Dam on West Branch Chester Creek Is Being Removed

[Joe D]

December 17, 2009

Aston Township, PA – Removal of a dam on West Branch Chester Creek, part of the Delaware Estuary watershed, began today.

The 10-foot tall and 90-foot long unnamed dam was originally built in 1839 for water supply and water power. However, it no longer serves any purpose and is in a state of disrepair.

Removing the dam will allow American eel, fallfish, brown trout, suckers, and several shiner and darter species to access a portion of the stream that has been blocked for nearly 170 years. The project will also benefit American shad, alewife, blueback herring, and hickory shad by improving water quality as a result of restoring the stream to free-flowing condition.

“By removing this obsolete dam we are giving the people of Aston Township a valuable asset—a healthier, thriving river,” said Sara Strassman of American Rivers. “Restored rivers can benefit communities by supplying clean water, fish and wildlife, flood protection, and new recreation and economic opportunities.”
American Rivers has provided $43,000 for the project, through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener Grant Program. Additional funding has been provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the NOAA Restoration Center. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Aston Township have provided technical support including survey assistance and fisheries monitoring.

Pennsylvania is a national leader in river restoration and has removed more than 150 dams in recent years. American Rivers has actively supported Pennsylvania’s efforts since 2001, and has provided financial and technical assistance in the removal of many of these dams. Dam removal can help a community by improving public safety, reducing flood damage, saving money, increasing economic opportunities, restoring overall river health, improving water quality, and boosting community resiliency to climate change.

 

[porterskill]

December 17, 2009

Aston Township, PA – Removal of a dam on West Branch Chester Creek, part of the Delaware Estuary watershed, began today.

The 10-foot tall and 90-foot long unnamed dam was originally built in 1839 for water supply and water power. However, it no longer serves any purpose and is in a state of disrepair.

Removing the dam will allow American eel, fallfish, brown trout, suckers, and several shiner and darter species to access a portion of the stream that has been blocked for nearly 170 years. The project will also benefit American shad, alewife, blueback herring, and hickory shad by improving water quality as a result of restoring the stream to free-flowing condition.

“By removing this obsolete dam we are giving the people of Aston Township a valuable asset—a healthier, thriving river,” said Sara Strassman of American Rivers. “Restored rivers can benefit communities by supplying clean water, fish and wildlife, flood protection, and new recreation and economic opportunities.”
American Rivers has provided $43,000 for the project, through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener Grant Program. Additional funding has been provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the NOAA Restoration Center. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Aston Township have provided technical support including survey assistance and fisheries monitoring.

Pennsylvania is a national leader in river restoration and has removed more than 150 dams in recent years. American Rivers has actively supported Pennsylvania’s efforts since 2001, and has provided financial and technical assistance in the removal of many of these dams. Dam removal can help a community by improving public safety, reducing flood damage, saving money, increasing economic opportunities, restoring overall river health, improving water quality, and boosting community resiliency to climate change.

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

 

[Ryan R]

It's happening Porterskill, keep the faith. It's actually a more arduous process in NJ than in PA, more "layers" to get thru. Rusty Spinner, a frequent poster here, is person that is spearheading the issue on the Musconetcong. They've removed two on the Musky already, and have two more directly in the crosshairs right now, with still others on tap. With all the permitting, review, and funidng needed it takes several years to remove a dam (the quickest part is actually physically removing it.) I think in NJ the process averages 5-7 yrs, in PA it's a little less but still takes a few years. A few groups are also working to remove 2-4 dams on the Bushkill Creek in Easton right now. Working on the feasibility study right now.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

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.