Anadromous Fish Passage on the Bronx River

Goals

• Establish a sustainable river herring population by installing fish passage over dams.

• Expand access to freshwater spawning habitat as a part of a regional effort restore river herring populations.

• Demonstrate and maximize the ecological health and social value of the Bronx River.

Alewife

Blueback

American eel

Marit LarsonNYC Parks Natural Resources GroupOctober 22, 2012

182nd St Dam

Zoo (Bolton) Dam

Stone Mill Dam

Three dams on the river block access to freshwater spawning habitat in the Bronx.

• Feasibiliy assessment (2003-2004)

• Fish passage way 50% design (2005-2009)

• Fish passage Final Design for 182nd St dam (Dec 2011)

Project History

• Fish Stocking- 200 Alewife (2006)- 400 Alewife (2007)- DEC regulations prohibit

beginning 2007; loophole in regulations may allow stocking after fish ladder is installed.

182nd Street Dam

(Bolton Dam)100% design underway; fishway will be embedded in bedrock falls

Bronx Zoo Double Dam, WCS

Fishway begins downstream and runs in a chute around the dam to avoid impacting National Historic Landmark.

100% design underway

Stone Mill Dam, NYBG

Permits: Seek permission to stock impoundment

Seek Funding: ACE?Current/past funding: WCS/NOAA, NFWF, CT DEP, EPA/NEWPCC, NYSDOS, Bronx Borough President, U.S. FWS,

In-kind match: CT DEP, USGS Conte Lab, SUNY ESF, Queens College

Cost: ~$1.6 million/ dam

Maintenance, Monitoring and Evaluation: Seek institutional, community and academic partners

Expand extent and design: Upstream and dam removal

Next and Future Steps