SHARE Membership Meeting

This meeting's featured presenters will be two graduate students that are looking at different aspects surrounding SHARE's large wood additions in the Upper Narraguagus.  Valerie Watson (University of Maine) is looking at the macroinvertebrate community and Audrey Turcotte (Boston College) is looking at the geomorphology.  We are very excited to have them looking at the effects of our work. I will be sending out the agenda and other documents by the end of the week so keep an eye out for those.

Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/gdo-mnzw-rxi
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 219-304-6501‬ PIN: ‪363 318 394‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/gdo-mnzw-rxi?pin=8441108641415

Project SHARE

Salmon Habitat and River Enhancement

Thursday, June 3, 2021

9:30 AM via Google Meet

https://meet.google.com/gdo-mnzw-rxi

or Phone

‪(US) +1 219-304-6501 PIN: ‪363 318 394#

 

Board of Directors:

Chair:  Ernie Atkinson – DMR

Vice-Chair:  David Montague - DLLT

Treasurer:  Kyle Burdick – Baskahegan

 

At Large Members:

Bob Murphy, John Burrows, Eileen Bader-Hall, Wade Shorey, Dan Bowker, Pat Sirois, and Tom Gilbert

 

Agenda Topics
9:30	Welcome, introductions & anti-trust	Ernie Atkinson
9:35	Review & approve minutes from March 5 meeting	Ernie Atkinson
	Review & acceptance of Treasurer’s report	Steven Koenig
	Executive Director Report	Chris Federico
	Project Manager’s Report	Chris Federico
10:00	Stakeholder Reports
	Please emphasize actions your group is doing that directly relate to Atlantic salmon recovery.
11:00	Featured Topic:   Graduate students working in the upper Narraguagus.   Val Watson and Audrey Turcotte are two graduate students that will be working in the Upper Narraguagus looking at various aspects of SHARE’s large wood treatments.  Val is trying to figure out how the large wood restoration on the Narraguagus is affecting the organisms and ecosystem processes that support healthy salmon populations. She will be using data on aquatic macroinvertebrates, algal biomass, and leaf breakdown rates, and use isotope analyses to look at use of wood structures for spawning.  Audrey’s research is to assess geomorphic impacts of large wood present in river systems. Using quantifiable metrics, she will measure effects of large wood in multiple rivers throughout New England to ultimately compare results at active versus passive restoration sites.   There will be opportunities for questions and discussion.	Val Watson (U. Maine) & Audrey Turcotte (Boston College)
Other Business
2021 meeting schedule: March 4, June 3, October 7, December 2
Adjourn

 

Project S.H.A.R.E.

126^th Meeting Minutes

March 4, 2021

Virtual Meeting

Google Meet

 

Introductions/Anti-Trust – David Montague called the meeting to order at 9:31 a.m. and welcomed the 17 people in attendance to the 126^th meeting of Project S.H.A.R.E.  After the general introductions, the Anti-Trust Statement was read.

 Past Minutes – A motion to approve the December 3, 2020 minutes was made by Robert Murphy and was seconded by Eileen Bader-Hall.  Approved.

Treasurer’s Report – Steve Koenig gave a summary of the Treasurer’s Report; good cash flow for projects that we have funded.  We have plenty of money to carry us through the winter.  There is a total of $27,678 in the bank.

 Executive Director Report – Chris congratulated Ernie Atkinson and David Montague for being newly elected Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the SHARE Board.  He also thanked Robert Murphy and John Burrows for their terms of service in those positions.  Chris and Steve have been busy writing grants and reports reporting and planning for the field season. 

 Project Manager Report – Chris F. did not give a project manager report as it was included in the featured presentation.

 Stakeholder Reports –

             MCHT – A preliminary ice study report has been released by the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Cherryfield Ice Control Dam.  MCHT is hoping that a feasibility study may be completed by 2022.       

DEP – Emily has been busy reporting and analyzing data from the clam shell project in Richardson Brook.  She has noted an increase in pH for 2 weeks following clam shell additions and will continue monitoring the project.  It was also noted that the hearing on LD67 was conducted on March 1^st.  If passed DEP could permit more projects requiring discharge in certain waters (including waters containing salmon).  The current rules only allow for 3 such permits ever.  There may be some funding coming up for climate resiliency projects.

