streamlines - rivers alliance of connecticut

OK, a rainfall pop quiz for you.

A 100-year-rain storm

a.) occurs once every 100 years, or

b.) has a 1% (1/100) statistical chance of occurring in any year.

A 25-year-rain storm

a.) occurs once every 25 years, or

b.) has a 4% (1/25) statistical chance of occurring in any year.

If you chose “b” twice, congratulations. You understand

commonly misunderstood terms -- terms used with increasing

frequency given recent storm events.

Our climate is constantly changing, and yet in the Northeast the

“design storm,” or the expected amount of rain in a storm used

7 West St., P.O. Box 1797, Litchfield, CT 06759; (860) 361-9349; FAX (860) 361-9341; www.riversalliance.org

HYDROPOWER Policy Position of Rivers Alliance

S T R E A M L I N E S Connecticut’s United Voice for River Conservation Fall 2013

President’s Message

2

Giving Corner 3

Reading Room

5

2013 Legislation

6

Friends Honored by

8

Ripples

In Memoriam

9

10

IN THIS ISSUE

to design infrastructure, has mainly been based on the vener-

able Weather Bureau publication Technical Paper 40, or

TP40 for short. This standard 50-year-old reference was

based on rain storms measured before 1960.

Design storm data is a critical component of many civil engi-

neering design projects. For instance, if someone is designing

and building a storm drain, they use design storm data to

make sure the storm drain and associated piping will not

overflow or back up for the anticipated amount of rain.

A design storm is the likelihood of a specific amount of rain

falling in a designated time period. Design storms range from

rainfall durations of 5 minutes up to 10 days, and also range

from high probability of occurrence (1-year storm) to lower

probability (500-year storm).

Most people are aware that rainfall patterns have changed

in the Northeast, and scientific studies have validated this

impression. In response, the Natural Resources Conservation

Service (NRCS) teamed up with the Northeast Regional

Climate Center (NRCC) and Cornell University to update

the rainfall data set. For explanation on statistics and the data

used to calculate design storms, you can check the “Extreme (Continued on page 4)

We get many questions about our position on

proposals to develop or import more hydro-

power. This is especially true in a year like

2013, when the governor, DEEP, and legisla-

tors were putting forward energy bills that

included major roles for hydropower.

Our basic position is that we support “good,”

that is, low-impact hydropower. The typical

characteristics of good hydropower are that it

is run-of-river (water is not impounded and

then released only when convenient); that it

does not require a new dam; and that it provides

passage for fish and eels. The ultimate goal is

that a new or enhanced hydropower project

should provide overall improvement in the

health of the river.

These characteristics are to a considerable extent

embodied in Connecticut’s definition of Class I

hydropower. In Connecticut, all electric utilities

are required to have in their energy portfolios a

certain percent of Class I energy sources, such as

solar and wind. The goal has been 20 percent by (Continued on page 7)

Rivers Alliance of Connecticut

Rainfall Data

Catches Up

to Weather

350 More Reasons to Join

If you are reading this, chances are that

you are a member of Rivers Alliance of

Connecticut. You care about rivers and

you understand why it’s important to

protect them. You might have a strong

connection to a particular river. You are

one of the all-important, special few

who “get it” and commit to helping.

So you’re in! Why would I tell YOU about our membership campaign? Because

you know people who aren’t members and have never thought about being mem-

bers, or even about river protection. These people need help to make the connec-

tion between themselves and the rivers that run through their lives. Here, then, are

thoughts to share with the members-to-be that you meet.

More than 99.9% of the surface water on the planet is unavailable and/or undrink-

able. Water-rich areas like Connecticut are lucky—so far. But even here, we need

to plan well to ensure a future water supply.

The Clean Water Act of 1972 mandated that our navigable waters be fishable

and swimmable by the mid-1980s. It’s 2013—are we there yet? Before you point

fingers at government failure to deliver, recall that the Clean Water Act requires

citizen involvement in order to succeed.

Resources for river protection are inadequate (not to say gutted) at the local, state,

and federal levels. As a result, protection tends to occur only in reaction to specific

pressure about specific issues from people who care. Who’s speaking for your

favorite stream? It might only be you. But it could be you and Rivers Alliance, a

powerful and respected voice for river protection in Connecticut, a voice that gets

louder with every additional member. Think of how much louder your voice can

be if you belong!

Lastly, if you need any further persuasive power, mention that 350 river otters

are being held hostage at www.riversalliance.org and will be set free one by

one, as they are ransomed by new members. These otters are high, dry, entirely

virtual, and anxiously awaiting release to our wonderful (but vulnerable)

Connecticut waters.

Please help us put smiles on those furry digital faces! It’s serious fun: A strong

Rivers Alliance can help real wildlife, in real rivers, used by real people.

Eileen Fielding

President

Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, Inc., is the

only statewide nonprofit dedicated to protect-

ing and enhancing Connecticut’s rivers,

streams, and watersheds. Our members are

individuals, organizations, and corporations

concerned with the health and protection of

our rivers and water resources in general.

