Restoration of Shad and Anadromous Fish to the White Clay Creek National Wild and Scenic River: A Feasibility Report
Date
2010-06
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Abstract
The Water Resources Agency (WRA), a unit of the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA) assessed the feasibility of restoring fish passage and habitat to the White Clay Creek National Wild and Scenic River watershed. This project is funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and is one of 17 projects being undertaken by a number of regional organizations that are striving to improve the environment of the Delaware Estuary— the tidal portion of the Delaware River.
The long-term goal of the White Clay Creek watershed project is to restore shad and migratory-fish passage and habitat, increase spawning areas, and benefit the resident fish in the 107-sq.-mi. watershed. To achieve this, WRA conducted a feasibility study for restoring fish passage to the federally designated National Wild and Scenic White Clay Creek.
In order to identify and achieve the most effective options for restoring fish passage and habitat, WRA collaborated with the Brandywine Conservancy, the City of Newark, DNREC, Delaware Park, Duffield Associates, United Water Delaware, White Clay Outfitters, Trout Unlimited, the White Clay Wild and Scenic Watershed Management Committee, citizens, and interested stakeholders.
Project tasks included the following:
• Conduct a literature review of successful fish-restoration projects on the East Coast.
• Research to determine abundance and extent of the historic and current fish population.
• With DNREC, conduct fish-abundance surveys along the tidal and freshwater White Clay Creek.
• Research and develop a fish-stocking plan.
• Carry out a field survey and inventory of existing dams along the White Clay Creek in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
• Explore the feasibility of restoring fish passage utilizing a variety of techniques.
• Recommend the most feasible fish-passage alternative for each dam based on environmental, ownership, historic-value, and cost criteria.
• Create a shad-restoration committee and implement public education and outreach programs.
This project serves as an expansion of the Brandywine Creek Shad Restoration effort, and research was done in partnership with Christina Basin Clean Water Partnership restoration efforts. WRA has a long-term commitment to implementing the recommendations set forth in this study.