Rappahannock County: Native Trout Restoration

Update all 2011
Update March 23, 2010
Update February 17, 2010
Introduction

Updated April 10, 2010

Here are a few updates regarding recent and upcoming activities and plans for the brook trout restoration projects/program in Rappahannock County.

Attached is a report on a small group session last week at Shenandoah National Park with Jeb Wofford (NPS biologist), to identify relevant data available from the SNP and related matters.

Also, remember about the upcoming opportunity on Saturday May 15 for any of us to meet and work with native plant experts from Earth Sangha at Mt. Vernon Farm in Sperryville. See message from Lisa Bright below. Nat Gillespie plans to be there, and assures me that we can learn a lot from the Earth Sangha people.

Nat Gillespie (Trout Unlimited) has written up his "quick observations" from stream walks on two properties along the Hazel River. If it is acceptable to all concerned, I would like to make write-ups such as these accessible on the web site so others can learn from Nat's knowledgeable observations and recommendations. We are getting more requests from landowners in other subwatersheds for such assessments. Maybe this could lead to a "do it yourself" observation guide for landowners?

BJ has been trying out in his pond the instream water temperature data loggers that RappFLOW purchased, and we are all excited to make decisions about where to place the loggers on private property and get them installed as soon as possible. Your input is welcome -- contact BJ.

We are attempting to make all info about the trout restoration efforts easily accessible on www.rappflow.org so please visit there to check for history, updates, references, etc.

In a related note, the 2010 General Assembly of Virginia passed bills designating four additional river segments to the Scenic Rivers system. Two of these are in Rappahannock County: sections of the Jordan and the Hughes Rivers. Evaluation of the Hazel is underway this past week. There will be a big event in Richmond to celebrate all this on April 23. If you want info, please contact Hal@rappahannock.com who has been a major force behind the scenic rivers initiatives in Rappahannock County.