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Tag: fish spawning

Fish passage boasts jobs, increases fish habitat

Posted on by david
The News-Review
If the fish only knew all of the work taking place on their behalf, they’d likely be amazed. They also might be pleased to know that their needs have put people to work at a time when jobs are tough to come by.

Nearly 60 miles up the North Umpqua River from Roseburg, a huge effort is under way to increase and improve the habitat for the steelhead, spring chinook, coho salmon and Pacific lamprey that make their way up the Wild and Scenic River to spawn.

A fish ladder is being built at Soda Springs Dam so the fish will be able to swim beyond the dam for the first time in more than 50 years, exploring another four miles of the North Umpqua River and returning to the spawning beds of their ancestors in three miles of Fish Creek.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

Every aspect of the project takes the fish into account, whether it’s sealing the concrete or rounding out the inside corners of the fish ladder to ensure a safe and appealing passage past the 77-foot-high dam.

Of course, if the dam weren’t there, the native fish already would be swimming unimpeded through the narrow canyon of the North Umpqua. But since the North Umpqua Hydroelectric Project, which includes eight dams, has been in place since the 1950s and provides a substantial amount of electricity, the fish ladder is a compromise.

PacifiCorp expects to spend about $60 million on the fish passage at Soda Springs before it’s completed at the end of 2012. The fish passage is uniquely engineered for the geological features of the river canyon. The company estimated the cost of removing the dam, a solution sought by conservation groups, would have been about the same, but electricity rates would have increased because of the lost hydropower.

Soda Springs generates enough electricity each year to power about 40,000 homes — that’s just short of the number of households in Douglas County. More importantly, company officials say it’s a regeneration dam that produces electricity that can be stored and used during peak demand times.

Despite its steep price tag, the fish passage is small compared to the many massive projects PacifiCorp is involved in throughout the Northwest. Rates are expected to creep by less than 1 percent to pay for the construction project.

That makes it like a stimulus strategy that came along at the right time. While the construction business has been slow elsewhere, the tiny village of Toketee has been bustling with heavy equipment, trucks and workers since the project began in 2010. General contractor is Todd Construction of Tualatin, which was previously located in Roseburg.

The largest subcontractor, Weekly Bros. Inc. of Idleyld Park, hired extra employees to work on the fish ladder. As many as 80 people were on the job this past summer for the company.

Even with winter setting in, anywhere from 50 to 100 people are working on the project daily, making the site appear as if it’s crawling with workers in reflective vests and hard hats.

Between the additional jobs, the promise of clean hydropower well into the future and the re-opening of historic fish habitat, this is a project that’s worth the effort and expense.

BUREAU SLAMMED FOR ‘NEEDLESS’ LOSS OF SALMON EGGS AND FISH HABITAT

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Three irrigation districts are blaming the federal Bureau of Reclamation for failing to adjust water releases from New Melones Reservoir to protect spawning Chinook salmon in the Stanislaus River.

The districts contend the federal agency failed to heed their repeated warnings to more aggressively reduce reservoir storage throughout the year. As a result of high flows during the fall spawning season, more than 10 percent of the salmon eggs appear to have been wiped out between the Knights Ferry and Orange Blossom (Honolulu Bar) area on the Stanislaus River based on work conducted by a team of fishery research scientists with the Oakdale-based FISHBIO firm.

Nearly continuous high water flows during October resulted in salmon spawning in side channels and other areas of high flow. The lowering of the flows led to the eggs of the “species of concern” under the federal Endangered Species Act being wiped out. The eggs were destroyed in at least 23 redds, where salmon nest and spawn, in the Knights Ferry to Orange Blossom area alone.

“We have been warning the Bureau since mid-summer,” noted Steve Knell, general manager of the Oakdale Irrigation District. “We told the (Bureau) this would happen if they didn’t manage their water releases. We didn’t want the salmon to nest in the floodplain during high flows, only to get stranded if the flows were reduced. For whatever reason, the (Bureau) ignored our concerns and the result was a significant and needless loss of salmon.”

Joining OID in criticizing the Bureau were the South San Joaquin Irrigation District and the Stockton East Water District. The OID and SSJID have spent over $1 million in the past decade working to improve fish habitat and survival on the Stanislaus River.

Fall-run Chinook salmon represent the only race of salmon that spawn in the Stanislaus River. Fall-run Chinook salmon need flow rates of approximately 300 to 500 cubic feet per second of water flow beginning in early October each year, to maximize spawning success.

