NEWS FROM THE FRIENDS
"It's a Mad River: A look at flooding in the Mad River Valley & the evolution of river management"
A presentation led by river scientists from the VT Department of Environmental Conservation, local river experts & historians. In addition, Harwood's 7th grade science class will present posters on their exploration of the Mad River.
November 10th, 6:30-8:30pm
1824 House Inn, Waitsfield
Friends of the Mad River conducted a special "post Irene" Mad River Watch on Monday September 12th.
While only two sites sampled were in violation on the Vermont standard for E.coli in recreational water (Pony Farm Road in Moretown and the north end of Moretown Village), please be aware that there could be dangerous debris or other chemicals in the water that washed in during the flood.
Comprehensive list of recovery resources for homeowners, businesses and farmers affected by Tropical Storm Irene.
Please contact Caitrin Noel friends@madriver.com if you have additional resources for the guide or other suggestions/edits.
Water samples collected by Friends of the Mad River (FMR) volunteers on Monday morning August 22nd show variable swimming conditions throughout the watershed, with fifteen of thirty-six sites tested exceeding Vermont’s water quality standard for E.coli in recreational water (no more than 77 colonies of E.coli bacteria per 100mL water).
Join us on 8/17 from 5pm-10pm at Lareau Farm for music, dancing, raffle, junky boat race, flatbread, kid's activities and more! All to benefit the Friends of the Mad River. Tickets are $15 for 16+; kids free. Stay Tuned for a schedule of bands and more info about the boat race!
The second round of water samples taken by Friends of the Mad River volunteers on Monday morning June 27th show generally favorable swimming conditions with only two of thirty-five sites tested in violation of Vermont’s water quality standards. The two sites, Welder Brook and Doctor’s Brook in Moretown, were only slightly above standard for E.coli in recreational waters (77 colonies per 100 mL water). E. coli is a type of coliform bacteria, the presence of which indicates pollution from human or animal waste and the potential presence of disease causing organisms.
Mad River Watch finds low E. Coli levels at many sites; downstream sites remain elevated. Mad River Watch kicked off its 26th season of water quality monitoring this Monday as volunteers headed to sites throughout the watershed to collect samples. The Mad River Watch program will conduct water testing every two weeks throughout the summer; results are reported in the newspaper and on signs at various swimholes.
Montpelier, VT - Friends of the Winooski River is hosting the 4th Annual Winooski River Sojourn June 21-26, 2011. This six-day paddling trip down the Winooski River draws participants from across the Northeast to canoe or kayak through Lake Champlain’s largest tributary watershed. The trip begins in Marshfield, just downstream from the Cabot Headwaters and ends at the mouth of Lake Champlain in Burlington. Each day participants experience new aspects of the river from narrow, winding channels on day one to wide, flat gentle flows on day six, along with breath-taking views.
In 2010, volunteers observed species such as spotted salamanders, wood frogs, spring peepers and American toads crossing roads in Warren, Waitsfield and Fayston in large numbers. Each year, these creatures hibernate in forest and fields, and begin to migrate en masse to their spring breeding pools during the first warmish, rainy spring nights (typically in early April). More information is needed to better understand crossing patterns, thus volunteers will be mobilized again this spring to collect data.
The Friends of the Mad River is spearheading the volunteer monitoring effort in partnership with the North Branch Nature Center and local Conservation Commissions. There will be a volunteer training held on March 23rd at 6:00 pm at the Waitsfield Elementary School. Interested volunteers should contact Caitrin Noel for more information at 496-9127 or friends@madriver.com.
Vermont's Bottle Bill is our state's most successful recycling program, and according to a poll by VPIRG has the support of more than 90% of Vermonters. Thanks to this important legislation, Vermonters recycle 85% of covered beverage containers, while states without such legislation recycle, on average, only 24%. By updating the Bottle Bill to include non-carbonated beverages, we can keep upwards of 82 million more containers out of landfills and off of our roadsides.
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