Winter 2016 ASHOKAN WATERSHED STREAM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Published by Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County NEWS Esopus • Birch Creek • Bushnellsville • Fox Hollow • Peck Hollow • Broadstreet Hollow • Woodland Valley • Stony Clove • Beaver Kill • Little Beaver Kill • Bush Kill

IN THIS ISSUE A Stream Management Plan for the Beaver Kill Beaver Kill Stream Management Plan The AWSMP is eager to share the results of severe erosion through reach-scale restoration the 2012 stream assessment of the Beaver Kill (the AWSMP is planning one project for 2016). in the newly available Beaver Kill Stream Man- »» Explore options for mitigating hazards posed Featured Riparian agement Plan. The study provided a wealth of by woody debris along Mink Hollow Road. Plant: Dogwood information and insight into the many chal- lenges faced by streamside residents, munici- »» Keep large boulders in the channel bed. palities, and water supply managers in the Bea- It has been a common practice to use stream CSBI by the Numbers ver Kill watershed. The Stream Management boulders to armor streambanks, but these boul- Plan identifies these challenges and provides ders are critical for dissipating energy and limit- recommendations for best management prac- ing erosion. A Stream Restoration tices that aim to mitigate hazards and improve stream stability.

Learning Stream Though the plan breaks up the stream into nine segments called management units (see map Science: Imbrication on next page), the Beaver Kill can be thought of as three distinct regions summarized here with FEMA’s Community a few common observations and management recommendations: Rating System UPPER MINK HOLLOW ROAD TO ROUTE 212 Willow Flats BRIDGE (Mgt. Units 6A-9) SICKLER ROAD AND WILLOW FLATS BETWEEN Rainbow Trout Description: The steep boulder and cobble ROUTE 212 BRIDGES (Mgt. Units 4-6B) Populations channel is highly confined by valley walls and roadways. As a result, there are many bridges Description: This section has an extremely flat and a high percentage of the streambanks have and broad valley. The channel has a low gradi- AWSMP News been hardened (lined with rock) to protect ent and a highly sinuous pattern prone to lateral roadways and private property. migration and avulsion. Major Concerns: Numerous large hillslope fail- Major Concerns: Sediment aggradation, ex- ures are the result of historic and current chan- treme bank erosion and riparian buffer impair- nel downcutting. Bed and bank erosion sends ments threaten stream stability and pose haz- woody debris and sediment downstream, and ards for Sickler Road. impairs water quality. Recommendations: Recommendations: »» Maintain a mature buffer of vegetation »» Address stream instability in areas with along the stream and restore vegetation where

The Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program is on the web at www.ashokanstreams.org. Esopus Creek News

Many of the issues identified in the Beaver Kill are the legacy of natural events, as well as historic and current human alteration of the channel and floodplains throughout the watershed.

post-Irene stream work has been done. to streamside infrastructure and stream observations made during the assess- Vegetation helps to stabilize banks and stability. ment. The plan includes recommendatios is critical for preventing rapid lateral Recommendations: for what you can do, or we can do as a migrations in the broad valleys present in community, to become better stewards these management units. »» Assess the impact to downstream ar- of our beautiful Catskill streams. You can eas of eroding river terraces. Support the »» Maintain water access to floodplains. find the Beaver Kill Stream Management development of a sediment budget for Plan at: http://ashokanstreams.org/ex- This valley setting is a natural sediment the Beaver Kill. sink area and there are many benefits for ploring-the-watershed/beaverkill-2/ it to function as such. Much of this area is »» Where feasible, allow the active chan- not heavily developed and room should nel corridor to continue widening. This is be maintained for the Beaver Kill to flow a natural process following recent chan- onto its floodplains, which effectively nel downcutting that occurred through- store fine and course sediment. out much of Management Units 2, 3 and the upper half of 1. This process allows the ROUTE 212 BRIDGE TO ESOPUS CREEK channel to rebuild a floodplain and recov- (Mgt. Units 1-3) er a state of stability and equilibrium. Description: The river valley narrows and Observing channel response to past and the channel gradient steepens. Much of current management practices helps us the Beaver Kill is within close proximity to to understand stream processes, predict State Route 212 and private drives with a possible unintended consequences, and high percentage of streambanks hardened improve stream management strategies. for roadside and property protection. With the detailed reach by reach descrip- Major Concerns: Hillslope failures and tion provided in the Beaver Kill Stream erosion into high abandoned river ter- Management Plan, readers too can ex- The Beaver Kill where it enters the Esopus races is prevalent and poses many risks plore the Beaver Kill and learn from the Creek at Mt. Tremper (Management Unit 1).

2 Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program Winter 2016

Featured Riparian Plant: Dogwood Cornus spp. CSBI by the Numbers Dogwoods are commonly found bordering streams in the Esopus Creek watershed. The Catskill Streams Buffer Initia- Several dogwood species are recommended for streamside buffer plantings, includ- tive (CSBI) assists landowners with ing Redosier, Silky, Gray, and Alternate-leaved Dogwoods. Native dogwoods root well managing their streamside areas. under tough conditions, are known to survive the cold winters of upstate , The first step is a site visit from CSBI offer great wildlife habitat, and are readily available for purchase within the region. All Coordinator Bobby Taylor with the of the native dogwoods can be propagated with cuttings, except for Alternate-leaved Ulster County Soil & Water Conserva- Dogwood. tion District. Bobby reviews the site Redosier Dogwood with the landowner to learn more Cornus sericea about needs and objectives for the Redosier Dogwood is a deciduous spread- streamside area. If the site qualifies ing shrub with attractive smooth, red for a riparian buffer, the CSBI pro- bark throughout winter, when a splash gram will develop a site plan, pro- of color is welcome. It has multiple stems vide native Catskill plants for free, and a rounded form. It does well in sun to and install the stream buffer! partial shade in well-drained and season- ally wet soils. The small white flowers and Here’s what the CSBI program did in white berries draw butterflies and other 2015: pollinators, and are eaten by birds. ““ Assisted 6 landowners with Silky Dogwood streamside plantings. Cornus amomum ““ Re-vegetated 1.3 acres along Silky dogwood is a multi-stemmed shrub, 2,070 feet of stream. and has reddish purple stems with fine ““ Planted 1,081 trees and shrubs! silky hair. The stems are brightest dur- ing fall, winter and early spring. Its blue ““ Planted 7,500 willow stakes as a berries ripen to black and are food for source for future harvesting. wildlife. The Silky Dogwood is one of the most shade tolerant shrubs for moist soil. ““ Monitored 29 established buffer sites.

Alternate-leaved Dogwood ““ Made 16 technical assistance vis- Cornus alternifolia its with landowners. A less common dogwood found in moist ““ Developed 26 custom landown- woodlands or woody wetlands, the Alter- er-specific Riparian Corridor nate-leaved Dogwood is a deciduous tree Management Plans. (sometimes with a shrub habit) that can grow 25-feet tall. The stems and broad Interested landowners should call leaves are born on alternate branches, the AWSMP office at (845) 688-3047,