2nd Annual Connecticut River Canoe and Kayak Trip - June 13, 2009
Kings Island Boat Launch (Connecticut River) Enfield, CT (map)

The Scantic River Watershed Association is pleased to announce it's 2nd Annual Connecticut River Canoe and Kayak trip. We will be meeting at the Parsons Road Boat Launch @9:30am,
on June 13th. The trip will be downriver to the Bissel Ferry Boat Launch, in Windsor. You can either bring your own lunch, or order Grinders, which will be delivered to us riverside. Bring your own Boat, Paddle and Life Jacket. This trip is open to the public.
The trip is free, but the SRWA requests a non-perishable food item for the Enfield Food Shelf from each participant. Heavy rain cancels trip. For more info contact trip co-leaders Patrick
Sharron: 860-331-6743, Gayle Manning: 1-413-525-1246

Click to zoom

Upcoming Historical Walk along the Scantic River in Hazardville, CT- June 6, 10 AM

Location: Powder Mill Barn, 32 South Maple Street (Click here for Map)

Join the Enfield Recreation Department and the Scantic River Watershed Association in celebrating National Trails Day. The two mile leisurely hike will tour the Hazardville Powder Company remains and scenic beauty of the Scantic River. Wear appropriate footwear and bring bottled water.

Location: Powder Mill Barn, South Maple Street
Hazardville Powder Company Tour
Observation date: 6/6/09

Bird Watching - May 3, 2009
Somersville Mill Pond, CT

Join members of the Scantic River Watershed Association for a spring birding paddle on the Scantic River on Sunday May 3rd, 2009.  We are meeting at 7:30 AM at the Mill Pond on Maple Street in Somersville for a leisurely 2-3 hour paddle upstream looking for early spring migrants and other wildlife.  Bring canoe/kayak, pfd, water/snacks, and binoculars would be helpful.  Contact Jan Collins,  jgcollins@cox.net or 749-2701 for more info.  Light rain OK, heavy downpour cancels.

Location: Mill Pond, Scantic River, Somers
Observation date: 5/3/09
Notes: SRWA Birding Paddle on Scantic River
Number of species: 34

> Canada Goose 12
> Wood Duck 1
> Mallard 6
> Great Blue Heron 2
> Red-tailed Hawk 1
> Spotted Sandpiper 5
> Solitary Sandpiper 1
> Rock Pigeon 6
> Mourning Dove 4
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
> Downy Woodpecker 1
> Eastern Phoebe 1
> Warbling Vireo 3
> Blue Jay 4
> American Crow 3
> Tree Swallow 10
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6
> Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
> American Robin 5
> Gray Catbird 2
> Northern Mockingbird 1
> Yellow Warbler 10
> Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
> Black-and-white Warbler 1
> Northern Waterthrush 1
> Common Yellowthroat 2
> Song Sparrow 1
> Northern Cardinal 4
> Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
> Red-winged Blackbird 12
> Common Grackle 5
> Baltimore Oriole 4
> House Finch 1
> American Goldfinch 2

Map to Somersville Mill Pond, CT

CAR WASH

to sponsor an Eagle Project
by Nicholas Caruso
of Troop 818

Date: Saturday, May 23rd

Rate Date: Sunday, May 24th

Time: 9 am to 2 pm

Place: Raffia Road Service Center, 105 Raffia Road, Enfield

Pre-sale car wash tickets are available for $5.00 or stop by that day to get your car washed.  Donations are greatly appreciated.   Any questions, please feel free to give me a call at 749-0595.  Checks can be made out to Nicholas Caruso by May 19th.

Earth Day - April 22, 2009
Ideas to reduce your environmental footprint

1. Change 5 lights
   Change a light, and you help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products
   When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances.

