Still Winging the Water Supply - Farmington...
8
One Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2013 Issues and Activities in the Farmington River Watershed. 860-658-4442 www.frwa.org Save paper, get FRWA newsletters online and see our photos in their full color glory! Go to www.frwa.org to sign up. Still Winging the Water Supply Farmington River friends heaved a big sigh of relief recently, on hearing that the Metropolitan District Commission will not be supplying the University of Connecticut with drinking water from the reservoirs of the Farmington Valley. The hot debate over how to meet UConn’s projected water requirement was the latest in a long series of conflicts over who decides the fate of “our” water. It won’t be the last. The controversy raised hard questions that still need answers. For example, Who decides how water supply is distributed in CT? Who indeed? In many cases the decision process is ill-defined, improvised, and reactive. Water supply is regulated in part by the state’s Department of Public Health, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Office of Policy and Management, but a number of other entities have influence, depending on the situation. When stakeholders feel they must scramble for a say in a haphazard decision process that does not allow for their participation, the resulting rumble wastes everyone’s time and resources, and does not foster good water management. What’s a reasonable geographic scale of water supply planning? Historically, people clustered where there was water and managed it fairly locally. Now that we can pipe water long distances, how far makes sense? We need to decide what we mean by “inter-basin transfers” and really understand their economic and ecologic impact at local and regional scales. Where’s the balance between having a river and drinking it too? Let’s get over the lopsided notion that clean water in a river is a wasted commodity that someone should be able to sell. Aside from its value for recreation, tourism, real estate values, and maintaining groundwater, river water supports a biological community that provides vast additional free services that maintain our valley’s productivity and resilience. That’s why we call it a public good. Why are reservoirs, rivers, and groundwater treated as if unconnected to each other? Our regulatory system has not kept up with our scientific knowledge of how water really exists in the landscape. For more on this, we encourage you to come to “Water 101” a presentation by Virginia de Lima of USGS, on Sept 19 (see Page 3). How can water companies pay for upkeep of their supply systems, now that their customers buy less water ? With new business models, that’s how. It’s a challenge to pay for good water infrastructure with less water income, but some companies and countries are already experimenting with solutions. Here in Connecticut, we should look into what works best, and get started. Through the years, FRWA has participated in the discussion on water supply planning. Now that the issue has risen to prominence once again, you can count on us to speak up for good river management. Photo: Tom Cameron
Transcript of Still Winging the Water Supply - Farmington...
One
Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2013
Issues and Activities in the Farmington River Watershed.
860-658-4442 www.frwa.org
Save paper, get FRWA newsletters online and see our photos in their full color glory! Go to www.frwa.org to sign up.
Still Winging the Water Supply Farmington River friends heaved a big sigh of relief recently, on hearing that the Metropolitan District Commission will not
be supplying the University of Connecticut with drinking water
from the reservoirs of the Farmington Valley. The hot debate over how to meet UConn’s projected water requirement was
the latest in a long series of conflicts over who decides the fate of “our” water. It won’t be the last. The controversy raised
hard questions that still need answers. For example,
Who decides how water supply is distributed in CT? Who indeed? In many cases the decision process is ill-defined,
improvised, and reactive. Water supply is regulated in part by
the state’s Department of Public Health, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, Dept. of Energy and Environmental
Protection, and the Office of Policy and Management, but a number of other entities have influence, depending on the
situation. When stakeholders feel they must scramble for a say in a haphazard decision process that does not allow for
their participation, the resulting rumble wastes everyone’s time and resources, and does not foster
good water management.
What’s a reasonable geographic scale of water supply planning? Historically, people clustered where there was water and managed it fairly locally. Now that we can pipe water long distances, how far makes sense? We need to decide what we
mean by “inter-basin transfers” and really understand their economic and ecologic impact at local and regional scales.
Where’s the balance between having a river and drinking it too? Let’s get over the lopsided notion that clean water in a river is a wasted commodity that someone should be able to sell. Aside from its value for recreation, tourism, real estate
values, and maintaining groundwater, river water supports a biological community that provides vast additional free services that maintain our valley’s productivity and resilience. That’s why we call it a public good.
Why are reservoirs, rivers, and groundwater treated as if unconnected to each other? Our regulatory system has not kept
up with our scientific knowledge of how water really exists in the landscape. For more on this, we encourage you to come to “Water 101” a presentation by Virginia de Lima of USGS, on Sept 19 (see Page 3).
