Nature Conservancy Applauds Congressman Paul Hodes for Advancing Connecticut River Basin Study

Study comes at critical time as state’s largest watershed experiences flooding.

SURRY, N.H. — August 14, 2008 — During a tour of the Surry Mountain Dam on the Ashuelot River, The Nature Conservancy today praised Cong. Paul Hodes for helping to advance an ambitious study of the Connecticut River watershed.

The study involves The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in examining ways to restore more natural flow regimes to New England’s longest river and its major tributaries. Through this partnership, the Corps has begun to tackle many of the water-management challenges that New Hampshire will increasingly face in the 21st century.

“Congressman Hodes’ leadership is critical in moving the Connecticut River Watershed Project forward,” said Kimberly A. Lutz, director of the Conservancy’s four-state Connecticut River Program. “Congressman Hodes understands the importance of water-related issues to the people of New Hampshire. He’s been a champion in securing funds for this critical initiative.”

Researching Floodplain Forests near the Ashuelot River

“I am pleased to have worked with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Nature Conservancy to ensure the protection of this critical habitat on the Ashuelot River,” Congressman Paul Hodes said. “This study can serve as the model for how New Hampshire can control river flow and that is especially important with the recent flooding and high precipitation events of the past few months.”

Hodes helped secure $98,000 in FY08 for the study. Along with U.S. House members from other Connecticut River states, Hodes helped to
secure an appropriation of $450,000 in the House Energy and Water Appropriations bill which is pending before Congress.

The Army Corps owns and operates 14 flood control dams in the Connecticut River basin. A better understanding of the hydrology of the Connecticut River will enhance the Corps' ability to manage these dams in ways that better protect people and the watershed's important ecosystems. The study will help determine how management of dams and water systems can be modified for environmental benefits while maintaining beneficial human uses, such as water supply, flood control, and hydropower generation.

“The idea is to be able to model the river so that we can understand where the water’s going and how it’s moving as a whole system,” said Christopher L. Hatfield, a study manager in the Army Corps’ New England district office.

One of the study's key outcomes will be the creation of a basin-wide hydrologic model and decision support tool that will allow water managers and other key stakeholders to evaluate environmental and economic outcomes based on various management scenarios.

The study is part of a larger partnership of the Army Corps and The Nature Conservancy, called the Sustainable Rivers Project. Established in 2002, the Sustainable Rivers Project involves 36 federal reservoirs in 12 states, including the Ashuelot and West Rivers in the Connecticut River watershed.

On much of the Connecticut and its tributaries, seasonal flows have been disrupted by the presence of large dams. Dams dealt a significant blow to migratory fish like salmon and shad, which spawn in the Connecticut River but need to return to the sea to live. Where appropriate, their removal can restore habitat and enable fish to reach their key habitats. However, many large dams in this watershed prevent flood damage and provide energy and water for communities.

“Water management systems were established with little understanding of the needs of rivers and streams,” Lutz said. “Today, we know that our rivers and streams must flow with enough water to sustain plants and animals, many of which are adapted to natural, seasonal changes. This means that we can strive for a balance that meets our needs in the present while ensuring the health of our waters for the future.”

The Sustainable Rivers Project --
A partnership of The Nature Conservancy
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Fact Sheet: N.H. Wildlife Action Plan /
Habitat Stewardship Series: Floodplain Forests

As with all good science, the project began with a series of questions. “We wanted to find out how much water the Connecticut River and its tributaries need, and when they need it,” Lutz said. “Once we know how much change a river can withstand, we can make better decisions about water use.”

The model the Conservancy is developing with the Army Corps of Engineers and other partners will provide a sophisticated understanding of how water currently flows in the River and its tributaries, helping the Army Corps of Engineers explore different ways of releasing or storing water that are more in line with a river’s natural processes.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than 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. Since 1961 The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire has helped protect more than 265,000 acres of ecologically significant land and currently owns and manages 28 preserves across the state. For more information, visit www.nature.org/newhampshire.