NEWS & EVENTS

Stream Assessments to be Conducted in the Tankerhoosen Watershed

Journal Inquirer 05/27/2008

A visual assessment of the Tankerhoosen River and several of its tributary streams will take place June 3rd through June 5th between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.  Two field crews comprised of two to four individuals will walk sections of stream corridors of the Tankerhoosen River, as well as Clark Brook, Tucker Brook and Gages Brook.  Most of the assessment work will be done in Vernon, with small sections in Tolland along Gages Brook, and in Manchester along Tucker Brook.

The Tankerhoosen River watershed is considered an important resource in the state.  The high water quality in the upper regions supports one of only two Class I wild trout areas east of the Connecticut River.  The 300-acre Belding Wildlife Management Area is also located within the watershed.

Because of the importance of the watershed, a coalition of several organizations has been undertaking biological and water quality assessments of the Tankerhoosen over the past three years.  Led by the Friends of the Hockanum River Linear Park, the coalition includes the Town of Vernon Conservation Commission and the Town of Vernon Planning Department, the North Central Conservation District, Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, Inc., the Hockanum River Watershed Association, and the Belding Wildlife Trust. 

The work has been funded by grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.  The engineering firm Fuss and O’Neill, Inc. have been conducting the assessments for the coalition.  Matching funds have been provided by the coalition organizations. 

The assessment teams will observe land use conditions within the stream corridors, such as streambank erosion, outfall condition, and floodplain habitat.  The goal of the assessments is to identify priority restoration projects in the watershed.  Potential projects will be identified in a Watershed Management Plan for the Tankerhoosen, which will be released for public input later this summer.

Questions from the public or landowners can be directed to any of these individuals: Ann Letendre, Friends of the Hockanum River Linear Park, 875-4623; Erik Mas, Fuss & O'Neill, Inc., 413-452-0445, Len Tundermann, Vernon Town Planner, 875-3635; and Dave Askew, North Central Conservation District, 875-3881.