EPA 903-R-99-012
                                                          CBP/TRS 222/105
                                                          July 1999
                Removing Impediments
               to Migratory Fishes in the
              Chesapeake Bay Watershed
                 Annual Progress Report
                         1997-1998
Prepared by the Fish Passage Workgroup of the Chesapeake Bay Program
                                     us.r;r^:-vo-icnr.i
                                     1-. - .'V-ifvrJ Center tor EnvironrjerJ.
                                       V.-lbv!;.vt-tion
                                     1650 Arch Strsei (3PM52)
                                      hUadc!p>d.i, FA 19103
            Chesapeake Bay Program
                        July 1999
EPA Report Collection
Regional Center for Environmental Information
U.S. EPA Region HI
Philadelphia, PA 19103
                  Printed on Recycled Paper by the U S Environmental Protection Agency for the Chesapeake Bay Program

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                       THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM

The Chesapeake Bay Program is  a unique  regional partnership that has led and directed the
restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983. The Chesapeake Bay Program partners include the
states of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia; the District of Columbia; the Chesapeake Bay
Commission, a tri-state legislative body; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which
represents the federal government; and participating citizen advisory groups.

Since its inception, the Chesapeake Bay Program's highest priority has been to restore the Bay's
living resources-its finfish, shellfish, Bay grasses, and other aquatic life and wildlife. Because water
quality  improvements are essential to living resource restoration, the 1987 Chesapeake  Bay
Agreement set a goal to reduce the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Bay by 40 percent
by the year 2000. In the  1992 Amendments to the Chesapeake Bay Agreement, partners agreed to
maintain the 40 percent goal beyond the year 2000 and to attack nutrients at their source-upstream
in the tributaries. The Chesapeake Executive Council, comprised of the governors of Maryland,
Pennsylvania and  Virginia; the mayor of Washington, D.C.; the EPA administrator; and the chair of
the Chesapeake Bay Commission, continues to guide the restoration with directives and policies that
address habitat restoration; toxic pollution prevention and point source and agricultural nonpoint
source nutrient pollution reductions. Bay Program initiatives encourage the watershed's  1,650  local
governments to address land use management, growth and development, stream corridor protection
and infrastructure improvements.

Nutrient pollution reductions are achieved through voluntary agricultural management practices,
urban nutrient management strategies and nitrogen-reducing technologies for wastewater treatment
plants.  Habitat  restoration efforts focus on  reestablishing Bay grasses, protecting and planting
riparian forest buffers, opening fish passages, creating and restoring aquatic reefs and Baywide
management offish stocks. Toxic contaminants are declining in many parts of the Bay since regional
action plans have been established  and a voluntary industrial pollution prevention program was
implemented.  Other improvements include fisheries and habitat restoration, recovery of Bay grasses,
nutrient and toxics reductions and significant advances in estuarine science.

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               Removing Impediments
             to Migratory Fishes in the
             Chesapeake Bay  Watershed
               Annual Progress Report
                        1997-1998

                        Prepared by
the Fish Passage Workgroup of the Chesapeake Bay Program
                        July 1999
                       •J.S.S^k Erfion III
                                          r.v.;;i.')i\s! Center for Environmental
                                           Information
                                          m~GA:\:ii Street (3PM52)
                                          Philadelphia, PA 19103
                                                  Rruion.il ( rntci )"' I miioiiiiKiu il lnl.>
                                                       IS I PA Return II!
  Chesapeake Bay Program
410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109
 Annapolis, Maryland 21403
    1-800 YOUR BAY


http: //www .chesapeakebay.net
  Printed on recycled paper by the U.S  Environmental Protection Agency for the Chesapeake Bay Program

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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary	  iv
Introduction
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	2
       I. Fish Passage Initiatives  	2
              A. Completed Fish Passage Projects  	2
              B. Fish Passage Progress	2
              C. Monitoring and Stream Surveys	2
              D. Trap, Transport and Stocking	3
       II. Fish Passage Support Activities	3
              A. Public Relations and Education	3
              B. Future Public Relations and Education	4
       III. Future Activities 	4
              A. Plans for 1999	4
              B. Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Program's Five and 10-Year Goals (1993-1998)	4
              Table 1: District of Columbia 1997-98 Fish Passage Projects 	5
              Figure 1: Fish Passage Progress in the District of Columbia  	5
              Map 1:  Fishway Progress in the District of Columbia  	6

MARYLAND  	7
       I  Fish Passage Initiatives	7
              A. Completed Fish Passage Projects	7
              B. Fish Passage Progress	9
              C. Monitoring and Stream Surveys	10
              D. Trap, Transport and Stocking	11
       II. Fish Passage Support Activities  	11
              A. Public Relations and Education	11
              B. Stream Assessments and Database Management  	11
       III.  Future Activities	    	  	12
              A. Plans for 1999	12
              B. Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Program's Five and 10-Year Goals (1993-98)	13
              Table 2: Maryland 1997-98 Fish Passage Projects	13
              Figure 2: Fish Passage Progress in Maryland	  16
              Map 2:  Fish Passage Progress in Maryland	17

PENNSYLVANIA 	18
       I Fish Passage Initiatives  	         	18
              A. Completed Fishway Projects	  18
              B. Fish Passage Progress	19
              C. Monitoring and Stream Surveys	22
              D. Trap, Transport and Stocking	22
       II. Fish Passage Support Activities	23
              A. Public Relations and Education	23
              B Future Public Relations and Education	24
       III. Future Activities	   24
              A. Plans for 1999	24
              B. Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Program's Five and  10-Year Goals (1993-98)	24

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               Table 3: Pennsylvania 1997-98 Fish Passage Projects 	26
               Figure 3: Fishway Progress in Pennsylvania 	31
               Map 3: Fish Passage Progress in Pennsylvania  	32

VIRGINIA  	33
       I. Fish Passage Initiatives  	33
               A. Completed Fish Passage Projects	33
               B. Fish Passage Progress   	33
               C. Monitoring and Stream Surveys  	35
               D. Trap, Transport and Stocking	37
       II. Fish Passage Support Activities  	38
               A. Public Relations and Education   	38
               B. Future Public Relations and Education	39
       III. Other Future Activities	39
               A.  Plans for 1999	,	38
               B.  Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Program's Five and 10-Year Goals (1993-98)  	39
               Table 4: Virginia 1997-98 Fish Passage Projects  	41
               Figure 4: Fishway Progress in Virginia	43
               Map 4: Fish Passage Progress in Virginia	,	44

FEDERAL AGENCIES	45
       U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) 	45
       U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine
               Fisheries Service (NOAA/NMFS)	45
       U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 	46
               A.  Fish Passage and Stocking Activities	46
               B. Outreach and Education	47
       U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division   	48

BAYWIDE SUMMARY OF PROGRESS	   49
               Table 5' Baywide  1997-98 Fish Passage Progress	49
               Figure 5' Baywide Progress	   50
               Figure 6. JurisdictionaJ Progress	50

Appendix A: Fish Passage Projects between 1989 and 1998	51

Appendix B: Fish Passage Workgroup Members  	57

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                                EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 1997 and 1998 the Chesapeake Bay Program signatories opened 294.3 miles of blocked tributary habitat
to migratory fish and 67 miles to resident fish (a total of 361.3 miles) within the Bay watershed. Since the
program's inception, almost 80 projects have been completed, which opened 523.5 stream miles to
migratory fish.  An additional 121.5 stream miles are open but not yet accessible due to downstream
blockages.  These totals include 143.1 miles that were opened before Directive 93-4 was signed.  The
following lists the workgroup's accomplishments for  1997-98:

•       Although the District of Columbia completed no passage projects in 1997-98. DC staff continued
        to monitor for the occurrence and movements of tagged herring in Rock Creek and the Potomac
        River.  The Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin, the Little Falls Task Force and the
        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) collected American shad eggs from the Potomac River
        for culture at Harrison Lake NFH.

•       Maryland completed 13 fish passage projects in 1997-98, including eight collapsed dams and weirs
        with debris removal.  These opened  117 stream miles to migratory fish and 3.5 miles that are not
        yet accessible. Maryland DNR also reared and stocked more than 3 million American shad larvae
        and 21 8 million hickory shad larvae in the Patuxent, Patapsco, Choptank, Nanticoke and
        Tuckahoe rivers.  USFWS stocked 3.1 million American shad larvae in the upper Potomac River
        above Little Falls.

•       Pennsylvania completed  13 projects in 1997-98, which opened 32 miles to migratory fish and 63.5
        miles that are not yet accessible due to downstream dams. The Susquehanna mainstem miles
        resulted from the construction of multimillion-dollar fish elevators at two FERC-licensed
        hydroelectric dams. The remaining tributary projects involved demolition and removals. As part of
        the Susquehanna restoration program,  more than 15,000 adult shad and 33,000 adult blueback
        herring were stocked above dams in 1997-98, as were 20 million cultured shad larvae. Shad and
        herring returns to  Conowingo Dam in  1997 were the highest on record, but numbers fell off in
        1998 due to unusually high river flows.

•       Virginia completed two projects in 1997-98: fishways at Harvell Dam on the Appomattox River
        and Bosher Dam on the James River. These opened 143.3 stream miles to anadromous fishes and
        more than 200 miles of James River tributaries above Richmond. The Virginia Department of
        Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) continued to monitor shad and herring  in the James and
        Pamunkey rivers and also stocked several thousand adult herring in the upper James River. With
        assistance from USFWS, VDGIF reared and released more than 21 million shad larvae in the
        James and Pamunkey rivers.

•       All Bay jurisdictions and federal partners were active in education and outreach efforts, providing
        presentations, fish passage tours and displays at river festivals and other forums.

In addition to presenting 1997-98 and prior year results, this report also discusses fish passage projects
currently in the planning, design or construction phases for 1999 and future years. These projects will
contribute to reaching Bay Program goals.
                                               IV

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                                    INTRODUCTION

The Fish Passage Workgroup of the Chesapeake Bay Program's Living Resources Subcommittee
(LRSC) is charged with reopening the Bay's blocked tributary waters to provide access to spawning
habitat for anadromous fish. This is accomplished by constructing fish passage facilities; breaching,
notching or removing dams; and reconstructing highway culverts. The workgroup includes
representatives from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the USFWS, the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. An interagency agreement between the US EPA and
NMFS facilitates the processing and distribution of federal funds to the jurisdictions for many of the
fish passage, stocking and survey projects.  The high degree of cooperation among these jurisdictions
and agencies has opened up many miles of stream habitat to migratory fish.

Fish passage development in Bay tributaries has been under way since the late 1980s.  In December
1993 the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council formalized short- and long-term goals for this initiative in
Directive 93-4, which instructs CBP partners to open 582.05 and 1,356.75 miles of spawning habitat
for shad, alewives and blueback herring by 1998 and 2003, respectively. Of this latter  amount, about
143.1 miles were reopened prior to the directive, including 97.1 miles in Maryland, nine  miles in
Pennsylvania and 37 miles in Virginia.  The CBP designated the LRSC through the Fish Passage
Workgroup to accomplish these goals.  Ultimately, this initiative is aimed at restoring populations of
anadromous species, particularly American shad and river herring (Alosa spp.).

The Bay jurisdictions and federal partners also have  been participating in other "efforts, such as
commenting on and processing hydroelectric project licenses through the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC); stocking cultured American shad;  trapping and transporting adult shad and
herring; surveying stream habitats; and developing public education programs. Jurisdictions and
agency representatives of the workgroup are accelerating efforts throughout the watershed to design
and construct fish passage and associated projects for the restoration of anadromous fish.

Goals planned for the next few years will greatly boost the number of habitat  miles opened to migratory
fish, hopefully increasing their abundance However, as  a result of decreasing budgets, all
jurisdictions, as well as other state and federal agencies involved, have faced cuts in their fish passage
and hatchery support programs  Other common and persistent problems that slow progress include
legal difficulties and obstacles raised in negotiating fish passage agreements with public and private
property owners

Throughout this report, mileage accumulation toward Bay Program goals are presented in two
categories: stream miles opened and fully accessible to migratory fishes, and miles opened but not yet
accessible because of remaining downstream blockages.  These latter projects are supported with Bay
Program funding, and the miles attained will eventually convert to countable statistics.