How can water companies pay for upkeep of their supply systems, now that their customers buy less water? With new
business models, that’s how. It’s a challenge to pay for good water infrastructure with less water income, but some companies and countries are already experimenting with solutions. Here in Connecticut, we should look into what works
best, and get started.
Through the years, FRWA has participated in the discussion on water supply planning. Now that the issue has risen to prominence once again, you can count on us to speak up for good river management.
Photo: Tom Cameron
Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2013
Two 860-658-4442 www.frwa.org
The Farmington River Watershed Association
Board & Staff
Officers President - Michael Gagne Vice-President - Sia Bauer Vice-President - Debbie Leonard Vice-President - Ann Jurkiewicz Treasurer - David Donaldson, Jr. Secretary - Michael Feldman
Directors Susan Barney Katonya Hughey John Laudati Matt Reichin John E. Robinson Pilar Schmidt Victor Schoen David Sinish Marlene Snecinski
Staff
Executive Director Eileen Fielding Education & Outreach Coordinator Aimee Petras Water Quality Coordinator Alisa Phillips-Griggs GIS Specialist Jeff Bolton
The Farmington River Watershed Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Farmington River and its Watershed through research, education and advocacy.
www.frwa.org
FRWA Holding 26th Annual River Clean-Up on October 5th!
Last year, over 300 volunteers joined together to remove almost 3 tons of trash from the banks of the Farmington River. We are securing all the supplies for the big day (gloves, bags, napkins, apples, apple cider, etc) and lining up our lunch and breakfast offerings for volunteers including sandwiches from Antonio's, coffee from Starbucks and Pizza from Little City Pizza. We are on the lookout for pick-up trucks or other large vehicles that can help us get trash to the dumpsters donated by Waste Material Trucking Company of Unionville, CT.
So where will you be? We do need lots of volunteers to come and help us make this Clean-Up our best yet! If you are part of another group that might be interested, please let us know. Join us to meet your watershed neighbors and help us keep your neighborhood clean; it’s guaranteed you will make new friends. Please call FRWA at (860) 658-4442 or email [email protected] to register.
A Sample of our Clean-Up Locations Avon: The Lions Club of Avon takes responsibility for cleaning Fisher Meadows and they do a great job, year after year.
Burlington/Farmington/Canton - We will meet at Collinsville Canoe & Kayak and will have a tent and snacks available. This is our most popular site thanks to area residents and the Irving Robbins Middle School’s Green Team!
Bristol: Organized by the Pequabuck River Watershed Association (PRWA). Meet in Forestville Village Center - Bristol between 8 - 8:15 am October 5. You’ll see the PRWA signs. To clean the Pequabuck: Sturdy shoes and long sleeves recommended. Gloves, bags, coffee, donuts, water provided. Come one, come all! For directions or more information, contact: [email protected] or 860 670 4761
Simsbury: Meet on the front lawn of FRWA headquarters. This is our main spot and also the place to grab some breakfast before heading out or get some pizza and other lunch items after you are done.
Call FRWA to sign-up yourself, your family, or your group for the Clean-Up at (860) 658-4442 or email your registration with a preferred meetup location to [email protected].
Photo: Tom Cameron
Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2013
Three 860-658-4442 www.frwa.org
The Farmington River Watershed Association Invites You to… Talks about the River
Lecture Series, 7:30 to 8:30 PM, Roaring Brook Nature Center, 70 Gracey Road, Canton, FREE.
August 29th, Capturing the Wild
and Scenic, Speaker: Tom Cameron, Photographer: A constant stream of photographs will reveal the river through different seasons, locations and times of the day. Most are obtained on the river via kayak, canoe and wading and allow a view of the river that few have a chance to see. They range between Riverton and Simsbury and include striking examples of classic waterscapes, fog, reflections, mirror-like symmetry, rapids and kayaks, wildlife, trees, webs and even a few abstracts. Practical considerations for river photography will be included as will a short overview of how & why Tom uses digital photography.
September 19th, Water 101, Hidden Connections You Should Know, Speaker: Virginia de Lima,
USGS: Explore the connections between the water cycle and pollution sources. Everything you wanted to know about how water works, from an expert. Bring your questions!
October 3rd, FRCC and Wild & Scenic, Speaker: Liz Lacy, NPS: An overview of the Farmington River
Coordinating Committee (FRCC) and its latest activities on the Upper Farmington Wild & Scenic River. Find out how Wild & Scenic Partnership really works in river towns.
