Clean Air Coalition of Greater Ravena – Coeymans

Every spring volunteers up and down the Hudson River wade into the chilly waters to study juvenile eel migration. The slippery, slimy, little species is vital to the health of a river. As they grow they also become a vital food source for many fish. The study is part of an annual volunteer effort coordinated by the NYS DEC and the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties.

During our walk along Hannacroix Creek, one of only 13 sites between Staten Island and Troy, we met up with the site’s project lead Lindsey Anne Strehlau-Howay. Lindsey works for the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties. The day’s volunteer, Daniel Fleischman, also dressed in warm, waterproof layers, helped to ready the gear needed to do this important work.

The two of them stood knee-deep in the chilly waters bubbling with excitement. They had just discovered that their net had yielded a treasure trove of tiny, transparent fish referred to as “glass eels.”

“One, two, three… yup, we got eels!” beamed Lindsey, as she scooped up handfuls from deep within the housing she installed two weeks prior. The nets will stay in the water for about six to eight weeks.

“Do you mind handing me one of those buckets?” she asked CAC Chair, Barbara Heinzen. Barbara is the nearby homeowner that works hard to protect the rare tidal estuary at constant risk of industrial pollution.

Heinzen pulled the pail up the steep bank and reached into the bottom of it with a small scooper. As she started counting, she tried to snag one of the brown varieties. “Those are called elvers. They are a bit older than the others.” Barbara tallied up 20 letting them flip-flop into another pail. A total of 450 squirmy noodles were counted including an unidentified fish in the net (see last photo below). If you know what it might be, contact Lindsey.

Overall, the species is in decline and that never bodes well for a watershed already struggling from illegal dumping, dredging at the Port of Coeymans, and heavy marine traffic. Environmental conditions also determine calculations every year. After counting the sampling, the little specimens are released back into the river unharmed by their careful methodology.

For those interested in becoming a volunteer, there are spots still open between now and April 15. The volunteer sign-up sheet will show two weeks at a time but the season will last into May, possibly June.

First and foremost, the CAC extends a heartfelt thank you to all who attended this morning’s gathering at the RCS Library. We had a remarkable turnout, we filled every seat. This is especially impressive considering it was a Saturday and the day after a night of (presumably) St. Patty’s Day celebrations. So, thank you!

Secondly, our sincere apologies to those watching our live-streaming feed. Our wifi signal was not nearly as strong as we originally tested resulting in delays and resolution issues. However, a camera recording was made as a backup. The presentation session, shown below, is 45 minutes.

The Q&A session is available upon request to help protect those in the audience that did not want to be recorded. As social media has proven, our efforts to educate and inform can sometimes arouse hateful and hostile reactions aimed at our supporters. Should anyone be subject to intimation, please let us know.

And, finally, thank you to all volunteers, both in front and behind the scenes. It takes an incalculable amount of time and effort to turn the tide but our momentum and perseverance are taking shape in the community and we couldn’t be more grateful.

It’s time to put the brakes on the industrial expansion madness in our area. Please help us by signing the petition and attending one of our Steering Committee meetings for instructions on where we go next. Thank you.

For those who can’t make our “Neighbors Unite” event on Saturday, March 18th at 10:30a at the RCS Library, no worries, you can watch and comment via our YOUTUBE channel. Make sure you subscribe to our channel so you can comment in the chat window. The live stream will begin sharply at 10:30a and run for approximately 90 minutes. Thank you to all for your time and effort to participate in this important discussion.

After looking at the many winter storm warnings for this week, the CAC has decided it makes sense to cancel our Tuesday community meeting. This is disappointing but the good news is we made preliminary plans to reserve Saturday in the event of unexpected weather.  

With heavy snow predicted for Monday night through Wednesday, we didn’t want our attendees at risk of slippery roads. We will resume our presentations on the weekend.

So, please save your energy for March 18th from 10:30-1p. We are anticipating a full room at the Ravena library so be sure to arrive early. Thank you!

Scenic Hudson is looking to help communities increase shoreline access. As a result, they have established a river access website with an easy-to-use map designed to let you indicate where you are using the Hudson River shoreline, what you like to do there, and where you’d like future river access.

Direct links to a brief introductory video and the interactive map are here:
1. An 8-minute video on the HRAP
2. Visit the Interactive Map for your opportunity to make your voice heard.  It’s easy to place your comments and vote.

And, here is the full website: Scenic Hudson’s Hudson River Access Plan (HRAP). Please help Scenic Hudson help you achieve your community’s river access goals by participating in this important survey. You can insert comments on the interactive map, and vote for your favorite access sites until March 31st!