One

Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2012

Issues and Activities in the Farmington River Watershed.

860-658-4442 www.frwa.org

Save paper, get FRWA newsletters online and see our photos in their full color glory! Go to www.frwa.org to sign up.

Spoonville Dam is Gone from Tariffville Gorge!

Fifty-seven years ago, the flood of 1955 tore the top off

Spoonville Dam and dropped the pieces in the river

downstream, ending the dam’s function as a hydropower

plant. Ever since, it has stood as a partial wall of concrete

across the downstream end of Tariffville Gorge between

Bloomfield and Granby, channeling the whole Farmington River

through a small gap near the north bank. The fast current in

the gap was exciting but sometimes deadly for river users, and

was often too fast to allow upstream migration of fish returning

from the Atlantic to spawn. Finally, thanks to hard work and

generous funding, FRWA and several partners removed

Spoonville Dam this past summer. Work started on July 9, and

by July 31 the dam and its downstream fragments were

gone. More than 2,000 cubic yards of concrete were hammered

into fragments, trucked out of the river, and recycled.

This project was one step toward restoring the historic

migrations of American shad (our state fish), alewife, blueback

herring, lampreys, and sea-run trout that have historic breeding

areas farther upstream. Other needed steps are new fish

passage facilities at Rainbow Dam in Windsor, Winchell Smith

Dam in Farmington, and the Collinsville Dams in Avon/

Burlington/Canton. Meanwhile, removal of Spoonville Dam

already allows year-round resident fish species more scope to

travel upstream or downstream to meet their needs for

habitat.

People benefit too. Swimming and boating are now safer at this

site, and the fishing should remain good. We extend hearty thanks to all our project partners, including

Princeton Hydro Engineering, Gleim Environmental Group, CT DEEP, CL&P (the dam owners), the National Fish

and Wildlife Foundation, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and all you members of FRWA whose

support makes work like this possible!

Spoonville Dam was here! But not any more!

A before shot; for comparison’s sake.

Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2012

Two 860-658-4442 www.frwa.org

The Farmington River Watershed Association

Board & Staff

Officers President - Michael Gagne Vice-President - Sia Bauer Vice-President - Debbie Leonard Vice-President - Ann Jurkiewicz Treasurer - David Donaldson, Jr. Secretary - Tony Healy

Directors Susan Barney Michael Feldman Sarah Hincks John Laudati Matt Reichin John E. Robinson Pilar Schmidt Victor Schoen David Sinish Marlene Snecinski

Staff

Executive Director Eileen Fielding

Education & Outreach Coordinator Aimee Petras

Water Quality Coordinator Alisa Phillips-Griggs

GIS Specialist Jeff Bolton

The Farmington River Watershed Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Farmington River and its Watershed through research, education and advocacy.

www.frwa.org

Save the Date FRWA’s Annual Meeting November 8th, 2012, 6pm to 9 pm

Tunxis Plantation Golf Course’s Tavern on the Green is where FRWA will host our 59th Annual Meeting. We will have a keynote speaker, highlight our achievements for the year, and leave plenty of time for socializing and merriment. Check your mailbox in late September/early October for our Annual Meeting invitation. Tickets are $40 for current members and $50 for non-members. We hope to see you there!

Annual Meeting Silent Auction Do you want to bid on a brand new kayak? Or tickets to local theaters and music venues? Come to FRWA’s Annual Meeting; our auction highlights include a kayak from Collinsville Canoe & Kayak. Still, we are actively seeking Silent Auction items such as restaurant, store and personal care gift certificates, sporting equipment and venue tickets. If you have an item that you would like to showcase your business with an item for our auction, please call us at (860) 658-4442.

FRWA Raffles a Guild Guitar Only 250 Tickets have been Printed!