We were founded in 1992 to promote and

support environmentally sound state policies,

assist the state’s many watershed and river

groups, and educate the public about the

importance of water conservation and aquatic

habitat protection We are governed by our

Board of Directors with regular guidance and

comment from the Housatonic Valley Asso-

ciation, the Connecticut River Watershed

Council, the Farmington River Watershed

Association, and other watershed organiza-

tions in Connecticut.

Funding for Rivers Alliance is received from

our members, grants, and special events.

Membership categories are: Individuals and

Families: $35.00; Nonprofit Organizations:

$50.00; Patrons: $50.00; Sponsors: $100.00;

Businesses: $250.00; Sustainers: $250.00;

Benefactors: $500; Guardians: $1000.00.

(Membership donations, comments, and

letters to the editor can be mailed to: Rivers

Alliance, P.O. Box 1797, Litchfield CT

06759, e-mail [email protected], or

call (860) 361-9349.)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Eileen Fielding, President

James Creighton, Vice President

David Bingham, Secretary

James McInerney, Treasurer

William Anthony

Martin Mador

Sarah Lee Martin

Dwight Merriam

David Radka

Jacqueline Talbot

Lynn Werner

Richard Windels

STAFF Margaret Miner, Executive Director

Rose Guimaraes, Development Director &

Newsletter Editor

Tony Mitchell, Website Manager

THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Rivers Alliance o f C o n n e c t i c u t

Rivers Alliance Plans for the Future

Charitable Giving: News You Can Use

Connecticut is a tough state for

people who take their charita-

ble gifting seriously. Why?

Because Connecticut imposes

its state income tax on all

income before taking deduc-

tions for such items as state

and local income taxes and

charitable gifts. What can a

philanthropically inclined tax-

payer do? Well, if you are over

70 1/2 and are taking mandated

distributions from your IRA,

you can direct the IRA custo-

dian to make payments directly

to the 501(c)(3) of your choice.

Those payments—which go

directly to the charity—do not

show as income on your tax

return and are therefore not

taxed by the State of Conne-

cticut (nor by the federal

government).

Things to know: You must be

over 70 1/2; this applies only

to IRAs and not to other retire-

ment plans; moneys must go

directly to 501(c)(3) and not to

Donor Advised Funds; the

maximum annual gifting is

$100,000 and can be used to

fulfill all or part of your mini-

mum required distribution.

The IRS has approved the

program only through 2013,

though they have a history of

extending it at the last possible

moment each year.

Feel free to contact Rivers

Alliance for further informa-

tion if you are considering

making grants directly from

your IRA.

By Valerie Friedman

Valerie Friedman and Scooby

To make sure our waters and wildlife are

protected for generations to come, Rivers

Alliance is establishing a Planned Giving

Program. The goal is to create a solid financial

foundation, so that the organization can con-

tinue to attract high-quality people who will

be there to fight for the protection of our

state’s natural resources. We foresee that the

need for these protections will become even

more urgent in the future, and the demands

on Rivers Alliance and other environmental

groups will only increase.

So, in addition to the need for ongoing gifts

from our loyal donor group, we are asking

our supporters to consider including Rivers

Alliance in their charitable estate planning.

These farsighted people will each be consid-

ered a Friend Forever of Connecticut’s Rivers.

We hope you will join that group so important

to the future of our organization and the

protections we are fighting for.

Give Local Campaign

Mark your calendars!

On November 12 - 13, 2013 donations can be made to Rivers Alliance via the Give Local

website (www.givelocalcff.org). Donations will not incur the usual processing fees and

100% of your money will go directly to Rivers Alliance to help protect our precious water

resources. Your gift will be increased by matching funds and cash awards. So get your

friends and family involved on Nov. 12-13th. Your donations will go that much farther!

This wonderful 36 hour campaign is made possible by the Connecticut Community

Foundation to celebrate their 90th birthday of doing good locally.

Congratulations and thanks to CCF!

We are pleased to announce that Rivers Alliance member Valerie Friedman has stepped

forward as our first Friend Forever. As a career financial advisor, Valerie appreciates the

importance of planned giving to the viability of a nonprofit. “I am proud to include Rivers

Alliance in my bequests. Not only is their work essential to the well-being of this state; they

are extraordinarily cost-efficient. I know my gifts are being used prudently today, and future

bequests will protect the waters and wildlife of this state far into the future.”

It is easy to include Rivers Alliance in your estate plan: You can include the organization in

your will or make it a beneficiary of a retirement plan or an insurance policy. Specific lan-

guage is “Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, Inc., 7 West Street, Post Office Box 1797, Litch-

field, CT 06759, tax ID # 06-1361719.” Feel free to contact us if you have any questions

about the Planned Giving program or how to include us in your estate plan.

Precipitation in New York and New England” website at http://

precip.eas.cornell.edu/.

The new data set includes extreme precipitation through 2008,

and, no big surprise: there are some changes for the Northeast.

