About the Battenkill Home Rivers Initiative:

After several years of planning, the Battenkill Home Rivers Initiative (HRI) was launched in January 2020 by TU National (TUN) with support from the Clearwater, Adirondack, and Southwest Vermont Chapters, and grants from the TUN Coldwater Conservation Fund, TU NYS Council, USFWS, Clearwater, Adirondack and Southwest Vermont TU Chapters, an individual donor, and other TUN funds. Our chapter has contributed $25,000 and has representatives on a HRI Work Group. The total of current donations to support the HRI equals $180,000, and all funds are being managed by TUN. The HRI will take a holistic approach to conservation and restoration at a watershed level. To facilitate this, TUN hired a Project Coordinator for the Battenkill HRI, part of the Northeast Coldwater Habitat Program. The 2020 goals are to complete one in stream restoration project (likely on Camden Creek), survey potential sites for projects in 2021, secure funding for projects, continue building relationships with partner organizations, landowners and the community at large, and coordinate volunteer opportunities such as tree plantings, stream surveys and redd counts. Our chapter will continue to support efforts by participating in the HRI Work Group and providing volunteers for outreach and on the ground work. If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved with the HRI, contact Jacob Fetterman, Project Coordinator, at (Jacob.Fetterman@tu.org or (570) 751-8773). The HRI will complement Clearwater Chapter’s ongoing evaluation of Battenkill tributaries.
Battenkill Home Rivers Initiative Working Group comments on New York DEC's Draft Management Plan for Inland Trout Streams:
nys_dec_inland_tmp_battenkill_hri_wg_comments.pdf
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Picture
Click to picture to download the Battenkill Conservancy Map.

 2024 Battenkill Updates

Battenkill HRI Project Coordinator Jacob Fetterman presented to the Clearwater chapter in April 2024 to share updates on recent drone imaging techniques and restoration projects in the region. Click below to view a PDF file of Jacob's presentation.

2022 Battenkill HRI Project Report:

On behalf of all TU, we thank everyone who has supported the Battenkill HRI through all means. Without volunteer hours and donations, none of the work presented in this document would have been possible. Beyond planting 515 trees, surveying 2.4 stream miles for spawning trout, and contributing directly to restoration projects, volunteers also removed approximately 1.25 TONS of trash from the Battenkill Watershed! We also extend another thank you to all our funders, partners, and landowners for making this great work happen. 

Click below to read the 2022 Battenkill HRI Project Report, compiled by HRI Project Coordinator Jacob Fetterman.

Construction Projects

CAMDEN CREEK - Completed in 2021
Chris Powers, Aquatic Biologist for NY DEC, shared with us some of the results of 2021 stream samplings and some of their plans for this coming year.

Chris and his crew sampled Camden Creek, one of the main tributaries of the Battenkill in New York and one of the main focal points of the Battenkill HRI. The sampling completed in 2021 indicates the Camden Creek easily qualifies to be upgraded from the Wild category to Wild Quality. This important work was made possible by Jacob Fetterman, John Braico, and all of the TU chapters that support the Battenkill Home Rivers Initiative. Camden Creek is an important spawning and nursery tributary, so expansion of public fishing rights is likely. 

Construction along the Camden Creek in 2021 included:
  • Creation of step pools
  • Addition of a spring entry point
  • Toe wood installation

