River Runs

2024

These Connecticut River Basin Fishway Passage Counts are compiled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, CT River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office using fishway count data provided by several agencies as well as power companies and is dependent in most cases on the review of video counts, that have an associated time lag for updates. Please visit http://www.fws.gov/r5crc for more information.

Good news in this week’s report, Holyoke Fish Lift has surpassed the mean annual American Shad passage count as of 5/22.  Sierra and her HGE Fish Passage Team at Holyoke Fish Lift have had a very busy week due to high volume fish passage, extended operating hours as a result of these values (per fisheries agencies) and different agencies using the truck and transport facility.  Other fishway reports this week show measured increases.
This Saturday is the Official Migratory Fish Restoration date and the link shown below can identify events for you:
https://worldfishmigrationday.com/events/
The Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Association is hosting an event at the Upper Collinsville Dam, on the Farmington River (flyer attached).
The Connecticut River Conservancy and my USFWS Office will host an event at the Manhan Fish Ladder, Easthampton MA:
https://worldfishmigrationday.com/event/education-or-awareness-formal-informal-free-flow-fish-passage-in-easthampton-ma/

2023

  • Report of 09-14-2023
  • Report of 06-16-2023

    Fish passage has slowed down given the time of the year but varies among sites and species (Shortnose Sturgeon passage often peaks in summer).  Shad and Sea Lamprey are more actively passing at the Vernon ladder than at Holyoke.  Next week eDNA sampling work will start with Vermont Fish and Wildlife.  Lael Will (VTDFW) plans to have other agency folks join her as she starts her sampling plans and the other agencies prepare to begin their work with the CRASC eDNA equipment, with one priority focus in NH and VT waters in areas associated with identified FERC Projects, that have reclicensings coming up in next 5 years (targeting American Eel and Sea Lamprey data).

  • Report of 06-08-2023
    River and tributary discharges remain very low and water temperatures are cool after the brief hot spell.  Now is a good time to go out into streams that free flow into the Connecticut River to observe Sea Lamprey nest building and spawning behavior in wadeable conditions.  Look for visibly “bright” areas in larger gravel and cobbles (from the algae dark stained tops of rocks being flipped over and around), in slower riffles and runs, that afford enough water depth say > 1.5 ft  (in its dynamic nature).  A single redd is often 2-3 ft across, at it base pile of moved stones (dragging with mouth and also flailing with its body), with a pit infront of it.  Areas in the mainstem that have gravel, cobble, consistent flow and depth also are used by lamprey.  Counts at Vernon are now being reported and are shown in the report.
  • Report of 06-02-2023
    A notable movement (at fish lift) of Sea Lamprey in recent days is nice to see. The Holyoke shad count is picking away closer to our long term average.  Over the shad daily data time series (since 1976), data shows ~ 20% of the run remaining from this date to end of season.  However, importantly, this does not taking into account shifts in timing from climate related changes that are becoming more evident – with that said, expected weekend and next week cooler temps are an obvious benefit on that.
  • Report of 05-25-2023
I have attached an updated fishway count report that reflects increased counts at Turners Falls “Gatehouse” and modest daily counts of shad passage at Holyoke as we experienced a brief flow event, that did help river water levels. Flows are now dropping fairly quick but water temperatures are remaining seasonally cool, which is good. I have also attached a video made by Jill Devito, a Professor of Ecology, who volunteered her time to film/edit/produce. Thank you Jill.  I hope folks find it interesting as it shows the “field” sampling component of our river herring assessment program. Jill has a second video on the lab processing, aging, scale work, etc. that is being edited now and will be out later.
This week we did observe some very high volume American Shad passage days at the Holyoke Fish Lift (HFL), on 5/14 a total of 50,710 shad were passed!  We have surpassed the 2022 season total for shad (at HFL) with the counts through 5/18.  The main stem river and tributaries flows have dropped substantially to “low” flows, but the very cool weather has water temperatures now notably lower than typically observed and certainly in our recent years for this same time period.  The Holyoke Fish Lift has been open for public viewing and it has been busy with visitors for Holyoke Gas and Electric which is great to hear.  This Sunday, Corey Eddy and I will be at Holyoke Rows, Holyoke MA (https://www.ctriver.org/upcoming-events/) with the Connecticut River Conservancy, for World Migratory Fish Day from 10-2.
Attached is an updated count report that reflects minor changes in available counts and some fishways opening.  The rain was helpful for the tributaries but caused a brief closure of fish lifting at Holyoke in the past week.  Water temps dropped to seasonally cool temps but are rebounding as the river discharge(s) main stem and tribs are back near longer term averages.  We have been seeing what I think are “better” abundance of shad in the Farmington River as we are conducting our river herring work, time will tell. The river herring assessment is showing “low” rates of Blueback Herring abundances among our site, but it is still early in the season, particularly based on discharges and water temperatures. — Kenneth Sprankle, Project Leader, CT River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service.

2022

2021

Due to staffing issues, CTDEEP will be foregoing the weekly migratory fish reports for 2021. There will be a complete year-end report at the end of the season, which we will post.

In the interim, we will post Connecticut River Basin Fishway Passage Counts. These are compiled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, CT River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office using fishway count data provided by several agencies as well as power companies and is dependent in most cases on the review of video counts, that have an associated time lag for updates. Please visit http://www.fws.gov/r5crc for more information.

These fish counts are provided to the CRSA by the [Connecticut] Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Fisheries Division. If there are questions about the counts, they should be directed to Fisheries Biologist Steve Gephard at 860-447-4316 or 860-434-6043.

2020 CT WEEKLY Diadromous FISH REPORT

2019 CT WEEKLY Diadromous FISH REPORT

2018 CT WEEKLY ANADROMOUS FISH REPORT

2018 VIDEOS

2017 CT WEEKLY ANADROMOUS FISH REPORT

2016 CT WEEKLY ANADROMOUS FISH REPORT

 

2015 CT WEEKLY ANADROMOUS FISH REPORT

2014 CT WEEKLY ANADROMOUS FISH REPORT    

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FROM DEEP:

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