The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that 29 states will receive just over $70 million in funding to support 43 projects that will address outdated or obsolete dams, culverts, levees and other blights on the nation’s rivers and stream obstructions.
Millions of barriers around the world fragment rivers, impede fish migration and put communities at higher risk of flooding. Old or poorly designed dams, culverts, river crossings and levees prevent fish and other aquatic species from freely moving, feeding, migrating and breeding. Chance. These barriers also damage aquatic habitats and tend to be more susceptible to flooding or drought. An effective way to strengthen the local economy.
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Learn more about the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, an investment of more than $70 million that will address these outdated and outdated roadblocks in 43 projects in 29 states. The funding builds on nearly $73 million invested in 79 projects across the U.S. under the Department’s National Fish Passage Plan, a bipartisan infrastructure act of 2022 and 2023. dollars in funding commitments for the third and fourth years.
A diverse portfolio of aquatic conservation projects that receive funding will improve
Learn more about fish passage and climate resiliency, increase recreational opportunities and strengthen local economies. This important work is accomplished through a multi-agency approach, collaborating with and investing in state and local partners to deliver transformative results for local communities.
Lower Schutik/St.Croy River Fish Pass (Maine) — This collaborative program with the state of Maine, the Passamaquoddy Tribe and other partners has the potential to support the return of tens of millions of adult river herring annually, making this population the largest herring population in the United States and Canada . The fish passage project will also contribute to the sustainability and economic viability of local pulp, paper and fisheries.
Conasauga Trispot Darter Habitat Connectivity (Georgia) – This project will reconnect stream habitat by removing undersized barrier culverts from county roads. The removal of the culvert will directly benefit the federally threatened three-spotted bass and blue flasher bass, improve local transportation systems, and increase the resiliency of community infrastructure during peak flow periods.
Enloe Dam Removal (Washington) – This The partnership is a partnership between Trout Unlimited and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, with support from the Upper and Lower Bands of Similkameen Indians. The plan will reconnect more than 1,500 miles of habitat for tribal trust species such as steelhead trout, Chinook salmon and Pacific lamprey, while also creating benefits for water quality, recreation and flood risk reduction.
Otila Dam Removal (Texas) – A project led by the San Antonio River Authority will remove a 1920s-era dam that has become a human safety hazard and a complete barrier to aquatic species. The plan will improve public safety, reduce flood risk and reconnect 30 miles of upper river habitat for species and recreational use.
Upper Otter Tail River Connectivity Project (Minnesota) – This program is led by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in partnership with the Chippewa White Soil Belt, Chippewa Red Lake Belt, Minnesota Department of Transportation, East Otter Tail Soil and Water Conservation District and other partners. It will connect 20 miles of river and nearly 1,800 acres of aquatic habitat, contributing to the recovery and sustainability of lake sturgeon, as well as connecting walleye, white suckers, mussels and other aquatic species of concern. Increased fish passage provides opportunities for fishing and wild protein harvest, and improves the sustainability of culturally important fish stocks for local tribes. The project also contributes to improving regional transportation by eliminating undersized culverts on national highways and replacing them with climate-resilient bridges.
National Fish Passage Plan Funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill for Fiscal Year 24-25
| Project name | State/County | funds |
| Upper Moose Creek Basin Fish Passage Project | Alaska, Mat-Su Borough | $3,000,000 |
| Southeast Alaska Community and Tribal Fish Passage | Alaska | $4,000,000 |
| Fish passage barrier removal in Emonak, Alaska | Kusilwack, Alaska | 5 USD00,000 |
| Dismantling the Elba Hydroelectric Power Plant Dam | alabama, coffee | $1,931,465 |
| Robinson Fork Arkansas Fish Pass Improvements | Arkansas, Polk and Sevier | 2 USD,000,000 |
| Salt and Little Colorado River Basin Fish Pass | Arizona, Apache | 2 USD,211,450 |
| Big Chico Creek Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project | Butte, California | $3,815,372 |