This report provides a description  of all fish passage development, reintroduction efforts  and habitat
assessment activities by the signatory jurisdictions. It presents a summary of federal agency activities
in 1997-98 and activities and actions planned for 1999 In addition, a "Baywide Summary" relates
1997-98 and prior year actions with the stated five- and 10-year goals of Directive 93-4.

                                             1

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                            THE DISTRICT or COLUMBIA

I. Fish Passage Initiatives

Table 1, Figure 1, and Map 1 at the end of this chapter provide details of the 1997-98 fish passage
progress in the District of Columbia

A.  Completed Fish Passage Projects

No new fish passage projects were completed in District of Columbia waters in 1997 or 1998.

B.  Fish Passage Progress

During the spring seasons of 1997 and 1998, the District of Columbia Fisheries Management
Branch (DCFMB) staff, in concert with a telemetry study, conducted weekly monitoring of river
herring activity around the lower fish blockage at Pierce Mill Dam in Rock Creek. The objective
of this sampling was to document the actual blockage of upstream movement of alewife and
blueback herring during the spawning season. This information will be used to document fish
usage and available spawning habitat upstream of the blockage. It will also help justify expending
funds to have the barrier removed.

C.  Monitoring and Stream Surveys

DCFMB continued to monitor the site regularly. It was set up on the lower reach of Rock Creek
in 1993 to help determine species composition and abundance in that part of the stream.
Electrofishing surveys confirmed the presence of alewives on March 12, 1997 and March 16,
1998. Blueback herring were first detected in Rock Creek on April 30 in both years.  In both
March and April, after alewife and blueback herring had returned to Rock Creek, some fish were
observed moving upstream past the first instream blockage.  This barrier is an abandoned ford
located at  stream mile 2.6. Hundreds offish were still blocked from upstream migration however,
and were congregated just downstream of this blockage.

The limited movement over this barrier was  flow-related. Fish were only able to surmount this
obstacle during moderate to  high flows.  A similar ford at stream mile 3.8 was not surveyed
regularly due to its inaccessibility. However, due to its much lower vertical profile, if fish were
able to pass the lower ford, this barrier would provide little or no obstacle to upstream migration.
Since these two barriers are the last obstructions to fish passage in the first 4.4 stream miles of
Rock Creek, once removed, there will be record numbers offish returning as far upstream as
Pierce Mill Dam. In addition to these two blockages,  the stream was narrowed by about one-half
at about stream mile 0.5. This possible partial blockage, which caused greatly increased velocities
for a couple of hundred feet, was due to a roadway construction project over Rock Creek in early
1998.  This section of stream was restored to its original condition by late summer.

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A radio telemetry study, which had been in the planning stage for several years, was finally
completed in the spring of!997.  In this study, five releases, with 10 radio-tagged herring each,
were made upstream of Pierce Mill Dam to determine if alewife and blueback herring could pass
upstream through the fall-line region of this stream.  While anecdotal evidence indicates that
historically these species moved upstream well beyond the fall line, this study did not document
any movement upstream from the point where the fish were placed in the stream. It is believed
that these fish did not continue their migration, since they were not imprinted to these upstream
areas, and because spawning population pressure was not great enough to force them upstream.
However, many of these fish did stay upstream long enough to complete their spawning cycle
before moving back downstream.

An ichthyoplankton juvenile and adult sampling program was continued in 1997-98 to help
inventory migratory fish that are reaching the District.  Two of the  sampling sites are especially
important to fish passage work. One of the stations is located at Roosevelt Island, on the
mainstem of the Potomac near the mouth of Rock Creek, and the other stands near the upstream
limit of the District's jurisdiction on the Potomac, about a mile downstream of Little Falls Dam.
This dam is a water supply facility for the Washington, D.C metro area that blocks migratory fish
passage to about 10 miles of potential Potomac River spawning and nursery habitat.  Migratory
fish captured during sampling at these sites help determine the potential population available to
recolonize the spawning habitat above the barriers, while ichthyoplankton surveys will help
document any improvement in the spawning success of the anadromous species, once the barriers
are removed.

In 1997-98 DC Fisheries Research Branch personnel tagged 597 striped bass captured during
their monthly river surveys, which are conducted  within the District using USFWS tags. Radio
tags also were implanted in six  striped bass during the 1998 spawning season to determine the
amount of time these spawners spend in the District and where they stay while visiting.  Recapture
of any of these tagged fish will  compliment tagging activities carried on in the surrounding
jurisdictions.

D. Trap, Transport and  Stocking

In 1997-98, in concert with the telemetry study, the DCFMB trapped and transported several
hundred adult prespawned alewife and  about 100 adult prespawned blueback herring.  These fish
were released above Pierce Mill Dam.  DCFMB intends to continue this activity at least until fish
passage is provided at Pierce Mill Dam.

II. Fish Passage Support Activities

A. Public Relations and Education

In 1997-98 the DCFMB made extensive use of its Aquatic Resource Education Center  (AREC),
which is located on the Anacostia River. More than 6,000 local students and adults received

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instruction on the diversity of anadromous and resident fish species found within the District and
on the interrelationship of the District's aquatic resources with those of the Bay.  In addition, the
District, in partnership with the Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) and the National
Park Service, began designing an addition to the AREC that will provide for additional classroom
space as well as a demonstration hatchery facility.  This program has begun and continues to
educate the community about the effects that activities in their own backyards can have on the
Bay region as a whole  In addition, the DCFMB offers an in-school program that sends staff to
area schools to give presentations on the District's aquatic resources  In 1997-98 this program
was presented to more than 3,500 students and their teachers. The teachers receive information
that can be incorporated into their regular instruction to help reinforce the DCFMB presentations.

B.  Future Public Relations and Education

The District of Columbia has committed to educating its residents about the interrelationships
among the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and the Chesapeake Bay To this end, the DCFMB will
continue to use its staff and the Aquatic Resources Education Center to communicate its message.
In addition, once the addition to AREC is completed, and once there is a fishway  at Pierce Mill
Dam,  the District  hopes to work cooperatively with PEPCO and the National Park Service to
make  these facilities outstanding educational tools. It is believed that an expanded Aquatic
Education Resources Center and a working fishway in the Nation's Capitol would help illustrate
that there are still  opportunities to greatly improve the environment, especially in an urbanized
area.

III. Future Activities

A.  Plans for 1999

Within the next year the DCFMB plans to remove the last two instream barriers to fish passage
below Pierce Mill  Dam.  Once these barriers are removed, a fishway will need to be built at  Pierce
Mill to allow alewife and blueback herring  access to the rest  of their historical spawning grounds
in Rock Creek.

B.  Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Program's 10-Year Goal (2003)

A Denil fishway needs to be designed and constructed at Pierce Mill Dam, which is the largest
upstream fish passage blockage on Rock Creek within the District of Columbia. In addition  to
directly benefiting fish passage,  this fishway will be used as an educational tool.  There are also
six low-head barriers that, depending on flow, block  fish passage upstream to the Maryland state
line. These include five sewer crossings and one ford.  In addition to constructing the fishway at
Pierce Mill Dam, the DCFMB's 10-year goal is to provide fish passage at the remaining barriers
on Rock Creek, up to the Maryland state line.  DC's 10-year fish passage goal is 32.6 miles
reopened to migratory fish.

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   Table 1 - Fish Passage Projects Within the District of Columbia
**,
" ." ,"
1


2





"f&SST-j
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Creek,
Potomac River
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Potomac River
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Potomac River
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Planned
1999

Planned
1999

Planned


    Figure 1. Fish Passage Progress in the District of Columbia
      District of Columbia's Progress
     Toward 2003 Fish Passage Goals
Total Miles Opened = 1.6 miles
2003 Goal = 32.6 miles
                                         I Miles Opened
                                         And Accessible
                                         Through 1998
D Miles Opened
  but Not Yet
  Accessible
  Through 1998

El Additional Miles
  To Be Opened
  Between 1999
  and 2003

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Map 1: Fishway Progress in the District of Columbia
            VIRGINIA
 0  Fishway completed or in progress 1997-98
  A  Fishway completed before 1997
                                                                                \
                                                                                  \
                                                                                     \
                                                                                        \
                                                                                A
                                                                                 N
                           1 Mies

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                                     MARYLAND

1. Fish Passage Initiatives

Table 2, Figure 2 and Map 2 at the end of this chapter provide details of 1997-98 fish passage
progress in Maryland.

A. Completed Fish Passage Projects (including natural collapse of structures)

Unicorn Dam Fish Passage, Unicorn Branch, Chester River. Queen Anne County:  Construction
on the Alaskan steeppass fishway was essentially completed in 1996, and the 14.5 stream miles
opened to migratory fish were accounted for that year.  In 1997 contractors completed repairs of
defects and installed handrails and gratings.  DNR Fisheries Service biologists, onsite at the
Unicorn Hatchery, monitored and kept the Alaskan Steeppass fishway clear of debris during the
spring fish migrations in 1997-98. Funding for the design and construction of the fishway was
provided through the CBP. CBP also provided approximately 40 percent of the funding toward
the dam repairs from the postponed Andover Branch fishway project, while the DNR Fisheries
Service provided the remaining 60 percent.

Simkins Dam Fishway. Patapsco River, Baltimore and Howard Counties: Construction of a
concrete Denil fishway with wooden baffles on the Simkins Dam was completed by the end of
1997, reopening 3.8 miles of upstream habitat  Fortunately, no major dam repairs were required
and the project was completed at a cost below the budgeted amount.  The funding required to
design and construct this project was provided by a combination of sources, including private
mitigation settlements and CBP funding. Simkins Industries, the owners of the dam, donated
additional funding and a 38.4-acre parcel of forested land adjacent to the property,  which will
become part  of the Patapsco Valley State Park.  The privately-owned dam is located on the
Patapsco River about one mile downstream of Ellicott City, Maryland.  The Simkins project
provides passage at the second of four barriers on the mainstem of the Patapsco, reopening it
from Baltimore Harbor to Liberty Reservoir in Carroll County, a distance of 44 miles. Migratory
species have  not had access to these upper reaches since the first dams were constructed on the
Patapsco nearly 155 years ago

State Highway Administration Road Crossings:  Engineering design and construction was
completed during 1997 for the following sites:

•       Nassawango Creek, Route 12 (Pocomoke River): A notch was completed in the existing
       weir on the Route  12 culvert. Reopening this blockage provides an additional 49 miles of
       upstream habitat for anadromous species.

•       Gilbert Run. Route 6 (Wicomico River. Western Shore):  The removal of the concrete
       floor  at the Route 6 culvert now allows for fish passage. Since the project was completed
       in September 1997, an additional two miles of upstream habitat is now available to

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       resident fish.

•      Turville Creek. Route 589: A pool and weir fishway have been constructed at this
       existing weir and culvert on Route 589. The completion of this project in September 1997
       provided four additional miles of upstream habitat for anadromous species.  Since this
       project does not drain into the Chesapeake Bay, these miles are not accumulated toward
       Bay Program goals.

Cypress Branch Dam. Cypress Branch, Chester River. Kent County:  The original intent at this
site, located at the town of Millington, was to provide an Alaskan Steeppass fishway at the dam's
main spillway. However, state regulators would have required the installation of an emergency
spillway capable of conveying the 100-year-storm as a permit condition to construct the fishway.
This requirement would have been cost-prohibitive; therefore, a more cost-effective means of
providing fish passage by removing the existing overflow spillway was chosen. In the interim, the
overflow spillway, which was in poor condition, has deteriorated to the extent that migratory
fishes can now pass above it, at least to some extent.  The blockage removal opens a 28-square-
mile drainage basin containing about 28 linear miles of stream, of which 12 miles are available as
migratory fish spawning habitat.

Waugh Chapel Road Culvert, Towsers Branch. Little Patuxent River. Anne Arundel County:  Fish
passage at this site included replacing the road culvert and providing  a small weir-type fishway
below it.  The work was done by the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works, which
owns the culvert. Towsers Branch is blocked by two other downstream structures; therefore, this
project reopened 1.2 miles of habitat to resident species only.

