Stream improvements after Sandy

[FarmerDave]

Here is an article that I found interesting.

Troutbert especially, I know you like this stuff.

link

 

[troutbert]

Good stuff, thanks for posting it.

"— The 2016 removal of the Hughesville Dam on the Musconetcong River in New Jersey. In just a few months, an American shad was found upstream of the former dam site, which environmental officials say could be the first to make it that far since the dam was built in 1889."

Someday maybe the dams on the Schuylkill and the Lehigh Rivers will be removed, restoring shad runs to those river systems.

 

[Mike]

No intact dam has been removed from either River; removals have been preceded by breaches. Fishways have been constructed on four Schuylkill dams and three Lehigh dams, but removals are preferable. Somewhat natural fish passage facilities, developed more recently, are also preferable where space allows. In effect, these are wide sets of rapids, eddies, and pools created from placed rock and other materials that extend from the top of a dam to its base and far enough downstream to create a gradual slope. Some can also be used by kayakers as a whitewater park, thus serving two purposes.

Major tribs to the Schuylkill and Lehigh have had a number of dams removed and some are still in the planning stages. Some have most likely benefitted or will benefit trout. Depending upon the dam or fishway, beneficiaries have been White Sucker migration, American Eel migration, Sea Lamprey migration (not harmful in their natural ecosystems), and migration of a number of warmwater sport fish.

As for the River fishways, over thirty species utilize Fairmount Dam fishway on the Schuylkill in Philly, for example. Substantive migrations of SMB, catfish of various species, sunfish species, white Suckers, Walleye, Golden Shiners, Gizzard Shad, and even Common Carp and Quillback occur. Stripers and White Perch also move through. The occasional wild Brown Trout and a good number of stocked trout are also seen on occasion. In the neighborhood of a couple thousand American Shad also utilize Fairmount in a given spring.

 

[Dave_W]

Mike wrote:

As for the River fishways, over thirty species utilize Fairmount Dam fishway on the Schuylkill in Philly, for example. Substantive migrations of SMB, catfish of various species, sunfish species, white Suckers, Walleye, Golden Shiners, Gizzard Shad, and even Common Carp and Quillback occur. Stripers and White Perch also move through. The occasional wild Brown Trout and a good number of stocked trout are also seen on occasion. In the neighborhood of a couple thousand American Shad also utilize Fairmount in a given spring.

Interesting. I'm curious about the fishway....

How does this fishway at Fairmount Dam function? Is it an elevator?I believe it has a camera system? Are the fish identified by photographs?

 

[afishinado]

DaveW wrote:
Interesting. I'm curious about the fishway....

How does this fishway at Fairmount Dam function? Is it an elevator?I believe it has a camera system? Are the fish identified by photographs?

Fairmount Dam info >

https://www.phila.gov/water/PDF/Fairmount_Dam2009052.pdf





Fish Cam >

 

[shadspoon]

In Maine the 2 lower dams on the Penobscot River have been removed and a "natural bypass" was installed at Howland. This opened a huge area to the sea. Exciting work!

 

[sarce]

Cool video, Afish.

1:09 is my least favorite part...the terrible swarm of gizzard shad :-o :evil:

 

[sandfly]

no one mentioned the water snake

 

[FarmerDave]

I was amazed at the variety. Pretty sure there was even two walleye in there.

Also saw the snake.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I could watch that all day!

 

[afishinado]

^Yeah....pretty cool.

 

[Dave_W]

FarmerDave wrote:
Pretty sure there was even two walleye in there.

Yep.

A great variety of fishes in that watershed!

 

[Dave_W]

I'm still wondering how that system works.

There's current through this "tank" and it appears that most fish are moving upcurrent(?). Is this tank part of a side channel or some sort of tube that fish are released into after being transported via elevator?

 

[afishinado]

Dave_W wrote:
I'm still wondering how that system works.

There's current through this "tank" and it appears that most fish are moving upcurrent(?). Is this tank part of a side channel or some sort of tube that fish are released into after being transported via elevator?

