Raritan River Nevius St. Dam Breaching

[SkillfulAngler908]

I passed by the area last night around 6 and it was still there.

[calbo]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Once you pass the old Roberts St Dam in a canoe it goes to complete slow water. Since the Raritan has a slow gradiant, every little dam slows down the water. Guess I'll start my letter writing to Dukes to get rid of the Headgates !!

Here we go again - don't post much any more since I don't have much time to fish or have much to offer - but this still burns me. This "dam", which is actually a minor spillway, has been in Raritan for over 90 years and has done nothing but improve the fishing within 5 miles up and down river.

It's small enough to allow anadromous fish to migrate as far upstream as they have to. Like I've mentioned in past posts I have seen and caught striped bass and shad above this spillway since the fish returned to the river as a result of efforts to clean up pollution. And, the best fishing within 10 miles up and down river are directly below the spillway.

I've fished the Raritan for over 50 years from many miles above the confluence of the north and south branches of the river to the bay - and the area in Raritan has been the most consistently productive section of the river.

I've seen similar efforts on the Muskie destroy stream-side property and ruin fishing for miles of the river - removing pools and holding areas as storms wash away banks and rearrange the river bed.

I can understand removing a five foot dam - but removing a 2 foot spillway simply to spend found dollars without full consideration of the impact to the river or the fishery is foolish - but - too late. In five years if I'm still around I can say I told you so.

Calbo

[kcritch]

Originally Posted by calbo

And, the best fishing within 10 miles up and down river are directly below the spillway

Did ya ever think that all those fish were "just below the spillway" because they were stuck there trying to get past that supposedly easy to get over 2' spillway? Maybe if it was not there those 10 miles up and down river would all be better. Just sayin.

And if it's just a 2' spill way that has had no impact by being there...Then how could it have such a horribly detrimental impact to a river which has been there for way longer than 90 years without drying up or losing it's banks? Again....Just sayin'.

I believe anything "we" put there for our purposes (not the fish's) had a negative impact on the fish...and that has been proven true in way more cases than cases that have had a positive impact. I think we'll be OK here.

[acabtp]

i think the dams impact on the fishing is besides the point.

they are giant man-made human pollution in the river... they should be removed. period.

it shouldn't matter if it makes fishing better or worse in a particular stretch or changes property values. nature knows best and will figure things out just fine.

[AndyS]

The Delaware river has how many dams ? Tell me how horrible that river fishing is. Those who need to fish below a spillway or dam need to go fish the sunfish pond down the road because they have no idea how to fish a river. Removing dams lowers water temps also, can't wait till the Headgates in Duke Island Park come down.

[AndyS]

Please watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liJffLBfUoU

Thay talk about about the 2 huge dams left behind from the old Fiber Mark paper mill plant at the end of the video. Within the Fiber Mark compound is and area that looks EXACTLY like the Ken Lockwood Gorge.

The residents in the video seem pleased the dams are gone.

[Fish n Jeep]

Originally Posted by calbo

It's small enough to allow anadromous fish to migrate

But what about androgynous fish?

[Wilson]

Got this email today



NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin has announced the start of the removal of the Nevius Street Dam from the Raritan River in Somerset County that will further open a 10-mile stretch of the middle and upper portions of the river to fish spawning and migration. The dam removal is part of a watershed-wide effort to re-establish historically significant migratory fish passage, restore riverine habitat and the natural flow of the Raritan River, and enhance recreational uses.

Fish to benefit most from the removal of the dams are American shad, American eel, herring, and striped bass. Better water flow also will improve flushing of sediments, reduce nutrient loadings and improve conditions for tiny aquatic organisms that are critical to the food web in the river system.

The Nevius Street Dam is the third to be removed from the Raritan River. The DEP's Office of Natural Resource Restoration continues to study additional dams in the Raritan River watershed and will evaluate and implement appropriate options for future enhanced fish passage and recreational opportunities.

For more information on this and other dam removals on the Raritan River, see http://www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/2013/13_0077.htm on the DEP website.

[AndyS]

Dam to be removed by El Paso Corp. under terms of an agreement with the State Department of Environmental Protection as compensation to the public for harm to natural resources it caused by pollution elsewhere in the state, according to DEP Commissioner Bob Martin......... "found dollars"

[Fish n Jeep]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Dam to be removed by El Paso Corp.

Must be the New El Paso, because the old one makes tacos.