“This year, the (Bureau) maintained flows in excess of 2,000 (cubic feet per second) until Nov. 2,” according to Jeff Shields, SSJID general manager.

“These salmon spawned in areas where the high flows covered the redds,” he added. “When the (Bureau) reduced the river flows, the redds became dewatered.”

Earlier this year the SSJID and OID succeeded in convincing the federal district court judge that a proposed federal operating plan to send massive amounts of water down the Stanislaus in a bid to protect salmon would ultimately be counterproductive. That’s because the pool of water behind New Melones would be so low in some years that the temperature of the “cold water storage” on the bottom of the reservoir would raise water temperatures sufficiently to kill fish.

Fish biologist Doug Demko said there had been an increase in the number of fall-run salmon returning to spawn in the Stanislaus River this year. The OID invested heavily in creating new spawning areas for the salmon as well. Demko said the Bureau’s management of New Melones releases means the number of juvenile fish heading to the Pacific Ocean this year will be reduced, which in turn will further cut the amount of adults that return in subsequent years to spawn.

Demko said the Bureau was sent a memorandum in July warning of the danger of heavy release in the spawning season but got no response.

The Bureau has not responded to requests for an explanation of why releases were allowed to jeopardize the survival of the Chinook salmon.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader in science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.

Manteca Bulletin Managing Editor Dennis Wyatt contributed to this report.

 
   
 

 

Wonder Lake Sportsman’s Club adds over 50 more Fishiding artificial fish habitat

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Published 17th Nov 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a15veu8Onlg&feature=player_embedded
Members of the Sportsman’s club are at it again, enhancing their lake with more long term habitat, teamed up with Fishiding, 56 units of all varieties were dropped in a key area adjacent to spawning grounds. About 10 shallow Cradle models were sunk in 3-5 feet of water, with a line of Safehouse structures leading out to deeper water. The Cradle model consists of hundreds of fine strands of reclaimed PVC designed to give fry and baitfish areas to grow and hide from predators. When the fry have adequate habitat, they are given time to grow to the preferred size of 4-6 inches before venturing out into deeper water to become forage for predators.See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader and only science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.

The key is to make sure there is a continuous line or “tree row” of habitat from shallow spawning grounds out to deep water.

If the fish have to swim from shallow areas out to deeper cover without cover to hide in, they get eaten prematurely, or before growing large enough to best benefit the larger predators like bass, walleye, crappie and musky.

The club members clipped structurespot markers to each unit as it was dropped, to see where each one lands to ensure the continuous coverage.

When all units are installed, they took some pictures to refer to the shape and design they created.

After the pics, they simply pull the clip free on the structurespot markers and wind them  up to re-use.

The Safehouse models were installed from about 5 feet deep out to 8 feet and deeper where a huge cluster of the largest Keeper models were dropped.

Algae begins to grow immediately in this dark, fertile water and the club will be fishing over them this winter through the ice.

To date, over 125 fishiding fish habitatunits have been installed, with more being put together by members, donated by fishiding.

Wonder Lake, at 830 acres, is the largest private lake in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Through many different fund raising events, the club stocks fish twice a year as well as building and installing over 100 Wood duck houses, maintaining them and even video recording the hatching of chicks too.

Annual lake cleanups, fish shocking surveys, carp derbys and kids fishing events are just a few of the things the club does for the lake and the community.

‘Big Round Thing’ from NASA sunk south of Pascagoula to form artificial reef

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Artificial Reef TankView full sizeThe Big Round Thing — a tank once used to for liquid hyrdogren — is shown being prepared to be sunk at Fish Haven 13. The tank was donated by NASA and sank by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources south of Pascagoula. (Submitted Photo courtesy of Mississippi Department of Marine Resources)

PASCAGOULA, Mississippi — A 107,000-gallon tank once used to store liquid hydrogen at NASA’s Stennis Space Center was sunk in Fish Haven 13, which is located 23 miles south of Pascagoula, to form an artificial reef.

The 98,000-pound tank was deployed on Oct. 26 in 85 feet of water by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources‚ Artificial Reef Bureau, according to a DMR news release.

It was the department’s 113 artificial reef deployment since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Katrina destroyed nearly all of Mississippi’s artificial reefs.

