Activities
in Progress
Mettowee Valley Road Run-off Management
With the help of Cornell Cooperative Extension, in 2000 the
Partnership received grants from the Lake Champlain Basin Program
and the Vermont Better Back Roads Program to plan, design, and
install ditch line settling basins to trap sand and gravel run-off
from steep dirt roads in the Mettowee River valley. The National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Towns of Granville, New
York and Pawlet, Vermont provided in-kind and financial support
for the project.
The settling basins came from a manufacturer in Corning, NY.
The Partnership purchased six basins to be installed in the
watershed. The first two basins were installed on Waite Hill
Road in Pawlet, VT. The Pawlet road crew installed the basins
on May 24th. Road crews from Granville, NY and Wells, VT also
came to see how they were installed.
So far
the basins in Pawlet have been cleaned out twice with a total
of eight yards of material removed from the basins. Cleaning
will be done twice a year to maintain the basins effectiveness.
Basins were also installed this spring in Granville, NY on
Lower Turnpike road near the Mettowee River.
This spring the Partnership received a grant from the Lake
Champlain Basin Program to install two more basins in New York
and help promote working with local road crews to address water
quality issues.
Thermal Monitoring
The Mettowee River has been placed on the Vermont 303(d)
List of Impaired Waters because of high water temperatures
documented by previous studies of the River. The Mettowee
River experiences elevated water temperatures during worst-case
summertime conditions, when maximum solar radiation and minimum
streamflow conditions occur. High temperatures in the summer
have impaired the Mettowee, which is designated as a cold
water fishery.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocation study was conducted
on the 20-mile segment of the Mettowee that is located in
Vermont. The purpose of this study, which was funded by the
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and conducted by the
engineering firm, ENSR, was to determine why the temperatures
were elevated, and create a computer model that will evaluate
alternatives and recommendations for alleviating the problem.
This study was conducted during the summer of 2001, and the
final report became available in July 2002. Copies of the
complete report are available at the Poultney-Mettowee Watershed
Partnership office, at the Poultney-Mettowee Natural Resources
Conservation District office and also from the Vermont Agency
of Natural Resources.
A set of recommended management actions were identified.
These are based on the summer 2001 data and the computer application
used to evaluate alternative management scenarios.
Increased shading. Specific sections of the Mettowee
were identified as most effective reaches for implementation
of increased shading. Shading here would have the greatest
effect on river temperatures; however, other shading in other
reaches would also benefit fish habitat.
Channel Modification. Deepening the Mettowee River,
particular in one wide, shallow reach, is predicted to be
effective in reducing maximum water temperatures. If properly
designed and implemented, channel modification that resulted
in increased pools and other channel variability throughout
the Mettowee would be beneficial to the fish habitat.
Reduction of Water Temperatures Entering from Flower Brook.
The water temperature of Flower Brook entering the Mettowee,
was elevated and contributes to the temperature impairment
problem. It is recommended that management actions designed
to reduce maximum water temperatures in Flower Brook be evaluated
and implemented.
These proposed actions would reduce thermal loads to the
Mettowee River and will result in reduced maximum water temperatures.
In addition, the report recommended a stream morphology study
to identify appropriate channel modifications to substantially
improve the Mettowee. It also recommended a field investigation
focusing on Flower Brook to support identification of management
actions there. The Flower Brook field investigation is being
conducted this summer. A preliminary river morphology study
of the Mettowee was conducted several years ago, and is being
updated by the Poultney-Mettowee Watershed Partnership.
The Poultney-Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District
will be taking the results of this study, and using it in collaboration
with the landowners in the Mettowee watershed to help develop
and implementation plan. Public meetings on this are expected
in October/November 2002.
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