In Connecticut, the rainfall in normal smaller storms (1- to 10-

year design storms) has not changed significantly. But the less

frequent larger storms are much wetter. As an example, previ-

ously in Fairfield County, 7.2 inches rainfall was the 100-year,

24-hour design storm; now it’s 9.1 inches. Similarly, New

Haven County’s 100-year, 24-hour storm increased from 7.1

inches to 8.3 inches rainfall.

On a practical level, what does this mean? It means engineering

design standards will have to change if we are to reduce the risk

of storm damage to bridges, roads, buildings, and other infra-

structure. Hydrological expertise will be needed to determine

exactly how engineering design standards need to change.

Unfortunately, the state and localities are moving slowly, if

at all, to upgrade their design standards. Greenwich stands

out as a municipality that has done so. The state Depart-

ment of Transportation is doing a pilot study of infrastruc-

ture vulnerability in the Northwest Corner under conditions

of climate change and extreme storms. But there is no coor-

dinated, comprehensive effort to adopt uniform, realistic

standards statewide.

Meanwhile, storm impacts to existing infrastructure are likely

to continue to be a greater problem than in the past. Connecti-

cut now has larger areas of impervious surfaces than in 1960.

This means more stormwater flowing into streams; and, where

combined sewers exist, this water will flow into and some-

times flood wastewater treatment systems. In addition,

replacement of aging infrastructure has been lagging. It’s a

little like expecting an aged worker to perform physical labor

harder then they ever did in their youthful physical peak.

Thanks to the work of NRCS, NRCC and Cornell, engineers,

as well as state and local officials, now have access to a rain-

fall data set that reflects current conditions. It is important to

use this data as the basis for planning and permitting related

to storm water.

I close with one last question for today’s rainfall pop quiz.

Rainfall data shows increasing intensity of storms in Con-

necticut, so we should

a.) build infrastructure designed for present rain storms

b.) assess existing critical infrastructure, such as bridges,

for adequacy to withstand extreme storms

c.) maintain our stream gauge network

d.) all of the above

If you chose “d” congratulations.

By Martha Smith, Analyst, Southwest Conservation District

Rainfall Data, Catching Up to Weather — Continued from page 1

Long Island Sound Suffering Stress

The Sound is sometimes called the environmental “report card” on the state’s progress in healthy management of waters and

watersheds. Essentially, the entire state drains into the Sound. The news isn’t great.

Dead zones have long plagued the western end of Long Island Sound. These are areas of hypoxia (low

oxygen) or sometimes no oxygen. Life is choked back or simply ceases to exist. The chief causes are

believed to be excess nutrients and water warming. The nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) cause

rapid growth of algae (and other plant organisms), and then algae die off. The algae consume the

oxygen as they multiply and burn it as they decay. A rise in water temperature stimulates this

process. The nutrients come from human and animal waste and the run-off water from over-

fertilized lawns, farms, and golf courses. The western Sound suffers from excess nutrient loading

and weak natural flushing.

This summer, researchers from UConn reported finding hypoxia in upstream bays and coves not only

in the western Sound but also in the relatively healthy eastern end. But this problem can be cured. Proper wastewater treatment

and reduction in excess use of fertilizers will help. Geese, horses, cows, and other frequent poopers should not be allowed to

congregate on the shoreline or in the water. (The DEEP has information on geese at http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?

a=2723&q=325984). Scientists are working to promote clean-up species like shellfish, seaweed, and eelgrass, which help to

purify water.

This research on hypoxia in the Sound is sponsored by the Long Island Sound Study, Connecticut Sea Grant, and New York

Sea Grant. Rivers Alliance advocates vigorously for limits on nitrogen and phosphorus, and the establishment of substantial

natural buffers of vegetation along river banks and other shorelines.

(Continued on page 8)

Blue Heron. Photo taken by Diane Edwards

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2723&q=325984

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2723&q=325984

Reading room

When the Rivers Run Dry: Water, The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-First Century by Fred

Pearce (Beacon Press, $16). Mr. Pearce extensively researched our historical record of water

management worldwide when small-scale solutions met the needs of a much smaller population.

Then he details the disastrous consequences of our growing reliance on mega projects to redis-

tribute available water to greatly expanded urban populations. He cites eye-opening data, not

from manufacturing or household water consumption, but from volumes of water needed to grow

what we eat and drink. (It takes 3,000 gallons of water to grow enough feed for a cow to make a

quarter-pound hamburger, and 2,650 gallons to make a one-pound bag of coffee.) But these

statistics are only an introduction to the catastrophic environmental results from worldwide mega

projects damming and diverting the water needed to produce these crops. The ecological and

cultural destruction resulting from these projects is only overshadowed by their colossal failure.

Pearce cites hopeful alternatives all based on the premise that a river diverted or dammed

becomes a river dying.

My Story As Told By Water by David James Duncan (Sierra Club Books, $13.50).

This collection of twenty-two essays, a national book award finalist, begins with Duncan’s early

experiences with the rivers of the Pacific Northwest and their endangered native salmon. It con-

tinues with essays on bird watching (as a blood sport); dams as obsolete river-altering tools that

are more injurious than helpful; the absurdity of the 1872 Mining Act, which still governs hard-

rock mining; and a sparkling essay on the nature of the state of wonder. Duncan, like the rivers

he so loves, blends science, mysticism, poetry, and logic to skillfully establish the connection

between our water-filled bodies and this water-covered planet.

