Newsletter Stream Chronicles
President’s Message
Hello!
I’m Steve Weiter, the new President of the Iroquois Chapter #002 of Trout Unlimited.
I look forward to working with you and all of our members over the next two years as we strive to maintain and improve our local cold water fisheries.
The past year and a half has been tough on all of us, and it has been hard for many organizations to accomplish their goals given the restrictions we face under the pandemic. I want you to know we are adjusting, and doing what we can to improve those circumstances for our chapter and members.
I know we are all tired of meeting via Zoom, but for the moment that is our best option to keep everyone safe. Given the high rate of infections in Onondaga County the Chapter Board has decided to suspend in-person Chapter meetings until at least the end of 2021. This is in alignment with current CDC guidelines and TU National Recommendations. We will re-evaluate this in late December, and we hope to be able to meet with you all soon. The Board will continue to meet via Zoom and in-person outdoors so long as the weather permits.
Since we can’t meet in person, we will be sending out regular communications to you, our members via email, through our Chapter website, and sometimes via postal mail. We will work on our ability to host electronic chapter meetings that are informative and meaningful without a lot of technical glitches. We will keep you informed of Chapter business, and seek your input on matters of importance to the members.
Let’s start that communication by introducing you to our current Chapter Officers, elected at the October Board meeting:
President: Steve Weiter sweiter302@gmail.com
Vice President: Kelley Romano ka.romano@gmail.com
Treasurer: Bob Alexander
Secretaries: Mike & Mary Jo Hyde
Past-President: Jim Froio
Board Member: Andy Bragdon
Board Member: John Dobricki
Board Member: Marty Ivery
Board Member: Mike Romano
Board Member: Eric Stanczyk
Please reach out to me and Kelley with your comments, concerns, ideas, and issues regarding the Iroquois Chapter and the cold water streams in our area.
One of the comments I have heard a lot lately is that we need to rededicate ourselves to conservation efforts in our area. The Chapter Board agrees with that sentiment and we will be working hard to identify needs. We will partner with the NYS DEC, with US Fish and Wildlife, with TU State Council, with TU National, and with you to identify priority waters in our area, and projects that we can work on to improve the streams, aquatic habitats, and fishing access in our area. If you know of projects that need attention please let us know!
Lastly, let me say that I am happy to be working with you all, and honored to be selected as Chapter President. We are a team, and will work together as a team over the next two years to achieve our goals. You’ll be hearing from me again soon.
Tight Lines, Steve
Guest presenter
Chapter meeting October 13, 2020
Emily Zollweg-Horan, Onondaga County fisheries biologist at the DEC, attended our October meeting at Nibsy’s. She engaged us in a productive discussion about possible stream improvement projects in our area and how to go about choosing a project that would be right for our chapter. While we have funds to partially fund a project, we would like to choose one that would qualify for a grant and would be a significant improvement in the health of the stream. She is going to do more research, walk some local streams, and get back to the TU board about specific locations and needs for our club to consider. Emily also explained the new feature on the DEC website called the “info locator.” This feature allows folks to view an interactive map from laptop or smartphone, and gather environmental and recreational information about a specific area in New York State. Layers of information can be added or removed. Fishing access, water quality, etc. are just a few layers that can be utilized. Go to the DEC website and search info locator. You will also find a 5-minute YouTube video link which explains the process.
Next TU Board meeting:
November 10, 2021 @ 6 pm
Notify Steve Weiter if you would like him to email you the Zoom link.
Check out the Iroquois TU
Website: iroquois.tu.org
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New season expands trout fishing opportunities. Use this link for the
DEC Freshwater Fishing Guide
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/fishguide.pdf
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NY Women of Trout Unlimited
The 1st Annual Let’s Connect New York Women in Fly Fishing on the Delaware River trip was held October 15-17, organized by Victoria Lane. Twenty fly fishing women from all over New York, as well as Massachusetts, and even Washington State came to fish and make memories! Future trips in the Catskills are being planned, so stay tuned. . .Please check New York Women of Trout Unlimited Facebook page for more information and announcements.
Sportsmen’s Days
Saturday September 25 was a beautiful day for the Annual Sportsmen’s Day at Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery. It was a welcome opportunity for folks to get outdoors and reconnect with nature. Wildlife clubs eager to share their expertise enjoyed a good crowd of kids and adults. Iroquois TU staked our tent at the far end of the pond and welcomed visitors all day. Rumor has it that a very large rainbow got hooked by one lucky angler. Some of our equipment used for this event has seen better days (especially the tent) so an inventory and check list is underway. Thanks to all who volunteered their time: Marty Ivery, Mike and MaryJo Hyde, Eric Stanczyk and hatchery staff.
