The u s fish and wildlife service service will partner with the rangeley lakes heritage trust rlht , trout unlimited TU , and the maine department of inland fisheries and wildlife IFW , to restore and…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide $1,000,000 through a Cooperative Agreement to the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust to restore and enhance brook trout habitat in the Upper Kennebago River watershed in Maine from September 2022 to September 2025. As part of the Coastal Program, the project aims to apply habitat assessments to design restoration treatments incorporating large woody material installations. Treatments will recreate natural stream channels and accelerate recovery from a century of forest practices. The Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust will conduct assessments, design plans, and implement stream and riparian restoration with assistance from Trout Unlimited, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and technical consultants. Communication with stakeholders on objectives and relevance will also occur. The funding and period of performance are consistent with voluntary coastal habitat protection and restoration projects benefiting federal trust species under the Coastal Program.

The u s fish and wildlife service service will partner with the rangeley lakes heritage trust rlht , trout unlimited TU , and the maine department of inland fisheries and wildlife IFW , to restore and enhance the upper kennebago watershed s brook trout habitat in both the mainstem of the kennebago river and in the tributary streams that feed both the river and kennebago lake rlht will expend 1,000,000 in federal award funding over the next 3 years to recreate a natural stream channel and accelerate the recovery of the mainstem river, and river and lake tributaries from alterations associated with over a century of forest practices and associated road management the addition of large wood will be one primary action to restore and enhance habitat the lack of large wood within many of maine s streams has reduced habitat complexity critical to the survival of many aquatic organisms including brook trout this project will complete the following tasks during its period of performance conduct habitat assessments of specific stream reaches, including the condition of road crossings culverts, assessment of instream wood and channel complexity and water temperatures to inform the selection of restoration methods such assessments, which will include standard geomorphological and environmental engineering techniques and may also include temperature logging to determine the location of groundwater discharge points, will be conducted by rlht and TU, with assistance from IFW and USFWS apply the results of those assessments to design and plan restoration treatments rlht and TU, with assistance from IFW and USFWS and possible third party consultant conduct stream channel and riparian zone restoration projects rlht and TU, with assistance from IFW and USFWS and possible third party consultant communicate to stakeholders, including potential additional funders, regarding the initiative s objectives, rationale, and relevance rlht