The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced 29 states will receive over $70 million to support 43 projects that will address outdated or obsolete dams, culverts, levees and other barriers fragmenting rivers and streams.
Millions of barriers fragment rivers, block fish migration and put communities at a higher risk of flooding, USFWS said. Obsolete or poorly designed dams, culverts, stream crossings and levees keep fish and other aquatic species from moving freely to feed, migrate and reproduce. These challenges put fish populations at risk, undermine the health of the rivers and reduce fishing opportunities. These barriers also fragment aquatic habitats and are often more susceptible to flooding or drought. Improving aquatic connectivity can be an effective way to help conserve vulnerable species while building safer infrastructure for communities, improving climate resilience, increasing recreational opportunities and strengthening local economies.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investment of just over $70 million will address these outdated and obsolete barriers in 43 projects across 29 states. These funds build on the service’s 2022 and 2023 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law National Fish Passage Program investments of nearly $73 million for 79 projects across the U.S. The newly announced project list represents the third and fourth years of funding of a five-year, $200 million commitment to restore free-flowing waters, allowing for fish migration and protecting communities from flooding.
National Fish Passage projects funded for FY24-25 are:
Upper Moose Creek Watershed Fish Passage Project, Alaska, $3,000,000
Southeast Alaska Community & Tribal Fish Passage, Alaska, $4,000,000
Fish Passage Barrier Removal in Emmonak, Alaska, $500,000
Removal of the Elba Hydroelectric Dam, Alabama, $1,931,465
Robinson Fork Arkansas Fish Passage Improvement , Arkansas, $2,000,000
Salt & Little Colorado River Basins Fish Passage, Arizona, $2,211,450
Big Chico Creek Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project, California, $3,815,372
Tejada Ranch Habitat Management Project, California, $2,500,000
Cherry Creek Fish Passage, La Plata Watershed, Colorado, $702,000
Norwalk River Dam Removal, Planning and Assessment, Connecticut, $1,306,314
Conasauga Habitat Connectivity for Trispot Darters, Georgia, $1,457,500
South Fork Running Creek Barrier Replacement, Idaho, $420,000
Sangamon County Dam Removals, Illinois, $1,500,000
Emrichsville Dam Removal, Indiana, $750,000
Flatrock River Restoration: removal of two dams, Indiana, $265,000
Hoosic River Headwater Dam Removals, Massachusetts, $2,250,527
Ipswich Mills Dam Removal Project, Massachusetts, $1,230,000
Sandy River Watershed Dam Removals, Maine, $630,000
Lower Skutik/St. Croix River Fishways, Maine, $2,500,000
Kallio Creek at Skanee Road AOP Restoration, Michigan, $600,142
Increasing Arctic Grayling Fish Passage, Michigan, $2,500,000
Removal of Peninsular Paper Dam, Michigan, $800,000
Crystal River Fish Passage and Restoration Project, Michigan, $400,000
Upper Otter Tail River Connectivity Project, Minnesota, $3,906,000
Huzzah Creek, Missouri Fish Passage Program, Missouri, $1,459,850
Upper Clark Fork River Fish Passage Project, Montana, $1,000,000
Lockville Dam Removal Project, North Carolina, $500,000
Jicarilla Willow Creek Connectivity Project, New Mexico, $350,000
Amargo Creek Connectivity Project, New Mexico, $1,100,000
Rio Costilla Metapopulation Connectivity Project, New Mexico, $1,117,434
Boquet River at Moss Rd Barrier Removal, New York, $500,000
Middle Great Miami River Restoration Project, Ohio, $3,000,000
Pomeroy Dam Removal and Irrigation Pumping Project, Oregon, $1,200,000
Dorrance and Wilson Diversions in Wallowa River, Oregon, $750,000
Ten Dam Removals in Western PA Watersheds, Pennsylvania, $1,203,550
Upper MN River Watershed Fish Passage, South Dakota, $3,300,000
Otilla Dam Removal, Texas, $1,000,000
Clinchco Dam Removal McClure River, Virginia, $500,000
Essex County VT Connectivity & Flood Resiliency, Vermont, $965,875
Enloe Dam Removal Feasibility, Design & Permitting, Washington, $4,896,250
Skagit Watershed Carpenter Creek Culvert Removal, Washington, $299,134
Gold Creek Restoration: Instream Habitat and Flows, Washington, $5,000,000
