The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Announce Partnership to Improve Management of Northeast Waterways

Ashuelot River Prioritized in Regional Agreement

Stowe, Vt., — Nov. 5, 2005 — The Nature Conservancy’s Eastern Region and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division signed an agreement today that brings together the combined strength and expertise of the two organizations under the shared goal of improving sustainable management of water resources and riparian habitats in the northeastern United States.

Under the partnership, The Nature Conservancy and the Army Corps of Engineers will work together to implement new and innovative techniques and strategies, sharing scientific, conservation and engineering expertise to provide vital human services while protecting the rich and diverse ecosystems of the northeast.

“With the signing of this agreement, we are formalizing a partnership and anticipate working together to protect critical watersheds in the northeast, and to facilitate environmental protection and sustainable growth,” said Brig. Gen. William T. Grisoli, commander of the Corps’ North Atlantic Division.

“By aligning The Nature Conservancy’s ecological expertise and the Army Corps’ engineering excellence under a shared ecological goal, we are creating a powerful force for watershed protection,” said Mike Andrews, chief conservation officer for The Nature Conservancy. “Our partnership has already achieved notable success. With the removal of the Cuddebackville Dam from the Neversink River, American shad and native brook trout can migrate upstream for the first time in 100 years.”

New Hampshire’s Ashuelot River, flowing 64 miles from Pillsbury State Park in Washington to its confluence with the Connecticut River in Hinsdale, has been selected as one of nine priority projects under the partners’ Sustainable Rivers Initiative. The 268,800-acre watershed includes many high priority ecological targets for The Nature Conservancy, and two flood control dams operated by the Army Corps of Engineers (Otter Brook Dam in Roxbury and Surry Mountain Dam in Surry). Vermont’s West River, which enters the Connecticut River in Brattleboro, is also one of the partners’ priority rivers.

“Human modifications to our rivers, such as dams and water withdrawals, have been identified as the leading cause of decline in freshwater life,” commented Rose Paul, director of science and stewardship for the Vermont chapter. “We are excited by the deep level of engagement we have with the Corps, and the opportunity to learn from each others expertise on the West River.”

Behind the scenes scientists, planners and strategists from across the nation are meeting in Stowe, Vt., this week for a national four-day conference focused on collaborative partnering for sustainable watershed management. Through the evaluation of case studies, scientific exchange and strategy discussions, the partners are laying the ground work for innovative projects nationwide.

To study the ecological effects of dam-controlled flow regimes The Nature Conservancy is sponsoring a one year research fellowship. By analyzing native plants and animals from migratory fish to floodplain forests, the study will answer the question not only of how low or high the river should run, but also when, how frequently and how fast the river level should change.

By combining the Corps’ flow modeling expertise with the results of the Conservancy’s ecological impact study, the partners plan to define flow ‘prescriptions’ for the West River by the end of 2006, which will balance ecological, flood control and recreational needs.

#####

The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, The Nature Conservancy and its approximately one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 14 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 83 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The Vermont Chapter, chartered in 1960, has helped conserve over 167,000 acres of significant natural areas throughout the state, and maintains 42 nature preserves. Visit us on the Web at www.nature.org/vermont.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
The North Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a Regional Business Center made up of about 3,800 team members in six Districts and a Division headquarters. It is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and one of eight Division offices nationwide. The Division plans, designs and builds projects for the Army and Air Force in the northeastern states and in Europe, develops and manages water resources, and protects and restores the environment. The Division also works for other federal, state and local agencies and foreign nations. Visit the North Atlantic Division on the web at: http://www.nad.usace.army.mil