Stocking of Cultured American Shad in the West Branch Susquehanna

Between 1996 and 2007, over 5.2 million American shad larvae from the PA Fish and Boat Commission Van Dyke Hatchery and USFWS Northeast Fishery Center have been stocked into the West Branch Susquehanna including Bald Eagle Creek. All hatchery fish for the Susquehanna program are distinctively marked with tetracycline and observed adult return rates 3-6 years after stocking (the time it takes to mature) amount to about one in 200 (0.5%). If West Branch fish survive and return to the river in the same proportion, we expect that the 2000-2007 adult shad returns to the river at Conowingo Dam could include 25,000 or more fish of West Branch origin. West Branch shad stocking numbers were:

1996 561,000 1997 662,000 1998 56,000 1999 984,000 2000 961,000 2001 329,300 2002 101,350 2003 591,550 2004 282,150 2005 335,100 2006 315,000 2007 57,600 Total 5,236,050 Fish Passage Facilities at Susquehanna River Dams

Year Location Capacity and type Cost Miles accessible

Existing Projects 1991 Conowingo Dam1* 750,000 shad lift $12 million 15 miles 1997 Holtwood Dam2* 2.5 million shad lifts (2) $22 million 7 miles 1997 Safe Harbor Dam* 2 million shad lift $15 million 23 miles 2000 York Haven Dam* 500,000 shad ladder $9 million 165 miles 3 2008 Accessible to date $58 million 210 miles

Planned Projects 2008 Bald Eagle Cr. 4 25,000 shad ladder $400,000 15 miles 2009 Lock Haven5 50,000 shad ladder $970,000 91 miles 2009 Sunbury fabridam6 500,000 shad ladder $7.5 mill 270 miles7 2009 Oakland Hydro* (North Branch to source) 85 miles 2010 Williamsport8 150,000 shad ladder $3-4 mill 29 miles ? Binghamton, NY9 (No. Branch to Oakland, PA) 25 miles ? Elmira, NY (Chemung to Corning, NY) 20 miles ? Warrior Ridge Hydro* (Juniata to Altoona) 40 miles Expected increased fish passage access 575 miles

* Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdictional hydroelectric projects. Fish passage at these dams is the responsibility of the project owner/operator.

Prognosis: When above projects are completed, American shad will have access to ALL historic spawning habitat in the Susquehanna River Basin (785 miles), the first time this has been achieved in a large eastern river with multiple dams.

1 Conowingo and York Haven will begin federal relicensing that will include an assessment of fish passage that will likely lead to required fish passage improvements. 2 Holtwood Hydroelectric Dam is currently undergoing a redevelopment that will enhance fish passage. 3 Includes mainstem to Sunbury and 100 miles of the Juniata River to Warrior Ridge. 4 Fishway designs and cost estimates are complete, permitting is underway, full construction funding is currently available. 5 Fishway designs and cost estimates are complete, partial permitting and construction funding is currently available (33%). 6 Fishway design is complete, $5.4 million in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania currently budgeted, construction bids solicited in 2005, lowest bid came in $2 million over budgeted amount; due to increased construction costs an additional $2.5 million in additional funding is needed. 7 Includes 210 miles of the North Branch to Binghamton, NY, 40 miles of the West Branch to Williamsport and 20 miles of the Chemung River to Elmira, NY. 8 Fishway design is 75% complete, permitting and construction funding is needed. 9 Both New York projects are currently in design phase.