October 17th, Testing the River, Speaker: Alisa Phillips-Griggs, FRWA: Learn about the Farmington
River Watershed Association’s extensive water quality program. What are we monitoring for, what are we finding and what are we doing to improve water quality in the Farmington River Watershed?
October 24th, Spoonville Un-dammed, a Shad
Story, Speaker: Eileen Fielding, FRWA: This presentation covers classic example of the historic back-and-forth conflict between fish and water power. It will highlight the removal of Spoonville Dam from the Farmington River in the summer of 2012, describing how and why it was done. It will also cover some of the dam’s eventful history, and discuss the effects of the dam removal on the river’s many uses and functions.
FRWA Photo
Tom Cameron generously allowed us to use his photos of the Farmington River in this newsletter. To see more photos visit his website at tomcameronphoto.com. To learn more about his process, please attend our lecture August 29 or sign up for his Fall 2013 course at Tunxis Community College Continuing Education.
Photo: Tom Cameron
Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2013
Four 860-658-4442 www.frwa.org
Going All-Out at 60! We hope you will join us on Sept. 22 at FRWA’s 60th Anniversary Party & Annual Meeting at Ski Sundown. Your invitation is enclosed in this issue. Please respond, we’d love to see you there! FRWA is hosting a party that will bring together new friends and old to reminisce about our 60-year history.
We will have a light program outlining our accomplishments in the past 60 years. Displays, both static and digital, of our 60 year history can be browsed while listening to live music from the Dave Donaldson Band and the Sofa Kings. A BBQ dinner from the Meat House in Avon with snacks and refreshments from Blue Sky foods will be provided with admission. Cash Bar. $25 per person. Please return the enclosed envelope with payment or visit us online at frwa.org.
You have to hand it to people in the Farmington Valley for getting an early start on river protection back in 1953. Because of FRWA’s forward-thinking founders, this year marks six eventful decades of Farmington River stewardship. Let’s build on our success with proactive stewardship for the future!
Have We Aged Well? Photos of Our Past
FRWA has been busy getting ready for our 60th Anniversary Celebration and looking through our collection of photos though the ages. Here are a few teasers of what you can expect to see on the night of our celebration. We hope you enjoy seeing these photos as much as we do. Please join us at Ski Sundown to see our full history! John Leonard, a founding
organizer of FRWA, tests water temp in 1950s
Sen. Bill Curry & Culver Modisette 1981
Lake McDonough 1959
Nathan Frohling 1990s
Six
Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2013
860-658-4442 www.frwa.org
Stream Bugs & Pond Critters, Saturday, September 21, 10 am-noon, Nature’s Porch, Winding Trails
Discover the fascinating underwater life of the Farmington River Watershed with FRWA as we explore Walton Pond and Poplar Swamp Brook at beautiful Winding Trails in Farmington. Spend the morning pond-side and wading in the brook to observe, identify, and marvel at the life histories and ecology of insects and other creatures that inhabit still and flowing waters. Learn how and why we use aquatic insects in our watershed-wide water quality monitoring.
We will provide nets, buckets and expertise; you need only bring your curious mind. We meet at Nature's Porch; Winding Trails’ beautiful, brand new, certified Connecticut grown building and will go outdoors rain or shine. Please dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear to wade into shallow water (water shoes, old sneakers, or waders.) Program is open to all ages but children must be accompanied by an adult. Advance registration is required. Please contact FRWA at 860-658-4442 or email [email protected] to register.
FRWA Aquatic Insect Sampling (RBV) Workshop, Saturday, October 12, 9 am - 2 pm Squire’s Tavern, Pleasant Valley
FRWA will hold our 10th Annual Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Sampling (RBV) Workshop on Saturday October 12th at Squires Tavern in Peoples State Forest. Volunteers are needed to help sample for aquatic insects as indicators of water quality. Explore the fascinating life of local streams throughout the Farmington River Watershed! We begin with an indoor workshop to demonstrate collection and identification techniques and explain the use of aquatic organisms in water quality monitoring. Following the indoor training and lunch, teams will move out to sample various Farmington River Watershed streams. Participants wade into the water, collect organisms into a net, sort and identify and preserve a representative sample for verification. The program follows CT DEEP Rapid Biomonitoring for Volunteers (RBV) protocol and results help FRWA and the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) monitor water quality changes in the Farmington River Watershed.
