Removal of dams on Bushkill Creek

[Boulders]

Partners in an ecological restoration project led by Wildlands Conservancy look on as a crew with Flyway Excavating begins Friday, July 7, 2023, to remove the dam on the Bushkill Creek just upstream from North Third Street in Easton.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

Removal of dams on Bushkill Creek in Easton is underway

Wildlands Conservancy raised $2 million for the ecological restoration effort spanning three dams in the city.

www.lehighvalleylive.com

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Boulders,

I've never fished the Bushkill, but I think this is great news! Hopefully everything goes smoothly and the restoration stays on track.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[JimNovo]

That is great news.
Now if they can remove the shopping carts and other urban waste that will also really help!

 

[JeffP]

Does this dam hold back a lot of sediment? I guess we will be hearing some of the same complaints after the Cacoosing dam removal.

 

[Kyle]

i live 10 min from the bushkill creek and still never fished it lol. i will this fall, heard its a good brown trout stream.

 

[troutbert]

Does this dam hold back a lot of sediment? I guess we will be hearing some of the same complaints after the Cacoosing dam removal.

Sediment is not really the big issue. That's a very temporary thing. Floods will move it out within a few years.

The big issue to think about with removal of small dams is whether or not there will be good trout holding water (depth and cover) after the project.

If the result is flat, shallow water, lacking in pools, the trout populations will be low.

 

[Boulders]

Overall this will be a significant improvement to the aquatic system. Positive changes will be realized, the natural flow regime will be re-establihed, river temperatures and oxygen levels improve, the organic energy transport will benefit the habitat for the aquatic organisms, the reconnect system will provide migration of fish and other organisms.

 

[JeffP]

Overall this will be a significant improvement to the aquatic system. Positive changes will be realized, the natural flow regime will be re-establihed, river temperatures and oxygen levels improve, the organic energy transport will benefit the habitat for the aquatic organisms, the reconnect system will provide migration of fish and other organisms.

I am totally in favor of it. I just know there were a lot of complaints about the Tully, Spring Creek, etc.

 

[troutbert]

Overall this will be a significant improvement to the aquatic system. Positive changes will be realized, the natural flow regime will be re-establihed, river temperatures and oxygen levels improve, the organic energy transport will benefit the habitat for the aquatic organisms, the reconnect system will provide migration of fish and other organisms.

That's all fine, IF you end up with good trout holding water, i.e. depth and cover. If you don't have good pool habitat, the trout population will be low.

Does anyone have more photos of the stream with the dam in place? And if it's already been removed, does anyone have post-removal photos?

 

[troutbert]

How have the dam removal projects gone on the Little Lehigh? Have trout populations gone up? Is there good holding water (depth and cover) at these sites? If so, how was that accomplished?

 

[Kyle]

i agree. dam removals are beneficial to any stream but at the same time there should be some stream restoration work done after the dam removal to provide pools, runs, structure, tree plantings to support banks, etc... one dam removal i witness opened the river up again but its now a shallow and flat stream bed with nothing. even placing some large boulders would help make pools and runs in the future.

 

[CalBar]

I have stayed at a cabin for the last two years on Bushkill. On Stony Creek Rd. to be precise. Always good (stocked) fishing. This year (June 17th to 25th) the creek was noticeably lower than the year before. This will certainly help the situation.

 

[troutbert]

I have stayed at a cabin for the last two years on Bushkill. On Stony Creek Rd. to be precise. Always good (stocked) fishing. This year (June 17th to 25th) the creek was noticeably lower than the year before. This will certainly help the situation.

The removal of dams will not increase or decrease the rate of flow (cubic feet per second) of the stream.

 

[Fish Sticks]

Could have missed it did they say how many miles will be opened up for shad, eels, and other fish?

 

[Nymph-wristed]

The last one they took down seemed to do some good, but there is still the trickiest one in my opinion above 13th Street where the crick makes a 90% at the wall...

I have stayed at a cabin for the last two years on Bushkill. On Stony Creek Rd. to be precise. Always good (stocked) fishing. This year (June 17th to 25th) the creek was noticeably lower than the year before. This will certainly help the situation.

Different crick. This one is near Easton and a limestone influenced creek.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I don't think the last removal before this one in the special regs area did any long term damage. No shad are going anywhere until they tackle the dam above 13th St. There is a 90 degree turn and a wall below that one....

Anyone know if there are plans published for the remaining removals or public comments, etc?

 

[Nymph-wristed]

i agree. dam removals are beneficial to any stream but at the same time there should be some stream restoration work done after the dam removal to provide pools, runs, structure, tree plantings to support banks, etc... one dam removal i witness opened the river up again but its now a shallow and flat stream bed with nothing. even placing some large boulders would help make pools and runs in the future.

Just look at the one above Fish Hatchery Rd on the LL for evidence of a need for what you are talking about IMHO.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

And will the Commish stop stocking browns here too to help the cause 😉

 

[Fish Sticks]

And will the Commish stop stocking browns here too to help the cause 😉

i would think both the lehigh, buskills, broadhead ect have atleast seasonal brown trout populations near the delaware. It would be interesting to see what interactions they have on American/hickory shad or eels. To your point hatchery fish are not good for any fish invasive or native but words 5 and 6 in the above sentence are problematic to impossible in general with that organization

 

[Nympho]

I don't think the last removal before this one in the special regs area did any long term damage. No shad are going anywhere until they tackle the dam above 13th St. There is a 90 degree turn and a wall below that one....

Anyone know if there are plans published for the remaining removals or public comments, etc?

I have watched multiple trout and suckers swim up that dam in higher water conditions. That dam is the least troublesome on that whole creek.