USGS Gage. Saint Leonard Creek. Patuxent River. Calvert County:  An abandoned USGS gaging
weir collapsed, and DNR fish passage staff removed the debris, which reopened 9.5 miles of
habitat to migratory fishes.

Pipeline Crossing. Hunting Creek. Patuxent  River. Calvert  County: The structure collapsed and
was removed, reopening  7.4 miles of stream to migratory fishes.

Small unnamed dam. Cocktown Creek. Patuxent River. Calvert County: The structure collapsed
and debris was removed,  reopening five miles of stream to migratory fishes

USGS Gage. Western Branch. Patuxent River. Prince  Georges County: An abandoned USGS
gage collapsed, reopening 2.5 miles to migratory fishes

USGS Gage. Mattawoman Creek. Potomac River. Charles County: An abandoned USGS gaging
weir collapsed and DNR  fish passage staff removed the debris. Removal of this blockage has
reopened 18 miles of habitat to  migratory fishes.

Hancock Run culvert. Potomac River, Charles County: The culvert was replaced by the Charles

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County Department of Public Works, reopening 1.3 miles of stream to migratory species.

Boy Scout Dam. Octoraro Creek. Susquehanna River. Cecil County:  This small stone dam
collapsed and the debris was removed by DNR fish passage staff, reopening 2.3 miles of habitat to
resident fishes.

Route 232 culvert. Gilbert Run. Wicomico River:  The culvert collapsed and DNR staff assisted in
debris removal, opening 2.5 miles of stream habitat.

B. Fishway Progress

Little Falls Dam, Potomac River:  The final engineering design plan was completed and approved
by the Fish Passage program; the Project Cooperative Agreement (PCA) was approved and
signed by both DNR and the Army Corps of Engineers; and Maryland's 25 percent share of the
funding will be provided through mitigation settlements.  Construction could not be accomplished
during 1998 due to delays in resolving permitting issues. Construction is now scheduled to begin
in the summer of 1999 and completed by the end of the year. Completion of this fishway will
reopen 10 miles of high quality mainstem migratory fish spawning habitat on the Potomac River.

Wilson Mill Dam. Deer Creek, Susquehanna River. Harford County:   The final engineering design
of a Denil  fishway was approved during  1998.  Construction is scheduled to begin in 1999 and to
be completed before the end of the year. Although available for American shad and river herring,
this project is the first Maryland fishway designed specifically for hickory shad. Completion of
this project will reopen 24 miles of upstream migratory fish spawning  habitat.

Urieville Fishway. Morgan Branch. Chester River.  Kent County:  A stream survey was conducted
in 1997 to evaluate the habitat upstream of the Urieville dam and culvert. The design and
construction of a fishway at this site has been canceled due to the low quality and quantity of
upstream habitat for anadromous fish and the possible necessity of dredging the 35-acre lake
above the  dam  The CBP funding for the design and  construction of the Urieville fishway will be
reallocated to other projects

Johnsons Pond Fishway. Wicomico River. Wicomico County:  The final engineering design was
completed during  1998. Although there is sufficient upstream spawning habitat to warrant
constructing a fishway at this dam, the project has been canceled due to concerns from the DNR
Fisheries Service's freshwater fisheries biologists that the proposed fishway will adversely impact
largemouth bass and bluegill fisheries in the headpond.

Dorsey Run Dam. Little Patuxent River, Anne Arundel County: Due to the extensive stream and
wetlands restoration, a decision was made to create a new stream channel bypassing the dam,
rather than demolishing and removing it. A conceptual stream relocation and fish passage design
has been prepared, including several weirs in the new stream channel that will bypass the dam.
The overall project is scheduled to be completed in 1999.  This project will reopen seven miles of

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migratory fish spawning habitat.  Fill from the excavation of the stream channel will be used to
cover the dam and fill a nearby ditch as part of an overall project to restore 17 acres of riparian
wetlands.

Eighth Avenue Dam. Weir and Tributary 9 on Sawmill Creek:  The final engineering design plan
for a pool and weir fishway and an additional weir at the upstream gage was completed during
1998.  Construction is scheduled for early summer 1999. Completion of the Eighth Avenue
fishway will reopen 0.9 miles of habitat, and the gage project will reopen an additional 2.3 miles
of habitat, for a total of 3.2 miles.

Broadway Branch Dam. Lake Bonnie. Chester River. Caroline County:  The final engineering
design of an Alaskan steeppass fishway was approved in 1998. Construction of the project is
scheduled to begin in July 1999 and be completed in October.  Completion of this fishway will
reopen 12.5 miles of upstream spawning habitat for migratory species.

Midway Branch Culvert at Range Road. Little Patuxent River. Anne Arundel County:  The
Midway Branch culvert, located on former property of Fort George G. Meade, is now the
property of the USFWS's Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge.  The final engineering design was
completed in 1998.  Construction is scheduled to begin in June  1999 and be completed in October.
Completion of this fishway will reopen 1.3 miles of spawning habitat to migratory species.

C. Monitoring and Stream Surveys

In 1997 DNR conducted a catch-and-release angling mortality  study at Conowingo Dam.  More
than 300 angler-caught adult shad were placed in holding tanks for up to 48 hours, and only one
fish died. This was a similar result to that of a hooking mortality study conducted on hickory shad
in Deer Creek in  1996.

DNR conducted tag-and-recapture population assessments for adult shad in the upper
Chesapeake Bay and the Conowingo Dam tailrace.  In 1997 a total of 978 fish were marked from
pound nets and by angling, and 145 were recovered or seen in the two fish lifts. In 1998 DNR
staff captured 337 American shad by hook and line at the tailrace below Conowingo Dam on the
Susquehanna River, and 215 were captured in a pound net in the Bay's mainstem off the Army's
Aberdeen Proving Ground,  for a total of 552 captures  Of this number, 373 were healthy enough
for tagging. Thirty-four of the tagged American shad were recaptured or counted at the
Conowingo Dam fish lifts, including 31 that were hook-and-line tagged and three that were taken
from the pound net. During the low-flow spring season in 1997, 103,945 American shad used the
fish lifts at Conowingo Dam, and 46,481 used the lifts during the high-flow season in 1998.

The Maryland DNR Fisheries Service continued to monitor juvenile alosid species in 1997-98.  In
1997 seine surveys were done in the Patuxent River on seven separate occasions and resulted in
210 American shad and five hickory shad juveniles.  In the Choptank River, 151 American shad
were collected during four seine surveys. In 1997 only 29 shad were taken in juvenile finfish seine
                                          10

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surveys in the Upper Bay, of which 21 were stocked in the Susquehanna.  In 1998, 144 young
shad were taken in 58 seine hauls-the highest observed catch per effort for this species in 35
years.  Most fish were wild.

DNR staff monitored the fishways at Van Bibber Dam on Winters Run, a tributary to the Bush
River; the dam on Unicorn Branch, a tributary to the Chester River; and at Bloede Dam on the
Patapsco River. In 1998 more than 18,500 herring and one hickory shad ascended the Van
Bibber fishway; 3,000 herring ascended the Unicorn fishway; and although no target species
ascended the Bloede Dam fishway, 11  species offish passed through the fish ladder.  Migratory
species found below Bloede Dam included hickory shad, white perch, striped bass and about
1,000 blueback herring that spawned near the dam. This is a very encouraging  sign for a river
that was closed to migratory fishes for 150 years.
D. Trap, Transport and Stocking

In both 1997 and 1998 Maryland DNR used adult American shad taken by angling and the fish
lifts at Conowingo Dam to produce eggs for culture at their Manning Hatchery.  Fish spawned
naturally in tanks after they were induced with timed-release hormones. Also, mature hickory
shad were angled from Deer Creek and used in Manning's tank spawning system.

In 1997 American shad production amounted to 2.834 million fry from Manning and 96,400
fingerlings from PEPCO's Chalk Point ponds.  These were all marked and stocked in the
Patuxent, Choptank, Patapsco and Nanticoke rivers.  Manning also produced 12.384 million
hickory shad larvae and 36,000 fingerlings for stocking into the Patuxent, Choptank and Patapsco
rivers.  In 1998 DNR and PEPCO reared and stocked 197,000 American shad larvae and 33,600
fingerlings into the Choptank and Patuxent rivers, and 11.75 million hickory shad into the
Patapsco, Patuxent and Choptank rivers

II. Fish Passage Support Activities

A. Public Relations and Education

The Fish Passage Program will continue to provide educational outreach to schools and interested
groups upon request.

B. Stream Assessments and Database Management

Numerous streams were assessed throughout the state's tidal counties for their fish passage
potential. Extensive modifications were made to the Maryland Fish Passage database during
1998. Version 3 will be distributed to interested parties during the first quarter of 1999. The
database is available to all interested agencies and public groups or individuals.
                                           11

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Ill  Future Activities

A.  Planned Activities for 1999

•      Construction: The following fishways are scheduled for completion: Little Falls Dam;
       Wilson Mill Dam; Broadway Branch Dam; Dorsey Run Dam; the Range Road culvert at
       Midway Branch; Eighth Avenue Dam and upstream USGS gage on Sawmill Creek;
       Dorsey Run stream relocation; and Midway Branch.

•      Design:  Fishway engineering design development is scheduled for: a Denil fishway at
       Andover Branch Dam, Andover Branch, Chester River, Kent-Queen Anne's counties; a
       breach or fishway at Octoraro Creek Dam, Octoraro Creek, Susquehanna River, Cecil
       County;  and a widening of the existing breach at Union Dam, Patapsco River, Baltimore-
       Howard  counties.

•      Stream assessments: Sawmill Creek, Patapsco River; Whitemarsh Run, Bird River; and
       Mason Branch, Choptank River will be monitored for tne presence of target species above
       fishways. In addition, the fishways at Route 40, Whitemarsh Run; Tuckahoe Dam (below
       German Branch); and Bloede Dam,  Patapsco River will be monitored to determine the
       target species that ascend them.  Streams throughout the tidal counties will be assessed, at
       least preliminarily, to develop information to make future fish passage decisions.

•      Public outreach:  Outreach and education will continue upon request.

B.  Meeting the Chesapeake Bay  Program's Five- and 10-Year Goals (1998 and 2003)

Maryland's 10-year goal for fish passage is  to open 388.65 miles of streams to migratory fish.
Through 1998 the Maryland Fish Passage Program completed 53 projects that opened 288.1
miles offish spawning habitat, including 281.4 miles that were made available to anadromous fish
and 6.7 miles that are currently available only to resident species. Of the 281.4 miles of habitat
reopened to migratory species, 110.5 miles  were reopened prior to establishing Maryland's five-
year goal (210 miles). Therefore, since the 1993 Directive, Maryland has reopened 170.9 miles of
stream spawning habitat, achieving  81 percent of its five-year goal.

An additional 59 miles of migratory fish spawning habitat is scheduled to be reopened in 1999,
leaving Maryland only about 42 miles short of its year 2003 goal, which it is expected to exceed.
                                          12

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           Figure 2. Fish Passage Progress in Maryland
       Maryland's Progress towards 2003
                Fish Passage Goals
                       281.4
Total Miles Opened = 288.1 miles
2003 Goal = 388.65 miles
• Miles Opened
  And Accessible
  Through 1998

D Miles Opened
  but Not Yet
  Accessible
  Through 1998
n Additional Miles
  To Be Opened
  Between 1999 |
  and 2003    j
                             16

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Map 2: Fishway Progress in Maryland
     Fish\\ay completed or in progress 1997-98
     Fish\\ay completed before 1997
                                             17
20
                                20 Mies

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                                 PENNSYLVANIA

I. Fish Passage Initiatives

Table 3, Figure 3, and Map 3 at the end of this chapter provide details of 1997-98 fish passage
progress in Pennsylvania.

