Projects

to support the monitoring of marsh surface elevations as well as the salinity and vegetation in one lobe of the marsh, and to support measurement of soil salinity and vegetation cover in marsh-bordering areas at the Quinnipiac Meadows Preserve.

To support the measurement of mercury in bottom sediments and in fish from ponds spanning the Quinnipiac River watershed to determine where it exceeds safety thresholds.

To support the sampling of cyanobacterial communities in the Quinnipiac River in order to identify and monitor known bloom-forming species that may also produce toxins.

To support an examination of the seasonal variation in the composition and quantity of microplastic particles from wastewater treatment facilities discharging treated wastewater into the Quinnipiac River.

To support monitoring, identifying and quantifying known pollutants from industrial outflows along the Quinnipiac River, specifically industrial areas in Wallingford and North Haven.

To support investigation of the various stresses that may be contributing to the extensive loss of vegetation in the Quinnipiac tidal marshes and begin to gather data on the relative importance of sub-surface compaction, decompositon in causing elevation loss in this ecosystem.

To offer a short course in river processes to local members of conservation/inland wetland commissions and environmrntal activists.  The course will cover the basic hydrologic, geomorphic, chemical and biological processes that govern stream exosystems, and how they are perturbed by human activities.  Participants will receive the scientific tools that they need in order to understand and critically evaluate environemntal data on the Q River.

To support funding for two aspects of the Quinnipiac River Conservation and Development corridor Project. RPG will develop an inter-municipal agreement between the three lower river communities that will include land-use guidelines and a tax sharing agreement.