No previous experience necessary, new volunteers are paired with an experienced team leader and older children are welcome with an adult. Lunch will be provided, bring footwear to wade into the water (waders, water shoes or old sneakers). Program will be held rain or shine; please dress for the weather. Space is limited, advance registration is required. Please contact FRWA at 860-658-4442 or email [email protected] to register.
Experienced samplers please contact FRWA to borrow equipment to sample your favorite riffle. Note: bug images not to scale!
Saville Dam and Old Barkhamsted Hollow, October 26, 2013, 10 am to 3 pm Saville Dam and Old Barkhamsted Hollow: Join us for a tour deep inside the bowels of the Saville Dam followed by a trek to some of the old Barkhamsted foundations spared inundation as the Barkhamsted Reservoir filled. We plan to end our tour with a visit to the relocated old Barkhamsted Center schoolhouse. The history and preservation of our watershed is intertwined with the story of the Metropolitan District and the pursuit of clean drinking water for Greater Hartford.
The MDC will guide us through the earthen embankment dam that impounds the 30 billion gallon Barkhamsted reservoir providing drinking water for Greater Hartford. Erik Landgraf will lead us around the relics of old Barkhamsted Hollow, a village mostly flooded by the creation of the Barkhamsted Reservoir in 1940. Structures that were not flooded were torn down or moved by the water company, but not without a trace. Trace history in your watershed!
Pre-registration is required, space is limited, contact FRWA at (860) 658-4442, or email: [email protected] to register; Tour begins at 10:00 am, dress for the weather, wear footwear to walk in the woods, pack a lunch and water. Fee: current FRWA members $5; non-members $10
Name: ________________________________________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________________________________________
City:____________________________________ State:__________________ Zip Code: ______________
Phone Number: _____________________________ Email:______________________________________
Check one: □ I want to renew my membership now: □ $40 (Individual) □ $60 (Family and 60th Anniversary Level) □ $120 □ $150 □ $250 □ $_____ other amount
___ I have enclosed my check payable to FRWA, or please charge my ___ MasterCard or ___Visa.
Card #: _____________________________ Expiration Date: ________________ Amount $ _________
Name on Card: ___________________________Signature______________________________________
Please send to: Farmington River Watershed Association, 749 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070
Credit card donations may be phoned in to Aimee Petras at (860) 658-4442 x 201 or
submitted online at www.frwa.org via our secure online contributions server.
Seven
Farmington River Watershed Association Fall 2013
860-658-4442 www.frwa.org
Thanks to Our Supporters This year marks FRWA’s 60th anniversary. After six decades, FRWA is still the only advocate for the health of the entire Farmington River Watershed. Our support still comes from you, the residents of the Farmington Valley who want this river preserved for future generations. FRWA’s supporters make a huge difference to this region: you’ve enabled thought-provoking educational programs, quality research, informed advocacy, and active stewardship. You’ve risen to each challenge - whether it’s taking a dam out, analyzing water samples, funding a clean-up, or just getting kids to jump in and explore a stream.
Not an FRWA Member? Then join us! For 60 years, FRWA has fought for the Farmington River. Won’t you add your voice? Together we will start another season of preserving, protecting, and restoring the river - for everyone and forever. Becoming a member certainly has its benefits such as joining a network of people that are passionate about the Farmington River and its vitality. We also offer membership benefits that are listed below. Wont you join us? Discounts on FRWA events & 20% discount on FRWA merchandise 3rd night free with 2 night stay, Maplewood Lodging, Otis, MA 413.269.7351 10% off any service at Tunxis Medical Massage, LLC 761-4081 EMS (Avon & West Hrtfrd) 10% discount excluding bikes & boats 651-8031 15% off in-stock accessories at Collinsville Canoe & Kayak Store 693-6977 $5 off canoe rentals at Huck Finn Adventures 693-0385 10% off purchases over $50 at Vincent Sports Shop, Inc. 658-5419 10% off framing of FRWA posters—Artful Framer, Avon 678-1321 10% discount at Blue Sky Foods, excluding catering 379-0000 10% discount at Joe’s Bait & Tackle, Windsor Locks 623-7980
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID Hartford, CT
Permit No. 158
The Farmington River Watershed Association 749 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070
Protecting The Farmington River, For You, For All, Forever. Printed on 100% recycled paper, always.
Your Invitation to Our
60th Anniversary
Celebration Is Inside!
RSVP by September 15th.
PS: 10 new
events inside!
Please join us for
a trip, tour or
talk this Fall!