The River Book by James Grant MacBroom (Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection,

$20). This book reads like a textbook for an introductory course in river study. Its informative

chapters are well illustrated with photos, graphs, diagrams, charts, and tables. Knowledge of the

five river sciences (hydrology, ecology, hydraulics, water quality, and fluvial morphology) is

presented in seven chapters on surface water, channels and floodplains, stream ecology, surface

water quality and management, tidal rivers and marshes, human impact on rivers, and managing

rivers. MacBroom and the publisher have done an excellent job of presenting what could be dry,

technical material in an open format with clearly worded text. This successful combination

provides the reader with an understanding of the science of rivers, a body of knowledge that,

in other hands, could seem dense and arid.

The above were reviewed by Hugh Rogers.

New Haven’s Sentinels: The Art and Science of East Rock and West Rock (Wesleyan Univer-

sity Press, $30), a new book by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer, with photos by John Wareham. This

beautifully produced volume is an excellent gift for anyone interested in Connecticut’s unique

geology, American landscape painting, local history, and good stories. The author is Harold T.

Stearns Professor of Earth Science Emeritus at Wesleyan, and, we are proud to say, a former

director here at Rivers Alliance. His other books include Stories in Stone: How Geology Influ-

enced Connecticut History and Culture (a great read) and, with Donald K. Sanders, Volcanoes

in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions, and Earthquakes in Human

History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Seismic Disruptions.

RIVERS ALLIANCE CRYSTAL BALL FOR THE 2014 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

We Predict That

The yearning to be re-elected in November will

dominate all other political emotions.

The issue of pesticide use on lawns and playing

fields will again pit science and medicine against

convenience and the chemical industry.

Progress will be made in the effort to save state

parks, wildlife areas, and other conservation lands

from being given away for parking, paving, box

stores, mini-malls, and the like.

Everyone will be talking about statewide water

planning. Maybe we’ll get (another) study.

Rivers Alliance will fight every day to protect water resources and the watersheds that feed them.

2013 Legislative Session

This legislative session hit a new high in confusion, with good

and bad measures mixed together.

Bill 1138, AAC (An Act Concerning) Connecticut’s Clean

Energy Goals ping-ponged between the House and the Sen-

ate, as environmental advocates sounded alarms because it

rolled back the state’s commitment to the development of

clean sources of electricity. Although the bill was improved

prior to passage, it still threatens rivers because it allows even

the most destructive hydropower to be sold in the upscale

market for Class I energy sources. The ONLY hydropower

deserving Class I status is verifiably low-impact hydropower.

Good aspects of the bill are that it strengthens the definition of

Class I hydropower; it provides for long-term procurement

contracts for clean energy while federal incentives are still in

place; and it removes from Class I some dirty biomass plants.

Pesticide bills were in a three-way race, with pro-pesticide

forces trying to roll back the state’s partial ban on lawn-care

pesticides at schools, anti-pesticide advocates seeking to ex-

tend the ban to protect more children, and various uncommit-

ted policy makers (including DEEP) trying to set up a task

force to study the issue. In the final days, the stand-off contin-

ued, and once again no action was taken either way. DEEP,

however, announced post-session that it is going to conduct its

own study on the effects of pesticides on children and bees.

(The bee die-off across the nation is a major threat to farms.)

Fracking bills also started in a three-way race, but the one

most protective of water resources fell behind early. That bill,

introduced by Rep. Matt Lesser, followed the example of

Vermont, and called for a moratorium on both fracking and

acceptance of fracking waste from other states until safe

practices are developed. Proposed legislation only banning

fracking waste look poised to win, but fell short due mainly

to opposition from DEEP, where enthusiasm for natural gas

runs high.

GMO labeling passed the Senate in a bipartisan insurgency

against hiding the chemicalization and bio-manipulation of

people’s food. The bill required eventual labeling of geneti-

cally modified organisms in food. When the bill arrived in the

House, legislators, reportedly spurred on by the governor,

added an array of hurdles and hoops. Eventually a compro-

mise was reached, and Connecticut has become the first state

to pass a GMO-labeling measure. Rivers Alliance cares about

GMOs because GMO crops are created to be immune to

certain pesticides, which are then applied lavishly to kill eve-

rything else in the neighborhood. The US Geological Survey

has concluded that pesticides are in all the nation’s streams.

The same mega-corporate interests that support lawn-care

pesticides on nursery school grounds and aquatic pesticides in

swim ponds want to be sure that agricultural fields can be

adequately sterilized by pesticides so that only their geneti-

cally modified crops can grow there.

Mattress Recycling: No more pulling mattresses out

of rivers.

Water Conservation Rates: The bill puts a floor (and a

ceiling) on water-company revenues to encourage conserva-

tion and infrastructure investment. This is basically the

decoupling of revenues from a tight link to quantities sold.

This decoupling was supposed to apply to energy a while

back, but policy makers are trying for that again next year.

