Trout Brook Project Updates & Observations
milestones and Activities (Newest to Oldest)…
January 15, 2024: NFC was contacted by a former Dover resident who used to fish Trout Brook. After a lengthy phone conversation that included going over maps to make sure everyone was on the same page, NFC deemed the source and the information they provided to be credible. He also provided a short video of a brook trout caught from a tributary to upper Trout Brook. The video was conformed to be taken in 2009, and two years newer than the last known evidence of brook trout in the stream.
December 15, 2023: NFC consolidated data collected from temperature loggers installed in various locations on Trout Brook and its tributaries from June through September. While not surprising, the results were not what we had hoped for. Throughout much of the season, water temperatures in most locations on Trout Brook were at levels stressful for brook trout. Making matters worse was that outside temperatures and precipitation were above average in regard to the last decade or so. The good news is that the headwaters and a couple of tributaries remained at temperatures suitable for brook trout throughout the season.
November 30 - December 7, 2023: NFC collected water samples for eDNA testing from 5 sites along Trout Brook: Claybrook Road bridge, Haven Street bridge, Spring entering from the eat at Channing Park, Springdale Avenue bridge, and just downstream of Channings Pond. The samples were sent to University of Maine at Orono to be tested for the presence of brook trout. Another sample was tested to confirm that the samples were not contaminated. All 5 sites tested negative for the presence of brook trout. While not absolute proof of absence, at best we are now dealing with a very low abundance of fish if the are even still extant. Two samples were tested for largemouth bass to make sure the samples were clean. Both tested positive for the presence of bass.
October 31, 2023: NFC pulled all the temp loggers as the warm season is now behind us. While the team downloaded the logger data during the season, the final downloads were done at the time the loggers were removed. Unfortunately, one logger had been pulled and placed on the ground where it sat for a week or so. Two other loggers are unaccounted for, and likely fell victim to theft or vandalism. NFC has started to graph the data to help understand what changes took place over the course of the season. The temperature data will be loaded to the campaign page and included in a presentation we look to do to help raise awareness and support.
August 26, 2003: As is often the case, Mother Nature can negatively impact even the best-laid plans. This has been the case in regard to Trout Brook since the very beginning. After two years of notable drought, the Boston suburbs have received near record rainfall in 2023. This includes several events where 4-6-inches of rain fell in just hours. After what was a relatively normal early spring, June, July and August had above average rainfall, and in some cases, very much so. The summer has also been notably cooler than the last several years. The unusually high rainfall and cooler than normal temperatures have made it all but impossible to effectively monitor stream conditions. While summer intermittency in the headwaters, something we are concerned about, has been a real possibility over the last several years, this is not the case this year. The same holds true for extended periods of dangerously warm water, another condition we have been monitoring. Basically, as far as modern history goes, we are seeing Trout Brook at its best not its worst. As a result, we will need to continue stream level/temperature monitoring through the fall and into 2024 to truly assess what is going on at Trout Brook.
June 26, 2003: NFC National Advisory Council member Dr. Doug Thompson and two of his students from Connecticut College joined MA NFC Board member Jeff Moore, NFC National Chair Emily Bastian, and NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard on a trip to upper Trout Brook to look at a small cement dam and earthen berm just upstream to assess the impact the structures are having on the stream. While there, the group found a previously unidentified small rock dam and small shallow impoundment in the headwaters that will be further evaluated in a subsequent trip. Measurements were taken just upstream of the cement dam which showed a water depth of 2.5 feet with 3.5 feet of decaying organic matter below it. The group removed sticks and debris that had accumulated in the opening of the cement dam, dropping the water above the dam by a foot or more. The water above the earthen berm did not drop, confirming our belief that it is impounding water due to insufficient culvert/pipe size and/or clogging. The group took water temperature readings at 7 locations in the stream and 1 spring tributary. The results showed both increases and decreases in temperature from one location to the next moving upstream to downstream. In one case there was a notable (15.5 degree) increase in temperature likely due to stream widening caused by the earthen berm. The net change from the headwaters to the outlet of Channings Pond, a distance of just over ½ mile, was a 7-degree increase in water temperature. This is notable, especially over such a short distance. Click here to read Dr. Thompson’s observations and assessment. Click here to read full report with maps.
