University of Massachusetts - Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst International Conference on Engineering and Ecohydrology for Fish Passage International Conference on Engineering and Ecohydrology for Fish Passage 2016 Jun 22nd, 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM Eels II: American Eel Passage Improvements at Coastal Rivers in Massachusetts Brad Chase Marine Fisheries Ed Clark Marine Fisheries Ben Gahagan Marine Fisheries Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference Chase, Brad; Clark, Ed; and Gahagan, Ben, "Eels II: American Eel Passage Improvements at Coastal Rivers in Massachusetts" (2016). International Conference on Engineering and Ecohydrology for Fish Passage. 9. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2016/june22/9 This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the The Fish Passage Community at UMass Amherst at ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Conference on Engineering and Ecohydrology for Fish Passage by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact scholarworks@library.umass.edu.
American Eel Passage Improvements at Coastal Rivers in Massachusetts Brad Chase, Ed Clark and Ben Gahagan Fish Passage UMASS June 2016
Acknowledgements MA DMF Fishway Crew Ed Clark Alex Haro, USGS State Biologists at Connecticut and Maine Many project partners, DMF staff and volunteer counters
Many Obstructions
Can they make it? Judy Scanlon Chuck Martinson
Weweantic River, Wareham, 2014 Jones River, Kingston
Massachusetts Eel Ramps and Passes (8 deployed since 2007) Saugus River, Saugus, 2007 -- AC power pump-supply Grassy Pond, Harwich, 2008 -- solar power pump-supply Wankinco River, Wareham, 2009 -- gravity-supply trap/tank Mystic Lakes Dam, Medford, 2010 -- AC power pump-supply Pilgrim Lake, Orleans, 2011 -- gravity-supply floating tank Morey s Dam, Taunton, 2012 -- AC power pump-supply Mill Creek, Rockport, 2013 -- gravity-supply floating tank Silver Spring, Wellfleet, 2014 -- solar power pump-supply
Massachusetts Eel Ramps and Passes (8 deployed since 2007) Saugus River, Saugus, 2007 -- AC power pump-supply Mystic Lakes Dam, Medford, 2010 -- AC power pump-supply Morey s Dam, Taunton, 2012 -- AC power pump-supply Grassy Pond, Harwich, 2008 -- solar power pump-supply Silver Spring, Wellfleet, 2014 -- solar power pump-supply Pilgrim Lake, Orleans, 2011 -- gravity-supply floating tank Wankinco River, Wareham, 2009 -- gravity-supply trap/tank Mill Creek, Rockport, 2013 -- gravity-supply floating tank
Ramp Fabrication Material: Sheet Aluminum, 3/8 Ramp Substrate: Enkamat #7220 ( flatback model ) roll of 197 ft and 39 inches wide.
(1) AC Power, Pump-Supply Eel Ramp
Saugus River, Lynnfield -- 2007 Watershed -- 21 mi 2 River Mile -- 9.4 Pond Acres -- 5 Saugus River Watershed Council, Lynn Water and Sewer Commission, USGS Gulf of Maine Council funding
Saugus River Eel Ramp Length -- 10 ft Width -- 18 in Slope -- 45 50 gpm low-head submersible pump
Saugus River Eel Ramp Eels 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Year
Mystic Lakes Eel Ramp Medford -- 2010 Watershed -- 27.5 mi 2 River Mile -- 7.2 Pond Acres -- 165 Dept. Conservation and Recreation; Louis Berger Group Concrete formed, integrated with dam/fish ladder
Mystic Lakes Dam Eel Ramp Length -- 60 ft Width -- 18 in Slope -- 20 Monitoring by Mystic River Watershed Association May convert tank to flowthrough
Morey s Dam Eel Ramp, Taunton -- 2012 Watershed -- 43.5 mi 2 River Mile -- 4.2 Pond Acres -- 266 Dept. Conservation and Recreation; Mass. Dept. Transportation Part of a large, cooperative Mill River restoration effort Integrated with dam/fish ladder, and downstream low flow channel
Morey s Dam Eel Ramp Length -- 20 ft Width -- 18 in Slope -- 60 PIT tag eel potting study in lake First year had dozens of turtles going up the ramp
(2) Solar Powered Pump-Supply Renogy 100 w Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Renogy 30 Amp PWM Charge Controller Regulator Renogy Solar Panel Mounting Z Bracket ( 4 units ) 3 deep cycle 12 V battery (compact, 6 x4 x3 ) Custom welded aluminum container box for electronics www.renogy.com