The Haddam Land Swap was repealed in the Conveyance

Act (hurrah!), but a couple of unfortunate conveyances went

forward. Rivers Alliance as a member of the State Lands

Working Group is looking forward to moving land-

conservation reforms forward next year.

Land and Water programs benefitted from a continued

commitment by the administration and the legislature to

provide adequate dollars for the Clean Water Fund and land

conservation programs.

Next year is going to be even more challenging. The state’s

economy is not where it should be. Election pressures that

were highly influential this session may be more so next

session. However, recognition that we cannot afford to

continue to waste our environmental capital seems to be

widening. The better angels of our nature may prevail.

Hydropower, Rivers Alliance Policy Position — Continued from page 1

2020. In other words, by 2020, 20 percent of a util-

ity’s portfolio should be Class I energy.

Connecticut’s definition of Class I hydro includes

the good characteristics mentioned above. In par-

ticular, this year, with the help of Paul Mounds in

the governor’s office, Jessie Stratton at DEEP, and

Andrew Fisk at the Connecticut River Watershed

Council, we achieved a marked improvement in the

definition of Class I with respect to fish passage.

But unfortunately, in a holdover from the original

definition a decade ago, Class I hydropower is sup-

posed to be small and new. Small is under 5 mega-

watts (mw) and new is post-July 2003. This makes

little ecological sense. All things being equal, it is

better to have one well-designed hydro plant pro-

ducing 20 mw, than four dams producing perhaps

only 4 mw—or even less.

The nature of a river is continuity—in biochemis-

try, physical flow, aquatic life, the birds, amphibi-

ans, and mammals that depend on the river for sur-

vival. Each natural change flows into another.

Rivers are the arteries of the world. Dams are high-

risk tourniquets. Even a small dam can cut off that

continuous life and degrade water quality

(especially by warming the water and promoting

harmful algae blooms and dead zones).

One of the surest ways to compensate for hydro-

power development by improving overall river

health is to trade off removal of one or two existing

dams for the hydropower on a third. This is feasible

in many locations. There are 5,000 dams on Con-

necticut waterways. It is difficult to make an argu-

ment for building more. Nevertheless, a number of

corporations, municipalities, and ordinary people

who own riverside property, yearn for their very

own new dams and hydropower facilities, and have

proposals pending.

The Rivers Alliance view is that all hydropower in

our state should eventually meet Class I standards,

and certainly any new hydro should do so.

For this reason, we strongly opposed legislation

this year that allows in some circumstances the sale

of destructive Class II hydropower as if it were

Class I in order to help utilities fill their Class I

Greenville Dam, Norwich, CT on the Shetucket River

requirements. We have not opposed the incredibly

massive hydropower facilities in Canada (although

we think Canada will eventually regret them). We

do not oppose increased importation of Class II

hydropower from Canada. But we are extremely

concerned about representing massively destructive

hydropower as environmentally benign Class I

energy.

Why do we care about lawmakers approving an

apparently small stretching of the rules on behalf

of Hydro Quebec? It is because we are certain that

lawmakers and other officials will not be able to

resist pleas and pressure to stretch those rules for

Connecticut interests on Connecticut rivers. Why

should only Canada be allowed to sell Class II

hydro in the Class I market? Why shouldn’t Con-

necticut companies be allowed to do so? It’s hard

to say why not. Therefore, we believe that to protect

Connecticut rivers, we need to maintain high

standards for what counts as Class I hydropower

that can be used to fill the Class I portfolio

requirements.

The bottom line is: We support low-impact hydro-

power. We oppose any additional destructive

hydropower on Connecticut rivers.

Also, we’d be happy to answer questions and

receive comments on the issue.

By Margaret Miner

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Region I awards went to several people and groups with whom Rivers Alliance

is proud to have worked. Congratulations!

Lifetime achievement awards went to the late Marc Taylor, M.D., and to Russell L. Brenneman.

Dr. Marc Taylor was highly effective and admired nationwide for his dedication to protecting rivers. He co-founded the

Pomperaug River Watershed Council, particularly known for its outstanding science. He served on the boards of the

Southbury Land Trust, Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, Housatonic Valley Association, and the national group River

Network—as president of the latter two. He strove, successfully, to promote cooperation among river groups. He

was extraordinarily active until a few weeks before his death on June 5, 2012. He was a beloved man in the environ-

mental world.

Russell L. Brenneman, as an attorney and policy leader, has been a powerful force for the creation of many of the

state’s fundamental environmental laws and the creation of the agency now called the Connecticut Department of

Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). He co-founded and serves on the board of the Connecticut League of

Conservation Voters, and continues to teach environmental law and to inspire students. He was honored particularly

for this work on land conservation. His writings include Private Approaches to the Preservation of Open Land, pub-

lished by The Conservation and Research Foundation. He is a member of Rivers Alliance.

