Watershed News September 2018

President’s Message Hi Everybody, The summer season is coming to an end and we are The river was low at the start of the summer and then approaching our year end activities. This is the time by mid-summer we had too much rain, raising the the WRWA gets ready for the “source to sea” clean river above safe levels for canoeing, swimming, and up. We do our section of the Connecticut river where fishing. The level appears to be lowering at this time the Westfield River joins. If you are concerned about and hopefully we can resume the activities we enjoy the health of the river, then please join us for a morn- in the fall on the river. ing of cleaning up the river on September 29th. SEE YOU ON THE RIVER!!!! It is also the time off the year when the board starts Bill Rose to plan the activities and agenda for the coming year. WRWA President We welcome any suggestions for new and exciting activities from both our members and non-members. The film festival, symposium, spring cleanup,and the In This Issue fly fishing clinic were all big successes this year and President’s Message ...... 1 are planning to have them again next year. We will be meeting in January to finalize our adventures for the Fall River Cleanup ...... 2 coming year. Fishing on the Westfield River ...... 2 We have to change with the times. The by-laws have Fly Fishing clinic ...... 3 to be reviewed and revised. The board also needs to Wild & Scenic Westfield River recruit new members as some current ones are retiring ‘Watershed Blitz’ ...... 3 and moving out of the area. We need to have at least Rainbow Trout Found in a Refrigerated 12 board members to continue being effective. If you ‘Aquarium’ in the Westfield River ...... 4 have an interest in the WRWA, then please consider joining us. You can make a difference. Wild & Scenic Film Festival – Another Chance! . 5 Officers and Directors for 2018 ...... 6 Fall River Cleanup This fall’s River Cleanup Day is scheduled for Satur- at [email protected] or (413)977-1577 for the day, September 29th. We’ll meet at 9:00, starting from Westfield group, or Bill Rose at brose1564@gmail. two areas. One group will meet at the Meadow Street com or (413)786-0195 for the Agawam group. parking lot (across from Westfield School of Music) and cover areas in Westfield, Russell, Huntington, and West Springfield; the other will meet at Pynchon Point (the mouth of the Westfield River) in Agawam and cover areas near the mouth of the river and along the Connecticut River in the immediate area. We expect to work until about 1:00, although if you can only make it for part of that time, we’d still be happy to have your help. As in previous years, we’ll supply bags and gloves, and anyone participating should wear clothes that can get dirty and wet. We’ve made great strides toward cleaning up our river – let’s keep it going! For more information, contact Mark Damon

Fishing on the Westfield River by Bill Rose Fishing on the river this year was difficult at best. In the spring the water level was very low and by the summer the rain had driven it too high. Hopefully it will recede a bit come fall. Below are some of my favorite places to fish. Coming out of Westfield on route 20 there is a place where the power lines go over the road and the river. Access is a dirt road down to the river’s edge. Walk- ing either left or right on the paths will bring you to some slow moving water and then into fast rapids. Another good area is before the turnpike bridge over- head. There is a turn-off on the right side as you are going north on route 20. Fish you might catch at these locations are stocked trout, native smallmouth bass, and silver fish (daze is the local name). If you like to fly fish, everybody has their favorite flys. Some of mine are the woolly bugger, Goldie, prince nymph, pheasant tail, and muddler minnow. GOOD LUCK, SEE YOU ON THE RIVER!!!!

