Submitted by Kelly Stettner
Calling all volunteers! Some of you may remember (hopefully fondly) the first-ever Visual Assessment that we did back in 2005. Folks walked or paddled sections of the main stem of the Black River, taking notes and making observations and capturing on film things like culverts and eroded banks, as well as scenic areas and wildlife.
It’s time to do it again! Tropical Storm Irene dumped loads of rain on August 28, 2011, the floodwaters raged and carved new courses for many area streams.
This time around, we’ll be making a few more notes and exploring futher into the watershed; communities in the upper reaches of the basin will be documented, and many tributaries of the Black River will be cataloged and recorded.
The prep-work will be underway next week: seeking donations and grants to fund the project, gathering tax maps and landowner addresses, reaching out to potential volunteers via town meetings and posting flyers, researching the names of some of the lesser-known tributaries.
The paddling, walking and data-gathering will occur during the summer, weather and safety conditions permitting.
Then comes the work of collecting, collating and assembling the materials for printing, scheduling workshops to introduce the final Visual Assessment booklet to the public, and more.
What’s the point? you might ask. There are many reasons for conducting a Visual Assessment of a river. For one thing, we can pin-point locations of trash and debris that may have been left behind by the floodwaters. This can be slated for removal by the BRAT during our annual RiverSweep cleanup or by other agencies better equipped to retrieve and dispose of potentially hazardous waste, such as propane tanks.
Another great reason to do a Visual Assessment: we’ll use the information gathered to select important sites for future water quality monitoring. Swimming holes, popular fishing spots, above and below waste-water treatment facilities, and anywhere that the river smells or looks odd.
Far-reaching goals for the data include learning where culverts may have failed during Irene or choke-points where road crossings seem to be too narrow to accomodate future heavy flows. We can look for areas where sediment is entering the river system from degraded tributary streams or from dirt roads.
A Visual Assessment is also a perfect opportunity to get out the river and be part of its cycle, to experience the connection between upstream and downstream, to really understand the dynamic and powerful way in which rivers do the work of moving water and sediment.
There are many ways to help, from stuffing and labeling envelopes to paddling or walking a stretch of stream yourself; from assembling the final booklet that we produce to collating materials turned in by volunteers. Any time or elbow-grease you may have to offer would be most appreciated!
Donations may be mailed directly to me at the address below; if you would like your gift to be tax-deductible, please make it out to "CRWC" (write "BRAT" in the memo) and mail it to the CT River Watershed Council, 15 Bank Row, Greenfield MA 01301.
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