river and stream continuity
DESCRIPTION
Importance of Small Streams and Impacts of Sub-Standard CrossingsTRANSCRIPT
Alison DixonHousatonic Valley Association (HVA)
Berkshire Outreach [email protected]
413-394-9796
Jane WinnExecutive Director
Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT)
River (Habitat) Continuity Project Contacts
Stream CrossingsStream Crossings Where roads and railways cross rivers and Where roads and railways cross rivers and
streamsstreamsOver 900 stream crossings have been identified in the Housatonic Watershed in Massachusetts
It’s not only fish that may It’s not only fish that may have difficulty moving have difficulty moving
through crossingsthrough crossings
Wildlife can be impeded from Wildlife can be impeded from using the crossing due to a variety using the crossing due to a variety
of culvert problemsof culvert problems
Impacts of Sub-Standard Impacts of Sub-Standard CrossingsCrossings
• Habitat loss and Habitat loss and degradationdegradation
• Alteration of ecological Alteration of ecological processesprocesses
• Road kill leading to Road kill leading to population lossespopulation losses
• Population fragmentation Population fragmentation and isolationand isolation
• Reduced access to vital Reduced access to vital habitatshabitats
• Disruption of processes Disruption of processes that maintain regional that maintain regional populationspopulations
ReplacementReplacement
• Replace culvert with:Replace culvert with:• 1. Bridge1. Bridge• 2. Oversized (1.2 bankfull width) culvert with 2. Oversized (1.2 bankfull width) culvert with
river substrateriver substrate
1. Alert us to any crossing concerns
2. Obtain GPS coordinates for that location
3. Take upstream and downstream pictures of the crossing (INLET and OUTLET)
4.Send pictures and coordinates to [email protected]
5.Keep building beautiful bridges that allow free passage
What can SAM do ?
Thank you to our Past Thank you to our Past and Present Fundersand Present Funders
Natural Resources Damages Fund
For more information visit www.streamcontinuity.org