Location

UMass Amherst

Event Website

http://fishpassage.ecs.umass.edu/Conference2012/

Start Date

6-6-2012 3:25 PM

End Date

6-6-2012 3:45 PM

Description

The Taunton River, a ~500 sq mi watershed on Southeastern Massachusetts' coastal plain, hosts one of the largest river herring runs in New England as well as numerous rare aquatic and wetland species. The River received Federal Wild and Scenic designation in 2009, but is located in the heart of the fastest developing region of Massachusetts. Protecting the Wild and Scenic values for future generations demands a comprehensive approach to watershed protection as well as linking freshwater, estuarine, and marine conservation strategies for migratory fish, which have great cultural as well as ecological significance in the watershed's 43 communities. With multiple public and private partners, The Nature Conservancy has collected detailed baseline data on water use and water transfer throughout the watershed to develop a water balance tool; assessed hydrologic conditions and ecological indicator conditions in >100 sub-watersheds to target management strategies; designed 6 projects to demonstrate innovative water management practices; and identified the highest priority dams, road-stream crossings, and parcels of land for conservation action. Collectively, we are working on removal or fish passage at 7 dams, protection of over 2000 acres of land in the watershed, with much more in the pipeline. These site based strategies are linked with statewide policy efforts such as establishing streamflow standards and easing permitting of restoration projects, and regional scale research and fisheries management to reduce bycatch of river herring in ocean fisheries.

Comments

Alison Bowden is Freshwater Program Director with The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts. Her work focuses on developing and implementing innovative science and policy tools to protect and restore rivers as well as linking freshwater and marine conservation for migratory fish. Alison has worked on a wide range of policy issues including transportation, water resource management and fisheries management and is a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Shad and River Herring Advisory Panel. She earned a M.S. in Water Resources from the University of New Hampshire and a B.A. in Environmental Science from American University.

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Jun 6th, 3:25 PM Jun 6th, 3:45 PM

Session A6 - Fish Passage, Ecohydrology, and More: A Comprehensive Approach to Protect River Herring in the Wild and Scenic Taunton River Wa

UMass Amherst

The Taunton River, a ~500 sq mi watershed on Southeastern Massachusetts' coastal plain, hosts one of the largest river herring runs in New England as well as numerous rare aquatic and wetland species. The River received Federal Wild and Scenic designation in 2009, but is located in the heart of the fastest developing region of Massachusetts. Protecting the Wild and Scenic values for future generations demands a comprehensive approach to watershed protection as well as linking freshwater, estuarine, and marine conservation strategies for migratory fish, which have great cultural as well as ecological significance in the watershed's 43 communities. With multiple public and private partners, The Nature Conservancy has collected detailed baseline data on water use and water transfer throughout the watershed to develop a water balance tool; assessed hydrologic conditions and ecological indicator conditions in >100 sub-watersheds to target management strategies; designed 6 projects to demonstrate innovative water management practices; and identified the highest priority dams, road-stream crossings, and parcels of land for conservation action. Collectively, we are working on removal or fish passage at 7 dams, protection of over 2000 acres of land in the watershed, with much more in the pipeline. These site based strategies are linked with statewide policy efforts such as establishing streamflow standards and easing permitting of restoration projects, and regional scale research and fisheries management to reduce bycatch of river herring in ocean fisheries.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2012/June6/29