June 4, 2023: MA NFC board members Jeff Moore, Brian Hutchison and Max Heidelberger, with help from Lisa Kumpf of Charles River Watershed Association, deployed the last three temperature loggers on Trout Brook and its tributaries. Two loggers were installed on the mainstem and one on a spring-fed tributaries. From this point forward, the team will download the data collected at each station monthly for analysis at the end of the season.
May 23, 2023: MA NFC board member Jeff Moore accompanied by his wife Jane, grandson Ziggy and the family dog, deployed 4 temperature loggers in the critically important headwaters of Trout Brook. One logger was installed in the uppermost headwater to establish a baseline temperature and detect intermittency if it happens. Two others were installed near some manmade structures to determine their impact on stream temperature and measure light penetration caused by impounding and tree loss. The last was installed downstream of Channings Pond, a 16-acre 100-year-old impoundment that appears to be getting shallower due to siltation.
May 21, 2023: MA NFC board members Jeff Moore and Brian Hutchison deployed the first two temperature loggers on Trout Brook. Both were installed in important spring-fed tributaries to the mainstem and will be used to monitor temperature and flag dryness or intermittency. There are 10 more loggers to go to fully cover the watershed to help identify and notable temperature stressors. The team will be back to work shortly to install more loggers. Thanks to Jake Moore, son of Jeff Moore for making the rebar shepherds hook posts for securing the loggers and pushing into the streambed.
May 12, 2023: MA NFC board members Jeff Moore, Brian Hutchison, Ian Hughes, along with Adam Kautza and Steven from MassWildlife e-fished Trout Brook. They were able to survey 5 out of 6 sections they intended to, aborting one due to deep water and mud. The team surveyed 3 sections upstream of Channings Pond to the headwaters, 1 section immediately downstream of the pond, and 1 section just downstream of Haven Street. While no brook trout were encountered, the group confirmed the presence of native redfin pickerel, chain pickerel, white sucker, banded sunfish, pumpkinseed, tessellated darter, and yellow perch, as well as nonnative yellow bullhead, largemouth bass, and bluegill, and golden shiner which while native to the state may not have been native to Trout Brook. While disappointing, the lack of brook trout is not surprising as the population is seriously depressed at best and possibly extirpated due to notable changes in the watershed over the last few decades including excessive beaver activity, and low water due chronic drought, low snowpack, and increased groundwater use.
May 5, 2023: MA NFC board members Jeff Moore, Brian Hutchison, Adam Eaton and Matt Whipple canoed the section of Trout Brook between Springdale Avenue and Haven Street. With one canoe starting at each bridge, they met in the middle enabling us to see remote and inaccessible sections of Trout Brook that may not have been seen by anyone in years. While the primary intention was to identify any missed stream crossings, potential fish-passage issues, and assess beaver activity in the floodplain, the group fished a bit and watched out for fish as well. While no fish were caught, the group did see what they believe were bass and possibly pickerel. E-fishing, additional angling, and eDNA studies in the fall will help confirm what species are present.
April 13, 2023: MA NFC board members Jeff Moore, NFC Executive Bob Mallard, NFC supporter David Peress and MassWildlife Coldwater Fishery Project Leader Adam Kautza visited the headwaters of Trout Brook to assess Channings Pond, the small cement dam and earthen berm just upstream, as well as the mainstem brook immediately upstream and downstream of the pond.
April 12, 2023: MA NFC board members Jeff Moore and Brian Hutchison, NFC Executive Bob Mallard, and stream habitat expert and NFC National Vice Chair - North, Brian Cowden, visited middle and upper Trout Brook to assess the primary road crossings, the pond at Channing Park, and the primary tributaries to middle and upper Trout Brook.
March 2023: MA NFC board members Jeff Moore, Will Friedland, and Max Heidelberger started regular visits to Trout Brook to assess various sections of the watershed under a variety of conditions including foliage changes and water level fluctuations.
February 2023: NFC Executive Bob Mallard and Dover resident and NFC supporter David Peress collected historical documents and maps to help gain an understanding of what has been done on Trout Brook in regard to infrastructure and when.
