Projects

Funds are requested to conduct mercury contamination research at Wharton Brook in Quinnipiac River system. Research activities include measuring mercury in water, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish along the length of thw Wharton Brook and its tributaries.

Funds are requested to support the offering of a short course in river processes to local members of conservation/inland wetland commissions and environmental activists. The course will cover the basic hydrologic, geomorphic, chemical, and biological processes that govern stream ecosystems, and how they are perturbed by human activities. Participants will recieve the scientific tools that they need in order to understand and critically evaluate environmental data on the Quinnipiac River.

Funds are requested to support continued efforts to develop and aopt an inter-municipal tax revenue sharing agreement and shared land use plan among the reigion's five municipalities bordering the Quinnipiac River. Related activities under this project will include assessments on key properties along the river, community outreach, and planning for a new canoe launch site in North Haven.

To support the measurement of methyl mercury in the Quinnipiac River and the New Haven Harbor. The work will also provide direct information on safety of local finfish and shellfish.

To support the continuing and extension of the successful 2005 Safe Grounds Campaign reducing non-point source pollution from lawn pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Funds will be used to support the improvement of of water diversion and instream flow policy on the Quinnipiac River through advocacy and public education.

To support a graduate student that will work with the PI and others (e.g. at the RGP) to maintain the QRW (Quinniipiac River Watershed) GIS(Georgraphic Information System) and the related website and to conduct GIS based analyses that focus on the lower river and its surroundings.

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.

To measure contamination along the Quinnipiac River and in oysters of the New Haven Harbor and evaluate the extent of mercury pollution and  identify sources and hotspots.

To support the production of a student lead project of internet based-handheld computer field guides resources for the Quinnipiac River that calculates water quality data, geology, oysters, plants, macro-invertabrates, birds and oystering history.