FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    
Jeff Lindberg, Merrimack River Valley TU President (603)-305-0029
Erin Mooney, TU National Press Secretary, (703) 284-9408
 
Merrimack River Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter Merrimack River Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter Receives Grant to Study Dam Removal on the Souhegan River  

Arlington, Va.-- Trout Unlimited, (TU) the nation’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization, today awarded a $7,000 Embrace-A-Stream grant to its Merrimack River Valley chapter in New Hampshire to conduct a feasibility study to remove two dams on the Souhegan River in Milford, N.H.

If removed, the dams would open up six miles of river for trout and salmon habitat. The chapter will work with the town of Milford as well as the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to conduct the feasibility survey. The determination about the removal of the dams is expected to occur in June 2012.

“Through the hard work of TU members across the country, we are able to put our organization’s mission into action,” said Bryan Moore, Vice President for Volunteer Operations and Watershed Programs.  “TU's grassroots members work tirelessly to protect and restore the nation's coldwater resources so that they will exist for generations to come.”   

Embrace-A-Stream is the flagship grant program for funding TU grassroots conservation efforts.  Funding is provided primarily through the support of TU members, with additional support in 2010 provided by Costa del Mar and the FishAmerica Foundation.  An Embrace-A-Stream Committee comprised of TU volunteer representatives and scientific advisors evaluates all proposed projects and makes the awards.

In 2010, the Embrace-A-Stream program will provide over $125,000 to 24 projects in 15 states. Projects will address stream habitat restoration, improving fish passage and protecting water quality.  Many of the projects will benefit eastern brook trout from Maine to Georgia, and will help protect cutthroat trout in the West as well as coho and Chinook salmon in the Pacific Northwest.  Since the program’s inception in 1976, Embrace-A-Stream has funded more than 950 individual projects totaling approximately $4 million. As a result of this funding from Embrace-A-Stream, the projects have leveraged more than $12.7 million in additional funding.

Trout Unlimited is North America’s leading coldwater fisheries conservation organization, with more than 140,000 members dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.