March 2013 Front Cover Photo Credits Main Photo: Missisquoi River – Dan Moriarty, courtesy of the Missisquoi River Basin Association (MRBA) First Row: John Little Paddling the Missisquoi – Ken Secor; Covered Bridge – John Selmer; Fishing the Trout – Brenda Elwood; Moose near the Hopkins Covered Bridge – Frank Wirth Second Row: Nice Buffer/Floodplain – Shana Stewart Deeds; Paddling the Missisquoi – Shana Stewart Deeds; Bakers Falls on the Missisquoi – Jonathan and Jayne Chase; Fog on the Missisquoi – Mary Alice Brenner; Behind the Monastery on the Missisquoi – Ave Leslie Inside Front Cover: Missisquoi River, Orleans County – Art Bell; flyover provided by Lakeview Aviation Back Cover Photo Credits Inside Back Cover: Missisquoi River, Franklin County – Art Bell; flyover provided by Lakeview Aviation. Back Cover: John Little’s Boat on the Trout River – Art Bell Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan The Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Management Plan is now available on our website (www.vtwsr.org and hard copies in the Town Clerks’ offices). This is a non- regulatory Plan summarizing the information collected over the three year study by the locally appointed Study Committee, illustrating examples of management success stories in our region, and encouraging the voluntary recommendations which the Study Committee feels will maintain the Missisquoi and Trout Rivers in healthy condition. Should designation occur, it will be based on this locally-developed Management Plan and would not involve federal acquisition or management of lands. The Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Study Committee is pleased to present its Management Plan for the upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers for community review. This Management Plan represents more than three years of study and planning by the Study Committee. This followed the enactment of Public Law 111-11 by the U.S. Congress in March 2009, which called for a Wild and Scenic Rivers Study of the two rivers. The sections being recommended for designation include: the Missisquoi River from the confluence of Burgess Branch and the East Branch of the Missisquoi in Lowell to the Canadian border in North Troy (excluding the property and project area of the Troy and project area of the North Troy Hydroelectric Facilities), from the Canadian border in Richford to the beginning of the project area of the Enosburg Falls Hydroelectric facility; and the Trout River from the confluence of Jay and Wade Brooks in Montgomery to when it joins the Missisquoi in East Berkshire. The Study Committee, made up of representatives from the ten municipalities in the Study area, worked closely with local citizens, municipal officials, regional planners, resource experts, state agency staff and the National Park Service to gather a host of information. This information about the many resources and values associated with the upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers was compiled by the Committee and developed into the draft Management Plan. This Plan compiles the Committee’s findings along with input from interested citizens, and makes recommendations to help protect and preserve the rivers’ values for future generations. The Study Committee found that our communities cherish our rivers and surrounding valleys for a variety reasons. These include their agricultural heritage, rural character, quality waters, recreational opportunities, scenic views, traditional way of life, history and diverse natural resources. Many of these resources are unique or outstanding at a local, state and national level, sufficiently so to qualify the upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers for designation as national Wild and Scenic Rivers should the local communities so desire. Perhaps most importantly, the Committee found a strong desire among a wide diversity of folks to preserve the attributes that contribute to the character of the river valleys and the quality of life Page i in the region including: the working landscape, healthy farms and forests, good water quality, vibrant communities, and recreational opportunities. With regard to potential Wild and Scenic River designation, the Study Committee believes that designation as a Partnership Wild and Scenic River, based on implementation of this Draft Plan through a locally-based Committee (like the Study Committee), can be an important positive contributor to our rivers and our communities. The goal of this Partner approach is to maintain local governance and control of the rivers and their valleys; it would not involve federal acquisition or management of lands. This Draft Management Plan presents a series of recommendations that can be voluntarily implemented by area residents, riverfront landowners, local municipalities, and partnership state and federal agencies to help protect these river -related resources and maintain the quality and way of life valued by so many people. This Draft Plan also includes detailed information about National Wild and Scenic River designation through the Partnership approach. Over the coming months, the Study Committee will continue to engage in a dialogue with the Study area