partnerships and aquatic organism passage at road-stream
TRANSCRIPT
CHUCK KEEPORTSFOREST HYDROLOGIST
ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FORESTWARREN, PENNSYLVANIA
Partnerships and Aquatic Organism Passage at Road-Stream Crossings
[email protected](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
12
Straight Run CulvertBefore- Maintenance Issues for Township
Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• US Forest Service
13
Straight Run CulvertBefore- Aquatic Passage Barrier
14
15
Straight Run CulvertBefore- Aquatic Passage Barrier
Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• Forest Service
16
Straight Run Box Culvert16’ Wide and 4’3 Tall Structural Plate Box Culvert
- 1 week after construction was complete
17
Straight Run Box Culvert1 week after construction was complete1 year + after construction was complete
18
Wagner Run CulvertBefore- Maintenance Issues for Township
Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• US Forest Service
19
20
Wagner Run Culvert WashoutBefore- Maintenance Issues for Township
Partners• Jenks Township• Trout Unlimited• Dirt and Gravel Roads• US Forest Service
21
Wagner Run CulvertBefore- Aquatic Passage Barrier
Partners• Highland Township• Western PA Conservancy• Elk County Conservation District• Forest Service
22
Wagner Run AOP Culvert12’ Wide and 7.6’ Tall Squashed Culvert- 1 week after construction was complete
23
Wagner Run AOP Culvert12’ Wide and 7.6’ Tall Squashed Culvert
- Before stream bed installation
24
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
25
Tributary to Mud Lick Run CulvertFish passage barrier due to 2’ perched outlet
26
27
Mud Lick Run Trib CulvertFish passage barrier due to 2’ perched outlet
28
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
31
INCLUDING AQUATICS!
AOP Culverts IMPROVE fish passage dramatically
• Restore access to more stream habitat
• Allow for resting areas for all types of aquatic organisms
32
33
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