The following organizations were among EPA Environmental Merit Award winners:

The Northwest Conservation District, based in Torrington, Connecticut. This nonprofit organization serves 34 com-

munities, with a variety of technical services and educational programs, with the goal of conserving natural resources,

especially soil and water. The organization also offers Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping to help towns,

organizations, and individuals to plan projects and make decisions. There are five Conservation Districts in Connecticut,

providing invaluable services to their towns. Rivers Alliance frequently turns to them for advice and has particularly

worked closely with Jean Cronauer (former executive director) and Sean Hayden (current executive director) in the

Northwest District.

Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust, based in Kent, Connecticut. This is a regional land trust, and actually the largest

land trust in the state. It protects both open space and farms, with special attention to headwaters and streams. Looking

to the future, the state’s major land trusts may have a role to play in helping to protect state conserved lands from ill-

advised development.

FRIENDS HONORED WITH EPA AWARDS

The Sound has been and should be a major contributor to the state’s economic status as provider of some of the best

things in life: lobsters and oysters. Unfortunately, lobsters have never really recovered from a dramatic die-off in 1999,

and are doing little better today. DEEP research now shows exposure to pesticides used to kill mosquitoes, along with

a warming climate and water, are contributing to the continuing crisis. Meanwhile, the lobster business is booming in

Maine.

As for Connecticut oysters, they are famous for being bacteria-free in months without an “r” (May through August).

This has led to a flourishing oyster business. But in August of this year, Connecticut oysters were subject to an extremely

unusual recall. The reason was a bacterial infection that sickened a number of people. The infected oysters came primar-ily from the shallow harbor waters in Westport and Norwalk. Again, warmer water increases the likelihood of bacterial

infections developing in the poor oysters and those who consume them. Oysters from deeper, cooler areas of the Sound

are reported to be safe to eat.

Long Island Sound — Continued from page 4

~ ~ ~ RIPPLES ~ ~ ~

Winter Flounder Rebound

The following happy report and timely

reminder is reprinted courtesy of the

Norwalk River Watershed Association.

“A resurgence in winter flounder has

been documented for 2013 by Dick

Harris and Peter Fraboni of Harbor

Watch, a Westport-based organization

that monitors water quality in the Nor-

walk River Watershed and aquatic life

in Norwalk Harbor. Study crews

counted over 400 winter flounder in

just five 2013 cruises versus a 2012

count of only 130 winter flounder after

25 cruises. This year’s surprising abun-

dance of flounder—and healthy, plump

ones with fins—may be due to cool

March 2013 water temperatures during

the flounder’s spawning season and

improvements in sewage treatment

plants, according to Harbor Watch.

Residents and homeowners in the Nor-

walk River Watershed, especially those

living along river or stream banks,

continue to play an important role in

keeping Norwalk harbor and the Sound

healthy, so here is your friendly fall

reminder not to dump leaves into the

River or storm drains and wetlands.”

Hey, Fish! Come on Up!

Construction of a fish passage, or fish

“ladder,” began this summer at Tingue

Dam on the Naugatuck River in Sey-

mour, under the supervision of DEEP’s

Steve Gephard. When finished (next

summer), the fish-friendly bypass will

open up 20 miles of river (up to

Thomaston) for migratory fish. Salmon

may never return, but herring, shad,

and alewives (all related) may do well.

A little-remarked benefit of a fish pas-

sage is restoring waters for normal

river resident fish, such as bass, perch,

and the like. Norwich Public Utilities,

which takes pride in helping fish get

upstream, reports passage of migratory

fish in the hundreds and resident fish in

the range of 1,500. You can watch the

fish online at http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=ZvBt1QwXpnQ.

The best new fish passages around dams

are built like natural streams or a linked

series of pools, making for an easy up-

stream migration. These should provide

safe passage for many tens of thousands of

migratory fish returning from the ocean to

spawn in upland waters.

Louisiana Wetlands on the “Brink of

Destruction”

In July, the flood-protection board in the

New Orleans region filed suit against doz-

ens of energy companies, including BP

and Exxon Mobil, for practices threaten-

ing to destroy coastal wetlands. These

wetlands are fragile buffers against hurri-

canes and flooding. They are being torn

apart by dredging, excavation, installation

of pipelines, and other activities of oil and

gas companies. The plaintiff (Southeast

Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-

East) stated: “What remains of these

coastal lands is so seriously diseased that

if nothing is done, it will slip into the Gulf

of Mexico by the end of this century, if

not sooner.” The board is seeking billions

of dollars to repair the damage. The New

York Times report on the case noted that

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal vigor-

ously opposed the litigation, fearing nega-

tive effects on the state’s economy. This

will be a closely watched struggle with

much in the balance.

Sewage Right to Know

As many of you know, spills of untreated

wastewater and stormwater into L.I.

Sound and other water bodies spoil

beaches for swimming, contaminate fish,

and harm wildlife. In 2012, Public Act 12-

11, An Act Concerning the Public’s Right

to Know of A Sewage Spill, required the

Connecticut Department of Energy and

Environmental Protection to provide better

public notice of potential contamination

by wastewater. This year, following the

law’s phase-one requirement, DEEP

posted a map of locations where sewage

spills are most likely to occur. These are

in areas liable to suffer from CSOs

(combined sewer overflows). CSOs are

common when a wastewater system takes

in both stormwater and wastewater. The

six remaining municipalities that have

CSOs are also required to post warning

notices at their outflow pipes.

