National Fish Passage Program
It is estimated that six million barriers to aquatic species movement exist today in streams and rivers throughout the U.S. Many of these barriers are obsolete and have become human health and safety hazards as they continue to obstruct fish passage and decrease the resilience of aquatic species contributing to the loss of self-sustaining populations. In 1999, the Fisheries program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) established the National Fish Passage Program (NFPP), a voluntary, non-regulatory initiative that provides funding and technical assistance to reconnect the aquatic habitat by removing or bypassing barriers. The Program works with individuals, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and local communities to conserve our nation’s aquatic resources by removing or bypassing barriers, thereby restoring our free flowing rivers.
The Mountain-Prairie Region has worked actively within the NFPP, since its inception, to remove barriers and restore connectivity to over 1000 miles of flowing water within the Region. In the western United States, many aquatic species barriers are associated with irrigation diversion dams and road crossings, many of which have reached the end of their useful life and are being upgraded and rebuilt with like structures. The regional Fish Passage Program has actively sought out opportunities to work within regional priorities to add the element of fish passage to these upgrade projects.
The Mountain-Prairie Region’s Fish Passage Program accepts projects throughout the calendar year for funding consideration by the program during the yearly budget cycle. Project proposals can be submitted through Service Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices (http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/fisheries/), or by contacting the Regional NFPP Coordinator at the address listed below.
Scott Roth
USFWS, Mountain-Prairie Region, National Fish Passage Program Coordinator
P.O. Box 25486
Denver, CO 80225-0486
303-236-4219
Scott_Roth@fws.gov
Spread Creek Before Barrier Removal
Spread Creek After Barrier Removal
Francs Fork Culverts before renovation
Francs Fork Bridge after renovation
Last updated: July 21, 2014