Last year we had so much fun and the response was so enthusiastic that we decided to do it again! This time, the Grand Prize guitar is a Guild D-40 Bluegrass Jubilee in Natural with Case, built in New Hartford, Connecticut by Guild Guitars (guildguitars.com). It has a list value of $3,199.99 . Notable guitarists who played a Guild D-40 include Richie Havens (during Woodstock and beyond) and Pat Metheny.

Like last year, a very limited number of tickets have been printed so your chances are good! Tickets are $20 each and all proceeds go to support FRWA’s programs. Drawing will take place on November 15, 6pm at the Simsbury Free Library. Winner need not be present to win. Act now to get a chance to own a guitar played by the very best!

Contact us at the FRWA office for tickets: (860) 658-4442 ext “0”.

Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2012

Three 860-658-4442 www.frwa.org

FRWA Holding 25th Annual River Clean-Up on September 29th!

Last year, over 300 volunteers joined together to remove almost 3 tons of trash from the banks of the Farmington River. This year’s Farmington River Clean-Up is looking to be even better. We are securing all the supplies for the big day (gloves, bags, napkins, apple cider, etc) and lining up our lunch and breakfast offerings for volunteers including sandwiches from Antonio's, coffee from Starbucks and Pizza from Little City Pizza. We are on the lookout for pick-up trucks or other large vehicles that can help us get trash to the dumpsters donated by Waste Material Trucking Company of Unionville, CT.

So where will you be? We do need lots of volunteers to come and help us make this Clean-Up our best yet! If you are part of another group that might be interested, please let us know. Join us to meet your watershed neighbors and help us keep your neighborhood clean. It will be a fun filled day you will never forget.

A Sample of our Clean-Up Locations Avon: The Lions Club of Avon takes responsibility for cleaning Fisher Meadows and they do a great job, year after year.

Burlington/Farmington/Canton - We will meet at Collinsville Canoe & Kayak and will have a tent and snacks available. This is our most popular site thanks to area residents and the Irving Robbins Middle School’s Green Team!

Bristol: Organized by the Pequabuck River Watershed Association. These folks need someone with a pick-up truck to help them with their trash. Let us know if you can help them.

Simsbury: Meet on the front lawn of FRWA headquarters. This is also the place to grab some breakfast before heading out or get some pizza and other lunch items after you are done.

Call FRWA to sign-up yourself, your family, or your group for the Clean-Up at (860) 658-4442, we will determine the best location for you to go.

A Warm Welcome Aboard! We are delighted to welcome two new members to FRWA’s Board:

Pilar Schmidt is

director of Focused Fundraising CT and an expert on both fundraising and strategic planning. We will be lucky to have her insight and coaching on board as we move forward into our 60th year. Thanks Pilar!

Victor Schoen is a founding partner of the firm Sullivan, Schoen, Campane & Connon, LLC. Vic is ready and willing to help with FRWA’s outdoor programs, so look for him on the river. And Vic’s wife Brenda is already one of FRWA’s water quality volunteers. Many thanks to both Vic and Brenda for jumping in with both feet!

Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2012

Four 860-658-4442 www.frwa.org

FRWA Posts Water Quality Results Online at frwa.org Would you like to be able to see up-to-date water quality information about the Farmington River? FRWA’s website is now posting up-to-date water quality results that you can look up on your own. FRWA regularly takes water samples at a number of locations along the Farmington River or its tributaries; samples collected from the lower river (downstream of Canton) are analyzed by the FRWA in our laboratory space provided by the Town of Simsbury Water Pollution Control facility. Samples from farther upstream are taken to the Metropolitan District Commission’s Water Treatment Facility lab for analysis. The results are shared with the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. It’s also shared directly with you. On the FRWA website you can access a map of sampling locations with links to photos of our sampling sites. You can also access weekly updates of sampling results, organized by town.

