M
Mike
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- Joined
- Nov 10, 2006
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The Fairmount Fishway opened in 1979. From that time forward it allowed some American Shad and over 30 other resident species, some in high numbers, to ascend Fairmount Dam, which is located at the head-of-tide, about 6-8 miles upstream from the Delaware R confluence. The natural head-of-tide on the Schuylkill would be upstream a few miles at the Falls Bridge, where you can still see the inundated large boulders that were once part of the substantial rapids known as "the falls."
Numbers of American Shad ascending the dam increased with PFBC fry stockings starting in the 1980's and continuing through the years in the Reading to Hamburg area. They substantially increased when the fishway was upgraded in 2008, which in many respects was a redesign and rebuild to meet more modern standards and operate more efficiently (passing a higher proportion if the fish located in the tail-race) despite daily fluctuations in water levels associated with tidal action. This was something that version 1 could not do.
Since the upgrade, counts of American Shad by the Philadelphia Water Department biologists have been much more impressive at times. From 2009-2017, inclusive, (minus two flood or equipment problem years of 2013-2014), American Shad adult upstream passage in spring has ranged from 771-3366 (avg 2039). Source: Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission 2020 American shad benchmark stock assessment and peer review report.
The remaining three dams in the lower Schuylkill heading upstream are Flat Rock (Gladwyn, Mntg Co), Norristown (Norristown, Mntg Co), and Black Rock (Phoenixville/Mont Claire, Chester and Mntg Co's). All have fish passage facilities, but only a handful of shad make it upstream past Black Rock each year. It is unknown how many make it past the middle two dams each year.
Numbers of American Shad ascending the dam increased with PFBC fry stockings starting in the 1980's and continuing through the years in the Reading to Hamburg area. They substantially increased when the fishway was upgraded in 2008, which in many respects was a redesign and rebuild to meet more modern standards and operate more efficiently (passing a higher proportion if the fish located in the tail-race) despite daily fluctuations in water levels associated with tidal action. This was something that version 1 could not do.
Since the upgrade, counts of American Shad by the Philadelphia Water Department biologists have been much more impressive at times. From 2009-2017, inclusive, (minus two flood or equipment problem years of 2013-2014), American Shad adult upstream passage in spring has ranged from 771-3366 (avg 2039). Source: Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission 2020 American shad benchmark stock assessment and peer review report.
The remaining three dams in the lower Schuylkill heading upstream are Flat Rock (Gladwyn, Mntg Co), Norristown (Norristown, Mntg Co), and Black Rock (Phoenixville/Mont Claire, Chester and Mntg Co's). All have fish passage facilities, but only a handful of shad make it upstream past Black Rock each year. It is unknown how many make it past the middle two dams each year.