| Tejada Ranch Habitat Management Project | california, lake | 2 USD,500,000 |
| Cherry Creek Fish Pass, La Plata Watershed | Colorado, La Plata | $702,000 |
| Norwalk River Dam Removal, Planning and Assessment | Connecticut, Fairfield | $1,306,314 |
| Conasauga Trispot Darter Habitat Connectivity | Georgia, Murray Whitfield | $1,457,500 |
| South Fork Creek Barrier Replacement | Idaho, Idaho | $420,000 |
| Sangamon County Dam Removal | Illinois, Sangamon | 1,500,000 |
| Emrichsville Dam Removal | Marion, Indiana | $750,000 |
| Flat Rock River restoration: Two dams removed | Indiana, Shelby | $265,000 |
| Dam removal at the headwaters of the Hoosik River | Massachusetts, Berkshire | $2,250,527 USD |
| Ipswich Mills Dam Removal Project | Massachusetts, Essex County | $1,230,000 USD |
| Sandy River Basin Dam Removal | Maine, Franklin-Somers | $630,000 |
| Lower Schutik/St.Croy River Fish Pass | Maine, Washington State | USD 2,500,000 |
| Kallio Creek at Skanee Road AOP Restoration Area | Michigan, Baraga | $600,142 |
| Increasing Arctic brook trout traffic | Michigan | $2,500,000 |
| Dismantling the Peninsula Paper Dam | Michigan, Washtenaw | $800,000 |
| Crystal River Fishway and Restoration Project | Michigan, Leelanau | $400,000 |
| Upper Otter Tail River Connectivity Project | Minnesota, Otter Tail | $3,906,000 |
| Hooza Creek Fish Passage Plan, Missouri | Missouri, Crawford | $1,459,850 USD |
| Upper Clark Fork River Fish Passage Project | Montana, Deer Lodge | USD 1,000,000 |
| Rockville Dam Removal Project | North Carolina, Chatham | $500,000 |
| Jicarilla Willow Creek Connectivity Project | New Mexico, Rio Arriba | $350,000 |
| Amago Creek Connectivity Project | New Mexico, Rio Arriba | $1,100,000 |
| Rio Costilla Population Linkage Project | New Mexico, Taos | $1,117,434 |
| Barrier removal on Moss Rd, Bokai River | New York, Essex | $500,000 |
| Great Miami River Restoration Project | Ohio, Miami | USD 3,000,000 |
| Pomeroy Dam Removal and Irrigation Pumping Project | Oregon, Josephine | $1,200,000 |
| Wallowa River diversions at Dorrance and Wilson | Wallowa, Oregon | $750,000 |
| Ten dams removed in western Pennsylvania watershed | pennsylvania | $1,203,550 USD |
| Upper Minnesota River Fish Pass | South Dakota, Grant | $3,300,000 |
| Otila Dam Removal | Texas, Bexar | USD 1,000,000 |
| Clinchco Dam Removal on McClure River | Dickinson, Virginia | $500,000 |
| Essex County, Vermont Connectivity and Flood Resiliency | Vermont, Essex County | $965,875 |
| Enloe Dam Removal Feasibility, Design and Permits | Washington, Okanogan | $4,896,250 USD |
| Carpenter Creek Culvert Removal in Skagit Watershed | Washington, Skagit | $299,134 |
| Gold Creek Restoration: Instream Habitat and Flow | Washington, Kittitas | USD 5,000,000 |
| Heartland Dam West Fork River Restoration | West Virginia, Harrison | USD 1,000,000 |
National Fish Passage Plan: Connecting Watersheds and Communities
The National Fish Passage Program has decades of experience implementing infrastructure projects with partners. We will leverage these experiences to foster collaboration among federal agencies, tribes, states, and nonprofit partners under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.
Since 1999, the program has worked with more than 2,000 local communities, tribes and private landowners to remove or bypass more than 3,400 fish passage barriers and reopen to fish and other animals access to more than 61,000 miles of upstream habitat land. Staff have expertise in fish migration and biology, as well as providing financial, engineering and planning assistance to communities, tribes and landowners to help them remove obstacles and restore rivers to benefit fish and people.
North America’s rivers, streams, and coastal systems once supported vast populations of fish such as Pacific salmon, American shad, blueback herring, Pacific lamprey, and American eels. These species and many others, including some endangered and listed species, rely on connected streams and high-quality habitat for survival. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish Passage Program are committed to reconnecting rivers for the benefit of all.
Federal Interagency Fish Passage Portal
The Federal Interagency Fish Passage Portal is a resource for anyone who needs information, funding, or technical assistance on plans to improve fish passage and aquatic connectivity. We provide landowners and public land managers with the tools they need to access federal fish passage resources.
The Fish Passage Portal website will be a living repository of the federal government’s best resources and information, in one free and easily accessible location. It will be updated regularly to meet all your project needs from planning and funding to implementation.
Visit the Interagency Fish Passage Portal
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