Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

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Rusty Spinner
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Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

Post by Rusty Spinner » Tue May 25, 2021 8:29 am

Trout Unlimited hired my firm (Trout Scapes River Restoration LLC) to restore 1 1/2 miles of the Lopat in Lopatcong, Greenwich and Philipsburg near route 22 and Stryker Road. This project will restore vertical banks to a 3:1 slope, better allowing the river access to its floodplain. In-stream habitat will be restored and we have some excellent data showing where cold groundwater upwellings exist so that we can focus spawning habitat in those areas known to spawn native brook trout. It will also benefit the wild browns in the lower stream. We hope to be working in stream around June 8th and await the final permit which has been approved and sits on a desk for a signature at DEP. I will post photos once we begin this project.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

PortMurrayAng
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Re: Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

Post by PortMurrayAng » Tue May 25, 2021 2:36 pm

Awesome!

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

Post by Rusty Spinner » Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:33 am

Finally reached the supervisor in DEP Land Use yesterday to make sure their final permit was being issued in time for us to begin. Cool guy and someone I had yet to meet in person. After talking about the Lopat and two other projects his team is reviewing, he said regarding to the Lopat: "Brian, you're good to go on the final permit and please get in that river next week and restore our trout waters". It's always good to talk to DEP people that "get it". I'll post pix here or start a new thread here next week. This is at least 11 days for the first trip and another 11 days for the lower section, so we won't be done until July some time. I can't run our crew in excavators and other support equipment more than 14 straight days or so before they need a break. Hence two trips for the Lopatcong.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

martalus
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Re: Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

Post by martalus » Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:36 am

While email, zoom, phone are ok to transmit basic information, sometimes it just takes in-person communication to get the message across.

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

Post by Rusty Spinner » Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:01 pm

martalus wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:36 am
While email, zoom, phone are ok to transmit basic information, sometimes it just takes in-person communication to get the message across.
So true! I'm very old fashioned and want to meet folks face to face, look them in the eye, and get a read on them whenever I'm conducting business. But many people like to hide behind the phone or keyboard and that trend is growing and not shrinking one bit. We need to stay connected and not hidden in a dark room in our basements. The pandemic enabled the trolls to stay in their basements, but time to renew the face to face business meeting.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

Post by Rusty Spinner » Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:15 pm

Some before, during and after of site 6 on the Morris Canal site which is the upper 1/2 mile of this 1 1/2 mile long project. We start up on the final section at Lock Street next week again.
Pre Restoration site 6 bank.JPG
Pre Restoration site 6 bank.JPG (1.89 MiB) Viewed 9211 times
IMG_4062 (002).jpg
IMG_4062 (002).jpg (367.03 KiB) Viewed 9211 times
IMG_4786 (003).jpg
IMG_4786 (003).jpg (392.23 KiB) Viewed 9211 times
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Lopatcong Creek restoration to begin in June

Post by Rusty Spinner » Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:16 pm

We need volunteers on the 18th and 19th to pull coir matting which is that coconut fiber material you see on the bank after we re-slope the banks. We will also need volunteers to help plant later this fall. Dates TBD but on weekends mostly.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

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