RESTORATION OF AMERICAN SHAD TO THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2012 SUSQUEHANNA RIVER ANADROMOUS FISH RESTORATION COOPERATIVE Maryland Department of Natural Resources New York Div. of Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Susquehanna River Basin Commission United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Marine Fisheries Service March 2013 i ii TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... ix SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS AT THE CONOWINGO DAM EAST FISH PASSAGE FACILITY - 2012 .......................................................................................................................... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 2 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 3 CONOWINGO OPERATION .................................................................................................... 3 Project Operation ..................................................................................................................... 3 Fishway Operation ................................................................................................................... 4 Fish Counts .............................................................................................................................. 5 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................... 6 Relative Abundance ................................................................................................................. 6 American Shad Passage ........................................................................................................... 6 Gizzard Shad Passage .............................................................................................................. 7 Other Alosids ........................................................................................................................... 7 Maryland tag-recapture ............................................................................................................ 7 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ 7 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................ 8 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................ 9 TABLES .................................................................................................................................... 10 SUMMARY OF CONOWINGO DAM WEST FISH LIFT OPERATIONS – 2012 ............ 32 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 32 METHODS ................................................................................................................................ 33 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................. 34 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................ 34 FIGURES .................................................................................................................................. 35 TABLES .................................................................................................................................... 36 SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS AT THE HOLTWOOD DAM FISH PASSAGE FACILITY - 2012 ........................................................................................................................ 43 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... 44 iii INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 45 HOLTWOOD OPERATION .................................................................................................... 45 Project Operation ................................................................................................................... 45 Fishway Design and Operation .............................................................................................. 46 Fishway Design ..................................................................................................................... 46 Fishway Operation ................................................................................................................. 47 Fish Counts ............................................................................................................................ 48 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................. 49 Relative Abundance ............................................................................................................... 49 American Shad Passage ......................................................................................................... 50 Passage Evaluation ................................................................................................................ 51 RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................................... 52 LITERATURE CITED .............................................................................................................. 52 FIGURES .................................................................................................................................. 54 TABLES .................................................................................................................................... 56 SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS AT THE SAFE HARBOR FISH PASSAGE FACILITY – 2012............................................................................................................................................... 76 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 77 SAFE HARBOR OPERATION ................................................................................................ 77 Project Operation ................................................................................................................... 77 Fishway Design and Operation.................................................................................................. 78 Fishway Design ..................................................................................................................... 78 Fishway Operation ................................................................................................................. 78 Fish Counts ............................................................................................................................ 79 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................. 80 Relative Abundance ............................................................................................................... 80 American Shad Passage ......................................................................................................... 80 SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. 81 RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................................... 81 LITERATURE CITED .............................................................................................................. 81 FIGURES .................................................................................................................................. 82 TABLES .................................................................................................................................... 84 SUMMARYOF UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM FISH PASSAGE AT THE YORK HAVEN HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT – 2012 .................................................................... 96 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... 97 iv INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 98 YORK HAVEN FISHWAY OPERATIONS ............................................................................ 98 Project Operation ................................................................................................................... 99 Fishway Design and Operation .............................................................................................. 99 Fishway Design ..................................................................................................................... 99 Fishway Operation ............................................................................................................... 100 Fish Counts .......................................................................................................................... 101