Stream Crossing Standards and will act as a model for future projects that look to defragment highly impacted streams throughout the Northeast.