The tank, and two smaller ones sank on the same day, were donated by the Stennis Space Center.

The sphere was built in the 1960s and used as a reservoir for liquid hydrogen in case of an emergency during testing at the second stage of Saturn V.

“The sphere was no longer needed after the Saturn V program ended,” said Bryon Maynard, a lead system engineer in the NASA Engineering and Test Directorate at Stennis. “A lot of people forgot what it was or what it had been built for. It became known as the ‘big round thing’ — the BRT. Everyone who visited out here would ask about it.”

The BRT sank in less than 10 minutes with the help of air bags attached to the top by Matthews Brothers of Pass Christian to make sure the container sank in an upright position on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. To ensure safety — proper clearance for passing shipping vessels — the tank was sank in 85 feet of water to gain enough clearance for the vessels.

Kerwin Cuevas, Artificial Reef Bureau director, said the BRT has a safe clearance of 50 feet. The 37-foot-tall, 45-foot-wide tank has a relief of 35 feet off the bottom.

Cuevas said the new structure will immediately attract baitfish that ultimately will attract predators such as red snapper, mangrove snapper, grouper and trigger fish.

“The funds used to deploy the BRT were the Emergency Disaster Relief Program funds from NOAA due to Hurricane Katrina,” Cuevas said. “This was a joint effort between Stennis Space Center, Mississippi Gulf Fishing Banks and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

“We would like to thank Mr. Bryon Maynard from Stennis Space Center, who was instrumental in getting the tanks donated for reef material. The BRT and the other two tanks will provide excellent reef fish habitat fish for a long time. This new habitat will also offer our fishermen of Mississippi more offshore fishing opportunities.”

Partnerships such as these, along with federal funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after Katrina and continuous effort by the Artificial Reef Bureau have helped to restore Mississippi’s inshore and offshore artificial reefs, Cuevas said.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader and only science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.

Fish and wildlife habitat in White Lake

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So far, ‘Restoring Our Lake’ columns have described the Great Lakes Area of Concern cleanup program, how White Lake came to be designated an Area of Concern Continue reading “Fish and wildlife habitat in White Lake”

Artificial reef adds fish habitat near Port Mansfield

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Contractors in Port Mansfield have enlarged an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico.

The “Habitat for Today for Fish Tomorrow” project is a joint effort by the Coastal Conservation Association and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. More than 4,000 concrete culvert pipes augmented previously submerged concrete box culverts and an old boat that was sunk in 2010.

The goal was to create a sea floor with nooks and crannies that attract fish. The man-made reef, less than 8 miles from the jetties at the land cut on South Padre Island, now provides more than five times its previous habitat for structure-loving fish such as red snapper—good news for sport fishing enthusiasts and the guides in the area.

“CCA Texas contributed $50,000 toward the total cost of about $537,000 to expand the existing reef, which already had an old tug boat and about 800 culverts,” CCA’s John Blaha said. “We can’t give enough credit to our partners at TPWD and Alamo Concrete Products.”

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader and only science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.

HABITAT WORK WILL IMPROVE TROUT FISHING ON SAN JUAN RIVER

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NAVAJO DAM – A $300,000 fish habitat improvement project is scheduled to begin Oct. 10 on the trophy trout waters of the San Juan River below Navajo Dam.

The project is designed to enhance fishing opportunities in two ways: by reducing silt deposits from flash-flood events, and by creating deeper pools for fish during periods of low flow from Navajo Dam. The estimated completion date is Jan. 8.

“We’re excited that we can respond to anglers’ requests and move forward with this project that will make the world-class fishing on the San Juan River even better,” said Jim McClintic, chairman of the State Game Commission.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader and only science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.

The project contractor, AUI Inc. of Albuquerque, was expected to be on site Oct. 10. The project will include:

  • Sediment removal and control at the mouth of Rex Smith Wash, an arroyo that empties into the Kiddie Hole, a fishing spot just above popular Texas Hole. Flash-flood events carry silt into the river at that point, damaging trout habitat there and downstream. The project will include building a sediment retention pond that will slow the water flow during floods, catch sediment and redirect clean water back into the river. Silt in the retention pond will be removed periodically.
  • Habitat improvement work in “The Braids,” a section of the river above Texas Hole and the Kiddie Hole where water levels drop to very low levels during times of low flow from the dam. It will include digging holes in the sandstone riverbed to create deeper pools for trout. Structure such as large cottonwood trunks, big rocks and faux beaver dams will be strategically placed to redirect flows into the new pools.