From the US EPA and US DoE…Choosing energy-efficient products can save families about 30% ($400 a year) while reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases. Whether you are looking to replace old appliances, remodel, or buy a new house, you can help. ENERGY STAR is the government's backed symbol for energy efficiency. The ENERGY STAR label makes it easy to know which products to buy without sacrificing features, style or comfort that today's consumers expect.

1. Heat and cool smartly
   Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.
2. Seal and insulate your home
   Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great do-it-yourself project. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement.  If you are planning to replace windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance.  Forced air ducts that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy wasters.  Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home.  Not sure where to begin? A home energy auditor can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Use green power
   Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two ways to use green power: you can buy green power or you can modify your house to generate your own green power. Buying green power is easy, it offers a number of environmental and economic benefits over conventional electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it helps increase clean energy supply. If you are interested, there are a number of steps you can take to create a greener home , including installing solar panels and researching incentives for renewable energy in your state .
4. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
   If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
5. Be green in your yard
   Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings (PDF, 8 pp., 1.59 MB, About PDF). Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. See EPA’s GreenScapes program for tips on how to improve your lawn or garden while also benefiting the environment. Smart Landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce your household’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Saturday - March 28th 2009
Scantic Spring Splash at 11:00

The Scantic River Watershed wishes to thank the 185 athletes and many volunteers who have contributed their time and monies to this 18th Annual Scantic Spring Splash benefit race. This race was a hit due to the many sponsors that supported a well organized Enfield Food Shelf benefit race. Nearly 500 lbs of food was donated from everyone who attended the race. See the many great pictures

Pat Sharron and Jeff Dynia of the Scantic River Watershed organization assisted in unloading a canoe full of donated food items for the Enfield Food Shelf. Both spectators and paddlers alike were "Being a fan by donating a can" in the 18th Annual Scantic Spring Canoe & Kayak Race. See the pictures to see what you missed.

Sunday - February 22 at 11:00

Join the Scantic River Watershed Association
East Windsor Town Line

Click here to see riverbank hike photos>

We will explore the riverbank and the remains of the Wickett Bridge, which crossed the Scantic River until 1936 when a flood washed it out. The hike will mostly be on East Windsor town land and on the unimproved section of Plantation Rd., which crosses Rye St. in the southwestern corner of East Windsor.

Meet at the intersection of Rye St. and Plantation Rd. Expect snow and uneven, possibly wet terrain.

For more information, call 623-5487

Click Here to see additional pictures of this Historic Place.

Super Bowl hike set for Enfield on Feb. 1
This years pictures from Rich Tanguay
(click here for pictures from last year- album1)

The Scantic River Watershed Association is inviting the public to join in on its second annual Super Bowl hike, set for Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1.

The leisurely hike will take hikers along the Scantic River. The hike will begin at the Scantic River State Park land off Bailey Road. The trail winds upriver towards the Somersville Mill Pond and then loops back.

The hike will tour the historic canals and powerhouse of the old Enfield Power Company and participants will be able to enjoy the scenic and natural beauty of the banks of the Scantic River.

Part of the hike requires hiking a moderately steep incline. The total distance of the hike is two to three miles. Participants are advised to wear hiking shoes, dress warmly, and to show off their favorite Super Bowl team colors, if they’d like.

Participants should meet the hiking group at 10 a.m. at the dirt road access across from 32 Bailey Road, which is off Route 191. They are asked to park on the north side of the street and carpool if possible, since parking is limited.

Heavy precipitation of rain or snow cancels the hike. For more information contact hike leader Rex Joffray at (860) 698-9738 or via e-mail at Rjoffray@cox.net

A Beautiful Day, a Rousing History Lures Large Group To Join Hazardville Powder Company Hike

Approximately 100 people joined members of the Scantic River Watershed Association and three local historians for an interpretive history and hike at the site of the old Hazardville Powder Company on Saturday, Nov. 29.

The Association, sponsors of the event, invited historians Ralph Sweet and Jeff Dynia of Enfield and Elliot Levy of Longmeadow, MA to discuss the significance of the Powder Company and point out its historic sights and ruins.