A. Completed Fishway Projects

1. Susquehanna Mainstem Blockages

Holtwood and Safe Harbor Darns, Susquehanna River, Lancaster and York Counties:  Fish
lifts at Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams were completed and in service for the spring 1997
migratory fish season.  Together they opened 32 miles of mainstem river to anadromous fish.
Each lift experienced mechanical problems, resulting in some out-of-service days. However,
both lifts functioned above expectations, considering it was their first season of operation.
During its first two  years of operation, Holtwood fish  lifts passed only about 30 percent of
those  alosids passed at Conowingo Dam.  The lift at Safe Harbor passed about 75 percent of
alosids successfully lifted at Holtwood in  1997 and 1998.  Poor efficiency in 1998 could be
attributed to higher-than-normal river flows during the migratory season.

2. Tributary Blockages

Maple Grove Dam (Lancaster Township Dam). Little  Conestoga River. Lancaster County:
The breaching and removal of Maple Grove Dam was completed in October 1997, opening
3.2 miles of habitat. Riparian vegetation restoration and stream bank stabilization activities in
formerly inundated  areas upstream of the  dam were completed in the spring of 1998.

Castle Fin Dam, Muddy Creek, York County: Breaching and removal of Castle Fin Dam was
completed in September 1997 without complications.  Because of a natural cataract below the
dam site, this removal opened 4.3 miles of upstream habitat to resident fishes only.

Rock  Hill Dam, Conestoga River. Lancaster. County:  Rock Hill Dam was breached and
removed in early 1997, reopening 18.5 miles of the Conestoga River to anadromous fish runs.

Unnamed Dam. Fishing Creek. Clinton County:  A dam on Fishing Creek in Clinton County
was breached and removed, opening seven miles stream habitat

Milesburg Generating Station Water Supply Dam. Spring Creek. Centre County: The dam
and impoundment provided a source of coolant water  for the coal-powered electrical
generating station owned by Allegheny Power  In 1998 Allegheny Power proposed to
dismantle the station. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), which now owns
the dam, requested that Allegheny Power remove the dam along with the station.  The dam
was breached and removed in August 1998.  Removal of the dam opened two miles of stream
habitat along a significant section of Spring Creek, a premier  cold water fishery.

Unnamed Dam, Kishacoquillas Creek. Mifflin County: Removal of the former mill dam near

                                         18

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the intersection of the Kishacoquillas Creek and Route 322 was completed in December 1998.
The project was mitigation by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PADOT) for
impacts associated with previous road construction projects in the drainage. Removal of the
dam opened more than 20 miles of stream habitat, which will be made available to migratory
fishes once passage is provided at blockages downstream.

American Paper Products Dams. Conestoga River. Lancaster County. Engineering design for
removal of the two mill dams and a warehouse was completed in the spring of 1998.  The
dams were breached and removed in September 1998; destruction of the warehouse began
shortly thereafter. Removal  of the dams will open 2.5 miles of habitat, once passage is
provided at the next downstream blockage, the City of Lancaster Water Supply Dam.
Removal of the warehouse will clear space for the development of a public park.

Millport Conservancy Dam and Warwick Township Road Crossing. Lititz Run, Lancaster
County: Breaching and removal of the dam owned by the Millport Conservancy and a
concrete slab road crossing owned by Warwick Township was completed in December 1998.
Stream bank and riparian restoration in the former inundated area will be under way in 1999.
Removal of these blockages  and associated habitat restoration activities are part of a much
larger effort conducted under the auspices of the award-winning Lititz Run Watershed
Alliance to restore stream habitat in the drainage.  Removal of both impediments will open
four miles of migratory fish habitat, once fish passage at downstream blockages is completed.

East Petersburg Water Authority Dam. Little Conestoga River. Lancaster is County:  The
former water supply dam was breached and removed in December 1998. Fish passage at
numerous blockages downstream needs to be addressed before migratory fish will have access
to this section of stream. Removal of the dam will open two miles of migratory fish habitat
upon completion offish passage at downstream blockages.

B.  Fish Passage Progress

York Haven Dam. Susquehanna River. Dauphin County: The original open-gate design for
the East Channel Dam was modified following concerns from boating interests on Lake
Frederick. The new design incorporates an open channel with gate controls and a vertical slot
fishway.  The conceptual design for the modified fishway was completed in 1997, and the
1993 Agreement between the utilities and fisheries interests was amended to reflect design
changes.  The physical hydraulic model was tested, and construction and FERC permits were
acquired  in 1998. Construction began in late July 1998 and, because of favorable weather, the
project is progressing ahead  of schedule. The target in-service date for the fishway is April 1,
2000, but operational testing likely will occur in late 1999.  This project will open 406 miles of
the Juniata and North and West Branches of the Susquehanna River.

City of Lancaster Water Supply Dam. Conestoga River. Lancaster County: The City of
Lancaster has acquired the assets of the Lancaster Water Authority. A contract for providing
fish passage between the PFBC and the city has been drafted and approved by legal council
and is in the process of being endorsed.  The agreement calls for the engineering design of a
Denil fishway to be completed by the spring of 1999 and construction completed by the spring
of 2000.  Settlement for construction of the fishway follows three years of negotiation

                                         19

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between the PFBC and the City of Lancaster/Lancaster Water Authority. Bay Program
funding will finance 100 percent of the costs associated with the final engineering design and
50 percent of the construction costs.  The city will provide the 50 percent non-federal match
for costs associated with construction. The dam is now the first barrier to migratory fishes on
the Conestoga River blocking 11 miles.

Iron Stone Mill Dam. Conestoga River. Lancaster County:  Owners of the mill and
corresponding water supply dam have been notified of their obligation to provide fish passage.
USFWS and PFBC staff will be visiting the site in early 1999 to obtain the necessary
information for the development of a conceptual design for permanent fish passage facilities at
the dam

Hellburg's DamT Conestoga River. Lancaster County: The Hellburg's primary interests in
removing their dam is to eliminate a public safety hazard and the associated liability.  A
contractual agreement between the PFBC and Hellburg's, providing reimbursement of 100
percent of the costs associated with removing the dam,  has been fully executed.  The
engineering design has been completed and the necessary permits have been acquired.
Removal of the dam is targeted for the fall of 1999.  The dam is the third blockage on the
Conestoga River, located approximately four miles upstream of Iron Stone Mill Dam. Its
removal will open 17 miles of habitat on the Conestoga River and Cocalico Creek, a major
tributary.

Route 322 Dam. Conestoga River, Lancaster County: PADOT will be removing a former mill
dam at the intersection of the Conestoga River and U.S. Route 322 as part of a renovation
project to  upgrade the roadway. PFBC staff is assisting PADOT with in the project. The
engineering design is complete and permits are being acquired. Removal is targeted for the
summer of 1999.

Iron Mine Run Dam (Dailey's Dam).  Swatara Creek. Dauphin County: USFWS engineers
have determined that the dam in its present condition is not a complete blockage to migratory
fishes.  Fish should be able to bypass the dam along the east shoreline where the dam is
approximately  one foot in height.  The PFBC will be monitoring to determine if the dam acts
as a significant impediment.

Hershey Food Corporation Dam. Swatara Creek. Dauphin and Lebanon  Counties: The
USFWS engineering field office has completed conceptual designs for a Denil fishway to be
placed  on the west side of the dam. The design has been forwarded to Hershey Food
Corporation's Environmental Division for comment.  The PFBC is negotiating with Hershey
Foods to provide the non-federal match for fish passage implementation. At present, Hershey
Foods is deliberating the future needs of the dam. The possibility remains that the dam may be
breached and removed to fulfill fish passage obligations, restore stream habitat and eliminate
liability concerns.  This dam is the first blockage on the Swatara. Implementation offish
passage or dam removal will open approximately 38 miles of stream to migratory fishes.

City of Lebanon Authority Water Dam. Swatara Creek. Dauphin and Lebanon Counties:
PFBC,  USFWS and Lebanon Water Authority held an onsite meeting to  discuss provisions for
passage at the dam. It was determined that passage could be provided by constructing a one-

                                         20

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to two-foot-deep notch in the dam  USFWS is developing a conceptual design. The PFBC
has offered Bay Program funding to finance 50 percent of the final design and 50 percent of
construction. The City of Lebanon Water Authority has agreed to construct fish passage
facilities following an agreement with Hershey Foods to implement fish passage at their dam,
located downstream.  Implementation offish passage at the dam will open approximately 25
miles of stream once fish passage is provided at the downstream blockage.

Carson Long Military Institute Dam. Sherman Creek. Perry County:  PFBC and USFWS
conducted a site visit to obtain information for the development of a conceptual design for fish
passage at the dam. Initial expectations are for a single section of Alaskan steeppass to be
installed along the dam's western abutment.  Implementation offish passage at the dam will
open approximately 11 miles of stream to migratory fishes.

Hykes  Mill Darn, West Conewago Creek. York County:  Ice and high flows during 1996 and
1997 have continued to damage the dam, permitting passage of migratory fishes. The PFBC
will be monitoring for migratory fishes at the base of the dam to determine if it still acts as a
significant impediment.

Detter's Mill Dam. West  Conewago Creek. York County: The Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection (PADEP), Division of Dam Safety has  finished reviewing county tax
maps and conducting a deed search to identify the owner  of the dam. No owner was identified
and the Commonwealth is in the process of assuming ownership of the dam.  The dam is in an
advanced state of disrepair. Breaching and removal has been identified as the preferred
method of mitigating impacts associated with the dam.  Engineering design and acquisition of
necessary permits is under way, and removal is targeted for the fall of 1999.  If necessary, a
public meeting will be held to address public concerns of removing the dam.

Good Hope Dam, Conodoguinet Creek. Cumberland County Good Hope Dam is in
advanced disrepair and has no identifiable owner.  The PFBC has proposed removing the dam
for the purpose of restoring fish passage and stream habitat as well as eliminating a recognized
public safety hazard. A public meeting was held in spring  1998 to advance  the proposal to
breach and remove the dam. Significant opposition to removal was expressed by riparian
property owners. PADEP, Division of Dam Safety and the PFBC have agreed to allow
groups favoring the dam's refurbishment to generate funding for repairs and  implementation of
fish passage. A final decision regarding the dam will be made in 1999.

Cave Hill Dam. Conodoguinet  Creek. Cumberland County:   Cave Hill Dam  is owned by the
Borough of Carlisle and serves as a municipal water supply  Carlisle is in the process of
upgrading the facility, which includes refurbishing the dam  As a  permit requirement, the
defunct fishway at the dam will be upgraded and made operational. The final engineering
design  for the fishway is being  completed, with construction targeted for 1999.

Meiser's Mill Dam. Mahantango Creek. Perry County:  A verbal agreement with the owner to
remove the dam has been reached, and a formal contract between the owner and PFBC has
been drafted and is under review. Engineering design and acquisition of necessary permits will
be initiated in the spring of 1999. Removal is targeted for the fall of 1999.

-------
Muren's Dam, South Branch Codorus Creek. York County: A verbal agreement with the
owner to remove the dam has been reached, and a formal contract between the owner and
PFBC has been drafted and is under review. Engineering design and the acquisition of
necessary permits will be initiated in the spring of 1999. Removal is targeted for the fall of
1999.

Edelman's DamT Middle Creek, Snyder County A verbal agreement with the owner to
remove  the dam has been reached, and a formal contract between the owner and PFBC has
been drafted and is under review. Engineering design and the acquisition of necessary permits
will be initiated in the spring of 1999. Removal is targeted for the fall  of 1999.

Barnitz Mill Dam. Yellow Breeches Creek. Cumberland County:  A verbal agreement with the
owner to remove the dam has been reached, and a formal contract between the owner and
PFBC has been drafted and is under review  Engineering design and the acquisition of
necessary permits will be initiated in the spring of 1999.

Brown's Dam, Mill Creek. Lancaster County:  The owner of the dam has requested the
assistance of PFBC to explore removal of the dam. PFBC has contacted riparian property
owners to provide input on a proposal to remove the dam.  Numerous responses have been
received, most in opposition. It has not yet been determined if the owner will proceed with
removal of the dam.

