Fish Passage at Dams Strategic Analysis Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources February 5, 2018 Nature-like Fishway at Thiensville Dam on Milwaukee River in Ozaukee County, WI Table of Contents Foreword ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 5 1 History of Fish Passage at Dams Policy in Wisconsin ............................................................................ 7 2 Regulatory Framework and Department Procedures and Guidelines ................................................ 11 3 Types of Fish Passage .......................................................................................................................... 19 3.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 19 3.2 Upstream Fish Passage Technologies ......................................................................................... 19 3.2.1 Fishways (Passive) ............................................................................................................... 20 3.2.2 Fish Lifts and Locks (Active) ................................................................................................ 26 3.2.3 Collection and Transport (Active) ....................................................................................... 30 3.3 Downstream Fish Passage Technologies .................................................................................... 31 3.3.1 Turbines (Passive) ............................................................................................................... 32 3.3.2 Spillways (Passive) ............................................................................................................... 34 3.3.3 Bypass Systems (Passive) .................................................................................................... 36 3.3.4 Downstream Screening and Guidance Technologies (Passive) .......................................... 39 3.4 Stocking, Passage and Hatcheries ............................................................................................... 42 4 Fish Migration ..................................................................................................................................... 44 5 Fish Health .......................................................................................................................................... 47 5.1 VHS in Wisconsin ......................................................................................................................... 47 5.2 Fish Health Regulations ............................................................................................................... 49 5.2.1 Fish Health Certificate ......................................................................................................... 49 5.2.2 Circumstances in Which a Fish Health Certificate May Be Required .................................. 49 6 Invasive Species and Nuisance Species ............................................................................................... 51 6.1 Impacts of Invasive Species ......................................................................................................... 51 6.2 Invasive Species Best Management Practices and Guidance ..................................................... 52 7 Assessing the Aquatic Environment for Fish Passage ......................................................................... 55 7.1 Databases and Community Descriptions .................................................................................... 56 7.2 Department Data Gathering Protocol and Guidance ................................................................. 58 8 Dam Safety and Operational Considerations ...................................................................................... 59 9 Economic Considerations .................................................................................................................... 60 1 | P a g e 9.1 Economic Benefits ....................................................................................................................... 60 9.1.1 Sales, Income and Employment related to Construction ................................................... 60 9.1.2 Commercial and Sport-Fishing ............................................................................................ 61 9.1.3 Eco-Tourism ........................................................................................................................ 61 9.1.4 Property Values ................................................................................................................... 61 9.1.5 Non-Market Values ............................................................................................................. 62 9.2 Project Costs ............................................................................................................................... 62 9.3 Leveraging Fish Passage and AIS Control .................................................................................... 69 10 Wildlife Considerations and Impacts .............................................................................................. 70 10.1 Wetlands ..................................................................................................................................... 70 10.2 Foraging Areas for Birds .............................................................................................................. 70 11 Endangered Resource Considerations and Impacts ....................................................................... 72 12 Cultural Considerations and Tribal Relations .................................................................................. 75 12.1 Tribal Relations ........................................................................................................................... 75 13 Policy Alternatives and Considerations .......................................................................................... 77 13.1 Policy Alternatives ....................................................................................................................... 77 13.2 Policy Considerations .................................................................................................................. 78 14 References ...................................................................................................................................... 87 15 Appendix A - Terms and Definitions ............................................................................................... 95 16 Appendix B - Acronyms ................................................................................................................. 102 17 Appendix C - VHS Information ...................................................................................................... 105 17.1 VHS Symptoms .......................................................................................................................... 105 17.2 VHS Transmission and Environmental Factors ......................................................................... 106 18 Appendix D – Public Comment Summary ..................................................................................... 111 19 Appendix E – Public Comments .................................................................................................... 116 19.1 Wisconsin Electric Company ..................................................................................................... 117 19.2 River Alliance of Wisconsin ....................................................................................................... 128 19.3 US Fish and Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................... 130 19.4 Great Lakes Fishery Commission and USFWS Sea Lamprey Control ........................................ 132 19.5 Peter Haug ................................................................................................................................ 134 19.6 Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin ................................................................................................ 137 19.7 Whooshh ................................................................................................................................... 145 2 | P a g e 19.8 General Comments ................................................................................................................... 150 Figures Figure 1-1, Wisconsin dams with a fish passage project as of June 2017, Source: WI DNR ......................... 7 Figure 3-1, Pool and Weir Fishway, Source: NOAA Fisheries ...................................................................... 22 Figure 3-2, Pool and Chute Fishway, Source: CDWR 2013.......................................................................... 23 Figure 3-3, Vertical-Slot Fishway, Source: NWS DPI 2016 .......................................................................... 24 Figure 3-4, Baffle-Type Fishway, Source: NWS DPI 2016 ............................................................................ 25 Figure 3-5, Nature-Like Fishway, Source: NSW DPI 2016