When you look at water quality data, consider that weather can greatly affect any one outcome. For example, more rain equals more runoff into the river. The result can be a spike in pollutants from washed-in animal waste (farm animals, geese, dogs, etc.), or even a wastewater treatment plant overflow, temporarily increasing bacteria levels. Occasional high readings for bacteria may be related to short-term weather events rather than the usual water quality at that site. If you want to know the overall state of the river, it’s generally more useful to focus on multiple sites and long-term trends than one reading from one site.

Another factor that can affect water quality at a sample site is the effect of tributaries. The input from a clean tributary may improve water quality. On the other hand, a trib might be contributing additional polluted runoff. Testing upriver and downriver from a tributary may show its impact on the overall bacteria levels in the river. Our sample sites are carefully chosen to help us zero in on chronic problem areas and find ways to address them.

Check it out: frwa.org/what-we-do/research-stewardship/water-quality-monitoring/bacteria/wq-e-coli-report/

Wild & Scenic: It’s time for Your Comments! Finally! The 5-year long Farmington River & Salmon Brook Wild & Scenic Study is now complete and the Study Committee has reached the final step; it is now time to show your support through public comment!

Public input and support of designation is vital to the Wild and Scenic consideration process. Please click this link to take you to the report on the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Website. Comments may be submitted until October 17, 2012. We need to have as many people provide comments as possible. Please make your comments today.

Where do I make Comments? Scan this code to take you right to the PEPC site for the Lower Farmington River & Salmon Brook Study and make your comments today!

Don’t have a smart phone? We have created this tinyurl to make it easy for you to type right into your browser: tinyurl.com/frsbws

Why Wild & Scenic? In 1994, 14-miles of the upper Farmington River gained special recognition as a National Wild & Scenic River. Due to that success, a locally-based study committee of town representatives from ten towns in the Wild & Scenic Study area, the state, and other partners have worked since 2007 to extend the Wild & Scenic designation to the lower Farmington and its tributary, Salmon Brook which are both rich in recreational, historical and biological resources.

A Wild and Scenic designation can result in enhanced cooperation among the river towns and other stakeholders and bring National Park Service assistance for implementing the locally developed Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan. River designation also brings prestige and recognition to a region, and can boost the local economy through tourism and possible National Park Service funding, matching grants, and volunteer assistance.

An upper river sample location on the Mad River

Five

Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2012

860-658-4442 www.frwa.org

Stream bugs & Pond Critters September 22, 2012, 10 am to noon, Winding Trails

Explore the fascinating life of Walton Pond and Poplar Swamp Brook with the Farmington River Watershed Association. Spend the morning pond-side and wading in the brook to observe, identify, and marvel at the life histories and ecology of insects and other invertebrates that inhabit still and flowing waters. Learn how and why we use aquatic insects in the FRWA biomonitoring program to monitor water quality throughout the Watershed.

Program open to all ages, children must be accompanied by adult. Rain or shine, dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear to wade into the water (water shoes, old sneakers, or waders). Advance registration is required. Please contact FRWA at 860-658-4442 or email river@frwa.org to register.

FRWA Aquatic Insect Sampling (RBV) Workshop

Saturday, October 13, 9 am to 2 pm, Squire’s Tavern, Peoples State

Forest, Pleasant Valley

FRWA holds our annual Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Survey this fall in Connecticut’s Upper Farmington River Watershed. Volunteers are needed to help sample for aquatic insects as indicators of water quality. Explore the fascinating life of local streams throughout the Farmington River Watershed!

We begin with an indoor workshop to demonstrate collection and identification techniques and explain the use of aquatic organisms in water quality monitoring. Following the indoor training and lunch, teams will move out to sample various Farmington River Watershed streams. Participants wade into the water, collect organisms into a net, sort and identify and preserve a representative sample for verification. The program follows CT DEEP Rapid Biomonitoring for Volunteers (RBV) protocol and results help FRWA and the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection monitor water quality changes in the Farmington River Watershed.

No previous experience necessary, older children welcome with adult. Lunch will be provided, bring footwear to wade into the water (waders, water shoes or old sneakers). Program will be held rain or shine; please dress for the weather. Space is limited, advance registration is required. Please contact FRWA at 860-658-4442 or email river@frwa.org to register.