The link I posted above shows how the fish passage device works.

Here is the link again > CLICK HERE

 

[Mike]

It is not a lift; it is a ladder without steps, i.e. a flume. The floor of the fishway is sloped and smooth with a 3/4 ft drop from one chamber to the next. Each chambcer is separated from the next by a wall into which is molded a vertical slot that's about 15 or so inches wide. The slots and chamber shapes cause back eddies, still with fairly strong currents, to form on the downstream sides of the slots where fish can rest a bit before powering through the slots. It is a rough trip for the fish up one of these fishways and a few species can't make it or are largely excluded. A portion of most species' populations below the dam are strong enough swimmers to make the climb. Note that I said "portion," which is why dam breaches are favored. Think about the math...high percentages of fish are lost from the run at each successive fishway either because they can't find the entrances or can't make the ascent either once or in successive fishways.

 

[troutbert]

Mike wrote:

It is a rough trip for the fish up one of these fishways and a few species can't make it or are largely excluded. A portion of most species' populations below the dam are strong enough swimmers to make the climb. Note that I said "portion," which is why dam breaches are favored. Think about the math...high percentages of fish are lost from the run at each successive fishway either because they can't find the entrances or can't make the ascent either once or in successive fishways.

Agreed. Which is why there are still no shad runs to speak of on the Schuylkill and the Lehigh Rivers.

The Delaware River does have excellent shad runs, because there are no dams on the river.

I remember there being a lot of talk around the mid-1990s about shad restoration efforts, and it involved fishways, fish ladders etc. I thought then, and still think, that that will not succeed.

If people ever get serious about shad restoration, it will mean taking out the dams on the Lehigh and the Schuylkill. Those dams are not hydro-electric dams, so there is no strong economic argument for keeping those dams in place.

Is there any group that advocates for shad? Shad Unlimited?

 

[Dave_W]

Thanks Afish and Mike.

My guess would be that most upstream movement of the usual suspects would be in springtime(?). I'd guess that tiger muskies might be one of the species inclined to go over the dam in a downstream direction, but not back upstream(?).

I would think that shad and striped bass would be among the most prevalent migratory fishes in this system. Is there any data on species in the Skuke watershed with regard to movement up and down through this fish ladder? Is there a viable striped bass fishery in the Skuke above this dam?

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:

Mike wrote:

It is a rough trip for the fish up one of these fishways and a few species can't make it or are largely excluded. A portion of most species' populations below the dam are strong enough swimmers to make the climb. Note that I said "portion," which is why dam breaches are favored. Think about the math...high percentages of fish are lost from the run at each successive fishway either because they can't find the entrances or can't make the ascent either once or in successive fishways.

Agreed. Which is why there are still no shad runs to speak of on the Schuylkill and the Lehigh Rivers.

The Delaware River does have excellent shad runs, because there are no dams on the river.

I remember there being a lot of talk around the mid-1990s about shad restoration efforts, and it involved fishways, fish ladders etc. I thought then, and still think, that that will not succeed.

If people ever get serious about shad restoration, it will mean taking out the dams on the Lehigh and the Schuylkill. Those dams are not hydro-electric dams, so there is no strong economic argument for keeping those dams in place.

Is there any group that advocates for shad? Shad Unlimited?

The Fairmount Dam maintains the water level for Boathouse Row just upstream. There's a lot of history with boathouse row and it has been deemed a national historic landmark, therefore getting support for tearing down the dam for shad restoration probably will have little support.

Iconic Boathouse Row

 

[troutbert]

What would be wrong with Kayak Row?

They could make their kayaks out of traditional materials for that distinguished vintage look rather than using tacky, bright colored plastics like the commoners use.

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:
What would be wrong with Kayak Row?

They could make their kayaks out of traditional materials for that distinguished vintage look rather than using tacky, bright colored plastics like the commoners use.

:lol:

True enough....