Denil Fish Ladder Closed

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ELLICOTT CITY –The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service today confirmed that the Denil fish ladder at Bloede Dam will not be repaired and opened this year because of damage done to the fishway during the winter months. The fishway has suffered chronic winter damage each year and the dam is slated for removal to allow fish a clear pathway through this area. The fishway has passed only a few anadromous fish since its construction in 1993.

“DNR's Fish Passage program is now focusing on removal of fish blockages,” said Gina Hunt, Assistant Director of Policy and Regulatory Programs for the Fisheries Service. “In addition to dam removals we can remove blockages that create a water drop of one foot or more and free up more miles for less money”.

The Fish Passage Program's purpose is to restore migratory species to at or near historic levels of the 1950s. There are four major elements: remove or bypass blockages, reintroduce target species, bio-monitor and educate.

Since its inception, this program has opened 340.4 miles of waterway, allowing for the passage of targeted species such as hickory shad, river herring, white perch, yellow perch, and eels to historic spawning habitat.

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May 7, 2007

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov