Dam on West Branch Chester Creek Is Being Removed

[Rusty Spinner]

Originally Posted by porterskill

that is great news,it would be great if more nj dams were removed.

As RyanR mentioned, we're working diligently on just this. Not only for the Musky, but other rivers as well (SBR for one). We sure could use more help! Because dam removal in NJ is still relatively a new process and because of NJ's notorious DEP regulatory red tape, it does take longer here than in PA which is the "wild west" compared to NJ. But we are forming a working process, building coalitions of willing agencies and organizations as well as funders to remove lots of obsolete dams on NJ trout streams in the coming decades.

Right now we are awaiting news on funding (nearly $500,000) for the feasibility studies of both the Hughesville and Warren Glen dams which are dams # 2 and # 3, respectively, upstream of the Musky's confluence with the Delaware. The # 1 dam, Finesville, is fully funded for removal which we hope to take out in 2010 sometime as well as adress the remnant wooden coffer dams (two about 50 yards apart) formerly known as the Riegelsville Dam, an old stone dam a couple hundred yards upstream (at the property known locally as the "Christmas tree farm"), and two woody debris impoundments that are a direct result of those other downstream structures. This should allow for the passage of American Shad, river herring, striped bass, and brown trout once we remove Finesville Dam. And it will set up nicely our future removal of Hughesville and Warren Glen. But it will cost millions just so everyone understands what the financials are. We will know a lot more once we recieve funding and complete our feasibility studies. When I saw "we" I mean the Musconetcong River Restoration Partnership which includes the non profits TU, Musconetcong Watershed Assocation and North Jersey Resource Conservation & Development Council, and American Rivers as well as state and federal agencies (USFWS, NRCS, NJ F&W, NOAA, DRBC) and individual dam owners as well.