a very productive housatonic whitewater meeting
May 18, 2006
an informal meeting of several groups who have an interest in the health and future well being of the Housatonic River.
Many groups expressed their desire to remove or modify the old bleachery dam in New Milford. When presented the idea of modifying it, to turn it into a useable whitewater feature(s) they were very receptive, with one person saying that they thought it is a great idea!
I seems that New Milford has alot of interest in expanding their waterfront recreation areas and creating more diverse opportunities on the Housatonic River. They already have powerboating and recreational kayak on the lake. Some recreational kayaks use the river,just upstream of the dam, but are very concerned about it's current state (since a few people have drowned at that old dam in the past).
This is a chance to help New Milford grow in a POSITIVE direction, become a more attractive town to outdoor enthusiasts, and make a nice whitewater kayaking area right here in our own back yard (and barely over an hour away from New York City)
Additional ideas that many groups were interested in were the following:
* handicap fishing access
* phosphate clean up
* river bank stabilization
* fishing & boating access
* the expansion of a riverside "greenway"
* thermal refuge repair and enhancement (Trout Unlimited's agenda)
many of these ideas can be incorporated into any whitewater feature/park proposal.
A whitewater park can help stabilize the river's bank, and create ADDITIONAL thermal refuges.
Handicap fishing access could easily be added to the concrete platform below the route 7 bridge in Gaylordsville. It can be part of a new play feature there (that I'm calling "Gville"). There is ALMOST a play spot there at low water right now. Just a couple of rocks and we'd have another tville!!!
an informal meeting of several groups who have an interest in the health and future well being of the Housatonic River.
Many groups expressed their desire to remove or modify the old bleachery dam in New Milford. When presented the idea of modifying it, to turn it into a useable whitewater feature(s) they were very receptive, with one person saying that they thought it is a great idea!
I seems that New Milford has alot of interest in expanding their waterfront recreation areas and creating more diverse opportunities on the Housatonic River. They already have powerboating and recreational kayak on the lake. Some recreational kayaks use the river,just upstream of the dam, but are very concerned about it's current state (since a few people have drowned at that old dam in the past).
This is a chance to help New Milford grow in a POSITIVE direction, become a more attractive town to outdoor enthusiasts, and make a nice whitewater kayaking area right here in our own back yard (and barely over an hour away from New York City)
Additional ideas that many groups were interested in were the following:
* handicap fishing access
* phosphate clean up
* river bank stabilization
* fishing & boating access
* the expansion of a riverside "greenway"
* thermal refuge repair and enhancement (Trout Unlimited's agenda)
many of these ideas can be incorporated into any whitewater feature/park proposal.
A whitewater park can help stabilize the river's bank, and create ADDITIONAL thermal refuges.
Handicap fishing access could easily be added to the concrete platform below the route 7 bridge in Gaylordsville. It can be part of a new play feature there (that I'm calling "Gville"). There is ALMOST a play spot there at low water right now. Just a couple of rocks and we'd have another tville!!!
posted by Scott Barnes at 12:06 PM
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