Maryland Department of Natural Resources
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In addition, Sections 4-501 and 4-502 of the Natural Resources Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, require the owners of dams "to construct and keep repaired at least one fish ladder if the Department deems it necessary for the passage of fish." The definition of "dam" is considered to include any structure blocking the passage of fish such as road crossings, gauges, weirs and pipelines, etc. The Fish Passage Program's purpose is to restore migratory species to at or near historic levels (of the 1950's). There are four major elements: remove or bypass blockages, reintroduce target species, bio-monitor and educate. Since its inception, much has been accomplished by the Program. Target species, priority watersheds, and blockages have been identified. Goals have been created to achieve fish passage at individual blockage sites and to restore target species to historic spawning habitat. In addition, a database has been developed containing nearly one thousand blockage sites and associated information about each site. Program AccomplishmentsAs of this date (November 2000), fifty-eight projects have been completed, reopening 340.4 miles of historic migratory fish spawning habitat to migratory species. This includes:
 Fish ladder at Unicorn Dam, on the Chester River. These fish passages have been provided at many of the larger blockages on Maryland watercourses including: Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River, and Bloede, Simkins, and Daniels dams on the Patapsco River. They have also been provided at some of the smaller dams such as: Fort Meade Dam on the Little Patuxent River, Van Bibber Dam on Winters Run, the dam at Elkton on Big Elk Creek and at Tuckahoe Lake Dam in Tuckahoe State Park. Fish Passage has also been provided at several smaller blockages such as road culverts, gauges and weirs as noted above.  Lake Bonnie weir, Choptank River. In Maryland the target species are: American shad, hickory shad, alewife herring, blueback herring, yellow perch, and white perch. Anadromous fish (shad and herring) spend most of their life cycle in marine waters and return to their natal streams to spawn in the spring of each year. Shad and herring are historic migratory species that spawned in most of the Bay's tributaries until hundreds of miles of spawning habitat were closed to them by the construction of various structures and by over-fishing in the Bay and in the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike West Coast salmon, shad and herring do not die after spawning, and will keep returning to spawn as long as they live. Semi-anadromous fishes (perch) spend their life cycle in brackish water, such as the Bay and the lower reaches of its tributaries and return to streams to spawn. Striped bass are large anadromous fish that usually spawn in the freshwater tidal zone, and may move upstream to feed after spawning. As fish passage efforts move further upstream to smaller blockages, the resident species often become important in the decision making process. Some resident species are migratory, at different times of the year they may be found in various parts of the rivers they inhabit. They may move upstream for breeding, feeding, or to utilize nursery areas. Monitoring has documented a total of 33 species that have ascended at least one fishway in Maryland. The Maryland Fish Passage Program has reintroduced pre-spawn herring into selected streams in an effort to help rebuild remnant spawning runs and has conducted bio-monitoring at its fishways. From 1992 through 1996, fish ladders were spot-checked to insure that target species were indeed using the ladders. Intensive monitoring took place during 1998 and 1999. Strong runs of herring have been documented using fishways. |
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