Projects

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 implementation of a short course in river processes for environmental activists and decision-makers.

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 the development and adoption of an intermunicipal agreement with the lower river towns regarding land use guidelines and tax sharing.

To support the organization and implementation of QRWA Stream Buffer Initiative to encourage land use practices that minimize adverse impacts on the watershed and increase public access to the river and its tributaries.

To support the salaries for two part-time Student Conservation Assocation interns who will work on improvement of water quality through community outreach.

To support the creation and development of the Organic Land and Turf Handbook for school, municipal, and commercial groundskeepsers to manage lawns and turf without the use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

To offer a 2-day short course in river processes to local environmental activists and municipal officials.  The course will cover the basic hydrologic, geomorphic, chemical, and biological processes that govern stream ecosystems, and how they are perturbed by human activity.  Participants will receive the scientific tools that they need in order to understand and critically evaluate environmental data on the Quinnpiac River.

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.