The DEEP site gives information on sew-

age spills and CSOs in general. In 2014,

it is scheduled to begin posting timely

notices of actual sewage discharges.

Here’s the link: http://www.ct.gov/deep/

cwp/view.asp?a=2719&q=525758&deep

Nav_GID=1654.

Kudos to Lou Burch and Citizens Cam-

paign for the Environment for spearhead-

ing this work.

Streamflow Protections

DEEP has just taken the first step toward

implementation of streamflow protections.

This step is the classification of streams

within a given watershed. The classifica-

tion determines the level of flow protection

that will be accorded under the regulation.

DEEP has done an outstanding job in

creating maps that present most of the

information essential to understanding the

classifications and reasons for the classifi-

cations. They have started with the eastern

portion of the state. It is very important to

review and comment on these maps, as

they will be the model for the whole state.

The maps are available on-line at

www.ct.gov/deep/streamflow.

Public information sessions will be held at:

Northeast CT Council of Governments,

125 Putnam Pike, Dayville, CT

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

2 sessions: 2 – 4 pm & 6 – 8 pm

Southeastern CT Council of Governments,

5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

2 sessions: 2 – 4 pm & 6 – 8 pm

Anyone requiring more information may

contact the Department by email at

[email protected] or by phone

at 860-424-3020. You may also call Rivers

Alliance at 860-361-9349.

IN MEMORIAM

We take this opportunity to remember friends who have left us.

Katharine (Katchen) Truman Smith Coley (1924-2013), a formidable and charming environmental

champion, died on August 19, at the age of 89. Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she elected

to bring maximum energy and lucidity to her last weeks. She enjoyed the well-earned honors bestowed upon

her, and used the occasions to thank all present and to urge them to fight on to protect open space, clean air,

and the state’s waters. Her voice was clear, her wit sharp, her remarks frank, and her smile disarming.

Ms. Coley was educated in Germany, Switzerland, and the U.S., where she graduated from Smith College

and earned a master’s degree in psychology from Wesleyan University. In 1952, she married Wesleyan profes-

sor William Coley and moved to Middletown. In her career, she worked as a reporter and columnist for the

Washington [D.C.] Times Herald, in public relations and programs for the United Nations International

Children’s Fund, and as professor at Middlesex Community College. She co-founded The Connection Inc.

to provide services for those addicted to drugs, and served on the board until recently. She was an important leader in Middletown

as a member of the Conservation Commission, the Long Hill Estate Authority, the Steering Committee of the Connecticut Land

Conservation Council (CLCC), and the Middletown Garden Club. As a Rivers Alliance member, she was always quick to offer her

voice and assistance in our causes. She advocated for environmental protections in Connecticut and Washington, D.C., and helped

to educate the entire state about the importance of saving the beautiful open space in Middletown known as the Maromas lands.

Fittingly, in July of this year, the Middletown town council completed the purchase of 50 acres in Maromas, which they dedicated

as the Katchen Coley Mountain Laurel Preserve. CLCC renamed its annual individual award for land conservation as the Katchen

Coley Award for Excellence in Land Conservation, which greatly pleased her.

A very pretty and elegant woman, Ms. Coley gave a party for the world each spring to celebrate the blooming of many hundreds

of daffodils around her home. The daffodils, the Coley Preserve, the Coley award, and a vigorous spirit of conservation contribute

to her legacy. The legacy will also be carried forward by her two daughters, biologist Phyllis (Lissy) Coley and geologist

Katharine (Kitty) Coley. They were at her side this summer and made it possible for their mother and for all of us to share good

times, good talk, and good memories.

Robert L. deCourcy (1914-2013), a longtime resident of Washington, Connecticut, died on January 28 of

heart failure. He spent much of his early career as a teacher in Connecticut schools, and married Helen Seeley

in 1940. Nine years later, he moved to Washington to help manage the very popular Washington Supply

Company, owned by his wife’s father, Henry Seeley. Mr. deCourcy was renowned as an indefatigable com-

munity volunteer. His strong interest in protecting natural resources was reflected in his service on the board

and as president of the Steep Rock land trust. He was a widower from 1993 to 1997, when he married Vir-

ginia Risley, a prominent philanthropist in the community. Mr. deCourcy was a member of Rivers Alliance,

and at a cider-making party in the fall of 2012, he advised us to stay vigilant because water was going to be

the most important resource of the 21st century. He is survived by his three children, John (and Gale Conley)

of Santa Rosa, Calif., Alan (and Lynne Hugo) of Oxford, Ohio, and David (and Jo Ann Price) of Seattle,

Wash.; six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews, including Gregory

Seeley (and Wendy) of Washington and Robert Fisher of Goshen.