The event, complimented by a cool, sunny morning, began inside the landmark 1856 Powder Hollow Red Barn on South Maple Street, which is owned by Sweet. The Red Barn is one of the only buildings left from that erahoused the horses used to transport the powder.

Levy brought a handful of gun powder artifacts and gave a detailed overview of the Hazardville Powder Company's important role as the second largest gunpowder manufacturer in the country. The Powder Company supplied 40 percent of the Union gunpowder for the Civil War and also provided a substantial amount of the blasting powder for the development of roads and railways across the country.

Following the introduction in the Red Barn, the group hiked along the beautiful cascading rapids at Scantic Rapids State park to view the Powder Company's remains.

According to Levy, one of the wheel mills named "Man Killer" received its name from the dangerous process of mixing the highly explosive powder ingredients (charcoal, sulfur and saltpeter) into the double wheel mills that weighed up to nine tons each. Levy further explained that the gunpowder was so combustible that an errant spark could possibly explode given the right conditions. No one ever knew what caused the spark that would ignite one of the 37 explosions, anyone who knew was killed.

At the high point of the company's operation there were over 200 buildings surrounded by a series of dams and a labyrinth of canals that provided the power and water for the mills. Few visible ruins remain so historians face a challenging task to reproduce sketches of the complex from what little information is written down in the company's history.

The three historians captivated the group with their interpretation of the manufacturing process by pointing out where the mills once stood and how materials were transported from one mill to the next using "angel buggies"a term that described those who died when their buggy exploded.

Homage was paid to Colonel Augustus Hazard, an owner of the company and the namesake for the town of Hazardville. Colonel Hazard was a highly successful businessman who, at one time, owned real estate in more states than anyone else in the country.

At the conclusion of the hike Levy read from an old newspaper article that described the results of one of the many explosions as "atomizing its victims, breaking windows as far north as Springfield and being heard as far away as Northampton, Massachusetts."

The Scantic River Watershed Association requested each hiker to bring a non perishable food item to the event. One hundred and sixty five pounds of food items were donated to the Enfield Food Shelf for restocking after the Thanksgiving holiday.
(recent pictures of trail clean up)

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING –
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2008

The General Public and the members of the watershed are invited to the 5th Annual Meeting of the Scantic River Watershed Association on Sunday October 19th at the Somers Senior Center at 6:00pm located at 19 Battle Street in Somers CT.

The Guest speaker this year will be Kirsten Martin who will give a slide show presentation on Connecticut River dragonflies.

Kirsten Martin holds a bachelor of science in wildlife management degree from the University of New Hampshire, and a master of science in environmental education degree from Southern Oregon University.  She is an avid dragonfly and aquatic insect enthusiast, and spends countless hours exploring the ponds, rivers, and streams of New England. Kirsten is currently on the faculty at Bay Path College in Longmeadow, MA, and also teaches environmental science at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, CT.  Kirsten is a Phd. candidate at Antioch University New England, and has recently completed an extensive three year study on nymphal dragonfly mortality along the shorelines of the Connecticut River in northern Massachusetts.

An update on the Scantic River Greenway Grant  and project for the new non motorized multi use trails along the Scantic will also highlight the evening.

A free pot luck dessert buffet will be served along with various beverages.

Seeking volunteers for the 6th annual bio assessment and river Monitoring Testing of the Scantic River

The Scantic River Watershed Association is seeking volunteers for the 6th annual bio assessment and river Monitoring Testing of the Scantic River sponsored by the Scantic River Watershed Association.   This educational event will take place on Saturday October 18, 2008.

Volunteers will meet at 10:00am at the Powder Mill Red Barn located near the bridge at South Maple Street, in Enfield, CT.   After the training, the group will be assigned to teams that will cover different locations on the river in Enfield and Somers.

