Projects

To continue monitoring vegetation change and mudflat development in the Quinnipiac River brackish marshes, and begin to test hypothesized causes for the observed wetland loss.  To complete a nitrogen and trace metal analyses and begin to assess how marsh loss has affected the load of pollutants to the river.

To test various water quality parameters and assess the condition of the Hemingway Creek, a tributary of the Quinnipiac River which borders one of our preserves.

To continue monitoring vegetation change and mudflat development in the Quinnipiac River tidal marshes.  In addition, to conduct field and lab work to begin to test hypothesized causes for the observed wetland loss and to assess how marsh loss has affected the load of pollutants (N,trace metals) to the river.

To support volunteer monitoring, Stream Walk problem assessment, regulatory research, grassroots advocacy, education - upper and lower river, and general public education.

To establish and maintain an intranet website for the Quinnipiac River Watershed Partnership.

To support Field Research Program to document wetland loss along the Quinnipiac River Estuary and document baseline conditions and historic trends.

To collect and  publish a systematic review of municipal land-use regulations in the Quinnipiac River Watershed.

To support studying nutrient export from subwatersheds during storm events, including phosphorus (P), which is the limiting nutrient in fresh waters.

To support a high level intensive policy planning workshop to address continuing contamination and degradation of the Quinnipiac River Marshes.

To continue to work on scientifically validated Stream Team assessment program, to redesign the program to use a larger poll of personnel who will learn to perform rapid assessment  in the field to collect baseline and annual data, develop a bioassessment protocol for the salt marsh in the lower river that can be performed by teams, and enlarge citizen "eyes on the river," the Adopt-the-River program, but reorganizing adopters so that they are convened together at least once per year to learn skills of river protection and restoration and to report progress to officials.