Mike Sloane, chief of fisheries for the Department of Game and Fish, said anglers should not be inconvenienced at the Kiddie Hole during the project except for some noise and truck traffic. Work in “The Braids,” however, will require the area to be closed to fishing for about 30 days in November and early December.

State funding will pay for most of the project, with some additional federal funds. The project was approved by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which controls the river operations; the State Parks Division, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

PUBLIC MEETINGS WILL ADDRESS PIKE IN EAGLE NEST LAKE

EAGLE NEST – The Department of Game and Fish will conduct meetings this month to inform the public and gather input about a proposal to change fishing rules at Eagle Nest Lake to address a threat to the lake’s trout fishery by the illegal introduction of northern pike.

The pikes’ presence in the lake was discovered in November 2010 when a 13-year-old angler from Espanola reported catching one there. Since then, many more have been caught in the lake by anglers and Department staff. Some of the pike have grown to 30 inches or more, said Eric Frey, fisheries biologist for the Northeast Area.

Northern pike feed primarily on large quantities of fish such as rainbow trout fingerlings and kokanee salmon fry. The Department stocks about 600,000 fingerling rainbow trout and about 200,000 kokanee salmon fry in the lake annually to maintain the lake as one of the state’s top coldwater fisheries. Predatory northern pike present a significant threat to that fishery, Frey said.

To help manage the pike population in the lake, the Department is recommending changing the daily bag limit to allow unlimited take and possession of northern pike, and to require Eagle Nest Lake anglers to keep all northern pike they catch.

The meetings:

  • Oct. 11, 5 to 6 p.m.: Eagle Nest Lake State Park visitors center, No. 42 Marina Way, Eagle Nest.
  • Oct. 12, 5 to 6 p.m.: Department of Game and Fish Northeast Area office, 215 York Canyon Road, Raton.

More information about the proposal can be found on the Department website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us under “Proposals for Public Comment,” or by contacting Eric Frey at (575) 445-2311 or eric.frey@state.nm.us.

Fish Habitat Restoration along Walnut Creek in Erie, PA

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Northeast Region, September 30, 2011
Log vanes along left bank to reduce bank erosion and promote substrate deposition along Walnut Creek.

Log vanes along left bank to reduce bank erosion and promote substrate deposition along Walnut Creek. – Photo Credit: Raymond Li, USFWS

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader and only science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.

The Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office partnered with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to restore 700 linear feet of stream channel along Walnut Creek, a tributary to Lake Erie. The project site is located within Cassidy Park, parkland owned and maintained by Millcreek Township, PA. Walnut Creek is an urban watershed characterized by increased stormwater runoff and channel erosion; both has degraded the stream to bedrock and eliminated substrate important to maintain stream habitat function.

Eleven log vanes were installed to decrease bank erosion, promote substrate deposition, and reduce width:depth ratios to restore coldwater stream habitat for native and recreational fisheries. Other project partners were Millcreek Township and the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association; project funding was provided by the Great Lakes Basin Fish Habitat Partnership.

The “tree army” installs wooden spawn boxes for fish

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The US Army Corps of Engineers will host National Public Lands Day events at various lakes throughout the Pittsburgh District. In 2010, more than 500 volunteers came to 15 of 16 Pittsburgh District recreation projects and provided 2,179 hours of work valued at nearly $47,000. National Public Lands Day keeps the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the “tree army” that worked from 1933-1942 to preserve and protect America’s natural heritage.

A local event at Mahoning Creek Lake will be held Sept. 24. This year the goal is to accomplish the building and placement of some fish habitat spawning boxes in the lake. If time permits, shore line clean-up will be done. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Milton Loop Campground pavilion, on Route 839, two miles north of Dayton.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader and only science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.

The project will be to build wooden spawn boxes and then taking them by boat to place them in the lake. Event will take place rain or shine. Questions may be directed to Park Ranger Grover Pegg 412-719-9227.

Anglers to be honoured for support for salmon renewal

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Larry Peterson and Nick Strussi met through their shared love of fishing.

When they came together in the late 1990s to help protect fish habitat during construction of the Island Highway through the Comox Valley, they became a formidable force Continue reading “Anglers to be honoured for support for salmon renewal”

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