EBTJV Newletter June 2025
EBTJV Habitat News
In this issue:
- NFHP-FWS funding awarded for five Brook Trout conservation projects
- Canaan Valley Institute and U.S. Forest Service improve road-stream crossings in the Upper Greenbrier watershed of WV
- NYS DEC is seeking input on its draft Adirondack Ponds Brook Trout Management Plan
- CT DEEP is seeking input from anglers
- Videos from NFWF and NFHP
- Upcoming free fishing days
Five Brook Trout Conservation Projects Funded for FY25
The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) is pleased to announce the recipients of Brook Trout conservation project funding through the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for FY25.
Across the eastern U.S. native range, five Brook Trout conservation projects and an EBTJV operational project were awarded for a total of $370,000 in NFHP funding. These projects will bring $1.4M in other contributions. One project was supported in partnership with our neighboring FHP, the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP), demonstrating the connection between headwaters and coastal ecosystems.
The five projects will remove eight barriers to fish passage—including one dam and seven culverts—reconnect over 21 miles of priority Brook Trout streams, and restore nine acres of riparian habitat. Two projects will reintroduce Brook Trout populations in areas where they were previously lost. From the cool headwater streams of Vermont and Pennsylvania to the southern reaches of Brook Trout range in South Carolina, these projects reflect a broad geographic impact and focus on science-based restoration.
Congratulations to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Trout Unlimited, Squat-A-Tissit Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and Somerset Conservation District.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who made this possible: the project leads and local partners who developed strong proposals; our state agency contacts who consulted with the applicants to ensure a good fit; the EBTJV and NFHP review teams; and our partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who work to execute award agreements and provide technical assistance.
Nationwide, NFHP and its 20 Fish Habitat Partnerships supported 53 on-the-ground fish habitat conservation projects in 29 states using $5.9 million in total funding this year. The NFHP press release is available at fishhabitat.org.
Read more and see the project list
Canaan Valley Institute and U.S. Forest Service Complete Project to Improve Brook Trout Stream Conditions in the Upper Greenbrier Watershed, WV.
Thanks to a grant from the Appalachian Stewardship Foundation, the Canaan Valley Institute partnered with the U.S. Forest Service last year to remove a series of undersized culverts and replace them with alternative crossings on FR794 in the Mountain Lick Creek subwatershed just north of Durbin, West Virginia. Removing these culverts restores aquatic connectivity, reduces sediment, and improves streams and fisheries downstream.
Completing this project reduced the risk of large sediment dumps into downstream Brook Trout spawning habitat from culvert blowouts.
Alternatives put in place included drive thru dips, low water fords and a large elliptical culvert to reduce the risk of structure loss, reduce sediment and improve habitat. A recent site visit showed great results with water moving over, under and across the road. FR794 is located relatively high in the Upper Greenbrier watershed and streams here offer coldwater refugia for Brook Trout during high temperature periods. The Upper Greenbrier contains some of the most contiguous Brook Trout populations remaining in the Central Appalachians.
The Mountain Lick Creek subwatershed provides existing Brook Trout occupancy as well as several cold groundwater-influenced tributaries which provide expanded habitat and coldwater refugia during extreme heat. Several tributaries of the West Fork Greenbrier currently are already experiencing thermal stress sufficient to locally extirpate Brook Trout.
FR794 is an access road used primarily by hikers and trail riders, and provides access to rugged and lush mountain terrain. Next time you're planning a trip, check it out! (USGS topo link). Learn more at canaanvi.org.
Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public comments on the Draft Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan, 2025-2040 (PDF) until June 13, 2025. Comments can be submitted by e-mail to fishplans@dec.ny.gov with the subject line "ADK Brook Trout Plan" or by mail to the following address: Fred Henson, Coldwater Fisheries Unit Leader, NYSDEC-Division of Fish and Wildlife, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.
DEC will finalize the plan and begin implementation after assessment of public comments and further evaluation.
Connecticut Angler Survey Underway
The Fisheries Division of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is seeking information from select waterbodies using trail cameras and soliciting your input.
Sharing from NFWF: Reconnecting Streams in the Appalachian Mountains
Think about Brook Trout as an Appalachian early warning system: If they're not where they're supposed to be, something's wrong. Too much silt has washed into their stream, covering gravelly spawning grounds. An old, failing road culvert has blocked their ability to move around a given stream system.
Our May newsletter contained a list of new Brook Trout related publications. See just the list at this link. We've highlighted a few articles that had the most clicks from from the newsletter.
Share your feedback on this newsletter and what else you'd like us to feature!
Support Brook Trout Conservation
Help us keep wild Brook Trout on the map! The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture accepts monetary donations through our 501c(3) nonprofit sponsor Beyond the Pond. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. When you select EBTJV as the Fish Habitat Partnership to support, all funds go to us and go towards outreach, coordination, and on-the-ground habitat projects that improve cold water habitat so that future generations can enjoy catching this beautiful fish.
The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) is a geographically focused, locally driven and scientifically based effort to protect, restore and enhance aquatic habitat throughout the Brook Trout's Eastern US native range. Learn more
We are a member of the National Fish Habitat Partnership
Our 501c(3) sponsor is the Canaan Valley Institute
Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture | Website View prior e-news here.