Another project on Camden Creek is planned for 2022.
CAMDEN CREEK - Completed in 2020
Close to 1,200 linear feet of this Battenkill tributary were restored between August and September with the support of the Battenkill HRI partners. This exciting project includes: 
  • Correction of existing meander pattern 
  • Adjustment of profile and channel dimensions to restore normal sediment transport
  • 400' of an incised channel has been reconnected to its bank full floodplain
  • 5 deep meander bend pools have been excavated with toe wood structures (55 - 80' long)  while eliminating bank erosion and channel infilling
  • Installed 8 grade controls  (5 "convergent rock structures" with downstream boulder clusters and 3 J hooks)
COULTER BROOK - Completed in 2020
A project was completed by John Braico from ADK TU, Jacob Fetterman from the Battenkill HRI, Corrina Aldrich from the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District and Contractor Mike Ward to remediate a perched culvert to improve aquatic organism passage. The project would not have been possible withouth Battenkill HRI partners - Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, 
Trout Unlimited Adirondack Chapter and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
JUNIPER SWAMP BROOK  - Completed in 2020
​A project was completed to restore a section of Juniper Swamp Brook, an important tributary of the Battenkill. The project would not have been possible without Battenkill HRI partners - Trout Unlimited Adirondack Chapter, Trout Unlimited South Wester Vermont Chapter and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region.
SCHMIDT-TRACY PROJECT - Completed in 2019
The Schmidt-Tracy Project at the Schmidt Preserve on the Battenkill was completed in September. The original plan was down-sized because of unanticipated clay located on the opposite bank and in the river bed, which made it impossible for machine access. A 50 foot bank bench on the Schmidt Preserve side and 6 boulder clusters were installed to improve trout habitat. Funding came from an Embrace-A-Stream grant obtained from TU National, the NYS DEC Habitat Improvement Fund, and the TU Adirondack Chapter. Studies of habitat improvement projects on the Battenkill in Vermont have shown trout populations across all age classes have increased by 500% at those sites.

KRAUSS/MEYER or CAMBRIDGE LANTERN - Completed in 2017
​This is a section of the river downstream of Eagleville Covered Bridge but upstream of Battenkill River Sports. In 2011 structures were installed both upstream (Atwater, Woody Hill) and along the Meyers’ land that were revisited with this project. There were several log/rock structures installed along the section, along with a rebuilt bank shelf, and some of the 2011 structures downstream at Meyers' were rebuilt and reinforced.
This project has resulted in the addition of up to 60 to 70 feet of added cover and shelter from the structures installed along the Krauss banks on the outside of the river bend. These structures plus with extensions of the log/rock vanes along the Meyers property will combine to generate significant improvements in river dynamics that will sustain the improved trout habitat into the future. There are public fishing rights here.      
Download the full plan and project sketches.
2017_battenkill_project_plan.pdf
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project_sketch.pdf
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Temperature Monitoring Project
The Battenkill Temperature Monitoring Project began in June 2012, an initiative conceived and guided by Clearwater TU's Art Coleman.  The goal is to establish baseline data for future reference as the chapter and its partners continue to undertake trout habitat improvement projects. This information helps to determine the extent the various habitat structure projects are having on combating water temperature rise and also in helping to determine where future structure improvement projects should be conducted. The idea of the new structures is to bring sinuosity back into the river flow, deepen and narrow the river thus helping to minimize temperature rise and also to provide structure for fish to hide in. The data from the temperature loggers will provide information about temperature fluctuations and profiles in the river. As of 2017, 16 temperature loggers have been placed in the Battenkill and several of its tributaries. Based on technical literature, one of the important metrics is the number of days the maximum daily temperature was above 72F.  Trout become stressed and seek thermal refuge around 72F. 
Number of days above 72F:

Site                           2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017    2018
DOT Rest Area           34         2           2         24          13          2         1 
Rt. 313 Bridge             47          4           2        36          24          5        22 
Eagleville Bridge        35         0           2        24          14           2        
Pook's Bridge                                                  25           7            5        34 
Schmidt Property                                                                       32      25 

Although temperatures may have been too high at the sites in 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2018 (most likely due to warm weather), wild trout will move to find cold water inputs in order to survive. ​
Tributary Assessment
​The Battenkill  began in 2014, initiated by Art Coleman.  The goal is to identify and locate tributaries and springs contributing to the Battenkill at low flow. The reach from the Vermont border to Rexleigh Bridge has been covered. The goal is to extend the survey to the confluence with Black Creek.  Members helping Art Coleman include Fred Tresselt, Jeff Bull, Jim Boyle, Rich Unger, Ron Bellisario, and Roy Lamberton. The data will be useful to agency experts to determine the river’s ability to support trout populations. 
Battenkill Public Fishing Rights Maps
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