Vermont’s White River Partnership received the 2012 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Fish Passage Program’s Partner of the Year Award at the partnership’s annual meeting in Rochester, Vt.
The partnership, a small community-based non-profit organization, was recognized for its professionalism, dedication, and leadership in response to Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The storm damaged thousands of culverts and caused widespread flooding, stranding residents and isolating towns in the White River basin.
Mary and Greg Russ, executive director and project manager of the partnership respectively, acted quickly following the storm to identify failed road culverts and notify local, state, and federal authorities. Their efforts triggered the deployment of Service fish passage fish passage
Fish passage is the ability of fish or other aquatic species to move freely throughout their life to find food, reproduce, and complete their natural migration cycles. Millions of barriers to fish passage across the country are fragmenting habitat and leading to species declines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Passage Program is working to reconnect watersheds to benefit both wildlife and people.
Learn more about fish passage engineers and stream restoration experts to ensure that road crossing repairs promoted fish passage.
Fish-friendly crossings not only protect fish, they protect communities and are more economical in the long run because they can withstand flood events.
"Restoring waterways to reconnect habitats for fish is a priority for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Northeast. We are honored to work with the White River Partnership to meet our mutual goals in Vermont. The efforts of Mary and Greg Russ will improve conditions for fish and also for people for generations to come," said Wendi Weber, northeast regional director for the Service.
Based on their experience responding to the 2011 storm, the Russes have continued to advocate for fish-friendly culverts and their environmental, social and economic benefits.
As a result of the on-the-ground response following Irene, FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provided nearly $3 million in funding to rebuild storm-damaged infrastructure in the City of Rochester alone. The funds also supported the purchase of land in floodplains for permanent restoration efforts.
"We are very grateful for all the help provided to us by the White River Partnership and Mary and Greg Russ," said Rochester Selectman Larry Straus. "This led directly to a partnership between the Town, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Passage Program, U.S. Forest Service, and White River Partnership for funding to build improved, fish friendly projects for at least five damaged structures. They are the catalyst that made this joint project happen."
The Partnership’s efforts also "helped spur a national discussion on road crossing standards," said Susan Wells, the Service’s national fish passage program coordinator.
Initiated in 1999, the Service’s national fish passage program works with local communities to restore river systems. More than 700 partners nationwide collaborate with the program to rebuild infrastructure for long term resiliency and health of fisheries. Each year the program recognizes the accomplishments of one of these partners.
Learn more:
USFWS-National Fish Passage Program: http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/facilities/nfpp.html
USFWS-National Fish Passage Program/Northeast: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/fisheries/help/nfpp.html
White River Partnership: http://www.whiteriverpartnership.org/
