Operational Plan for the Restoration of Diadromous Fishes to the ...

17.4.1 Review FERC Licenses and FERC License Exemptions for Specific Fish
Passage Deliverables for Juvenile and Adult Alewife, American Shad, and
Blueback Herring at Remaining Tributary Dams
Hydro licenses and license exemptions issued for dams located on Penobscot River
tributaries need review to determine what articles, if any, were included by FERC
that address fish passage.
17.4.2 Review Need and Process to Increase Upstream and Downstream Fish
Passage Efficiency at FERC Non-Jurisdictional Dams Located on Tributaries
for Juvenile and Adult Alewife, American Shad, and Blueback Herring
There is at least one FERC non-jurisdictional dam on Penobscot River tributaries,
the Guilford Dam located on the Piscataquis River, which is critical for passage of
target restoration fish species. How fish passage improvements are addressed
needs to be explored to develop options and approaches to ensure fish passage
facilities meet established goals.
17.4.3 Develop Assessment Study Plans, Conduct Fish Passage Efficiency
Studies, and Develop Recommendations for Fish Passage Improvements for
Juvenile and Adult Alewife, American Shad, and Blueback Herring at
Remaining Tributary Dams within 40 Years
None of the existing upstream fish passage facilities on tributary dams have been
assessed for the passage of juvenile and adult alewife, American shad, and
blueback herring. Downstream fish passage facilities have been constructed at
some but not all of the tributary dams and downstream passage operational
measures (e.g. cycling turbines, opening sluice gates, temporary shutdown of
generation) may be used to pass fish downstream of a hydro project. Studies of
existing fish passage facilities will need to be undertaken to further understand
bottlenecks and/or poor performance of existing fish passage facilities to make them
more effective in successfully passing juvenile and adult alewife, American shad,
and blueback herring around tributary hydro projects and non-hydro dams. Any
newly constructed fish passage facilities will need to undergo rigorous testing to
ensure they function properly and are effective in passing the target restoration fish
species. All studies should be undertaken over the course of a minimum of three
field seasons following stocking of habitat located upstream of the dams.
17.4.4 Complete Fish Passage Improvements Based on Passage Efficiency
Studies
Once fish passage efficiency studies are complete, redesign of existing facilities,
operational changes to the existing facilities, and/or installation of additional fish
passage facilities at the remaining tributary dams are to be undertaken.
17.4.5 Assess Fish Passage Improvements for Juvenile and Adult Alewife,
American Shad, and Blueback Herring at Remaining Tributary Dams
A minimum of three field seasons are needed to verify that the improvements at the
remaining tributary dams allow the fish passage facilities to meet efficiency goals for
passage of juvenile and adult alewife, American shad, and blueback herring.
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