The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is coordinating a federal, state and local effort to develop 1,500 feet of fish shelf in the lower two miles of the river, an area best known for its hard-armored and sheet-piled riverbanks. The project will provide northern pike, muskellunge and other native fish species a shallow water habitat necessary for foraging and spawning. “We are nearly tripling the Continue reading “Fish Habitat Project Starts on the Ashtabula River”

Press Release from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, TN, Sept. 1, 2011:

A group of fisheries scientists from Tennessee Tech University are busy monitoring the health of the Caney Fork River by pumping electricity into the water.

Though water and electricity are not usually a good mix, the combination is one of the best methods for collecting fish and determining their health Continue reading “Scientists Monitor Caney Fork Fish Habitat”

They’d tell of how it used to burst its banks and flood half the town and how salmon used to go tearing upstream Continue reading “River Maine is getting a makeover under The Environmental River Enhancement Programme”

Trouble in seabird paradise

A government effort to save Columbia River salmon becomes an unexpected bird battle, forcing scientists to consider a flock of new questions and options after nature shows its unpredictable side.

The Forest Service/U.S. Department of Agriculture is scheduled to begin work on the pond in early September. The pond will be closed Sept. 14 to Sept. 28 to the public, depending on weather conditions.

Trails closest to the pond will also be closed due to the work, but other trails on the property will remain open.

The project comes after years of sediment build-up in the pond, a popular destination for fishers and families.
According to Jesse Overcash, wildlife biologist, this will be the first time the pond has been dredged.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” he said.

When sediment builds up, water becomes shallower and warmer, hurting the habitats for some species, such as the rainbow trout the pond is stocked with, Overcash said. Warmer water also creates an environment where invasive plants can thrive.

Overcash said the pond is very shallow in some parts, which “reduces the ability, especially for kids, to have meaningful fishing.” The shallowest parts of the pond are less than two feet, Cash estimated.

The dredging process will require the lowering of the pond level 5 to 6 feet prior to excavation. Once the water level is lowered, the exposed shoreline will need to dry before the dredging begins. After the drying process, the pond will close to the public while heavy equipment removes the soil. The sediment will be taken to a spot a few miles away on National Forest land to dry, Overcash said.

The project is being funded by National Forest Wildlife and Fish habitat improvement money, Overcash said.
Future improvements to the pond also include the installation of a new fishing pier and improvements to the pond’s banks.

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