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Keeping Maine’s Forests Pilot Project Update. Fisheries Habitat Restoration Pleasant River Watershed. A Critical Aquatic Resource. 90% of the intact eastern brook trout habitat in the US is in Maine. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Keeping Maine’s Forests Pilot Project Update
Fisheries Habitat RestorationPleasant River Watershed
A Critical Aquatic Resource
• 90% of the intact eastern brook trout habitat in the US is in Maine.
• 30% of the remote ponds in Maine are in the Moosehead-Katahdin region (aka 100-Mile Wilderness).
• Very high concentration of some of the best wild and native trout habitat located in this region.
• Also Penobscot River Watershed – focus on fisheries habitat restoration.
Background
• March 2011 KMF fisheries forum sponsored by Maine Forest Products Council
• Fisheries habitat: success story to build on.• Private landowners interested and engaged.• Track record of cooperative efforts with NGOs,
state and federal agencies with private landowners: Project SHARE in Downeast Maine.
Pilot Project Goal
• Meet the goals of Keeping Maine’s Forests including fiber production and maintaining important wildlife habitat in the greater Moosehead-Katahdin Region by creating a partnership dedicated to maintaining and restoring native fish habitat.
• Initial Partners: AMC, TNC, NRCS, USFWS, IF&W, Huber, also TU, FSM
The Issue• Log drives ended in early
1970’s needed other means of log transport.
• 100’s of miles of roads were built starting in early 1970’s to truck logs out of the woods.
• Currently have an ageing road network with 100’s of culvert problems.
• Lower and mid Penobscot has 770 severe culvert fish barriers identified.
Biological Issue with Problem Culverts:
• Restrict fish movement minimizing timely access to:– Spawning habitat– Cold water refuge – Food resources.
• Create marshy backwaters– Increase water temperature – Reduce stream flow – Promotes conditions for warm water
and invasive fish species. • Prevents natural stream process
from occurring including:– Large wood and substrate movement
Focus Area DeterminationPart I: Fish Habitat
Total ATS rearing units rank + ((BKT stream rank +BKT Pond acreage rank)/2)
OR
• Worked with state and federal biologists to determine a restoration focus area in the Penobscot
• Focus area determination – Used biological fish variables – Biological Opinion– Best of the best (could be
better)
Habitat + Habitat = ATS and BKT Habitat
Top Ten HUC 12’s (Orange)
71 known Severe Barriers in 6 HUC’s
4 HUC’s Need Culverts Surveyed
Focus Area Determination Part II: NRCS Client availability
Barrier Ownership Piscataquis Pleasant East Branch
National Park (AT) 0 1 0
Small Land Owners 1 2 2
Unknown 2 0 5
Worked with NRCS 2 0 4
Non-Profit (AMC) 0 9 0
Large Forest Land Owners 9 10 0
State, Town, County Roads 13 0 11
Total 27 22 22
Katahdin Iron Works
Brownville Junction
How it worked
• NRCS and USFWS biologists and engineers completed design and plans for culvert removals summer 2011. No cost to the landowner.
• USFWS secured necessary permits. No cost to the landowner.
• Landowner obtained services of local contractor to complete the work.
• USFWS paid contractor directly for all costs associated with the work on the ground.
Site #1 Blocked Culvert
Site #2 Low Flow Fish Barrier
Site #3 Restored Natural Process
Success!• The three culvert removal projects combined have
reconnected close to two miles of stream habitat in the Pleasant River watershed.
• Much improved habitat for wild and native brook trout.• Further bolsters region as a world-class trout fishery.• Core project partners: AMC, Huber, USFWS, NRCS, and
TNC.
Moving Forward
• Road stream crossing training in Nov. (requested by private landowners)
• Additional projects slated for 2012• Some culvert removal and restoration projects.• Other projects include culvert or bridge replacement. • Likely work with adjacent landowners that have
expressed interest in the project.• AMC to act as project sponsor to enable NRCS
funding options for other landowners.