C. Monitoring and Stream Surveys

Conowingo Dam fish lifts collected a record 104,000 American shad and more than 370,000
blueback herring during the 1997 spring migration  New fish lifts at Holtwood and Safe
Harbor passed 28,000 and 21,000 American shad, respectively. River herring passage at
Holtwood and Safe Harbor was 1,000 and 500, respectively. Otolith analysis determined that
60 percent of the returning adults were wild fish, and the remaining 40 percent were hatchery.
Monitoring of outmigrating juvenile American shad in the autumn of 1997 indicated only
limited reproduction of past and trucked adults, with approximately 11 percent of the
outmigrants collected above Conowingo Dam identified as wild fish

In 1998  Conowingo Dam fish lifts collected approximately 46,000 American shad and 5,000
blueback herring. Holtwood and Safe Harbor facilities passed 8,200 and 6,000 American
shad,  respectively. Few river herring  were caught at either facility.  Otolith analysis
determined that 71 percent of the returning adults were wild fish, and the remaining 29 percent
were hatchery. Monitoring of outmigrating juvenile American shad in the autumn of 1998
indicated only limited reproduction  of past and trucked adults,  with approximately 7 percent of
the outmigrants collected above Conowingo Dam identified as wild fish. Higher than normal
river flows followed by elevated water temperatures affected lift efficiency and shortened the
duration of the spawning run. Runs of river herring were virtually missed because the lifts at
Conowingo were inoperable due to high flows

D. Trap, Transport and Stocking

The trap and transport of alosids from Conowingo Dam West fish lift was  funded by the

                                         22

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Susquehanna River Anadromous Fish Restoration Cooperative, with support from CBP.
Approximately 10,500 prespawn American shad and 28,000 blueback herring were
transported and stocked in 1997.  The primary release site for shad was at the Tri-County
Marina, upstream of York Haven Dam. Herring were released at Tri-County (17,000) and
three tributaries: Conestoga River (3,100), Little Conestoga River (3,000) and Conodoguinet
Creek (5,000).  In 1998 only 4,500 American shad were stocked at Tri-County.  Transported
blueback herring numbered 4,700.  Herring were stocked at Tri-County (1,000) and Little
Conestoga River (3,700).  High spring flows reduced the West Lift's efficiency and the ability
to capture alosids early in  the season.

A total of 22.8 million American shad eggs were received and incubated at PFBC Van Dyke
Anadromous Fish Research Station in 1997. Of these, 10.6 million (46 percent) were
successfully hatched. Approximately eight million American shad fry were marked and stocked
in the Susquehanna drainage,  including three million in the Juniata River; 2.8 million in the
Susquehanna River; 620,000 in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River;  1.2 million in the
North Branch of Susquehanna River; and 405,000 in two lower tributaries, Conodoguinet
Creek and Conestoga River. Biomonitoring determined that approximately  89 percent of the
outmigrating juveniles captured in fall 1997 were of hatchery origin.

A total of 27.8 million American shad eggs were received and incubated at Van Dyke in 1998.
Of these, 15.9 million (57  percent) were successfully hatched.  Approximately 11.8 million
American shad fry were marked and stocked in the Susquehanna drainage, including 7.7
million in the Juniata River; 1.8 million in the Susquehanna River; 56,000  in  the West Branch
of the Susquehanna River; 1.1  million in the  North Branch of the Susquehanna River; and 1.8
million into four lower tributaries, Swatara Creek, W. Conewago Creek, Conodoguinet Creek
and the Conestoga River.  Biomonitoring determined that approximately 93  percent of the
outmigrating juveniles captured in fall 1998 were of hatchery origin.  The USFWS Hatchery in
Lamar, PA began tank spawning operations  and produced 3.2 million shad eggs from
Susquehanna River American shad.
II. Fish Passage Support Activities

A. Public Relations and Education

In 1997-98 PFBC staff displayed an exhibit on American shad restoration in the Susquehanna
River at events throughout Pennsylvania.  Numerous slide presentations on migratory fish
restoration were given by staff to various sportsman, environmental and special interests
groups.

A dedication ceremony for the fish lifts at Holtwood and Safe Harbor was conducted in the
spring of 1997. The ceremony was by invitation only, and more than 200 dignitaries attended.
Media coverage of the ceremony was extensive.  Public tours of the fish passage facilities at
Safe Harbor were booked throughout the lift operation season.

A shad festival and stocking event sponsored by PFBC and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
was held in Huntingdon on the Juniata River during the spring of 1997  The event was
extensively covered by local newspaper, radio and television media.
                                         23

-------
A Conservation Award was presented to the Borough of Huntingdon for constructing fish
passage facilities at their Water Supply Dam on Standing Stone Creek.

The PFBC Anadromous Fish Restoration Unit gave numerous tours of the Van Dyke
Research Station for Anadromous Fish to organizations and groups in 1997 and 1998.

B. Future Public Relations and Education

The PFBC will conduct additional media events pertaining to migratory fish restoration in the
Susquehanna Basin. Numerous slide presentations and exhibits on migratory fish restoration
also are scheduled for 1999.

A video outlining PFBC efforts to restore American shad and other migratory fishes was
completed by Commonwealth Media.  It will be available for distribution to the public in 1999.

Planning for a shad  educational event sponsored by the PFBC Bureau of Boating and
Education is under way. The event will be held at Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams in the
spring of 1999.

Initiatives to expand PFBC's public education and awareness efforts with regard to the CBP
and migratory fish restoration in Pennsylvania continue.  PFBC, in  conjunction with the CBP,
is planning a media  event to cover the dedication of the new fishway at York Haven Dam in
the  spring of 2000.

Pennsylvania's American shad restoration brochure will be revised  and updated in late 1999.
III. Future Activities

A. Plans for 1999
       Breach and remove Detter's Mill Dam, Hellburg's Dam, Meiser's Mill Dam, Muren's
       Dam, Edleman's Dam and Barnitz Mill Dam.

       Negotiate agreements for fish passage at Hershey Food Corporation Dam, Carson
       Long Military Academy Dam, and Good Hope Dam.

       Complete final engineering design for fish passage facilities at the Fabri Dam in
       Sunbury, City of Lancaster Water Supply Dam, Hershey Food Corporation Dam, City
       of Lebanon Water Authority Dam, Cave Hill Dam and Carson Long Military Academy
       Dam.

       Start construction of fishways at Cave Hill Dam and City of Lancaster Water Supply
       Dam.

       Continue to expand PFBC public education and awareness initiatives and to develop
       programs to identify and acquire additional funding to supplement existing monies for
                                        24

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       the removal of tributary blockages.

B. Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Program's Five- and 10-Year Goals (1998 and 2003)

The five-year goal for Pennsylvania is 32 miles. This was achieved in 1997 with the
completion offish passage facilities at Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams. These projects also
made accessible an additional 38 miles of tributaries, third order or larger (not counted
toward goal), from their mouths to the first upstream blockage.  Between 1996 and 1998,
105 miles of tributaries not previously included in Pennsylvania's Bay Program goals were
opened, following the completion offish passage and dam removal projects.

The 10-year goal for Pennsylvania is 520 miles. Pennsylvania will meet its 10-year goal once
fish passage is provided at York Haven Dam (in April 2000). Bonus miles will be acquired by
providing fish passage at high priority blockages.
                                         25

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          Figure 3. Fish Passage Progress in Pennsylvania
        Pennsylvania's Progress Toward
             2003 Fish Passage Goals
                     50.5
      355.3
                           114.2
Total Miles Opened = 164 7 miles
i2003 Goal = 520 miles
 I Miles Opened   i
  And Accessible
  Through 1998
D Miles Opened
  but Not Yet
  Accessible
  Through 1998

• Additional Miles
  To Be Opened
  Between 1999
  and 2003
                          31

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Map 3: Fish-way Progress in Pennsylvania
                         PENNSYLVANIA

                          MARYLAND
            Fishway completed or in progress 1997-98
            Fishway completed before 1997
      20
20
40 Mies
A
 N
                                           32

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                                     VIRGINIA

I. Fish Passage Initiatives

Table 4, Figure 4 and Map 4 at the end of this chapter provide details of 1997-98 fish passage
progress in Virginia.

A. Completed Fish Passage Projects

In 1997 construction of a Denil fishway on Harvell Dam (Appomattox River) began and was
partially completed and operated in the spring of 1998.  The Harvell fishway reopened 5.7
miles of the Appomattox River. Construction of a vertical slot fishway was begun in 1997 on
Bosher Dam (on the James River) and was substantially completed in 1998, but will not be
operational until the spring of 1999  The Bosher fishway reopens 137.6 miles of the James
River.

B. Fish Passage Progress

Harvell Dam. Appomattox River. City of Petersburg: Most of the construction of a Denil
fishway for this nine-foot-high  dam was completed in accordance with Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) orders.  FERC also granted the owner's request to generate
up to March 1, 1997 even though the fishway was not yet completed.  Permit amendments
were obtained from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (US COE) to allow for instream work during the 1997  spawning season,
as long as work was directly related to fishway construction.  An official  waiver of the
construction time-of-year restriction from FERC was granted, and fishway  construction
reconvened. FERC also permitted start of generation prior to June 30, 1997, which allowed
for lowering the head pond elevation enough to continue construction.

Fortunately for the purposes of construction and dam leak repairs, Appomattox River flows
were relatively low in 1997.  By the spring of 1998, the spillway entrance channel went online.
The owner did some preliminary fish counts at the exit channel window and reported seeing
thousands of gizzard shad, a few herring and shad and at least one small striped bass. The
Virginia coordinator worked with the owner to prepare him and his workers to identify fish.

After the 1998 spawning season, construction continued on the new hydropower units that are
adjacent to  the fishway. In the spring of 1999, the tailrace entrance channel should be
operated to improve the fishway's efficiency at passing target species. The fishway reopened
5.7 miles of spawning habitat, up to the Abutment Dam at Petersburg.

Bosher Dam. James River. Henrico County.  This 10-foot-high dam is the last blockage to
migratory fishes on the James River in Richmond. The recently constructed vertical slot
fishway reopens 137.6 mainstem miles of anadromous fish spawning habitat up to Lynchburg.
Approximately 200 miles of potential spawning habitat on tributaries also will become
accessible, including 36.3 miles of documented spawning habitat on the Rivanna River. This
fishway is a major milestone for the Virginia Fish Passage Project as well as for the CBP.

USFWS provided a conceptual plan in 1994.  Funding for the final design was provided by an
                                         33

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EPA/NOAA grant to the VDGIF, which was, in turn, granted to the City of Richmond (City)
to hire J.K. Timmons & Associates in February 1996.  The final design was completed in
August 1996.  Three construction bids were opened on September 13, 1996 and,
unfortunately, the lowest bid was more than twice the budget. A construction grant was
approved by City Council pending sufficient fund raising.

Additional fund raising, coordinated by the James River Association, became the main focus
of this project. The following entities committed additional funding to the project: (1) the
Virginia General Assembly, (2) VMRC (from recreational and commercial licenses), (3)  the
City of Richmond, (4) Henrico County and (5) several charitable foundations. Also,
additional EPA/NOAA grant funds became available because the Ashland Mill Dam and
Ruffins Pond Dam projects were postponed and the funding was transferred to the Bosher
project to help meet the low bid.

All permitting was finalized, and an official Notice to Proceed was issued on June 23,  1997.
A ground-breaking ceremony followed in July.  Despite relatively low flows on the James
River early on, progress was delayed significantly by high water when the river rose to three-
fourths bank full in November. After raising and armoring the lower cofferdam, English
Construction, Inc. installed the attraction water manhole and 48-inch pipe.  Completion was
initially scheduled for March 1998, in time for the spring spawning run of American shad and
river herring.

Severe flooding of the James River occurred from January through May  1998, thus preventing
construction progress.  The 1998 spawning run was missed.  The river returned to and
remained at normal flows through the end of 1998,  allowing the fishway  to be substantially
completed.  The only remaining work at the end of 1998 was to finish installing some baffles
and remove the cofferdams.  In 1999 the VDGIF will evaluate the efficiency of the fishway
and collect a small subsample of adult shad as part of the hatchery product evaluation.