Donal Clare O’Brien, Jr. (1934-2013), a national leader in environmental causes, died at his home in New

Canaan, Connecticut, on September 11, at age 79. As a hunter and fisherman, he understood the habitats and

needs of birds and aquatic creatures, and strove to protect them. He served on the National Audubon Society’s

board for 25 years, as chair for 15 years; and he was a founding director and served as chair of the American

Bird Conservancy. He joined the board of the Atlantic Salmon Federation in 1979, served as chairman, and

became chairman emeritus. He was a founding director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters,

one of the many roles in which he benefitted Connecticut.

In Connecticut public service, he was appointed to the Connecticut Fish and Game Commission by Gov.

Thomas Meskill in 1971; this commission became the Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. O’Brien was then

appointed to the newly created Council on Environmental Quality, where he served as chairman from 1994 to 2005. Under

his guidance, and with the assistance of executive director Karl Wagener, CEQ became widely respected for its independence,

respect for individuals who came to it with environmental problems, diplomatic interactions with state agencies, and highly

informative annual reports on the state of the environment in Connecticut. Mr. O’Brien was always courteous but not shy about

speaking truth to power. He evidently believed (or chose to project the belief) that everyone should and would understand the

importance of the natural world if that matter was properly presented.

Mr. O’Brien enjoyed a world-class education at the Buckley School in New York City, Hotchkiss School in Connecticut,

Williams College in Massachusetts, and University of Virginia Law School. Thereafter he became a partner at the firm Milbank,

Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, and soon became the trusted counsel of the Rockefeller family, helping to establish and develop the

many important Rockefeller philanthropies.

At Rivers Alliance, where he was a member, we were lucky enough to interact with him on a number of issues over the years

and, greatly valued his kindness and sense of fun. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Katherine Slight O’Brien; their son,

Donal C. O’Brien III; and three daughters, Constance O’Brien Ashforth, Katharine O’Brien Rohn, and Caroline O’Brien Tho-

mas; two of his three brothers, Jonathan and Stephen O’Brien (C. David O’Brien died in 2011); and eleven grandchildren. He

leaves them and all of us a great legacy.

Hugh Rawson (1936-2013), writer, editor, and conservation advocate, died suddenly at the Washington

Club tennis courts on June 1. Mr. Rawson grew up in Mamaroneck, New York, with his two sisters,

Joanna and Sarah, and his brother, Clayton, all of whom survive him. He attended the Rye Neck school

system, until a Ford Foundation scholarship took him to Yale University at the age of fifteen. After

graduating from college, he spent two years in the U.S. Army medical corps.

Mr. Rawson inherited an attraction to books from his father, Clayton Rawson: artist, book illustrator, art

director, magician, mystery-story writer and editor of Simon & Schuster, and a founder of the Mystery

Writers of America, whose motto he created: “Crime does not pay – enough.”

Hugh Rawson followed a similar track in writing and editing, including a stint as head of the trade division at T. Y. Crowell Co.,

a distinguished family-owned publishing house. There he met his wife, Margaret Miner. After moving to Roxbury, Connecticut,

in 1984, he continued his writing and editing (and was much beloved by his authors); he also became involved in a wide range

of local causes: arts education, the building of a new library, and protection of land and water. He served as a member and chair-

man of the Conservation Commission; as a member of the Board of Finance, he advocated for funding for the library and for

land acquisition. He was an active Democrat (chairman of the town Democratic Committee at the time of his death), especially

in support of candidates who were committed to the environment. Meanwhile, Margaret Miner worked as a local reporter, then

at the Roxbury Land Trust, and, since 1999, as executive director of Rivers Alliance of Connecticut. Mr. Rawson selflessly if

per force volunteered at Rivers Alliance and at the Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust, where his daughter, Catherine Rawson, is

executive director.

His books, which have appeared in many editions, include Rawson’s Dictionary of Euphemisms & Other Doubletalk; Wicked

Words, and Devious Derivations.” He and his wife co-wrote annotated dictionaries of quotations, including The Oxford

Dictionary of American Quotations.

Mr. Rawson was a Justice of the Peace, and had the great pleasure of presiding at the marriage of his daughter, Catherine, to

her husband, Dominic Gillen, of New Preston in 2002. In the winter of 2012-2013, he was equally delighted to learn snorkeling

in Koh Tao, Thailand, where his son, Nathanial, teaches scuba diving.

Donations in memory of Mr. Rawson have been made to the Minor Memorial Library in Roxbury and to Rivers Alliance of

Connecticut. We are grateful for the gifts.

In Memoriam — Continued from page 10

Rivers Alliance of Connecticut

7 West St., P.O. Box 1797

Litchfield, CT 06759 Ph: (860) 361-9349 Fax: (860) 361-9341

www.riversalliance.org

[email protected]

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Torrington, CT

Permit #338

IN THIS ISSUE:

Rainfall data catches up to weather

Hydropower—Rivers Alliance policy position

2013 legislative reveiw

Epa honors friends

ripples

Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, Inc., is the statewide coalition of residents, watershed and river groups, and local

businesses working together for river conservation. It is the only group addressing all the rivers and streams of the state.

Rivers Alliance protects the rivers of the state by strengthening local groups, working as their advocate at the state and

regional levels, developing supportive public policies, and educating the public about the importance of river conservation.

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