CHUCK KEEPORTSFOREST HYDROLOGIST

ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FORESTWARREN, PENNSYLVANIA

Partnerships and Aquatic Organism Passage at Road-Stream Crossings

charles.keeports@usda.gov(814) 728-6169

Allegheny National Forest

281 miles of State and Municipal Roads

1270 miles of Forest Roads

1236 miles of private roads used for oil and gas development.

• Surveys of 189 road-stream crossings found that only 72 (38%) are passable by a majority of adult and juvenile fish.

• 73 are fish passage barriers

• 44 are possible fish passage barriers

ANF FISH PASSAGE SURVEYS

ALLEGHENY WINS COALITION(WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT NEEDS)

To promote protection, restoration, and habitat improvement activities in watersheds that lie

entirely or partially in the Allegheny National Forest and to achieve Forest Service and community needs through collaboration and partnerships.

Overview Stats• 22,555 acres• 66.85 Miles High

Quality Cold Water Fishery Streams

• 14.20 Miles Trout Stocked Fishery

• 27.36 Miles of Natural Reproduction (Trout)

EAST BRANCH TIONESTA CREEK

WATERSHED

Before After

THE EFFECTS (UPSTREAM) (SITE 6)

4 Brook trout (2 size classes)No other fish species

12 Brook trout (4 size classes)1 Brown troutYoung of Year (YOY) Brook troutMottled sculpins and fantail darters

• Increased available fish habitat by 7.0 miles

• Increased brook trout passage by 172%

• Increased brown trout passage by 500%

• Increased non-game fish passage by four species • Blacknose dace• Mottled sculpin • Fantail darter• Longnose dace

• Most trout that passed new culverts are young of year

RESULTS—YEAR ONE

• Increased brook trout passage by 394%

• Increased brown trout passage by 300%

• Most trout upstream of culvert are young-of-year brook trout

• Excellent substrate retention

RESULTS—YEAR THREE

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Straight Run CulvertBefore- Maintenance Issues for Township

Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• US Forest Service

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Straight Run CulvertBefore- Aquatic Passage Barrier

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Straight Run CulvertBefore- Aquatic Passage Barrier

Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• Forest Service

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Straight Run Box Culvert16’ Wide and 4’3 Tall Structural Plate Box Culvert

- 1 week after construction was complete

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Straight Run Box Culvert1 week after construction was complete1 year + after construction was complete

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Wagner Run CulvertBefore- Maintenance Issues for Township

Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• US Forest Service

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Wagner Run Culvert WashoutBefore- Maintenance Issues for Township

Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• US Forest Service

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Wagner Run CulvertBefore- Aquatic Passage Barrier

Partners• Highland Township• Western PA Conservancy• Elk County Conservation District• Forest Service

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Wagner Run AOP Culvert12’ Wide and 7.6’ Tall Squashed Culvert- 1 week after construction was complete

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Wagner Run AOP Culvert12’ Wide and 7.6’ Tall Squashed Culvert

- Before stream bed installation

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Straight Run Box Culvert1 week after construction was complete

Positioning rock grade controls inside the culvert

Kane High School Work program and the Youth Conservation Corps

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Tributary to Mud Lick Run CulvertFish passage barrier due to 2’ perched outlet

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Mud Lick Run Trib CulvertFish passage barrier due to 2’ perched outlet

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Mud Lick Run Trib Culvert Retrofit6 months after large wood structure was completed

MUD LICK AOP RETROFITPA Trout Unlimited Route 6 Native Odyssey, WPC, and USFS

MUD LICK AOP RETROFIT AFTER

WITH GOOD PARNTERSHIPS, EVERYBODY WINS!

• More partners means your project money goes further

• Each partner has something they can bring to the table to get the project done right!

• Successful projects completed supports award of new grants

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INCLUDING AQUATICS!

AOP Culverts IMPROVE fish passage dramatically

• Restore access to more stream habitat

• Allow for resting areas for all types of aquatic organisms

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THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERSAND VOLUNTEERS!

WHAT IS AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE?

• Build the stream channel inside the road-stream crossing

• A channel that will present no more of a challenge to organisms than the natural channel

• Stream Simulation Structures: Bridge, arch, or embedded culvert designs

Wintergreen Run34

Proposed placement of

structure