Reaching out to local stakeholders on multiple levels, the Restoration
Center helps repair habitats indispensable to fish, shellfish and other
living marine resources – habitats that are also essential to
a healthy economy and environment.
Through
its Community-based Restoration Program, the Restoration Center seeks
proposals through national and regional partnerships and direct solicitation.
After conducting a competitive review, NOAA helps shape projects and
strengthen their development and implementation.
Partnerships enable NOAA to help communities achieve significant milestones
faster. They also help instill community stewardship by contributing
dollars, land, technical assistance, hands-on support and other in-kind
services. NOAA’s community-based restoration typically leverages
$3-5 for each NOAA dollar invested.
Photos
by NOAA Restoration Center
Step pool fish passage provides salmon and trout
access through a culvert to upstream spawning grounds.
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Adobe Creek Fish Ladder
California
In
northern California, Petaluma Valley’s Adobe Creek illustrates
the factors contributing to declining fish runs. A major source
of drinking water, the creek’s seven-mile course was polluted
and diverted in a way that altered spawning habitat. With all
water flow diverted into the reservoir system, the lower five
miles were devoid of riparian or forested streamside habitat and
steelhead trout were rarely present. But in the early 1980’s,
the United Anglers of Casa Grande, a local high school group,
began successfully restoring Adobe Creek by clearing out tons
of debris, planting thousands of shade-producing trees and constructing
a fish hatchery. Over the years they paved the way for local,
county and federal assistance.
As
part of NOAA’s efforts to restore fisheries habitat, the
Restoration Center awarded funding to the United Anglers of Casa
Grande to address the last remaining impediment to fish migration
up Adobe Creek. The funding supported construction of a permanent
step-pool fish ladder system to provide safe passage for steelhead
trout and chinook salmon over a 12-foot obstruction, giving the
fish access to additional spawning habitat. Completion of the
ladder provides an excellent habitat and fish pathway for mature
trout and salmon to spawn and for juveniles to begin their migration
to sea. Students will maintain the fish ladder and monitor its
success as part of the ongoing stewardship of Adobe Creek.
The United Anglers of Casa Grande, a local high-school
group, were a driving force behind the restoration of Adobe
Creek.
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Argilla Road – Restoration
of a Tidally-Restricted Salt Marsh
Massachusetts
The
Argilla Road salt marsh, part of the “Great Marsh”
on Massachusetts’ north shore, is the largest contiguous
salt marsh north of Long Island Sound. Road construction across
a creek more than a century ago reduced tidal flushing to only
about 20 acres of the marsh and also caused the tidal range upstream
to be under two feet. On the downstream side, it ranged up to
eight feet. In addition, an invasive plant (Phragmites australis)
expanded into many areas of the marsh because the greatly undersized
culvert restricted natural tidal flushing. The lack of tidal flow
also prevented fish and shellfish species from accessing this
important feeding and spawning area. Excessive mosquito breeding
became a problem as freshwater was trapped in the upland marsh
during storm events.
Looking upstream at the original culvert. Before replacing with
a new one, the undersized culvert restricted tidal exchange,
degraded fish habitat and allowed non-native species to invade
the marsh.
In
partnership with FishAmerica, NOAA began work to restore tidal
flow to the salt marsh in 1998. Government at all levels and private
groups joined the effort to restore flow by eliminating the tidal
restriction. Led by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the undersized
culvert was replaced with a five-foot high by eight-foot wide
concrete box culvert to increase the mean high-water level in
parts of the previously restricted marsh. Two weeks after installation,
the upstream portion of the marsh was completely flooded with
brackish water (part salt, part fresh) for the first time since
Argilla Road was constructed.
Post restoration, during an outgoing tide. Restoration of a
normal tidal flushing regime has increased productive fish habitat.
There has also been a major reduction in the height of the invasive
plant which, in many areas, is now dying off. Volunteers monitor
the marsh and promote long-term stewardship.
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| Town
Brook Herring Run Restoration
Massachusetts
Herring
have been credited with helping the Pilgrims survive their first
harsh winters and, in part, that is why Plymouth, Massachusetts
became the longest continuously occupied settlement in the New
World. To reach prime spawning grounds, river herring must first
ascend Town Brook beginning at Plymouth Harbor. Town Brook flows
from a 250-acre freshwater pond for 1.5 miles through the center
of Plymouth. Aging fish ladders there were in dire need of replacement.
Volunteers and scientists collected migrating fish, then moved
them in trucks above dams to their spawning grounds.
Pat Kurkul, NOAA Fisheries NE region administrator,
passed herring to volunteers.
Jim Turek (right), of NOAA Restoration Center, discussed
Town Brook restoration with
Eric Hutchins, also of NOAA Restoration Center.
Motivated
locally, the Restoration Center and several state and community
partners provided technical and financial help to restore the
fish run. A derelict dam that used to be the site of an old mill
needed to be removed. In June and July, asbestos-contaminated
sediment was removed from the area and, in September, the dam
was removed with the help of the U.S. Army Reserves. As a result,
herring need not be transported upstream to spawn each year and
there is significantly expanded spawning habitat.
Town Brook shortly after dam removal
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 South
Carolina Oyster Habitat Restoration
Photos
courtesy of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
With the support of NOAA’s Restoration Center and EPA, the
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is partnering with
the University of South Carolina, the South Carolina Conservation
League and community volunteers to establish multiple demonstration
projects to restore and enhance oyster habitat along the South
Carolina coast. Oyster reefs provide critical habitat for shellfish,
which have declined in estuarine populations along the east coast
because of loss of habitat, disease and overharvesting, among
other factors.
Restoration
efforts include recycling restaurant oyster shell and working
with volunteers to build intertidal oyster reefs by filling mesh
bags with recycled shell, then monitoring these reefs after creation.
Efforts are also underway to raise public awareness of the importance
of oyster habitat in
stabilizing shorelines, improving water quality and enhancing
critical fish and wildlife habitat. The project includes establishing
and training a core group of teachers, students and other community
volunteers who can assist in expanding oyster habitat restoration
throughout the coastal zone. Oyster shell recycling has also been
established along with classroom and field activities related
to oyster habitat. Written and online materials complement the
restoration efforts.
Volunteers put recycled oyster shell in mesh bags to create
intertidal oyster reefs.
Volunteers
place oyster shell bags at low tide to create a reef.
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| Ft.
McHenry Wetlands Restoration
Maryland
In
partnership with the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the NOAA
Restoration Center tackled wetlands restoration initiatives at
a tidal marsh at Fort McHenry, Baltimore Harbor, Maryland. The
10-acre clean-up site sits at the head of a tidal tributary receiving
waters from three urban watersheds. For flood buffering, erosion
control, bank stabilization, water quality improvement, and economically
essential nurseries, the wetlands are key to the environmental
health of the Chesapeake Bay.
At work in the wetlands (from left) Margaret R. McCalla,
senior meteorologist,
Office of the Federal Coordinator; Rollie Schmitten, director,
Office of
Habitat Restoration; and Bill Hogarth, assistant administrator,
NOAA Fisheries.
(from left) Bob Taylor, Deputy Director, Office of Marine
and Aviation
Operations; Rollie Schmitten; volunteer Stacey Taylor;
and Rich Behn, Executive Director to Deputy Under Secretary.
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