Volunteers from the Nor’East Chapter of Trout Unlimited participate in a work day to perform channel maintenance work on Pye Brook, clearing the way for future herring to migrate from Hood Pond to the Ipswich River and out to sea.
The Ipswich River watershed has many dams and culverts that block or limit fish passage and impact water quality. One indicator of this problem is the lack of river herring. Few herring return to spawn during what should be a large spring herring run. In particular, Hood Pond in Topsfield and Ipswich has not seen river herring in nearly 4oo years!
Hood Pond is part of the Howlett Brook sub-watershed, which is the site of a multi-year pilot project, supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to increase the pace of restoration and serve as a model for the rest of the watershed. This project not only involves herring restoration, but also water quality monitoring, water conservation, and education. Fish passage improvements could also benefit the cold-water fisheries potential of Howlett Brook. With Gravelly Brook, Howlett Brook is one of only two designated cold-water fisheries in the region.
In late spring of 2021, we hope to begin restoring herring to Hood Pond with restocking the pond with juvenile herring. These fish will grow and imprint on the pond before migrating to the ocean where they will spend the next three or four years growing to maturity. River herring will instinctively return to their natal waters to spawn as adults.
To aid the migration process for the returning herring, volunteers from the Nor’East Chapter of Trout Unlimited mobilized on October 24th to perform channel maintenance work on Pye Brook in Topsfield. As the brook is part of the Howlett Brook system, this work is needed to establish an open pathway that migrating river herring will be able to follow on their journey.
Teams set out in canoes on Pye Brook to clip vegetation at key points where the main channel had become too obscured. This event was a follow up to work that had been done over the summer with volunteer, Brandon Boyd. Many other volunteers have been involved in monitoring programs including monthly water quality testing and macroinvertebrate monitoring. This project will accelerate restocking efforts across the watershed. Four Mile Pond in Boxford and in Martins Pond in North Reading are both sites assessed for and identified as good candidates for herring habitat.
Outreach programs are also moving forward as part of this project. Stream name signs are being installed at road-stream crossings while the Ocean of Rivers project engages the public (particular kids and families) in learning about and celebrating migratory species. The public can also support restoration efforts through water conservation such as the Greenscapes: Water for People campaign to protect flow levels needed for healthy fish populations. We look forward to a bright future for fisheries and restoration in the Ipswich River as a result of the work contributed by these and our many dedicated volunteers and partners.