Mad River Watch After The Floods

Woody debris upstream from the Rice Brook field site – Credit Kelly Bixby

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.​

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Erosion along the bank at Riverside Park in Warren – Credit Alex Maclay