 DLLT – Has 2 shovel-ready projects ready for 2021, 1 in the St. Croix (RCPP project) and 1 at the Getchel Pugs.  The Big Lake Milfoil Coalition is starting up.  This group includes DLLT, the Woodland mill, Passamaquoddy Tribe, and Big Lake camp owners.  They will be surveying Big Lake, Lewey Lake, Long Lake and Grand Falls Flowage for milfoil and removing it.  They will also be educating and reaching out to the public the public about milfoil.

USFWS – Scott has been busy reporting.  He has been working with Bill Bennett on aspects of the forthcoming Section 7 consultation for the Route 9 Narraguagus project.  Scott is interested in developing a non-native fish plan and has been looking into categorizing salmon habitat.

 NRCS – The Aquatic Restoration Team is looking to hire a new aquatic biologist in ~3 months.

 TNC – It is budgeting season.  There are currently more RCPP projects than available funding.  TNC has submitted a proposal to renew the current RCPP.

 NOAA – The Restoration Center has released a new RFP that is due April 12^th and will be focused on salmon.  There will be a webinar about the RFP forthcoming.  Rory has been busy on reporting activities.  He also reminded the group that the CMS meeting will be on April 15^th with all of the SHRUs presenting their end of year reports.

 AFM – Currently are working on the road budget which will include replacing bridge decks as part of the maintenance budget.

 MFS – Tom is starting to plan trainings for the spring.  He is also applying for Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund to replace 2 crossings in the Dennys watershed.

 Val Watson – Val is a graduate student from U Maine that will be working with Hamish Grieg looking at macroinvert communities around large wood placed in the upper Narraguagus.  She is also interested in possibly helping out with any environmental education opportunities.

Wagner – Wagner is supporting Tom’s proposal to replace the crossings on Preston and Gilman in the Dennys.  They are also working with the recreational clubs to try and raise some of the funding required.  They will be doing 2 RCPP crossings and 2 others, all in the St. Croix watershed.

 DSF – Zach has received eggs from Craig Brook for the Pleasant (328,000), East Machias (506,000), and Narraguagus (210,000) rivers.  The Peter Grey Hatchery will be raising parr for both the East Machias and Narraguagus Rivers this year.

 Featured Topic – Review of 2020 and The Plan for 2021

            Chris Federico gave a presentation reviewing the 2020 field season and previewing the 2021 field season.  2020 projects:  East Machias – remnant dam removal and a wood jam constructed; Machias – 10 of the 13 wing dams were breeched in Third Lake Stream; Narraguagus – 3 large wood jams constructed, Griphoist trees in 3 reaches, 3 mobile wood additions, large wood surveys in 4 of the 7 major tributaries in the upper watershed, prep work for the Rt. 9 project, and a small culvert replacement.  2021 will see continued work in the upper Narraguagus, Northern Stream, and Third Lake Stream.  It will also be the first part of the Route 9 Narraguagus Project.

Adjournment - There being no other business, the meeting adjourned at 11:08.

 

	March 1, 2021
		Open Grants/Contracts
	Watershed/Cooperator	Project Description	Funding Source	Amount
176	Machais	Machias Restoration Plan	Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund	9,000
175	SHARE	unrestricted	FFIM	2,500
174	Dennys River	Curry Brook road crossing	DMR	5,000
173		Payroll	Cares Act PPP	28,529
172		General Opperating	Downeast Wind	1,000	final report due year end
171	SHARE	HSI restoration	NFWF	200,000
168	TU/Maine, VT, NH	Habitat Suitability	NRCS/RCPP	250,000	5 yrs
163	Narraguagus	HSI restoration	MCHT	50,000
162	Dennys River	Curry Brook road crossing	USFWS Fish Passage	23,000
161	Narraguagus/Northern Str	HSI restoration	EBTJV	38,000
160	Machias River	Third Lake Stream side channels	MNRCP-TNC	65,000
155	SHARE	Dennys River	Dennys River Watershed	3,091
154	The Nature Conservancy	fish passage statewide	RCPP	34,741
112		Salmon Forum		11,335
				721,196
		Closed Grants/Funded Projects
	Watershed/Cooperator	Project Description	Funding Source	Amount
146	SHARE/Narraguagus	Road crossings/habitat	NOAA	154,000
		General Opperating	Onion Foundation	20,000	NO