Ashland Mill Dam. South Anna River:  No action was taken on this issue in 1997 or 1998,
other than to continue to document the shad and herring reaching the dam.  This  project  was
postponed in 1995 when the owner would not fully cooperate. CBP funds originally granted
for the Ashland project were extended and transferred to the Ruffins Pond Dam fishway
project in 1995 and then to the Bosher Dam fishway project in 1997.

Ruffins Pond Dam. Massaponax Creek. Rappahannock River. CBP funds originally
designated for fish passage at Ashland Mill Dam were extended and transferred in 1995 to
Ruffins Pond Dam near Fredericksburg. There is a good herring run at this dam, which is
about a quarter mile from the confluence with the Rappahannock River.  This 16-foot-high
dam blocks 3.5 miles of Massaponax Creek and 4.5 miles of a permanent tributary for a total
of eight miles.

J.K. Timmons  & Associates completed the final design for this fishway in 1996, and bids
were opened on February 26, 1997.  Unfortunately, both bids were more than twice the
amount of grant money remaining for construction.  The dam owner, Tarmac, considered
donating concrete and rip-rap.  However, there  was still insufficient funding to proceed.  Since
the Grant Contract between VDGIF and Tarmac clearly stated that neither party was
obligated over and above the original grant contract amount, VDGIF received a grant
amendment and extension to use the money on the Bosher Dam fishway.

                                        34

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 Embrey Dam. Rappahannock River, Spotsylvania County:  This 22-foot-high dam on the
 Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg is the only mainstem migration impediment.  Fish
 passage at Embrey would reopen 70.6 miles of the mainstem Rappahannock. In 1994 a
 sediment study was conducted to determine if toxic substances are present in the sediment
 behind the dam.  Early in 1995 the Virginia DEQ determined that these sediments are
 comparable to other sediments upstream and that there was very low probability of
 characterizing them as hazardous waste  as defined in VR 672-20-10. These results allow for
 consideration of removing all or part of the dam.

 The City of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County are building a cooperative water plant at
 Mott's Run Reservoir, which is on a tributary to the Rappahannock a few miles upstream of
 Embrey.  This will make Embrey obsolete as a drinking water supply by early 1999.

 In February 1997 the VDGIF was instructed by Virginia Senate Joint Resolution No. 296 to
 conduct a feasibility study on providing fish passage at Embrey Dam. J.K. Timmons &
 Associates was hired in June 1997 to complete this study, which included a synthesis of all
 previous studies; the development of technical and local decision matrices; recommendations;
 and cost estimates for various scenarios. Timmons subcontracted  GKY & Associates to
 evaluate the sediment load entrapped by the dam and to conduct a sediment fate and transport
 study (FffiC-6 model). Throughout the study all interested  parties and agencies were included
 in discussions, and their comments were incorporated in the decision-making process. The
 report was submitted to the General Assembly in December for review in the 1998 session.
 The study (Senate Document J8) is now available for use in the  decision-making process.

 In 1998 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted a reconnaissance study of the proposed
 environmental restoration project on the Rappahannock River that consists primarily of the
 Embrey issue. The reconnaissance phase was 100 percent federally funded. During that phase
 a federal interest was determined and the potential cost-sharing partners for a three-year
 feasibility study were identified   The feasibility study will require a 50 percent non-federal
 match. If the Commonwealth of Virginia, the City of Fredericksburg and possibly Stafford
 County, agree to the project and secure the appropriate funding, the feasibility study will
 proceed.  Under this scenario, the dam would not be removed until at least 2003

 C.  Monitoring and Stream Surveys

 Adult Alosid Monitoring: During the  springs of 1997 and 1998  shad and herring spawning
 runs were monitored by the Fish Passage Coordinator and other Fish Division staff throughout
 Virginia.  Electrofishing for Alosa spp. was conducted at the following sites: below Harvell
 Dam on the Appomattox River; in Swift  Creek (tributary to Appomattox); below Walker's
 Dam on the Chickahominy River; below  Embrey Dam down to the fall line/tidal interface on
 the Rappahannock River at Rt. 1; below  Ashland Mill Dam  on the  South Anna River; and in
 the upper Mattaponi River American shad showed up in collections for the first time in
 several years at Harvell and Embrey dams in  1998. Under a City of Richmond contract,
 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) monitored the James River at the base of the fall
 line (at 14th Street) and below Bosher Dam.  A few bluebacks were also seen at Bosher Dam
 in 1998. Commercial watermen working for VDGIF and USFWS  also monitored American
 shad on the Pamunkey River during egg collection.  VCU biologists determined age and
growth rates for broodstock shad

                                         35

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Juvenile Alosid Monitoring: One important addition to the sampling protocol was the
establishment of a coding system for one-half-mile transects on the James.  Sites are randomly
picked, and the code identifies the river, river mile, gear and location. Data collected now will
be very important when natural spawning information is collected above Bosher Dam in the
future.

Nighttime ichthyoplankton samples were taken on the James River above Bosher Dam by
pushing a 500// mesh net in front of a jon boat. Small (30-40 mm) juvenile American shad
were collected with the ichthyoplankton net in June and July of 1997 and 1998.

Juvenile American shad were collected above and below Bosher Dam on the James River
from July through October of 1997 using pushnet and electrofishing sampling techniques.
This documented the initial success for the 1997 shad stocking program. All of the shad
otoliths examined from fish collected above Bosher Dam displayed the oxytetracycline (OTC)
mark received in the hatchery prior to  stocking  Approximately 80 percent of the American
shad juveniles collected below Bosher Dam were also of hatchery origin. OTC marking is a
valuable tool for evaluating the overall contributions of wild and hatchery fish to the system,
and will be especially valuable after the fishway is passing fish above Bosher Dam.

In 1998 juvenile American shad were far more scarce above Bosher Dam than in 1997.  Only
six individuals were collected above the dam from May through November. The June
ichthyoplankton sampling resulted in only one individual, and the pushnet sampling also
resulted in only one individual in November. In July, one individual was collecting by boat
electrofishing and in November three more individuals were collected.  The visual location and
prepositioned shocking technique that was successful in 1997 was unsuccessful in 1998 after
several attempts.

Juvenile blueback herring were collected above Bosher Dam with the pushnet in August 1997
and from July through December below the dam (tidal areas) in both 1997 and 1998. Finding
herring juveniles above Bosher Dam provides evidence that at least a portion of the stocked
adults were able to spawn successfully in 1997, and that the eggs hatched and the fry survived
to the juvenile phase. This adds to the significance of finding American shad juveniles above
the dam  it indicates that the habitat is  conducive to natural alosid spawning and recruitment
to the juvenile life stage.

Rappahannock River Basin Impediment Survey:  VCU completed Year 2 and Year 3 of this
four-year study, and the contract continues with VDGIF to complete Year 4 in  1999. CBP
funds are being used to conduct a comprehensive survey of impediments on Rappahannock
River tributaries.  Biological sampling  in the second year focused on boat electrofishing in
larger, non-wadeable streams  The 1996-97 sampling collected a total of 67 fish species,
representing 21 families in the study area. This included all four Alosa species.  Years 2 and 3
also included  further habitat data collection, and several statistical analyses were initiated that
describe habitat relationships of the target alosids.  This  may lead to a quantitative alosid
habitat model that could  be a useful tool for setting habitat restoration goals.  The entire basin
will be surveyed over the four-year period, and these surveys will provide information
necessary for  setting fish passage priorities in the basin
                                         36

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D. Trap, Transport and Stocking

Herring Trap and Transport:  The Fish Passage Coordinator and other Fish Division staff, in
cooperation with USFWS, conducted a trap and transport project for blueback herring in late
April and early May 1997. A total of 5,092 prespawned blueback herring were collected by
electrofishing below Walker's Dam on the Chickahominy River and transported in circular
tanks to several stocking sites. These included 3,576 to Columbia on the James (45 miles
above Bosher Dam), 956 in Byrd Creek (a tributary above Bosher) and 560 in Harrison Lake
(on Herring Creek-a tributary of the lower James). There is a Denil fishway at Harrison Lake
Dam.

A new 950-gallon  circular tank was delivered to the VDGIF in June of 1997 and was outfitted
for use in 1998. Blueback herring trap and transport was conducted from April 13 through
April 30, 1998.  A total of 5,649 prespawned blueback herring were transported from the
Chickahominy River at Walker's Dam to the James River and several James River tributaries.
USFWS personnel helped haul approximately 1,000 of those fish for the VDGIF to Maiden's
Landing. The electrofishing catch per unit effort (CPUE) varied greatly at the collection site,
ranging from 221 fish/hr up to 2,662 fish/hr. Average herring CPUE in 1998 was only 842/hr,
which is indicative of a weak spawning run, considering a rough yearly average of about 2000
fish/hr. Fish were  dense enough at the dam to allow for rapid collection on only two of 12
collection days.  Transport mortality was greatly reduced with the use of the new VDGIF tank
compared to previous years. Resulting herring juveniles should imprint on the upstream
habitat, and those that successfully recruit to the adult stock should return to the James River
in three to five years to spawn.

American Shad Restoration: In 1997 VDGIF biologists, assisted by 11 Virginia watermen
(funded by VMRC), captured 1,444 brood shad on the Pamunkey River. Approximately 15.3
million eggs were taken from  the brood fish and sent to VDGIF's King and Queen State Fish
Cultural Station and USFWS's Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery. The James River was
stocked with 5.9 million fry, and the Pamunkey River was stocked with 1.3 million fry.
Samples taken from more than 300 adult fish during broodstock collection are being analyzed
by the VDGIF to locate any fish that carry an OTC mark received in the hatchery. Each river
has its own unique mark sequence. Three male American shad collected below Bosher Dam
in spring 1997 by VCU carried the James River OTC  mark. These fish were three years old
and would have been stocked as fry in 1994.  This is a milestone for the Virginia stocking
program.

In 1998, again working with VMRC-funded watermen, the VDGIF collected  and fertilized a
total of 26.3 million American shad eggs from the Pamunkey River during the spring
spawning run.  A total of 14 million fry were produced and stocked from April 1 to May 7.
The James River received 10 million of these fry, while the Pamunkey received 4 million.

Of the brood fish collected on the  Pamunkey River in 1998, and examined for OTC tags, five
proved to be of hatchery origin. The majority of the tagged fish were stocked in  1994,
including one fish that carried a 20- and 30-day tag, which had been used on 151,000 shad  fry
stocked by the Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery in 1994.  Hatchery-marked shad made
up less than 1 percent of the brood fish sampled from the Pamunkey.

On the James River, below Bosher Dam,  VCU biologists collected 18 adult shad.  OTC tag

                                         37

-------
analysis of these fish proved that 15 (83 percent) were of hatchery origin.  Two of the fish
carried a three-day tagging sequence, which had been used on 6,800 shad fry that were
stocked in 1992-the first shad stocked in the state for this project. The remaining hatchery
fish were returning adults from stockings in 1994 and 1995.

