Recent Progress: Decrease

During the 2022-2023 biennial reporting period, 303 stream miles in the Chesapeake Bay watershed were opened to fish passage. Thirteen dam removal projects were completed during this time, including the removal of the Oakland Dam, which opened over 200 stream miles along the Pennsylvania portion of the Susquehanna River. This marks a significant increase from the 33 stream miles opened in 2020-2021.

Outlook: On Course

In 2016, the Fish Passage Workgroup achieved its 2025 goal of opening an additional 1,000 stream miles to fish passage, as established in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. In January 2020, the Fish Passage Outcome was modified to include a new target to open an additional 132 miles to fish passage every two years. While this target was not met in 2020-2021, it was surpassed in 2022-2023. The Fish Passage Workgroup will continue to focus on identifying barriers to fish passage across the watershed, such as undersized culverts and poorly constructed stream crossings. With several fish passage projects in various stages of the planning, design and construction process, the workgroup expects to meet this target again in 2024-2025, so the Fish Passage Outcome is considered on course.

Stream Miles Opened to Fish Passage (2014-2023) ^‍‍

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Stream Miles Opened to Fish Passage (Cumulative) (1989-2023) ^‍‍

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Streams Opened to Fish Passage (1989-2023) ^‍‍

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‍Data (.xlsx) ‍Methods (.docx) ‍Image (.png)

Data for this indicator are calculated using the Chesapeake Fish Passage Prioritization Tool. Following the removal of a dam or other barrier, experts calculate the available upstream miles located between the removed blockage and the next existing blockage or, if another blockage is not present, the waterway’s headwaters. The prioritization tool is also used to evaluate potential projects.

Since 1989, when data started to be reported consistently, 11,440 stream miles have been opened to fish passage through dam removals and 23,818 stream miles have been opened through other fish passage projects. The total stream miles opened to fish passage from 1989 to 2023, including projects with unknown completion years, is 35,258 miles.

Dams, culverts, and other barriers inhibit stream flow, limit stream habitat and prevent migratory fish from reaching their spawning grounds. Removing these barriers can restore water flow, reduce sediment build-up and allow shad, herring and other migratory species to move between freshwater and saltwater habitats.

Learn About Factors Influencing Progress

To achieve this outcome, participating partners have committed to:

• Restoring historical fish migration routes by removing dams and opening streams to the movement of fish.
• Documenting the return of fish to opened streams by establishing the presence or absence of target species (alewife, blueback herring, American shad, hickory shad, American eel and/or brook trout) at a select number of projects within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• Using the Chesapeake Fish Passage Prioritization Tool to implement high-priority dam removal and fish passage projects.

Progress toward the outcome will be monitored and assessed through data on the number of stream miles opened each year (with a target of 132 miles every two years) and the presence of target species at restoration sites.

As part of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s partnership-wide implementation of adaptive management, progress toward this outcome was reviewed and discussed by the Management Board in December of 2023.

Download Management Strategy (.pdf)

Chesapeake Bay Program partners have committed to taking a series of specific actions that will support the management approaches listed above.

Ongoing

• Supporting dam removal projects, including the removal of Daniels Dam.
• Establishing or continuing relationships with state dam safety programs to coordinate dam removal work.
• Continuing road/stream crossing assessments, project development and project implementation.
• Consulting with the Chesapeake Bay Program Communications Workgroup to develop communications products.
• Monitoring some dam removals for the presence or absence of target fish species, including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Tier II effectiveness monitoring of Patapsco River to evaluate whether the Bloede dam removal is affecting fish migration.
• Developing an environmental DNA (eDNA) tool to detect shad.
• Sampling for river herring and applying river herring eDNA analysis to determine priority fish passage projects and develop habitat use models.
• Using the Chesapeake Fish Passage Prioritization Tool to implement high priority dam removal, culvert and fish passage projects.

Recently Completed

2022 

• Completed the removal of the Oakland Dam along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, opening over 200 miles of habitat. 

2021

• Completed the monitoring phase of the Bloede Dam removal.
• Conducted a feasibility/design study for Daniels Dam.
• Developed Recommendations for Aquatic Organism Passage at Maryland Road-Stream Crossings guidance.
• Developed Dam Removal Mitigation Crediting Guidance for future mitigation projects to incentivize future dam removal projects.

Learn About Logic & Action Plan

The Vital Habitats Goal Implementation Team leads the effort to achieve this outcome. It works in partnership with the Sustainable Fisheries and Healthy Watersheds goal implementation teams.

Participating partners include:

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources (State of Maryland)
• University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (State of Maryland)
• Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
• Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (Commonwealth of Virginia)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. Geological Survey
• American Rivers
• Chesapeake Bay Trust
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
• The Nature Conservancy
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center