Project Updates

A rainbow offers a little color to what has been a pretty tough month of hot and humid weather. As of this writing (7/11), the Battenkill remains unfishable due to warm water. Cooler nights will remedy this difficult period we find ourselves in.

While most of us were celebrating the extended Fourth of July holidays, Trout Unlimited, in the guise of Jacob Fetterman and John Braico were hard at work creating new habitat features on two stretches of the Battenkill. The results of the work are outstanding, and the river will greatly benefit from these efforts. Both projects addressed very different needs and demonstrate some of the challenges that the Battenkill faces as we work towards improving the natural functions of the watershed, which in turn provides a more robust fishery for anglers. Let's detail the work done in each section.

The first site is at the so called Wulff Pool. This stretch of water has become over-wide and shallow and as a consequence the river lacks the velocity to efficiently transport sediments downstream. This has resulted in a streambed composed primarily of small rocks that offer little cover for trout or habitat for macroinvertebrates. The streambed is essentially homogonous and becomes extremely shallow during periods of low flow. Poor trout habitat at best.

In order to correct this situation, a series of root wads have been installed. To quote John Braico:

" ... 6 root wad vanes installed on the low energy (depositional) side of a long pool and glide (Wulff's Pool). Objectives: improve sediment transport through this flat segment - routing fines onto this low bench (to naturally revegetate) while narrowing active channel width, foster revegetation, deepen existing pool, provide high flow refuge." Though it will take time and several high-water events, anglers will see a deeper pool with far better holding water. I suspect that once the river has fully adjusted there will be opportunities for adding large wood to further enhance trout holding capacity. In fact, at the Ledges Pool, upstream perhaps 100 yards from this project site, large wood addition was conducted with some nice new holding cover added.

This series of root wads along the Wulff Pool will re-direct flows to the middle of the river, deepening the pool while clearing out sediment that has accumulated over time. The ground to the left of the root wads will collect sediment during periods of high water and vegetation will establish itself.

Thanks are due to Scott Sztrorc and family for providing access to the project site. Generous acts such as this are critical to the long-term success of the Home Rivers Initiative.

Large wood has been added to the Ledges Pool (upstream from Wulff's), creating excellent holding cover and feeding lanes for trout.

Project site number two is located approximately 200 yards downstream of the New York picnic area along Rte. 313. In this location, seven large wood structures were placed along the stream edges to provide cover and shelter for trout through a variety of life stages from young of year all the way up to the legendary 20+ inch browns that the Battenkill occasionally gives up. This project is the culmination of previous efforts to narrow the stream channel and provide a more complex range of habitats for aquatic species. Numerous root wad structures similar to those just installed at the Wulff site have accomplished this goal. Adding large wood enhances the trout holding capacity in this stretch of river. These large wood structures will also capture materials that float downstream, further enhancing their value as trout habitat over time.

The structures placed in here have a very natural appearance, looking very much like the natural recruitment of large wood one sees along the river. These structures will provide excellent habitat and also create interesting feeding lanes along and downstream of the structures. This should be exciting water for anglers to fish.

One of several large wood structures placed along the stream edges downstream from the NYS rest area. To the untrained eye, the structures in here look like blow down's. These structures will provide cover and create excellent feeding lanes. They are positioned tight to the banks, which is where large wood tends to accumulate on the Battenkill.

As a final note - all photographs were taken during a period of very low flow - sub 200 cfs. These structures will take on a far different appearance during periods of normal flows.