Westfield River Watershed Association News 2 Fly Fishing clinic Wild & Scenic Westfield River by Bill Rose ‘Watershed Blitz’ by Meredyth Babcock The Wild & Scenic Westfield River “Watershed Blitz” is a yearly event focusing on one of the three branches. This year marks our 25th anniversary as well as the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act!! A good year to celebrate so join us Sep- tember 22nd from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. as we focus on the unique characteristics of the West Branch from Chester to Huntington. Through this yearly event we educate and enhance our volunteer’s riparian knowledge. Many of the land- owners have offered to host a specialist along a seg- ment of river that flows through or adjacent to their property and join us adding their personal knowledge of the area. The teams are intentionally small and personal, with six to eight individuals, heading out to a segment with their chosen specialist. We start and end the day in a larger group sharing and enjoying refreshments sponsored by the Westfield River Watershed Associa- This year the fly fishing clinic was moved to August tion. This year we will base out of the historic Chester 18th this year to avoid competing with the Eastern Railroad Station. States Exposition in September. The hours were Specialists UPICK – 10 to choose from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with most people coming at 9:30 and staying until 12:00. Excellent weather Fish Biologist – Dave Christensen helped to make it a big success with a total of 18 River Restoration & Dynamics – Carrie Banks people attending, of which 10 were children of vari- Geology – Tarin Weiss ous ages. We had fly casting instruction and fly tying Insect Tracking – Charley Eiseman demonstrations. Although the river was too high to Plant Biologist – Julie Richburg & Amy Pulley (Wing collect aquatic insects, we were able to collect a few and a Prayer Nursery) minnows for viewing. History of Littleville Lake Kayak – Jeff Penn Frogs & Newts – Andrea & Mike Howlett People brought their own fly rods and we showed River ecologist – Cindy Delpapa them how to set up and cast and answered any other History along the West Branch, hike the KAB Trail: – questions around the use of the equipment. After Dave Pierce discussion it was agreed that the August date worked Natural Riparian Communities – John Burns best. Thanks to all the people that helped make it a big success. We will have 10 amazing specialists exploring, inspiring and answering your questions. The data and observations gathered help us advance our knowledge

Westfield River Watershed Association News 3 Watershed Blitz event reminds us what is truly unique and worth preserving about the Westfield river. It gives us an opportunity to share the committee’s deep admi- ration of and commitment to the Westfield River with the community. Call Meredyth to register 413-623-2070 [email protected] Each team will walk a mile + along a wild & scenic river segment, gathering data & sharing river wisdom. The chance of getting wet is high, dress for success!! Long pants, long sleeve shirts, sun hat and “od to bug” Pack a lunch and lots of water, lets celebrate of the designated river reach and support the need the Westfield!! to expand the designation to include the head water If you are no longer able to walk the river corridor but streams and tributaries in the future. want to hear what we discover we need volunteers to The Watershed Blitz is a tremendous amount of fun help at the station and spreading the word!! and an excuse to play on the river for the day!! The

21 Rainbow Trout Found in a Refrigerated ‘Aquarium’ in the Westfield River By Diane Snyder In the stifling heat of early July, I was snorkeling in the river to get some relief. At the end of my forward progress and energy, I came upon an un-moving 16-inch fish with a light red stripe along its midsec- tion, laying peacefully on its side in a slight depression in the sand. The water was cold there, colder than in any other part of the river that I had been in that week. The stately fish was so fresh and impressively dressed in an upper crust buffet line of a pricey cruise ship. with that red stripe, that it looked like a piece of art. I I imagined trying a piece – it looked so good, and I stared in disbelief. How did it get here? What hap- don’t even like to eat fish. pened that it was laying peacefully in 2½ foot deep water in a pit that was just a bit lower than the other I continued snorkeling upstream and reached toward sand around it. the shore when I quickly pulled away because the water felt freezing there, and was uncomfortable on A day later, I visited again and found that the fish had this mid 90’s day. The water in the rest of the river been partially consumed – starting from the head end was considerably warmer. and from the tail end, leaving the meaty center intact. The skin that had no meat behind it, flapped slightly Suddenly, several large and smaller rainbow trout with the movement of the water that flowed by. sped past me downstream, as I was going up. Then several more scurried by. I had no idea that they were It was so carefully eaten that the midsection of the fish looked inviting, ready to be consumed by people