Volunteers will then wade into the river to collect the samples of aquatic macro invertebrates which will be sorted and recorded. The information gathered will then become part of the Connecticut DEP report on the water quality of the rivers in the state.

Volunteers will also doing some testing of the river water and be included in the World Water Monitoring Day program hosted by The Water Environment Federation (WEF). The volunteers will be testing for four key indicators of water quality: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. World Water Monitoring Day offers communities around the world a chance to positively impact the health of rivers, lakes, estuaries, and other water bodies.

This is a great volunteer opportunity for citizens and students of the area to monitor the Scantic River Watershed. This is a great outdoor activity that can count towards a students Community Service time. Come be apart of an exciting 6th annual study of the water quality of the Scantic River. Volunteers are needed to examine aquatic macro invertebrates that live on the bottom of the river and under rocks and to take other tests to monitor the river.

The presence or absence of certain aquatic invertebrates can give an accurate reading on the health of the river. Past years study showed that the Scantic river to be in good – clean condition.

For further for additional information – please contact – Michael Dynia – 860 – 745-9986, or email at – mdynia@yahoo.com and Pat Sharron – 741-2324 or garftcv@sbcglobal.net

12th Annual Connecticut River
Source to Sea Clean Up

(Saturday October 4, 2008)

The event is Co - Sponsored by both the Enfield Conservation Commission, and the Scantic River Watershed Association.


The clean-up crew of 2008 enjoy continue their efforts
even with Jeff Dynia's singing vocals.

)
Creative barge - 4 by 8's, drilled holes & tie-raps.
(Mike Lupi, Jeff Dynia, Danielle J., Matt J. and Steve Jacques

Lee Garrity & Mike Dynia

The town of Enfield steps up in contributing with the cleanup
of Connecticut River Source to Sea Program.

Volunteers are being sought for this year’s Connecticut River Source to Sea, a one-day community cleanup of the Connecticut River and the Scantic River, on Saturday October 4, 2008. The mega event is coordinated by the Connecticut River Watershed Council. This event includes the rivers entire length – from the source at the Canadian border 410 miles to the sea at Long Island Sound.

The volunteers are encouraged to bring canoes, kayaks, and motorized boats to help with the cleanup.

Volunteers will meet at the South River Street – Donald Barnes Boat Launch in Enfield and designated areas along the Scantic River in Somers, Enfield at 8:30 am for registration and work assignment. This years clean up will be expanded to include more areas along the Scantic River which will be coordinated by the Scantic River Watershed Association.  This year work crews will be cleaning up three different sections. Volunteers will be cleaning up the shoreline from the boat launch up to state line, the Parsons Road Boat launch along the shore north of boat launch and crews will be doing some clean up along the Scantic River in Enfield, East Windsor & Somers.

Christine Luis-Schultz, CRWC’s Outreach Director who is organizing the Cleanup explained, “Last year’s volunteers hauled 50 tons of trash from 61 locations along streams and rivers in four states.  We had over 2,000 participants, and this year we hope to have even more.  The Cleanup is a great way to take care of your community and your favorite river.” 

This is the seventh year that the cleanup has been conducted in Enfield.  The Enfield Fire Department, Thompsonville Fire Department, Enfield Marine Police and Town of Enfield Public works employees will assist the volunteers with the cleanup in the Enfield areas.

For further information on how to join this great effort or make a donation of money or supplies such as trash bags, work gloves,  or plywood please call for the  Enfield Clean Up - Betty Slanetz at 860-749-8319 , Mike Dynia at 860-745-9986, mdynia@yahoo.com or Gretchen Pfeifer-Hall at 860-749-6594.

What is a watershed? Naturalist Paul Wiegman talks with Allegheny Front radio host Matthew Craig about watersheds and why it's important to conserve them.  

 
More films will be displayed here from local Scantic River film producers.
"Scantic Spring Splash Canoe Race 2008"
Edited and produced from Nick Petrone.