RBV Refresher September 27, 6:30 to 8:30 pm FRWA World Headquarters 749 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury

Experienced volunteers are needed to help sample for aquatic insects as part of our annual Aquatic Macroinvertebrate (RBV) Survey. Please contact us to borrow a sampling kit and we will direct you to streams in need of sampling. We also invite experienced RBV samplers to drop in for an informal evening RBV refresher and a chance to review some of the RBV “bugs” up close. Please contact FRWA at 860-658-4442 or email river@frwa.org to let us know if you will be coming.

Volunteer will be outdoors sampling streambugs in several locations in the watershed.

Six

Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2012

860-658-4442 www.frwa.org

Saville Dam & Old

Barkhamsted Hollow Tour October 27, 2012, 10 am to 1pm, Fee: current FRWA members $5;

non-members $10

Join us for a tour deep inside the bowels of the Saville Dam followed by a trek to some of the old Barkhamsted foundations spared inundation as the Barkhamsted Reservoir filled. The history and preservation of our watershed is intertwined with the story of the Metropolitan District and the pursuit of clean drinking water for Greater Hartford.

The MDC will guide us through the earthen embankment dam that impounds the 30 billion gallon Barkhamsted reservoir providing drinking water for Greater Hartford. Erik Landgraf will lead us around the relics of old Barkhamsted Hollow, a village mostly flooded by the creation of the Barkhamsted Reservoir in 1940. Structures that were not flooded were torn down or moved by the water company, but not without a trace. Trace history in your watershed!

Pre-registration is required, space is limited, contact FRWA at (860) 658-4442, or email: river@frwa.org to register. Tour begins at 10:00 am, dress for the weather, wear footwear to walk in the woods, pack a lunch and water.

Photo courtesy of MDC.

Join Us at these Local Events about Water!

Tapped—Hosted by Simsbury Land Trust Thursday, September 20, 2012 Simsbury Apple Barn, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

“Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? Stephanie Soechtig’s debut feature is an unflinching examination of the big business of bottled water….This timely documentary is a behind-the-scenes look into the unregulated and unseen world of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back the one resource that ought never to become a commodity: our water. From the plastic production to the ocean in which so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry and the communities which were unwitting chips on the table” (tappedthemovie.com) Panelists include State Senator Beth Bye, Jeff Bolton from FRWA, and Jacqueline Talbot from the CT River Watershed Council.

Cost to attend is $5 per session (if you are a Simsbury Land Trust Member) or $10 per session. Fee includes movie screening, refreshments and some promotional items. RSVP’s are requested one week in advance. Tapped is part of the SLT Green Screens series; for more information, visit simsburylandtrust.org.

Water Wars September 21 & 22, 2012, 7:30 pm University of Saint Joseph Carol Autorino Center Tickets: 860-231-5555: $20 general, $10 senior, $5 student (add $5 after September 16)

Sonia Plumb Dance Company presents "Water Wars" — a bold, artistic look at our human relationship to water. Who controls it? Who has it? Who doesn't? Dive into this evocative, beautiful and thought provoking reponse to the world of water. Choreography by Sonia Plumb and original music by award winning composer Cory Gabel.

"Water Wars" brings to the forefront our relationship to water and the assumption that it will always be there. What happens when it’s not available—due to overpopulation, overuse or pollution? What's our responsibility towards this beautiful, flowing combination of hydrogen and oxygen? "Water Wars" takes a bold look at the responses to these issues, brings them into the community (and into the classroom) and onto the stage. More info at soniaplumbdance.org.

