Asking the Right Questions
One of the most important parts of any scientific research is finding the right questions to ask. Revisiting which questions are being asked has helped drive the evolution of the Mad River Watch program. Over time, some questions get answered or we realize there is a better way to ask the question in the first place. For example, we’ve learned some key lessons about e. coli, that it increases as you head downstream from Warren to Moretown and that bacterial levels increase after a storm. But we’ve also reached the limits of what periodic grab samples can teach us about the way e coli moves through the watershed. Even though the data being collected might change, the lessons learned can still be valuable to people looking to cool down in the river this summer. Waiting twenty-four to forty-eight hours after a rain storm to go swimming can reduce exposure to potentially harmful bacteria. 

Baseline Monitoring & the La Rosa Partnership
Some questions can’t be answered through direct observation alone and require specialized equipment. This year we rejoined the La Rosa Partnership Program through the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Through this initiative, we will be testing water samples from five sites along the Mad River - Warren Falls, Wabanaki Conservation Area, Meadow Road, Pony Farm Road, and the USGS Gage in Moretown. Specifically, we’ll be looking at chloride, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and how these accumulate from one end of the watershed to the other. Water samples are collected by volunteers and sent to the lab where they are analyzed. The data is returned to Friends of the Mad River and becomes part of a state-wide data set. 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates
In 1972, the Clean Water Act was passed with the goal to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters. The Mad River Watch program takes its cue from these goals in determining which questions to ask. We are trying to understand the health of the whole river system. We want to make sure the water is clean and safe for folks to swim, fish, or paddle in and we are also interested in the way the river supports our more wild neighbors. This summer, we are really excited to be asking about Benthic Macro Invertebrates. These small critters can tell us a lot. They are the foundation of the food chain for brook trout and since some species are more sensitive to water quality than others, the distribution of species we find can act as an indicator. With the support of a summer intern, the Mad River Watch program is assessing existing field sites for their suitability for monitoring benthic macroinvertebrates and hopes to conduct these assessments in future field seasons.

Friends of the Mad River, in partnership with the Vermont Folklife Center, invites you to listen to stories of everyday life and work in the Mad River Valley through the voices of its past residents.

The program features oral histories from our archives that reflect the lives and livelihoods of people living in the valley. We’ll hear stories about how past valley inhabitants skied and logged, as well as individual reflections on social life at the time and the changes that happened when electricity and telephone service first came to the towns in the valley. These stories of transformation are told through personal anecdotes and voices rich in humor and emotion.

We'll hear from Jane Beck (Vermont Folklife Founder) and Kinny Perot (Friends' Board member) as they reflect on the process of hosting the interviews and bringing this project to life ~30 years ago. We'll then listen to stories, music, and sounds drawn from archival recordings, followed by a group discussion of what we’ve heard. Light refreshments will be provided.

Seating is limited - please register to reserve your spot and reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

On June 9th & 10th, teams of Mad River Watch volunteers visited their field sites to collect important data and made careful environmental observations for the first time this summer. This article is part of an ongoing series that shares highlights from this field work as well as lessons learned from this year and the past 40 years of Friends of the Mad River’s Mad River Watch program. This summer’s articles will focus on exploring the Mad River in the context of its surrounding watershed.

Evidence of Last Year’s Floods
Last year’s flooding, in July and December, left signs that were still visible as Mad River Watch volunteers visited their sites for the first time this year. “Some amount of soil eroding and moving around the river is expected and actually part of a healthy river system,” says Friends Director Ira Shadis. “For a long time, much of the Mad River was straightened and channelized in an attempt to control the flow of water. Left alone, the Mad will develop meanders and braids, reconnect to floodplains, and start to accumulate woody debris. There is a balance to be struck between restoring the natural function of these rivers so that they can reduce risks around flooding and erosion, support wildlife, and provide clean water, and the maintenance required to protect our built environment. Our volunteers help us understand how to best pursue this balance by providing observations of where the river system is more or less active.” Volunteers will examine their sites for new sources of erosion, new areas where soil is being deposited, and other signs of the flood like increased woody debris, invasive plants new to the site coming up, or trash that was washed downstream.

Community Volunteers Needed
The Mad River Watch program is a community-science project that relies on engaged volunteers to increase the volume and geographic spread of data that can be collected. Across Vermont, efforts like this are underway to build more complete pictures of the natural communities and systems we live alongside. For example, the VT Center for Ecostudies works with volunteers to identify and monitor vernal pools, the VT Herp Atlas turns to local communities in individual towns to build out their list of amphibian observations, and the Waitsfield, Fayston, and Warren Conservation Commissions have an iNaturalist project for recording sightings of nuisance plant species. “Good science is happening around the Mad River Valley and we are excited to be part of it,” says Shadis. “We have a few sites in need of volunteers at the moment. The Hooper Lane and Shepard Brook sites are both a bit of a scramble and will require someone with an adventurous spirit and a pair of good knees! That being said, many of our other sites are quite accessible and we would love to work with anyone interested in getting involved.” Interested volunteers can learn more at friendsofthemadriver.org/madriverwatch.

Observations from the Field – A Cool Start to the Season
The weather on both field days was cool, overcast, with spotty thunderstorms. Air temperatures ranged from a low of 50F at Warren Covered Bridge on Sunday to a high of 62F at Meadow Road on Monday. The recent rain also contributed to colder water temperatures across the watershed. Water temperatures can range greatly throughout the day, increasing with greater exposure to solar radiation – sunshine. Water temperatures ranged from a low of 52.4F Rice Brook to a high of 58.5F in the Main Stem near Meadow Road. The average temperature across both days was 55.3F. As water travels from high up in the mountains to the confluence with the Winooski, it leaves the shady forests for long stretches of open canopy and the possibility of strong sunshine through much of Waitsfield and Moretown.​