February 2023: NFC decided to undertake a project to assess the situation at Trout Brook.
preliminary Observations…
Per NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard, beaver activity on Trout Brook is notably higher than it was a few decades ago. Beaver are well established from the headwaters just upstream of Channings Pond all the way down to the Charles River. The heaviest activity is in the area of Channings Pond, Channing Park and Haven Street. Damming downstream of Channing Park has resulted in the loss of separation between the small manmade pond and Trout Brook. Beaver debris is accumulating at Haven Street and must be removed and hauled away on a regular basis. There is some level of targeted trapping in the vicinity of Haven Street, but it is unclear if this is having any notable impact on the beaver population.
The culverts at the 3 primary road crossings on the mainstem of Trout Brook are insufficient to handle spring run-off and high water events. This leads to impounding upstream of Springdale Avenue, Haven Street and Claybrook Road. In the case of Haven Street, water has backed up into an adjoining cultivated field on more than one occasion. What looks like impounding upstream of Springdale Avenue is as much a result of water being backed up by beaver dams downstream as it is impounded upstream by the culvert.
Between the undersized stream crossings and excessive beaver activity, the floodplain segments are no longer functioning in their normal manner. Specifically, water is being permanently impounded which prevents the stream from temporarily spreading out during high water events. Instead, the stream rises and moves into areas that are not part of the floodplain. The impounded water is also likely warming the overall stream due to a lack of flow and increased surface area and light penetration.
Several crossings on secondary roads, trails and rails on both the mainstem of Trout Brook and its tributaries are impeding the flow at certain water levels. A couple of them may be difficult for fish to pass though at high and low water.
The headwaters of Trout Brook are separated from the rest of the stream from a fish-passage standpoint due to a large stone dam at Channings Pond. A small cement dam and earthen berm just upstream of the dam appear to be impeding and possibly blocking fish passage as well, especially the cement dam.
The areas immediately upstream of Channings Pond and upstream of the earthen berm have suffered notable canopy loss due to beaver activity and stream widening respectively. This is likely causing some level of warming due to sun penetration.
Based on depth checks at Channings Pond, not surprisingly, it appears that the pond is collecting silt and leaf matter and getting shallower. This is reinforced by what appears to be excessive mud depth in what would naturally be a hard-bottom pond. It is also possible that a large multi-generation beaver dam at the head of the pond is impeding fish-passage.
E-fishing exercises upstream of Channings Pond and into the upper headwaters yielded no fish of any species. This could be the result of blacked passage, intermittency, low dissolved oxygen, and/or warm water temperature.
Judging by dry streambeds and the presence of moss covered rocks, it appears that some of the springs feeding Trout Brook are not flowing at the level they once did. This could be the result of development and/or chronic drought conditions. This was noted early in the spring when the streams should have been at their highest.
Over the years, fallen trees, road and trail construction, landscaping, etc., have altered the path of springs flowing into Trout Brook, causing them to spread, go underground, and otherwise not reach the mainstem to the degree they once did. This deprives Trout Brook of critically important coldwater contribution to at least some degree.
Sections of springs feeding Trout Brook have had their canopy removed as a result of landscaping. This is especially true with regard to a spring entering the brook from the west just upstream (south) of Springdale Avenue.
Nonnative and highly invasive largemouth bass and bluegill are well established in the two manmade ponds on Trout Brook: Channings Pond and Channing Park Pond. In both cases these fish are leaking into the brook. Once separated from the stream by a manmade earthen berm, the pond at Channing Park is now basically part of the stream due to impounding caused by beaver activity. Whatever lives or is put into the pond, stocked nonnative rainbow trout, can find its way into the stream.
It appears that a small piped earthen berm just upstream of the small cement dam and impoundment is causing a notable increase in water temperature in upper Trout Brook. The berm is acting like a dam and backing up water upstream, which is widening the stream 10-fold its normal width and causing tree loss due to flooding. Next to Channings Pond itself, this looks to be the biggest stress on the upper stream.
We are concerned that the small impoundment upstream of the cement dam is causing issues with regard to dissolved oxygen. When we cleared debris from the dam face, the impoundment level dropped, and the impoundment bubbled due to the change in pressure while emitting a notable smell of decaying organic matter.
The small impoundment above the cement dam was tested and found to be several feet deeper than the streambed above and below, indicating that the stream was deepened as well as widened. This allows for much more accumulation of organic matter and presents a bit of a challenge in regard to returning the stream to its natural state.