Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2011DE215B

White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic Shad Restoration Project

Institute: Delaware
Year Established: 2011 Start Date: 2011-03-01 End Date: 2012-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $1,500 Total Non-Federal Funds: $3,000

Principal Investigators: Gerald Kauffman, Chelsea Halley

Abstract: The purpose of this project is to assess the feasibility of restoring fish passage and natural habitat to the Wild and Scenic White Clay Creek and to complete this restoration. There are several project tasks that will lead to long-term conservation outcomes including the restoration of shad and anadromous fish passage and habitat, increasing spawning areas, and benefiting the resident fish in the White Clay Creek Watershed. These objectives will be completed by removing on-stream dams and/or installing fish ladders, fish notches, rock ramps or bypass channels. The project will be completed by the IPA-WRA in collaboration with the Brandywine Conservancy and multiple stakeholders. Research and conservation effort is necessary to restore the fish populations of the White Clay Creek, which will benefit the ecosystems that are dependent on the creek. Project objectives include research to determine abundance of the fish population, the creation of a shad restoration committee, literature review of successful fish restoration projects on the East Coast, the completion of a field survey of existing dams along the White Clay Creek in Delaware and Pennsylvania, the completion of fish abundance surveys along the White Clay Creek, the exploration of fish restoration using a variety of techniques, the creation of an alternatives analysis, the development of a fish stocking plan, and recommendations and cost estimates for the most feasible fish passage alternative.