The North Branch "Live Stream"
Explore the aquatic ecosystem of the North Branch of the Winooski River.
Broadcasting live from inside NBNC's aquarium, this exhibit recreates the biodiversity and environment from the main stretch of the North Branch of the Winooski River. See if you can identify the fish and invertebrates you find!
Click on the critters below
to find out more!
![bluntnose minnow Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales notatus): Common in our stretch of the North Branch, male bluntnose minnows are the primary caretakers of the eggs that females lay. They keep the eggs agitated by bumping them with fleshy tubercles that sprout on their head during the spawning season. To distinguish this species from other minnows, look for a rounded, blunt nose, a dark stripe along the lateral line, and a dot in the dorsal fin.](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/bluntnose-minnow-color-final-scaled-e1620313296688-300x160.jpg)
![fathead minnow Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas): Since this small baitfish can tolerate warm, turbid, and poorly oxygenated conditions, fathead minnows can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including stretches of river with high levels of sedimentation. They are closely related to the bluntnose minnow but their short snout does not overhang their upturned mouth and they lack the dot in the dorsal fin.](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/fathead-minnow-final-1-scaled-e1620313313365-300x168.jpeg)
![longnose dace Longnose Dace (Rhinichthys cataractae) - These residents of swift-flowing cold water streams and rivers, use their elongated snout to search for macro-invertebrates in between boulders and cobble. Thick streambank vegetation and dense canopy cover hold soil in place and keep water cool, providing optimal conditions for longnose dace. The presence of this species can be an indicator of a healthy stream.](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/longnose-dace-color-final-scaled-e1620313337691-300x147.jpg)
![tessellated darter Tessellated Darter (Etheostoma olmstedi): This small member of the perch family spends most of its life hugging the bottom of sandy rivers in search of invertebrates to eat. Unlike most fish, darters lack a swim bladder, an organ that adds buoyancy. This allows them to cling to the substrate even in powerful river currents.](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/tessellated-darter-color-final-2-scaled-e1620313506558-300x174.jpg)
![virile crayfish Crayfish: The North Branch is home to two crayfish species: the virile crayfish (non-native) and the northern clearwater crayfish (native). Virile crayfish will often have two dark spots on each segment of the abdomen or “tail,” while the northern clearwater crayfish will have a dark “saddle” extending down the length of the abdomen.](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/virile-crayfish-color-final-3-scaled-e1620313466892-300x210.jpg)
![northern clearwater crayfish Crayfish: The North Branch is home to two crayfish species: the virile crayfish (non-native) and the northern clearwater crayfish (native). Virile crayfish will often have two dark spots on each segment of the abdomen or “tail,” while the northern clearwater crayfish will have a dark “saddle” extending down the length of the abdomen.](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/northern-clearwater-color-2-scaled-e1620313456971-300x205.jpg)
![mussel color Mussels: As part of nature’s cleaning crew, a single freshwater mussels filters .5 to 1.25 gallons of water per hour, removing bacteria, algae, zooplankton, and other suspended particles. Mussel populations spread by having their larvae hitch a ride on the gills or fins of fish, which carry them to a new suitable habitat. Often the larvae are host specific, meaning they will only adhere to certain species of fish.](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mussel-color-final-4-300x165.jpg)
Illustrations by Maya Akazawa
The North Branch River "Quest"
Added May 2022! Part scavenger hunt, part treasure map.
Explore the North Branch with this Quest that will bring you to our favorite places along the river. Learn about river ecology, history, and conservation in this family-friendly, rhyming adventure. Hard copies available at the trailhead kiosk and at our indoor aquariums.
A Watershed Tour
The parts of a river, from the mountains to the mouth.
Anatomy of a Healthy River
Important parts of a diverse and resilient river system.
Be Stream Smart!
What you can do to protect our rivers and streams.
![grass grass](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grass-150x150.png)
Un-lawn
Mow less often and set the blade higher. Replace areas of lawn with woody plants and perennials. A wilder yard makes for much better stormwater retention and creates habitat for birds and other critters. Aerate compacted soil each year by creating deep holes with a pitchfork.
![fish fish](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/fish-150x150.png)
De-tox
Pesticides and fertilizers are extremely harmful to aquatic life, and the majority of chemical applications wind up in the waterways. Instead, use chemical-free pest control strategies, and add clover to naturally fertilize the grass in your (smaller) lawn.
![dogpoop dogpoop](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/dogpoop-150x150.png)
Scoop the Poop
Dog poop is unlike that of wild animals, and contains a staggering amount of bacteria and nutrients that greatly impair water quality. Dog waste belongs in the trash, not on the trail or in the woods. For more, check out our piece on The Ecology of Dog Poop.
![forestbuffer forestbuffer](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/forestbuffer-150x150.png)
Buff Up
Maintain wide forested buffers by planting native, woody vegetation along streams (even small ones!) and rivers. This reduces erosion, absorbs and filters stormwater, and gives wildlife a place to move.
![house house](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/house-150x150.png)
Build Better
Install home systems to manage stormwater. Use rain barrels to collect water from the roof for use in the dry season. Keep gravel driveways crowned, and install water bars to divert runoff into vegetation and away from storm drains. Rethink the amount of impervious surface you need in your yard, neighborhood, and community.
![faucet faucet](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/faucet-150x150.png)
Drain Brain
Storm drains empty directly into the river, so be mindful of what goes in there. Wash cars at the carwash or on permeable ground, not in the street. Keep the drains clear of leaves, grass clippings, and gravel. Don’t dump trash, paint, or other waste down the storm drains.
![beaver beaver](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/beaver-150x150.png)
Beaver Buddy
Encourage dams made by beavers over dams made by people. Beaver dams filter pollution and sediment while creating habitat, whereas concrete dams alter water levels and create barriers for wildlife movement.
![heron heron](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/heron-150x150.png)
Act Natural
Keep forests forested and wetlands wet! These intact ecosystems filter and store rain and snowmelt while regulating temperatures and nutrients. They are also critical to reducing floods and stormwater surges.
![city city](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/city-150x150.png)
Room to Roam
Support city planning that lets the river wander. A healthy river needs to spill into its floodplain. Advocate against river straightening, channelizing or armoring. Instead, keep new buildings and roads away from the floodplain. As climate change increases storm severity, “room to roam” is the key to avoiding damaging floods downstream.
![impervious The impervious landscape around the North Branch and the Winooski River in downtown Montpelier](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/impervious2.jpg)
Thank You
The creation of this website, and the "North Branch Live Stream," was made possible by support from John & Liz Snell and members of the Montpelier community.
This work is a collaboration of Friends of the Winooski River and North Branch Nature Center. This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement (LC00A00604) to NEIWPCC in partnership with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
Thank you to Maya Akazawa for species illustrations, and Linda Mirabile of RavenMark for graphic design.
"And in the quiet I hear the voice of the river passing among the rocks and over stones...
perhaps this is where our speech began. Maybe long ago before there were words,
there was only the river and the people listened to the water…and the quiet whispering.”
—John Francis, Planetwalker
![NBNC400 North Branch Nature Center](https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NBNC400-150x150.png)
713 Elm Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05602
(802) 229-6206
Hours: Center Open Monday-Friday 9-4
Trails Open 24/7