NEWRY – A Canadian river expert who assessed the lower Sunday River watershed in 2001 returns this coming week to do the upper half.
That’s why Jeff Stern, project manager for the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District in Paris, is seeking volunteers to help collect in-river information during the week of June 2-6.
“This is our chance to study what’s going on in the river, an important addition to all of the off-river survey work we’ve already done,” Stern said.
Over the past two years, volunteers from the watershed, the Mollyockett Chapter of Trout Unlimited, OCSWCD staff and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection have documented more than 300 off-river erosion sites along the out-of-control river.
“The Sunday River is trying to adjust to the huge volume of sediment loading that is taking place throughout the watershed. Rivers, over time, evolve to transport water, sediment and other debris.
“When one or more of these factors is thrown out of whack, the result can include accelerated bank erosion, new channel cutting, loss of flood plain habitat, channel widening and destructive flooding, all of which are taking place on the Sunday River. These are signs that the river is trying to re-establish its equilibrium,” Stern said.
In 2001, fluvial geomorphologist John Parish of Ontario was brought in to help local, county and state officials and landowners determine why the river is out of whack by studying its dynamics.
“Fluvial geomorphology involves things like surveying, measuring channel dimension and meander patterns, and gathering lots of additional data.
“Only in this way will we learn where the river’s at in its evolution, and how we can work with the river to restore its natural function, and, at the same time, protect roads, bridges, homes and riparian areas,” Stern added.
Funding from the Maine Department of Transportation and Trout Unlimited enabled Parish’s return.
Parish will be training volunteers starting at 9 a.m. Monday, June 2, at the Sunday River Inn. He will then be supervising volunteers during fieldwork from Tuesday, June 3, through Friday, June 6.
Volunteers are encouraged to attend the training and participate in at least two days in the field, Stern said.
For more information, phone Stern at 743-5789, extension 3.
tkarkos@sunjournal.com
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