Transcript Amy Sheldon Watershed Coordinator February 3, 2004 State of Vermont WHITE The Watershed •454,000 acres (710 sq.

Amy Sheldon
Watershed Coordinator
February 3, 2004
State of Vermont
WHITE
The Watershed
•454,000 acres
(710 sq. miles)
• 56 mile main
stem
• Over 100 miles
with tributaries
•21 towns
• 40,000 residents
Middle Branch
First Branch
Third Branch
Upper White River
Lower White River
Middle White River
Why the White River?
• Largest un-dammed tributary
to the Connecticut River;
• Longest free flowing river in
Vermont;
• Atlantic salmon restoration
river;
• Significant recreational
resource for residents and
tourists -- one of the longest
uninterrupted boating runs in
New England.
1996 Public Forums
•
•
•
•
11,000 mailings
Six listening forums
Over 150 participants
Resulted in seven priority areas
Seven Priority Areas
1.
2.
3.
4.
Water quality
Riparian habitat
Streambank erosion
Public awareness of
problems
5. Public access to the river
6. Point source and non-point
source pollution
7. Maintaining a working
landscape (agricultural and
forest)
Our Mission
Our mission is to help
local communities
balance the long-term
cultural, economic and
environmental health of
the White River
Watershed through active
citizen participation.
1999 Clean Water Action
Plan (CWAP)
2000 U.S. Forest
Service CommunityBased Watershed
Restoration Grant
• One of 15
watersheds chosen
nationally
• 1.2 million dollars
over 5 years
• Building a long term
presence
The Partnership Today
• Decentralized
• Consensus based
• Focus on lasting change
Our Work Program
1. Watershed wide
assessment;
2. River restoration;
3. Economic
sustainability;
4. Outreach and
Education;
5. Stewardship.
State of the Partnership
• Six functioning
stream teams;
• Active 11 member
board;
• 300 volunteers
planting trees in the
spring;
• 30 volunteers
collecting weekly
water quality samples;
• Two full time staff, 1
Summer water quality
intern, 2 Assessment
Consultants (summer
& computer);
Middle Branch
First Branch
Third Branch
Upper White River
Lower White River
Middle White River
State of the Partnership
• Two partner staff
dedicated to
restoration projects in
the watershed;
• Six partner staff
assisting with
restoration projects in
the watershed;
• Riparian tree planting
program with the
conservation district;
• Upper River Pilot
Project;
• Forestry Work Group.
$250
$202
$185
$200
$130
$150
$99
$80 $85$85
$85
$100
$50
$0
NFS
SPF
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
Dollars in thousands
USFS Support
Year
Total Support = $951,000
T3
.1
Accomplishments
T2.
2-S
1
M10-S1
1
M9-S
T2.1
0
M1
M9
2
-S
8
M
M8
T2.1-S1
T1
.2
-S1
M8
M7
• Phase I completed
on over 700 reaches
– currently being
updated to final
version;
• Phase II field
assessment done for
240 reaches.
1
-S
1
1
M
1
M1
Assessment
T4.1
M12
Accomplishments
Restoration
•
•
•
Continue to take on
new restoration
challenges that engage
our partners AND
benefit the watershed;
3.5 miles of
streambank stabilized
and in-stream habitat
restored;
800 volunteers have
planted 7,000 trees in 4
miles of riparian area.
Accomplishments
Economic development
•
•
•
•
UVM Forestry
research;
AMP research with
County Forester;
Increased local
capacity among
contractors;
Created promotional
watershed map.
Accomplishments
Outreach &
Education
•
•
•
•
Topnotch newsletter
that people read!
User friendly,
inexpensive web page
that we maintain and
update regularly;
Developing six subwatershed signs;
Development of six
watershed “quests.”
Accomplishments
Stewardship
•
•
•
•
240 contributing
members;
Attracting outside
funding;
Continue to engage new
partners;
Volunteer commitment
remains high.
Frustrations & Barriers
•
•
•
Achieving balance between community
involvement/process & getting things done
(restoration projects, riparian planting programs
etc.);
Increasing project capacity when outside
partners have statewide commitments;
Consistently working on the edge of local and
perhaps national experience (first to use the
State’s assessment protocol, first to complete
different types of geomorphic based restoration
projects);
Frustrations & Barriers
•
•
•
Disconnect between how we do restoration
projects (natural channel design) and
“conventional wisdom” of gravel extraction and
hard armoring;
Volunteer leadership skills;
Volunteer time – re: community collaborative
challenge – getting small business owners to
make time for a shared vision when they are
working hard on their own businesses.
For more information:
www.whiteriverpartnership.org