Fish Habitat Partnerships Making a Difference: Alteration of Christine and Hickson Dams, Red River, North Dakota
from the National Fish Habitat Partnership's 2015 Through a Fish's Eye Report
Summary
Partnership - Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership Lake Sturgeon were an important protein and cultural resource for Native Americans and a key food resource for early settlers in the Red River basin in the 1800’s and earlier. By the mid-1900’s, this unique species was extirpated from this river system as the result of barrier and dam construction, overharvest, and pollution. In the late 1980’s, a broad coalition started the process of reestablishing this key species back into its native range in the Red River system with a focus on rehabilitating habitat, removing barriers/dams, and re-populating the river using hatchery fish. The Christine and Hickson dams were 2 of 3 remaining mainstem dams that prevented fish from freely [...]
Lake Sturgeon were an important protein and cultural resource for Native Americans and a key food resource for early settlers in the Red River basin in the 1800’s and earlier. By the mid-1900’s, this unique species was extirpated from this river system as the result of barrier and dam construction, overharvest, and pollution. In the late 1980’s, a broad coalition started the process of reestablishing this key species back into its native range in the Red River system with a focus on rehabilitating habitat, removing barriers/dams, and re-populating the river using hatchery fish. The Christine and Hickson dams were 2 of 3 remaining mainstem dams that prevented fish from freely migrating upstream to access spawning, rearing, and overwintering habitats in the upper Red River. The Christine and Hickson Dams were located in the upper Red River in Minnesota and North Dakota, just south of Fargo. These two low head (5 feet and 7 feet) dams blocked passage of Lake Sturgeon, Walleye, Channel Catfish, and many other native river species. Through a partnership between several state, federal, local, and nonprofit agencies in Minnesota and North Dakota, the two dams were replaced with rock arch rapids that will allow fish access to 68 upstream miles mainstem and to two major upper tributaries. This project resulted in almost 358 miles of uninterrupted river down to Drayton Dam, the last dam downstream before Canada. The project was completed in 2012 and cost $1.4 million dollars. In addition, Lake Sturgeon were stocked in the Red River basin and are making a comeback due to the elimination or alteration of these and other dams.
This project is the culmination of a 10-year effort to replace all of the lowhead dams with rock arch rapids, in keeping with the goals and objectives of the Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership. This effort has restored fish passage, increased fish and native mussel production, and increased recreational fishing opportunities and boating safety on the Red River.
The U.S Geological Survey (USGS) is partnering with the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) to produce the 2015 report entitled, "Through a Fish's Eye: The Status of Fish Habitats in the United States 2015". The information contained within this item is a product of NFHP. The Bureau is neither responsible nor liable for the accuracy or the use of the scientific content within this item. This content is considered preliminary pending subsequent review and approval.
