STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE RESTORATION OF ANADROMOUS FISHES TO RHODE ISLAND COASTAL STREAMS American Shad, Alosa sapidissima D. Raver, USFWS Prepared By: Dennis E. Erkan, Principal Marine Biologist Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Fish and Wildlife Completion Report In Fulfillment of Federal Aid In Sportfish Restoration Project F-55-R December 2002 Special thanks to Luther Blount for initiating this project. Rhode Island Anadromous Restoration Plan CONTENTS Introduction........................................................................................................................Page 6 Methods..............................................................................................................................Page 7 I. Plan Objective...............................................................................................................Page 11 II. Expected Results or Benefits ......................................................................................Page 11 III. Strategic Plan.............................................................................................................Page 12 IV. References.................................................................................................................Page 15 V. Additional Sources of Information...............................................................................Page 16 APPENDICES Appendix A. Recommended Watershed Enhancements.....................................................Page 20 Appendix B. Description of Fish Passage Devices.............................................................Page 27 Appendix C. Life Cycles and Habitats of Target Species...................................................Page 34 Appendix D. Description of Strategic Plan Strategies.......................................................Page 42 Appendix E. Glossary of Terms........................................................................................Page 80 WATERSHED MAPS Map Legend......................................................................................................................Page 48 Map A. Map of the Pawcatuck River Watershed..............................................................Page 49 Map B. Map of Mashaug Pond Watershed, Ninigret Pond Watershed, and Trustom Pond Watershed............................................................................................................Page 51 Rhode Island Anadromous Restoration Plan Map C. Map of Point Judith Pond Watershed, Narrow River Watershed, and Wesquage Pond Watershed............................................................................................................Page 53 Map D. Map of Annaquatucket River Watershed and Cocumcussoc Brook Watershed.....Page 55 Map E. Map of Hunt River Watershed, Bleachery Pond Watershed, and Apponaug Cove Watershed............................................................................................................Page 57 Map F. Map of Conimicut Point Watershed......................................................................Page 59 Map G. Map of Pawtuxet River Watershed......................................................................Page 61 Map H. Map of Woonasquatucket River Watershed and Moshassuck River Watershed....Page 63 Map I. Map of Ten Mile River Watershed........................................................................Page 65 Map J. Map of Runnins River Watershed..........................................................................Page 66 Map K. Map of Mussachuck Creek Watershed and Prince Pond Watershed......................Page 69 Map L. Map of Kickamuit River Watershed.....................................................................Page 71 Map M. Map of Almy Brook Watershed..........................................................................Page 73 Map N. Map of Quicksand Pond Watershed, Tunipus Pond Watershed, Briggs Marsh Watershed, and Long Pond/Round Pond Watershed............................................Page 75 Map O. Map of Sachuest Point Watershed, Easton Pond Watershed, Newport Watershed, and Lawton Valley Watershed....................................................................................Page 77 TABLES Table 1. Indicator Fish Species Used to Evaluate Anadromous Suitability.........................Page 45 Table 2. Species Suitability Matrix...................................................................................Page 47 Table 3. (for Map A) Pawcatuck River Watershed Obstruction Table...............................Page 50 Rhode Island Anadromous Restoration Plan Table 4. (for Map B) Mashaug Pond Watershed, Ninigret Pond Watershed, and Trustom Pond Watershed Obstruction Tables.........................................................Page 52 Table 5. (for Map C) Point Judith Pond Watershed, Narrow River Watershed, and Wesquage Pond Watershed Obstruction Tables................................................Page 54 Table 6. (for Map D) Annaquatucket River Watershed and Cocumcussoc Watershed Obstruction Tables.............................................................................................Page 56 Table 7. (for Map E) Hunt River Watershed, Bleachery Pond Watershed, and Apponaug Cove Watershed Obstruction Tables.........................................................Page 58 Table 8. (for Map F) Conimicut Point Watershed Obstruction Table.................................Page 60 Table 9. (for Map G) Pawtuxet River Watershed Obstruction Table.................................Page 62 Table 10. (for Map H) Woonasquatucket River Watershed and Moshassuck River Watershed Obstruction Tables.........................................................................Page 64 Table 11. (for Map I) Ten Mile River Watershed Obstruction Table.................................Page 66 Table 12. (for Map J) Runnins River Watershed Obstruction Table...................................Page 68 Table 13. (for Map K) Mussachuck Creek Watershed and Prince Pond Watershed Obstruction Table.............................................................................................Page 70 Table 14. (for Map L) Kickamuit River Watershed Obstruction Table..............................Page 72 Table 15. (for Map M) Almy Brook Watershed Obstruction Table...................................Page 74 Table 16. (for Map N) Quicksand Pond Watershed, Tunipus Pond Watershed, Briggs Marsh Watershed, and Long Pond/Round Pond Watershed Obstruction Table............................................................................................Page 76 Table 17. (for Map O) Sachuest Point Watershed, Easton Pond Watershed, Newport Watershed, and Lawton Valley Watershed Obstruction Table...........................Page 78 Table 18. Recommended Fish Passage Sites From Various Watersheds............................Page 79 Rhode Island Anadromous Restoration Plan FIGURES Figure 1. Alaska Steeppass and baffle...............................................................................Page 27 Figure 2. Denil Fishway and wooden baffle.......................................................................Page 28 Figure 3. Pool and Weir Fishway with various weir designs..............................................Page 29 Figure 4. Slot Fishway with double and single slot views..................................................Page 30 Figure 5. Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar (used by permission)............................................Page 34 Figure 6. American Shad, Alosa sapidissima (used by permission)....................................Page 36 Figure 7. Alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus (used by permission)........................................Page 37 Figure 8. Blueback Herring, Alosa aestivalis (used by permission)....................................Page 37 Figure 9. Rainbow Smelt, Osmerus mordax (used by permission).....................................Page 38 Figure 10. Brook Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (used by permission)..................................Page 39 Figure 11. White Perch, Morone americana (used by permission)....................................Page 40 Figure 12. Shortnose Sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum (used by permission)..................Page 41 Rhode Island Anadromous Restoration Plan INTRODUCTION This document represents a working draft of the strategic plan to restore anadromous fish species to Rhode Island coastal streams. The project was initiated thanks to a grant provided to the Department of Environmental Management, Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), by Luther Blount. The dams of the Industrial Revolution were placed in rivers for an inexpensive and reliable source of power. Little thought was given to the effects on native fish populations. Fish passage efforts at the time met with little success. The end result was the extirpation of local populations of American shad, alewives, blueback herring, Atlantic salmon, and other species. As the Industrial Revolution waned, so has the need for the dams, yet they remain. The concept of environmental responsibility is raised for readers of this report to consider. The dams of the Industrial Revolution in Rhode Island are the most numerous and problematic impediments to anadromous restoration. Additionally the dams have completely altered the characteristics of many streams, raising water temperatures, concentrating sediment and pollutants, buffering the normal and necessary water level fluctuations, and altering the species composition of flora and fauna. Most of the dams spill