communities about the Plan, its recommendations, and potential Wild and Scenic designation. This dialogue will culminate with Town Meeting votes, March 2013, on both the Plan and Wild and Scenic designation. The Study Committee will only act to recommend designation if the Management Plan and Wild and Scenic status are supported by those community votes. The benefits of implementing the Plan regardless of designation are many. It builds upon the extensive amount of information and knowledge gained through the Wild and Scenic Study process. Regardless of whether or not the upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers become part of the National Wild and Scenic River System, the Committee welcomes and encourages involvement by everyone at all levels to realize a shared vision for these incredible rivers. Please contact the Study Committee with your questions and comments on this Management Plan, or on Wild and Scenic designation. The final Management Plan will be available prior to the town meeting votes on our website, and will also be available in hard copy in each Town Clerk’s or Village Manager’s office. Thank you. Sincerely, The Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Study Committee 2839 VT Route 105, East Berkshire, VT 05447 [email protected] www.vtwsr.org Page ii Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan Prepared by the Wild and Scenic Study Commiee Berkshire Montgomery 1. Carol Hickey 1. Todd Lantery (Vice Chair) 2. Todd Kinney 2. Keith Sampietro Town of Enosburgh Village of North Troy 1. Edward G. Ellis 1. Jim Starr 2. Ken Secor 2. Eugene St. Onge Village of Enosburg Falls Richford 1. Mike Manahan (Secretary) 1. Annee Goyne 2. ____vacant____ 2. Mary Robinson Jay Wesield 1. ____vacant____ 1. Jacques Couture (Chair) 2. ____vacant____ 2. Dianne Laplante (Treasurer) Lowell Town of Troy 1. Mark Higley 1. Helene Croteau 2. Jeff Parsons 2. Robert Langlands Special thanks to previous Commiee members: Sue Brasse, Jayne Chase (Treasurer), Hib Doe, Bob Johnson and George Olio Addional informaon and requests for copies of this plan (paper or electronic) are available from our website: www.vtwsr.org or by sending a request to [email protected] For further informaon about the Wild and Scenic River Study or this Management Plan you may contact your local representave to the Study Commiee or: Shana Stewart Deeds, Study Coordinator Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Study 2839 VT Route 105, East Berkshire, VT 05447 802‐393‐0076 [email protected] www.vtwsr.org Jamie Fosburgh Jim MacCartney New England Team Leader River Manager Northeast Region Rivers Program Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Naonal Park Service Naonal Park Service 15 State Street, Boston, MA 02109 54 Portsmouth Street 617‐223‐5191 Concord, NH 03301 Jamie_Fosburgh[at]nps[dot]gov Jim_Maccartney[at]nps[dot]gov Page iii Acknowledgements This Study would not have been possible without the commitment and of many, especially the Study Commiee appointees who volunteered their me for over three years. The Study Commiee wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the many individuals and organizaons listed below. We apologize for any unintenonal omissions. The community members, Selectboards, Town Clerks, Conservaon Commissions and Historical Sociees in the ten municipalies in the Study Area (Berkshire, Town of Enosburgh, Village of Enosburg Falls, Jay, Lowell, Montgomery, Village of North Troy, Richford, Wesield, and the Town of Troy). We also appreciate the use of facilies in each of the municipalies for our monthly meengs. The partnership organizaons who parcipated in the Study especially: Missisquoi River Basin Associaon: John Lile and Cynthia Sco, and MRBA members important to the establishment of this Study ‐ Anne McKay, Chris O’Shea, and Wendy Sco Naonal Park Service: Jamie Fosburgh; Jim MacCartney Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC): Catherine Dimitruk; Bethany Remmers VT Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM): Sylvia Jensen VT Department of Environmental Conservaon (DEC) ‐ Rick Hopkins, Cathy Kashanski, and Staci Pomeroy VT Federaon of Sportsmen’s Clubs: Bill Leipold VT Tradions Coalion: Robert Qua Rolf Anderson for his technological assistance, and website management Jeremy Deeds for his eding assistance and tech support Jeremy Deeds, Bri Haselton, Emily Hubbard, Chris Moore, and Reed Sims for their data, mapping and GIS experse Jeff Parsons for his work on synthesizing Act 250 informaon Joyce Kennedy Raymes (Study Coordinator of the Lower Farmington River/Salmon Brook Wild & Scenic Study) for her Wild and Scenic input Kristen Sharpless for her contribuon to the bird protecons The many speakers at our Study Commiee meengs and reviewers of this Plan without whom this Plan would not be possible. Page iv Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan Table of Contents Cover LeƩer p. i‐ii Study CommiƩee Members p. iii Acknowledgements p. iv Table of Contents p. v‐vii Lost of Maps p. viii ExecuƟve Summary p. ix‐xii I. Management Plan Development, Philosophy, Implementaon p. 1 a. History of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Study Commiee and Management Plan i.