THE BATTEN KILL WATERSHED ALLIANCE

    The Batten Kill Watershed Alliance has undertaken trout habitat restoration based on the the expertise of the fisheries biologists and hydrogeologists.

    We have concentrated our efforts on the installation of cover and shelter  structures made of wood and stone in the river. Trout need cover and shelter as protection from predation, floods, ice, and hot weather. We have identified sections of the river lacking these elements and have placed wood and stone in the river and into its banks to provide such protection. These structures improve habitat for aquatic insects, turtles,  crayfish, and many other wildlife species. They are also designed to improve river dynamics so that there is less erosion and more flood resilience, which can benefit people and their buildings and infrastructure. "Channel riverwood" is a term used for this kind of remediation.

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    Scientific monitoring of these trout habitat restoration projects have shown significant increases in the trout population in project areas, when compared to before the project work and compared to parts of the river that were not restored. This means that what the trout need most is more cover and shelter from more big trees down in the river channel. 

In the long run we are concentrating on planting trees on the river banks termed "bank riverwood". These trees will hold the soil, filter runoff and provide habitat for terrestrial wildlife. Many large bank trees will eventually fall into the river to provide cover and shelter for trout.