Westfield River Watershed Association News 4 there, when even more hastily churned the water and I realized that this was a voluntary prison. The rain- passed by. What was all this commotion about? bows could not leave this cold water or they would die trying to find another cold spot, which was not to Then it hit me, I had stumbled upon a 30 foot long be had anywhere that I swam that week. As I could by 5 foot wide refrigerated fish aquarium except that not proceed further upstream, (it was too shallow), I it had no sides to it. The invisible aquarium was fed turned around and floated downstream. The rainbows by very cold springs that were pushing through the again hurried past me in the opposite direction. This sand, forcing very cold water upward, enough that it horde of large beautiful rainbow trout looked frantic, displaced the heated water coming down river. Jets of and moved fast. They could not run away anywhere uncomfortably cold water were able to cool a trough else. They had to stay in this frigid oasis. And I felt of water near a shaded spot by the shore, to keep it that they realized that they had no food in there, cold enough for the rainbow trout to stay alive in the except for each other. heat of the summer.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival – Another Chance! by Mike Young Last spring WRWA co-sponsored the initial local screening of the South Yuba River Citizen’s League (SYRCL) Wild & Scenic Film Festival, with a show- ing that attracted more than 100 attendees to Dever Auditorium at Westfield State. That was intended to be the first of five screenings in western Massachu- University on Tuesday October 23, starting at setts, but due to weather and technical difficulties 6:30 p.m. and running until about 8:15. The range two of the other screenings didn’t go off as smoothly of subjects is very broad – including a documentary as planned. As a result, WRWA is sponsoring, along focused on Blue Ventures, a group helping local with the Wild & Scenic Westfield River Committee, populations in eastern Africa to avoid the perils of Greenagers (a teen environmental group from Great overfishing; an adventure video centered on cycling Barrington), and Westfield State University, a final and rafting through regions in northern British Colum- showing in commemoration of this 50th anniversary bia that have been or could be affected by dam failures of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act and 25th anniversary associated with mining operations; the inspirational of the designation of portions of the Westfield River tale of dam removals on the Elwha River on the Olym- as the first wild & scenic river in Massachusetts. pic Peninsula in Washington state; a very brief and occasionally hilarious unofficial history of America’s This will be an abbreviated screening, focusing on the national park system; a video “letter” from a young films from the second half of the original showing – Canadian, who moved north from Montreal to Baffin so, if you missed out the first time, or weren’t able Island, to his half-Innuit son; and finally a look at wild to stay for the entire program, here’s a chance to see and scenic rivers in the Northeast featuring, among 7-8 short films (ranging from 4 to about 25 minutes) others, the Farmington River of western Massachu- focused on rivers, adventure, and the environment. setts and Connecticut. The event is free and open to The event will again be held in Dever Auditorium the public (suggested donation of $5 for adults, $3 for (inside Parenzo Hall) on the campus of Westfield State students/seniors). We hope to see you there!

Westfield River Watershed Association News 5 Officers and Directors for 2018 Officers: President: Bill Rose 39 Sunset Terrace Feeding Hills 01030 786-0195 First Vice President: Brian Conz 999 General Knox Rd., Russell, MA 01071 572-8084 Second Vice President: Allan Ouimet 16 Russell Rd. Westfield 01085 539-0964 Secretary: Mark Damon 297 Western Ave Westfield 01085 977-1577 Treasurer: Mike Young 721 West Rd. Westfield 01085 562-8498 Directors: Ann Barone 3 Delancey St, Westfield 01085 374-9799 Tim Judy 37 Mountain Rd. Holyoke 01040 569-9018 Ron Lucassen 39 Rachael Terrace Westfield 01085 568-4252 John A. Pelli 32 Laro Road, Westfield 01085 562-0182 Aaron Reyes Northampton, MA 01060 572-8380 Phillip Sousa 29 Yankee Circle Westfield 01085 568-3982 Henry Warchol 2 Sackville Road Westfield 01085 562-3467 Honorary Directors: Dan Call 78 Granville Road, Unit 10, Westfield 01085 364-0993

For more information on WRWA’s activities, check our website at www.westfieldriver.org

Westfield River Watershed Association News 6 WRWA PO Box 1764 Westfield, MA 01086-1764

The Westfield River Watershed Association Newsletter September 2018 In This Issue President’s Message ...... 1 Fall River Cleanup ...... 2 Fishing on the Westfield River ...... 2 Fly Fishing clinic ...... 3 Wild & Scenic Westfield River ‘Watershed Blitz’ ...... 3 Rainbow Trout Found in a Refrigerated ‘Aquarium’ in the Westfield River ...... 4 Wild & Scenic Film Festival – Another Chance! . 5 Officers and Directors for 2018 ...... 6