Name: ________________________________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________________________

City:____________________________________ State:__________________ Zip Code: ______________

Phone Number: _____________________________ Email:______________________________________

Check one: □ I want to renew my membership now: □ $40 (Individual) □ $60 (Family) □ $120 □ $250 □ $500 □ $_____ other amount □ New Member □ $10 □ $25 □ $40 □ $60 □ $120 □ $150 □ $250 □ Gift Membership to ________________________________________________________ □ In Memory donation to _____________________________________________________ □ Other Donation Amount, please specify: $___________

Please send acknowledgment to (if different from above): Name: _______________________________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________ State:__________________ Zip Code: _______________

___ I have enclosed my check payable to FRWA, or please charge my ___ MasterCard or ___Visa. Card #: _____________________________ Expiration Date: ________________ Amount $ _________ Name on Card: ___________________________Signature______________________________________

Please send to: Farmington River Watershed Association, 749 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070 Credit card donations may be phoned in to Aimee Petras at (860) 658-4442 x. 201 or

submitted online at www.frwa.org via our secure online contributions server.

Seven

Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2012

860-658-4442 www.frwa.org

New Members: Won’t You Join Us? If you are not a member of FRWA and are reading this now, think about this: What does the Farmington River Mean to You? Does it make you think about heading out for some hiking, fishing or kayaking? Or do you drink the water coming from your tap that had its origins in the Barkhamsted Reservoir? Membership with FRWA has lots of benefits (see below), including protecting this area’s local treasure. Discounts on FRWA events & 20% off FRWA merchandise Third night free when you stay two nights, Maplewood

Lodging, Otis, MA 413.269.7351 maplewoodlodging.com EMS in West Hartford & Avon - 10% discount excluding bikes

& boats 860.651.8031 10% off any service at Tunxis Medical Massage, LLC

860.761.4081 15% discount on in-stock accessories at Collinsville Canoe &

Kayak Store 860.693.6977 $5 off canoe rentals at Huck Finn Adventures, Canton

860.693.0385 10% off purchases over $50 at Vincent Sports Shop, Inc.,

Simsbury 860.658.5419 10% off framing of FRWA posters - Artful Framer, Avon

860.678.1321 10% discount at Blue Sky Foods, excluding catering

860.379.0000 10% discount at Joe’s Bait & Tackle, Windsor Locks

860.623.7980

NOTICE TO FRWA MEMBERS The Directors of FRWA have approved an amended and restated Certificate of Incorporation, which is available from FRWA on request, or accessible online at: frwa.org/who-we-are/members-partners/cert-incorp/. The certificate is the source document for the Corporation, and is required to be filed with the CT Secretary of State. The proposed new Certificate does not change FRWA’s purpose, structure or class, but re-casts the original document in up-to-date legal language. To become effective, the amended and restated certificate must be approved by the members of FRWA. The Directors recommend such approval.

There will be a vote by members to approve the amended and restated Certificate of Incorporation at the Annual Meeting of the Farmington River Watershed Association on November 8th, 2012. This vote will be the first agenda item of the meeting. All interested members may attend to participate in the vote, whether or not they are attending the Annual Meeting Dinner that follows.

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID Avon, CT

Permit No. 441

The Farmington River Watershed Association 749 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070

Protecting The Farmington River, For You, For All, Forever.

FRWA 2012 Calendar of Events

Date Event Sept 22 Streambugs: Explore: 10 am - Noon, Winding Trails, Farmington, CT Sept 27 Streambug Refresher for Experienced Volunteers, 6:30 - 8:30pm, FRWA Headquarters Sept 29 25th Annual Farmington River Clean-up, Various Locations, 9:30 am to 2 pm Oct 13 Streambug Workshop for New Volunteers & Old, Squires Tavern, Pleasant Valley Oct. 27 Saville Dam & Old Barkhamsted Hollow Tour, 10am to 1pm Nov. 8 59th Annual Meeting, Tunxis Plantation, Farmington, CT

Please RSVP to (860) 658-4442 ext. “0” to ensure we have adequate supplies for all events. Check the events page at www.frwa.org for more information on our events.

Printed on 100% recycled paper, always.