~ ~ STREAMSIDE ~ ~ ~ ~
From Bob Alexander on Limestone Creek: Fayetteville Stream Improvement Project
Is the third time the charm?
Over the last twenty years, the Village of Fayetteville has attempted to install stream improvements to the banks of Limestone Creek behind the Town of Manlius town offices off Brooklea Drive in Fayetteville. These actions were undertaken under the direction of the New York State DEC and the US Fish and Wildlife service to correct erosion issues caused by high water events following heavy rainstorms in the wake of the remnants of tropical storms that passed through the area. Subsequent seasonal flooding events washed away much of the results of the last two efforts, leading to a large shallow gravel area downstream of the old feeder canal diversion dam site.
A plan was prepared by O’Brien and Gere engineers for the Village of Fayetteville under direction of the DEC with funding provided by the State of New York under a Consolidated Financing Application filed by the village. Bidding from contractors was solicited in February of 2021. The “Limestone Creek and Bishop Brook” improvement plan called for bank stabilization, re-routing the flow below the old dam site to the reinforced east bank of the stream and channel modification to improve in-stream habitat. The plans also called for installation of in-stream cross vanes to provide improved fish holding habitat and to direct the flow away from the asphalt walking trail along the west stream bank in Canal Landing Park. A retention pond to trap sediment from melting snow and rainwater was to be created next to the stream directly downstream of the old dam site and current pedestrian bridge. Work began around the first of October and progressed nicely for a couple of weeks. The on-site construction manager felt they would be completed by the end of the month.
Mother nature had other ideas.
With four inches of rain falling in the next ten days, the stream flow tripled to bank full status, over-running the stream diversions placed to direct the stream to the east bank and eradicating the small bank that had been erected by the excavator to establish the detention pond below the bridge. With more rain constantly in the forecast for the next couple weeks, it is doubtful the contractors will be able to complete the project this year as planned.
When the flood waters recede to normal stream levels it remains to be seen how much of the prep work remains, but it appears that the west bank improvements with riprap and large boulders continue to be intact and the bulk of the stream flow appears to be continuing along the east bank of the stream, as designed. Hopefully the retention pond will function in some capacity to trap silt that was flowing into the stream. For more pictures, look at the Iroquois TU Chapter Facebook page.
Interesting to note that the NYS DEC in a 1970 study and a US Fish and Wildlife study in 1983 rated Limestone Creek in the top fifty cold water streams in the state, with excellent spawning habitat noted in Bishop Brook and the West Branch of Limestone. A good population of wild stream-born fish were present from Edwards Falls near Manlius downstream through the village of Fayetteville to Bishop Brook.
From Bob Hazelton
on nameless stream:
Bob Hazelton, from Cayuga County (near Sempronius) attended our October chapter meeting to connect with members and to report on an interesting stream project successfully completed through the efforts of local Highway Superintendent, County Soil and Water, and the NYSDEC. After a heavy rain storm blocked and blew out the original culvert, a grant was secured from NY State Senator James Seward. A Soil and Water technician designed the “fish friendly” bridge and the work was done by Town highway employees and Soil & Water. The design creates a natural stream bed through the bridge, allowing passage of fish to gain access to spawning habitat upstream. Trout in the area were protected during construction and were immediately returned once the project was completed. Many thanks to Bob for providing photos and also for sharing this account of a stream improvement project done successfully by local entities.
Trout in the Classroom
by Matthew Brennan, Technology Education Teacher, Ray Middle School, Baldwinsville
Our Trout in the Classroom program, run by Matt Brennan and Jeff Abbott at Baldwinsville, is a part of the Agriculture and Bio Technologies Enrichment Club, offered to 6th and 7th grade students at Ray Middle School. This program is brand new to Ray Middle School this year and currently has a little over 30 students enrolled. Our trout are currently healthy in the Alevin stage and the yolk sac is getting smaller and smaller each day. The fish are becoming more active as well. When our trout are ready to be released we will be letting them go locally in a creek that runs near our main campus.
From The Fly Box
Kelley Romano, editor
New (slightly revised) Mission statement:
Trout Unlimited Iroquois Chapter strives to protect and restore cold water fisheries and their watersheds in Central New York. Our focus is to raise awareness of healthy streams/healthy trout through conservation efforts, education, and fishing mentorship for all in our diverse community.
Fly Tying Night: If there is interest, we will again offer fly tying night once a month at the Honeywell Visitor’s Center on the West Shore of Onondaga Lake. Please let one of the board members know of your interest.
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If you have a suggestion or submission for our next newsletter, contact Kelley Romano.
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