Grassy Pond Eel Ramp, Harwich -- 2008 Watershed -- 1.3 mi 2 River Mile -- 1.8 Pond Acres -- 24 NRCS grant to Harwich Conservation Trust; Town of Harwich Started with battery connected to two Sunsei SE-1500 (1.5 amp) panels Rule 360 bilge pump: 360 GPH, 2.1 amps at 12.0V
Grassy Pond Eel Ramp Length -- 16 ft Width -- 12 in Slope -- 50 Add cover to reduce algal growth Only site with distinct run of YOY and age-1+ eels
Silver Spring, Wellfleet -- 2014 Watershed -- < 1 mi 2 River Mile -- 0.1 Pond Acres -- 8 Massachusetts Audubon Society Perched channel at dam spillway
Silver Spring Eel Ramp Length -- 12 ft Width -- 12 in Slope -- 45 Renogy 100 w Solar Panel Rule 360 GPH bilge pump
(3) Gravity Supply Eel Pass
Wankinco River, Wareham, MA -- 2009 Watershed -- 20.5 mi 2 River Mile -- 0.7 Pond Acres -- 75 Alex Haro design; fabricated by AD Makepeace; Town of Wareham gravity flow eel pass with collection tank
Wankinco River Eel Ramp Length -- 120 ft Width -- 6 in. diameter Slope -- 20 Annual trap catch of 20 to 40 thousand YOY
Pilgrim Lake, Orleans -- 2011 Watershed -- < 1 mi 2 River Mile -- 0.6 Pond Acres -- 39 Town of Orleans Gravity flow from floating tank
Pilgrim Lake, Orleans Length -- 12 ft Width -- 4 in. diameter Slope -- NA Over 40,000 glass eels in 2011 and 2012
Mill Pond, Rockport -- 2013 Watershed -- 0.1 mi 2 River Mile -- 0.2 Pond Acres -- 1 Ramp designed by GEI; Town of Rockport Combines eel ramp with gravity supply floating tank
Mill Pond Eel Ramp Length -- 12 ft Width -- 14 in Slope -- 45 Custom floating tank Sloped ramp channel
ASMFC Eel Monitoring Coast-wide American eel fishery management plan and stock assessment Stock assessments needs improved long-term datasets for eel life stages
Standardized Young-of-Year index of abundance Gulf of Maine Region State Site Gear Time Period N GLM Error Predictors Southern New England Delaware Bay/ Mid- Atlantic Coastal Bays Chesapeake Bay South Atlantic ME West Harbor Pond Irish Elver Ramp 2001 2013 13 N NH Lamprey River Irish Elver Trap 2001 2013 13 Y LN Year + Water Temp. MA Jones River Sheldon Elver Trap 2001 2013 13 Y NB Year + Discharge MA Parker River Sheldon Elver Trap 2004 2013 10 Y LN Year + Discharge RI Gilbert Stuart Dam Irish Elver Ramp 2000 2013 14 Y LN Year + Water Temp. RI Hamilton Fish Ladder Irish Elver Ramp 2004 2013 10 N NY Carman's River Fyke Net 2000 2013 14 Y NB Year + Water Temp. NJ Patcong Creek Fyke Net 2000 2013 14 Y NB Year + Water Temp. DE Millsboro Dam Fyke Net 2000 2013 14 Y NB Year + Water Temp. MD Turville Creek Irish Elver Ramp 2000 2013 14 Y LN Year + Water Temp. PRFC Clarks Millpond Irish Elver Ramp 2000 2013 14 Y LN Year + Water Temp. PRFC Gardys Millpond Irish Elver Ramp 2000 2013 14 N VA Brackens Pond Irish Elver Ramp 2000 2013 14 N VA Kamps Millpond Irish Elver Ramp 2000 2013 14 Y NB Year + Water Temp. VA Warehams Pond Irish Elver Ramp 2003 2012 11 Y NB Year + Water Temp. VA Wormley Creek Irish Elver Ramp 2001 2013 13 Y NB Year + Water Temp. SC Goose Creek Fyke Net 2000 2013 14 Y NB Year + Water Temp. GA Altamaha Canal Fyke Net 2001 2013 13 N GA Hudson Creek Fyke Net 2003 2013 11 Y NB Year + Water Temp. FL Guana River Dam Dip Net 2001 2013 13 Y NB Year + Water Temp.
Saugus River Eel Ramp Catch, 2008. Temp. C 800 700 Total Catch = 6,353 Catch/Haul = 101 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 4/1 4/7 4/11 4/17 4/23 4/29 5/5 5/9 5/15 5/21 5/27 6/2 6/6 6/12 6/18 6/24 6/30 Date
Saugus River Eel Ramp Catch, 2008. Temp. C Water Temp ( C) eel catch CPUE 30 800 25 700 600 20 500 15 400 10 300 200 5 100 0 0 4/1 4/7 4/11 4/17 4/23 4/29 5/5 5/9 5/15 5/21 5/27 6/2 6/6 6/12 6/18 6/24 6/30 Date
Saugus River Eel Ramp Catch, 2008. Temp. C 30 25 Water Temp ( C) eel catch CPUE 800 700 600 20 500 15 400 10 300 200 5 100 0 0 4/1 4/7 4/11 4/17 4/23 4/29 5/5 5/9 5/15 5/21 5/27 6/2 6/6 6/12 6/18 6/24 6/30 Date
Saugus River Eel Ramp Geometric mean of April-June CPUE w/95% CI CPUE 20 15 10 5 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Year
What have we learned? Eel passes work well and are inexpensive Numbers are lower than expected Site knowledge is vital: not all locations need passage or should include monitoring
Goals Moving Forward Continue to explore gravity-supply solutions Habitat and environmental assessment Long-term monitor a few highly suitable locations Should upstream eel passage be actively pursued and regulated? Should we tap in on restoration equity?