II.  Fish Passage Support Activities

A.  Public Relations and Education: The Fish Passage Coordinator participated in the
following activities in 1997 and  1998:

•      The Science Museum of Virginia sample gear display and Bosher Dam fish passage
       plan display on January 11, 1997.
•      Fish passage presentation to "90 + 9" men's breakfast club in Richmond on January
       21, 1997.
•      Bosher Dam and Ruffms Pond Dam poster presentation at the annual meeting of the
       AFS Tidewater Chapter  (January 22-24, 1997).
•      Fish passage presentation at the midyear meeting of the Southern Division of the AFS
       in San Antonio, Texas (February 13-16, 1997).
•      Presentation  of the Bosher Dam fishway project to the VMRC Commercial Advisory
       Board on February 18, 1997.
•      Fish passage presentation at the 43rd Tri-State Fisheries Conference in Lexington,
       Virginia (March 4-6, 1997).
•      Presentation  of the Bosher Dam fishway project to the VMRC Recreational Advisory
       Board on March 10, 1997.
•      Fish passage presentation for the Urban/Environmental  Class at VCU on March  20,
       1997.
•      Fish passage display and alosid electrofishing demonstration on the Rappahannock
       River at the First Annual Shad Festival  at Old Mill Park on April 19, 1997. The
       Friends of the Rappahannock and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation sponsored this
       event.
•      The Friends of the Rappahannock and the VDGIF sponsored a "bucket brigade" on
       May 9, 1997 when approximately 200 "symbolic" herring were moved  from just below
       Embrey Dam to the head pond during a VDGIF electrofishing survey.
•      Fish passage presentation to the Sandston Rotary Club on May 12, 1997.
•      Bosher Dam  fishway ground-breaking ceremony on July 22, 1997.
•      Site visit at Bosher Dam by the Richmond chapter of the ASCE on October 14,  1997.
•      Three  "Ecology Day" classes conducted on January 22, 1998 at Crestwood
       Elementary School.
•      Virginia Fish Passage Project update at the Roanoke Rapids Fish Passage Workshop
       on February 11, 1998.
•      Fish passage display and alosid electrofishing demonstration on the Rappahannock
       River at the Second Annual  Shad Festival at Old Mill Park on April 25, 1998. The
       Friends of the Rappahannock and the CBF sponsored this event.
•      Fish passage and fish identification presentation to James River Rafting Company
       recruits on May 9, 1998.
•      Outdoor writers float on the Rappahannock River on September 11, 1998.
•      Bosher Fishway tour to regional conservation agencies group on September 21,  1998.
•      Fish Passage Exhibit at the State Fair of Virginia from September 23 to October 4,
                                         38

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       1998.  Approximately 10,000 visitors to the VDGIF pavilion.
•      Participation as a panelist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's "Bridging the River"
       workshop in Warsaw on October 11, 1998. The Countryside Exchange program
       focused on improvement and preservation of the Rappahannock River.
•      Embrey Dam fish passage update to the Rappahannock River Basin Commission in
       Tappahannock on October 28,  1998.

B. Future Public Relations  and Education

•      Participate in the Shad Festival on the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg in April
       1999.
•      Participate in Bosher Dam fishway dedication in April 1999
•      Bosher Dam fishway tours for James River Month in June 1999.
•      Upon request and as opportunities arise, the anadromous fish restoration efforts will
       be presented to the public to educate and gain support.

III. Future Activities

A. Plans for 1999

•      Obtain  a fishway design and construction cost estimate for the Abutment Dam on the
       Appomattox River.
•      Monitor the efficiency of the Bosher fishway for passing target fish species.
•      Work closely with Greenwood Ironworks on the first full season of operation and
       monitoring of a Denil fishway on Harvell Dam on the Appomattox River.
•      Continue efforts toward achieving fish passage at Embrey Dam on the Rappahannock
       River.  Removal is currently the preferred option
•      Conduct trap and transport of blueback herring to rebuild James River run up to and
       upstream of Bosher Dam.
•      Monitor adult alosids in the spring and juveniles in the summer and fall
•      Set future goals for  passage in Virginia
B. Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Program's Five- and 10-Year Goals (1998 and 2003)

Virginia's five-year goal is 308 miles. William's Island Dam Notch was completed in
November of 1993  and reopened 2.6 miles of the James River up to Bosher Dam.  Also in
1993, a fish lift was installed on Brassfield Dam (Appomattox River), but the actual hopper is
not yet in place. This lift will be completed when passage is provided at the downstream
abutment dam, and  together passage at all three Appomattox River dams will reopen an
additional 127.1 miles. In 1995 a Denil fishway on Chandler's Mill Dam (Rappahannock
drainage) reopened 7.7 miles of the two tributaries feeding Chandler's Pond. The Bosher
fishway was substantially completed in 1998, which reopened 137.6 miles. The Ashland Mill
Dam (S. Anna River) project was moved  to the 10-year goal (nine miles). Through 1998 a
total of 190.6 accessible miles were reopened in Virginia. Approximately 168 additional miles
of major James River tributaries were also made accessible to migratory fishes with the
opening of Bosher Dam.

Virginia's 10-year goal is 415.5 miles, which includes 107.5 miles in addition to the five-year

                                         39

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goal. Besides completing projects listed above, the 10-year goal will be achieved by providing
passage at Embrey Dam on the Rappahannock (70.6 miles) and the Ashland Mill Dam and
Ashland Water Supply Dam on the South Anna River (a total of 37 miles).
                                         40

-------
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              Figure 4.  Fish Passage Progress in Virginia
         Virginia's Progress Toward 2003
                 Fish Passage Goals
      224.9
                            190.6
                      0
Total Miles Opened = 190.6 miles
2003 Goal = 415.5 miles
• Miles Opened
  And Accessible
  Through 1998


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  but Not Yet
  Accessible
  Through 1998
El Additional Miles
  To Be Opened
  Between 1999
  and 2003
                            43

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Map 4: Fishway Progress in Virginia
      Fishway completed or in progress 1997-98
      Fishway completed before 1997
                                                     20
20 Miles
                                              44

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                                 FEDERAL AGENCIES
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)

In fiscal year 1997 the US EPA allocated a total of $651,000, and in 1998 a total of $576,400, for
fish passage activities in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These activities included the
coordination offish passage efforts, stream blockage surveys, design and construction offish
passage facilities and support for shad hatchery projects. The surveys assess the potential for
anadromous fish species spawning habitat.

Two Inter-Agency Agreements (lAGs) were signed between the US EPA and the US FWS to
fund the monitoring  and stocking of American shad at Little Falls Dam on the Potomac River and
US FWS engineering expertise for fish passage design in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Upon
completion, the fish passage construction activities are anticipated to open hundreds of additional
river miles to anadromous fish migrations.
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA/NMFS)

The National Marine Fisheries Service's Northeast Region administers the CBP's Fish Passage
grants, through an TAG with the US EPA's CBPO.

During fiscal year 1993 the CBPO,  working in cooperation with the NMFS, entered into their first
IAG to fund strategies to coordinate fish passage efforts, stream blockage surveys and design and
construction offish passage facilities in the Chesapeake Bay. The IAG entitled, Fisheries and
Habitat Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay was renewed in fiscal years 1997 and  1998, providing
$576,000 and $278,000, respectively, for fish passage activities in the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed. Under the provision of each IAG, grant applications were received from the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Project work focused on restoration activities
within the Susquehanna, Choptank, Patapsco, Patuxent, James and Rappahannock  River
watersheds.

NO AA CBPO staff continued to attend workgroup meetings, provide technical input to
workgroup goals and progress, and attempt to link NOAA Restoration Center funding
opportunities with workgroup priority projects, where possible.

NMFS Habitat and Fisheries Engineering staff continued to provide review and comments on the
actual completion of the proposed  Denil fishway for Harvell Dam, located on the Appomattox
River near Petersburg, Virginia. Staff continue to be involved in the modifications to the design
and operation offish lifts at Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams, located on the Susquehanna River


                                          45

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in Pennsylvania, and of the vertical slot fishway proposed for the York Haven Dam.  Staff has
recommended and given strong support for providing fish passage and/or dam removal in Rock
Creek and the Anacostia watershed as part of the mitigation package for SAV impacts for the
proposed Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement.

NMFS also continues to contribute to American shad restoration efforts for the Susquehanna
River as a technical and policy member of the Susquehanna Anadromous Fish Restoration
Cooperative (SRAFRC).  NMFS reviews and provides input to activities included in SRAFRC's
annual workplan.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Fish Passage and Stocking Activities
The US FWS Engineering Field Office at Newton Corner, MA provided considerable support
throughout 1997-98 to state fish passage coordinators who were participating in numerous site
inspections and meetings.  Service engineers assisted in fishway designs for the York Haven
hydroelectric project and prepared conceptual plans for fish passage at Johnson's Pond Dam
(Wicomico River, MD); Lake Allen Dam (Midway Branch, MD); Hershey Food Corporation
Dam (Swatara Creek, PA); Lancaster Water Supply Dam (Conestoga River, PA); Carson Long
Dam (Sherman's Creek, PA); Lock Haven Dam (W.  Branch Susquehanna, PA); and Abutment
Dam (Appomattox River, VA).  Engineering assistance also was  provided for reviewing various
percent-complete fish passage design plans for Deer Creek, Johnson's Pond, Lake Bonnie,
Midway Branch and Sawmill Creek (all in Maryland) and for review and comment on the Corps
of Engineers's final design report for construction of a labyrinth weir for fish passage at Little
Falls Dam on the Potomac River, MD.

The Little Falls Fishway Task Group, chaired by USFWS, met in June  1997 and April 1998 and
provided  technical assistance to the Corps of Engineers on their final designs for the Little Falls
fishway.  Passage at Little Falls  Dam is planned for 1999 and will open 10 miles of anadromous
fish spawning habitat up to Great Falls, the historic natural limit offish migrations.  The unusual
fishway design at Little Falls involves a 24-foot-wide notch with three labyrinth weirs located 75
feet from the Virginia side of the dam.  The weirs act as flow dissipators to  reduce velocity and
promote passage for a variety of migratory species.  The S. O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research
Center (USGS) was responsible for the conceptual fishway design, and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers is responsible for the final engineering design.

The USFWS Susquehanna River Coordinator continued to coordinate the multi-agency shad
restoration program on the Susquehanna River.  The program involves large-scale egg collection,
larval culture and marking and stocking of the Susquehanna mainstem and tributaries. Other
components include the trap and transfer of adult shad and herring from the Conowingo West fish
lift, fish passage operations and fish counts at Conowingo East lift, Holtwood and Safe Harbor
dams, planning and  construction of a new fishway at  York Haven Dam, summer-fall juvenile shad
                                          46

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collections and otolith analysis.  In 1998 the USFWS Northeast Fishery Center in Lamar, PA
initiated hormone-induced tank spawning of American shad using brood fish from Conowingo
Dam. Over three million eggs were produced, with most being supplied to PFBC's Van Dyke
hatchery.

The Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery and Virginia Fisheries Coordinator Office cooperated
with the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin and the Little Falls Task Group to
produce, mark and stock more than three million American shad fry in the Potomac River above
Little Falls in 1997-98. The Harrison Lake NFH and Virginia Fisheries Coordinator Office also
cooperated with VDGJJF  and VMRC to produce, mark and stock several million American shad
fry in support of the James River restoration project. Assessment of the VDGIF and USFWS
shad fry stockings indicated that all juveniles above Bosher's Dam were hatchery produced, as
were about 80 percent of those downstream of Bosher's Dam. Tetracycline-marked adults were
captured on the spawning grounds below Bosher's dam by VDGIF and VCU.

Service personnel from the Virginia Fisheries Coordinator Office and Harrison Lake worked
cooperatively with VDGIF to trap-and-transfer approximately 1,500 prespawned blueback herring
for ^introduction into the upper watershed of Herring Creek, above the Service's Harrison Lake
Dam in the James River watershed. A total of about 5,000 prespawned blueback herring also
were moved above Bosher's Dam each year in 1997-98.

The Service's Fish Health Unit from Lamar, PA conducted routine disease analysis for wild
American shad samples from the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers.  Screening was negative for
Vibrio spp., Oncorhynchus masou virus, Aeromonas salmonicida, enteric redmouth bacterium,
viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus and infectious
pancreatic necrosis virus.

Outreach and Education
The Susquehanna River Coordinator and fish passage engineer Dick Quinn attended the annual
meeting of the American  Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in Washington D.C. in November
1997 and presented information on the Chesapeake Bay fish passage program.

At a dedication ceremony for new fish elevators at Safe Harbor and Holtwood dams on the
Susquehanna River in May 1997, the USFWS Regional Director presented the Director's
Corporate Wildlife Stewardship Award to PP&L and Safe Harbor Water  Power Corporation.
Numerous Bay Program dignitaries attended

Little Falls Fishway Web Page
A new web page  (http://www.chesapeakebay.net/bayprogram/bay_eco/lfpg.htm) was created in
late 1997 on the CBP's web server, written by Peter  Bergstrom (USFWS) with graphics assembly
and programming by CRC fellow Karen Hester.

