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A Look Under The Ice

Watershed Stories

Keep up with the work of Ausable River Association staff. These stories share information about our stewardship and monitoring work, natural stream restoration, and culvert replacement techniques by highlighting specific projects in the Ausable and Boquet River watersheds of northern New York. They also give you fun facts about the plants and wildlife that live in these watersheds, as well as tips for enjoying responsible, low-impact recreational opportunities.

Mar
18
2024
A Walk Around Mirror Lake
One of my favorite walks when I want to get outside but not into the woods is the 2.5-mile loop around Mirror Lake. The path is paved and well maintained, making it a great option for poor weather days and mud season. I've walked this loop dozens of...
Limnology
Feb
28
2024
Cold Weather Control: Knock these Invasive Plants Out this Winter!
If you're familiar with our blogs, you're probably aware of invasive species and the risks they pose to our ecosystems. These non-native plants and animals overtake niches occupied by native species and, if they are allowed to proliferate, ultimately...
Invasives
Jan
30
2024
Fun with Geomorphology: What Is Stream Order?
Stream order is used in hydrology and geomorphology to classify the hierarchy of a river's tributary network. Segments of streams are given a numerical value that increases as more tributaries converge downstream to create larger streams and rivers. Stream order is related to many of the natural characteristics that we observe within the Ausable watershed and across the region.  
Geomorphology
Jan
10
2024
How Do Ice Jams Form?
Ice jams form when the amount of ice moving in the river exceeds the river channel's transport capacity – its ability to move materials downstream. The process begins when cold winters create thick bank to bank ice on streams. Bank spanning surface ice...
Ecology
Jan
04
2024
Thin Ice
If it feels as though the ice in period has grown later over the years, that is because it has. There has been a significant change in the ice on date over the 120-year period of record.
Climate Change
Nov
29
2023
A Buckthorn In My Side
As we were out conducting Stream Wise assessments for private landowners around the watershed and other field work this year, Ausable River Association staff continuously found three concerning invasive species: buckthorn, honeysuckle, and barberry. Our...
Invasives
Nov
16
2023
Project Area 2 Is Complete!
After rain and flooding delays in July and August, the construction phase of our work at Project Area 2 (PA2) in Upper Jay on the East Branch Ausable River was completed on November 8. The project addressed nearly 3,000 linear feet of river channel with a toe wood bench along the entire length of the right bank (looking downstream) and seven channel-spanning rock enhancements. Project goals were to reduce the formation of ice jams and alleviate flooding impacts in the Town of Jay. The work provided additional benefits: increased buffers along State Route 9N to absorb floods and ice and increased aquatic and riparian habitat.
Restoration
Nov
08
2023
That's A Wrap!
We recently wrapped up the fifth year of our watershed tours and wanted to take the time to reflect on another successful year of this program.
Recreation
Oct
24
2023
What is a lichen?
Lichens can be found almost anywhere. You've probably seen them without even noticing. They grow on a variety of surfaces, from rocks to insects. Lichen is classified as part of the fungal kingdom. But lichens are so much more than any simple category or assumption. They are as unassuming as they are fascinating, easy to overlook or mistake for moss or algae. They are not truly a single entity, but the symbiosis of lichenized fungi and green algae or cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). 
Ecology
Sep
19
2023
Work Continues at Project Area 2 in Upper Jay
After some early delays due to rain and subsequent high water in the river, we have made considerable progress on Project Area 2 (PA2) in Upper Jay.
Restoration

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Our mission — is to help communities protect our streams and lakes.
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Threats
The Ausable River is a river on the edge.
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AsRA is working hard to protect the Ausable River.
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Explore the recreational resources of the Ausable.
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