Schenevus Creek is a wild brook trout stream in Otsego County, the largest dairy producing county in NY State. The Clearwater TU is working with a willing farmer, the Otsego County Soil & Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Dave Brandt TU Chapter (Oneonta), and the Five Rivers TU Club at SUNY Cobleskill to create riparian buffers for the stream. Our chapter has committed to make every effort to provide the landowner’s portion of any resources required to participate in the government programs. Plans and federal and state funding were completed in 2018 but due to changes in the Farm Bill, work has been delayed. If the project is successful, it is likely other farms along the creek will become willing to participate in riparian programs. In the future, we may also seek to work with government agencies to evaluate the effect of runoff from I-88. Clearwater TU has placed two temperature loggers (water and air) downstream of the proposed project. The goal is to restore the creek to the first class wild brook trout fishery it once was. In addition, chapter members are pursuing an initiative to coordinate the purchase of public fishing rights by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). DEC electroshocked a section of the creek in 2019 with help from a number of chapter volunteers.