One or more wayside signs that will explain the project and its benefits to Potomac fisheries are


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planned for installation along the towpath, where there is a view of the Little Falls Dam.  In 1997
and 1998 local grade school students raised some of the shad fry released back to the Potomac
River through the "Schools in Schools" program, which is conducted in cooperation with USFWS
and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division

American eels were historically ubiquitous and ecologically important in most coastal waters of
the eastern seaboard, including the Chesapeake Bay, ranging as far inland as they could ascend
past natural and man-made obstructions.  Passage facilities for upstream and downstream migrant
eels are lacking at hundreds of hydroelectric and other dams along rivers and tributaries of the
Atlantic coast, reducing recruitment of eels into upstream habitats. Recent negotiations for
relicensing hydroelectric dams have included eels as a species to be passed, yet the technologies
required for eel passage have not been tested or implemented in the U.S.

Studies on natural behaviors of migrant eels, response to attraction flows and turbine intakes, run
characteristics (size, sex  ratio and age class structure) and migration timing are required for  the
development of improved eel passage structures  Research on downstream migrant behavior,
guidance and bypass technologies is still in a formative stage. Application of effective eel passage
is a key point for ongoing settlement negotiations involving presently appealed and pending
licenses for a number of hydroelectric dams that currently possess no upstream or downstream
eel passage structures. In cooperation with the Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center (USGS-
BRD), the US FWS initiated pilot eel passage and migration studies in the laboratory and at
several hydroelectric dam sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Catadromous eels have been extirpated from the upper portions of the James and Roanoke River
drainages in Virginia due to a series of dams.  Eel abundance and  size in these rivers are strongly
related to their distance inland   Eels currently are present in the Shenandoah River mainstem
(Potomac drainage), but their distribution and abundance has not  been quantified,  and the
cumulative impacts of dams on eel movements and the upstream migrant eel population within the
watershed is unknown. A three-year study has been implemented between USGS,  USFWS and
Virginia Polytechnic University to address these questions at three dams within the Shenandoah
River mainstem.  Results to date have indicated low eel abundance within the watershed, with
high site fidelity of older eels.  Few juvenile eels have been captured at the dams.

These and future studies by USGS-BRD  are critical for providing sound biological data; design
criteria and evaluation of passage structures, and a basis for future eel mitigation efforts and
enhancement of coastal freshwater and inland populations on a coastwide scale.
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                         BAYWIDE SUMMARY OF PROGRESS

When the CBP's Executive Council signed Directive 93-4 on December 27, 1993, they charged
the Bay's jurisdictions with opening 1,356.75 miles of migratory fish spawning habitat along the
major tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay by 2003. This 10-year goal includes 143.1  miles opened
prior to signing the directive. An interim goal of 582.05 miles was set for the year 1998, which
does not include the pre-directive miles This directive has focused the goals and activities for the
Fish Passage Workgroup for the past five years.

The workgroup has worked steadily to meet these goals. By end of 1998 a total of 645 miles of
stream habitat had been reopened, including 523.5 miles currently available to  anadromous fish
(Table 5) and 121.5 miles of potential anadromous habitat which is not yet accessible due to
downstream blockages.  In 1997 and 1998 a total of 361.3 miles were opened.  Although
anadromous fish mileage results through 1998 were short of the five-year goal amount, projects
expected to be completed in 1999 will greatly exceed that target and set the stage for surpassing
the 10-year goal.

The following table and figures illustrate the Baywide success of the fish passage program in
terms of miles opened. This includes all parameters of the agreement and the miles opened before
the agreement.

                                        Table 5
                      Baywide Fish Passage  Progress Through 1998
 District of Columbia
  0
                  32
                32.6
 Maryland
97.1
175.3
21005
388.65
 Pennsylvania
                505
                  32
                520
 Virginia
 37
153 6
 308
415.50
 Total
143.1
380.4
582.05
1356.75
It is important to note that meeting the directive's fish passage goals will not necessarily result in
increased abundance of anadromous stocks  Other essential efforts include control of harvest,
habitat protection, trap and transport, stocking, proper design of facilities and the proper
management of fishways. These activities have been and will continue to be expanded throughout
the watershed by the Fish Passage Workgroup
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         Figure 5. Fish Passage Progress Baywide
        Baywide Progress Towards Reaching the
     Executive Council Goal of 1356.75 Miles Opened
                       by 2003
 711.751
                  523.5
                 121.5
   • Miles Opened
     And Accessibl
     Through 1998


   D Miles Opened
     but Not Yet
     Accessible
     Through 1998

   H Additional Miles
     To Be Opened
     Between 1999
     and 2003
       Figure 6. Jurisdictional Fish Passage Progress
       Jurisdiction Progress Toward
                Ten-Year Goal
j  600
I
I
  500

  400

  300

  200

  100

    0
• Miles To Be
  Opened By 2003
n Progress Thro ugh
  1998
                          VA
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                  APPENDIX A
Fish Passage Projects Completed between 1989 and 1998
State/District
District of
Columbia



Maryland








Project

Abandoned Weir #1 (Sewer
Line), Rock Creek, Potomac
River
Metro Dam, Rock Creek,
Potomac River
Ford #3, Rock Creek, Potomac
River

Cypress Branch Dam, Cypress
Branch, Chester River
Waugh Chapel Road, Towers
Branch, Little Patuxent River
USGS Gage, St. Leonard Creek,
Patuxent River
Pipeline crossing, Hunting
Creek, Patuxent River
Small dam, Cocktown Creek,
Patuxent River
USGS Gage, Western Branch,
Patuxent River
USGS Gage, Mattawoman
Creek, Potomac River
Baptist Church Rd. Culvert,
Hancock Run, Potomac River
Fish Passage Type

Removal
Removal
Removal

Breach
Replacement &
fish way
Weir collapse &
removal
Weir collapse &
removal
Structure collapse
Weir collapse &
removal
Weir collapse &
removal
Replacement
Year

1995
1995
1991

1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
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Route 232 culvert, Gilbert Run,
Wicomico River
Boy Scout Dam, Octoraro
Creek, Susquehanna River
Simkins Dam, Patapsco River
Rt 6 Culvert, Gilbert Run
Wicomico River
Rt 12 Culvert/USGS Weir,
Nassawango Cr. Pocomoke
River
Culvert, Rt. 495 East, Paint
Branch, Anacostia River
Culvert, Rt. 495 West, Paint
Branch, Anacostia River
Rt. 40 Culvert, Whitemarsh Run,
Bird River
Dam #1, Northeast Branch.
Anacostia River
Van Bibber Dam, Winter's Run,
Bush River
Weir Morgan Creek, Chester
River
Weir, Beaverdam Creek,
Choptank River -
Dam, Tuckahoe Creek,
Choptank River
Elkton Dam, Big Elk Creek, Elk
River
Railroad Bridge, Little Elk
Creek, Elk River
Fort Meade Dam, Little Patuxent
River
Collapse & debris
removal
Collapse & removal
Denil
Pool and Weir
Notch
Pool and Weir
Alaskan Steeppass
Alaskan Steeppass
Notch
Denil
Notch
Notch
Denil
Denil
Removal
Denil
1998
1998
1997
1997
1997
1995
1995
1994
1990
1990
1989
1989
1993
1993
1992
1991
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Railroad Trestle, Dorsey Run,
Little Patuxent
Culvert, Dorsey Run, Little
Patuxent River
Sewer Line, Little Patuxent
River
Lake Waterford Dam, Lake
Waterford, Magothy River
North East Dam, North East
River
Bloede Dam, Patapsco River
Daniels Dam, Patapsco River
Dam, Deep Run, Patapsco River
Dam, Stony Run, Patapsco River
Trail Culvert, Sawmill Creek
Patapsco River
Union Dam, Patapsco River
Rt. 6 Culvert, Hoghole Run,
Port Tobacco River
Rt. 214 Dam, Western Branch,
Patuxent River
Bacon Ridge Branch Weir,
South River
Culvert, North River, South
River
Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna
River
MD Rt. 648, Cattail Creek,
Magothy River
Evergreen Road Culvert,
Patuxent River
Removal
Replacement
Replacement
Pool and Weir
Breach
Denil
Denil
Removal
Removal
Pool and Weir
Breach
Alaskan Steeppass
Removal
Removal
Replacement
Fishlift (2)
Alaskan Steeppass
Replacement
1994
1994
1990
1993
1992
1993
1997
1989
1990
1994
1997
1994
1994
1991
1990
1991
1995
1995
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Pennsylvania




Dam, Horsepen Branch,
Patuxent River
MD Rt. 234, Budd's Creek
(Western Shore)
Rt. 208 (38th St.) Dam,
Northwest Branch, Anacostia
River
Dam #1, Paint Branch,
Anacostia River
Rt. 1 Culvert, Rhode Island
Ave., Northwest Branch,
Anacostia River
Unicorn Dam, Unicorn Branch,
Chester River
Simkins Dam, Patapsco River
Rt. 1 2 Culvert, USGS Weir,
Nassawango Creek, Pocomoke
River
Sewer Crossing, Northeast
Branch, Anacostia Branch
Culvert, Dogwood Run, Elk
River
Rt. 6 Culvert, Gilbert Creek,
Wicomico River, Western Shore

Holtwood Dam,
Susquehanna River
Safe Harbor Dam,
Susquehanna River
Rock Hill Dam,
Conestoga River
Maple Grove Dam,
L. Conestoga River
Removal
Alaskan
Steeppass
Notch
Breach
Pool and Weir
Alaskan Steeppass
Denil
Notch
Breach
Pool & Weir
Pool & Weir

Lift
Lift
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1996
1997
1997
1995
1990
1997

1997
1997
1997
1997
54

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Virginia


Castle Fin Dam,
Muddy Creek
Unnamed Dam, Fishing
Creek, Clinton Co.
American Paper Products Co
Dam, Conestoga River
East Petersburg Authority Dam,
Little Conestoga River
Yorkana Dam, tributary to
Codorus
Yorktown Paper Co. Dam,
tributary to Codorus Creek
Millport Conservancy Dam,
Lititz Run
Unnamed dam (road crossing),
Lititz Run
Unnamed dam, Kishacoquillas
Creek
Unnamed dam, Laurel Run
Milesburg Power
Generating Station,
Spring Creek, Centre Co
Rose Hill Intake Dam, Kettle
Creek
Williamsburg Station Dam,
Frankstown Branch, Juniata
River
Huntingdon Water Supply,
Standing Stone Creek, Juniata
River

Bosher Dam, James River
Harvell Dam, Appomattox River
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Breach & remove
Vertical slot
Breach and
Removal
Denil

Vertical Slot
Denil
1997
1997
1998
1998
1997
1997
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1996
1996

1998
1998
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Battersea Dam, Appomattox
River, James River
Walkers Dam, Chickahominy
River; James River
Harrison Lake Dam, Herring
Creek; James River
Manchester Dam, James River
Browns Island Dam, James River
Chandler's Mill Dam,
Rappahannock River
Williams Island Dam, James
River
Natural Breach
Denil (2)
Denil
Breach
Breach
Denil
Notch

1989
1989
1989
1989
1995
1993
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                                     APPENDIX B
                           Fish Passage Workgroup Members
Richard St. Pierre
Susquehanna River Coordinator
US Fish and Wildlife Service
1721 N. Front Street Suite 105
Harrisburg, PA 17102
717-238-6425
Members:

Carin Bisland
Al Blott
Scott Carney
Mike Fritz
William Goldsborough
Rick Hoopes
Robert Kelsey
Larry Leasner
John Nichols
Susan Olsen
Richard Quinn
Jon Siemien
Albert  Spells
Dave Sutherland
Rich Takacs
Alan Weaver
Howard Weinberg
Environmental Protection Agency - Chesapeake Bay Program
National Marine Fisheries Service
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Environmental Protection Agency - Chesapeake Bay Program
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
U.S  Fish and Wildlife Service
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
National Marine Fisheries Service
National Marine Fisheries Service
       U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
District of Columbia Fisheries Branch
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Ocean and Atmosphere Administration
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Chesapeake Bay Program/ University of Maryland Eastern Shore
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