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Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 4:32 pm
by Rusty Spinner
My firm is working on removing a dam on a former 7 acre lake that we permanently drained last fall with NJDEP permits. This is well upstream of the reservoir nearer the headwaters on Beisler Lake in a Lutheran Church camp property. We are hoping to restore the majority of the stream channel before mid September and then breach the earthen dam and remove the concrete spillway and associated infrastructure next spring before their busy summer ('19) camp season. The lake bed was planted last late fall with a seed mix with more added this spring. Native tree and shrub planting will come this fall in the former lake bed.

We know there are spawning brook trout below the dam, but we don't know how close they come to it to spawn each autumn. With the dam out next year, brookies can make it to their uppermost headwaters to spawn each year.

Before:
Pond overview photo resized.jpg
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After water lowering this winter:
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Fish capture photos:
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Not letting me add more photos, so next post....

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 4:33 pm
by Rusty Spinner
More fish capture:
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Mirror carp during fish capture resized.jpg
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Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 4:41 pm
by Rusty Spinner
Our Hero resized.jpg
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And we made sure sediment wouldn't be an issue for downstream trout spawning while we lowered the lake.
Meter screen closeup resized.jpg
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The stream down to the spillway will be restored and stabilized later this summer and the former lake bed - or most of it - will be planted this fall. We will proceed with the removal of the concrete spillway and opening of the earthen dam to reconnect the stream before next summer's camp season. Brookies will once again be able to reach their headwaters and the stream won't come over the top of that concrete dam spillway at well over 80 degrees F in summer months. The stream is only about 6' wide on average through this reach.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Wed May 23, 2018 8:11 am
by troutfishing4life
Cool stuff! crazy looking crap

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Wed May 23, 2018 10:46 pm
by Kronk
Church kids lost a nice place to Swim and Fish !!

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 8:35 pm
by Rusty Spinner
Kronk wrote: ↑
Wed May 23, 2018 10:46 pm
Church kids lost a nice place to Swim and Fish !!
They built a pool and the kids can now fish for native brook trout and not mirror carp that were illegally introduced into that lake. :)

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 10:17 pm
by Kronk
i GUESS THEY DID NOT FISH FOR THOSE SMALL LARGEMOUTHS.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 2:39 pm
by lightenup
Well done, those Brook Trout are tasty, especially the native ones..can't wait until they are flourishing, gonna throw a brook trout barbecue, you are all welcome to come!!! :shock: :D :D :D

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 4:16 pm
by Kronk
You will starve before there are enough if any in there. I'am sure the boy scouts are thrilled with a six foot wide puddle to fish in.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 5:36 pm
by lightenup
Kronk wrote: ↑
Wed May 30, 2018 4:16 pm
You will starve before there are enough if any in there. I'am sure the boy scouts are thrilled with a six foot wide puddle to fish in.
You mean The Scouts? I find protecting native fish to outweigh the scouts need to fish for bass in that pond....there are plenty of places to catch warm water fish, and I would never eat a native trout....and there are plenty in that creek already....enjoy your day!!!

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 6:37 pm
by Rusty Spinner
Kronk wrote: ↑
Wed May 30, 2018 4:16 pm
You will starve before there are enough if any in there. I'am sure the boy scouts are thrilled with a six foot wide puddle to fish in.
Scouts? It's not a Scout camp. But good try. Hey, if you PM me, I can work something out where you can fish for a small fee in the Musky Trout Hatchery raceways. Sounds like your kind of angling! Plenty of non-natives and they have both ponds and raceways. :lol:

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 7:21 pm
by Kronk
Lightenup....You posted native brook trout are tasty and want to throw them on the Barbecue NOT ME and Rusty Spinner I do not appreciate your insults they are Juvenile. As far as pay and fish what ever floats your boat. You may have paid to fish in the Hacthery for a small fee but not my style.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 12:17 am
by lightenup
Kronk wrote: ↑
Wed May 30, 2018 7:21 pm
Lightenup....You posted native brook trout are tasty and want to throw them on the Barbecue NOT ME and Rusty Spinner I do not appreciate your insults they are Juvenile. As far as pay and fish what ever floats your boat. You may have paid to fish in the Hacthery for a small fee but not my style.
I was obviously making a joke, whether you thought it funny, no matter. Restoring natural habitat is a good thing.
My grandad tried to take me fishing at a hatchery when I was a wee lad....they wouldn't let us😉

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 9:38 am
by Rusty Spinner
Kronk wrote: ↑
Wed May 30, 2018 7:21 pm
Lightenup....You posted native brook trout are tasty and want to throw them on the Barbecue NOT ME and Rusty Spinner I do not appreciate your insults they are Juvenile. As far as pay and fish what ever floats your boat. You may have paid to fish in the Hacthery for a small fee but not my style.
And I don't appreciate your lack of knowledge when it comes to restoring NATIVE fish whenever and wherever we can. Bass are not native. And if the "Scouts" (actually Christian campers) want to fish for bass, Teetertown has several stocked ponds as does Crystal Springs, both immediately adjacent to Crossroads Retreat Center.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 11:36 am
by garden hackle
Are you guys on Ambien? I heard it can change your whole personality.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 11:50 am
by Rusty Spinner
garden hackle wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 11:36 am
Are you guys on Ambien? I heard it can change your whole personality.
Worked great for Roseanne Barr

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 12:15 pm
by garden hackle
Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 11:50 am
garden hackle wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 11:36 am
Are you guys on Ambien? I heard it can change your whole personality.
Worked great for Roseanne Barr
Didn’t it backfire for Roseanne? The makers of Ambien had a perfect comeback.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 1:26 pm
by lightenup
garden hackle wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 12:15 pm
Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 11:50 am
garden hackle wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 11:36 am
Are you guys on Ambien? I heard it can change your whole personality.
Worked great for Roseanne Barr
Didn’t it backfire for Roseanne? The makers of Ambien had a perfect comeback.
Yes they did...

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 3:40 pm
by Rusty Spinner
garden hackle wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 12:15 pm
Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 11:50 am
garden hackle wrote: ↑
Thu May 31, 2018 11:36 am
Are you guys on Ambien? I heard it can change your whole personality.
Worked great for Roseanne Barr
Didn’t it backfire for Roseanne? The makers of Ambien had a perfect comeback.
I was joking about it working for Roseanne because it clearly didn't. I missed Ambien's reply in the news. She is and always has been an idiot, so no surprise she self-destructed yet again.

Re: Spruce Run Creek dam removal for native brook trout

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 4:15 pm
by lightenup
I think this is a great move, but what are you going to do about all the little wild brown trout in that creek? Will they compete with the brookies, and while you are at it, see if you can get the state to stop the stockings of rainbows each spring, as they will compete for food as well... I know, I'm asking a lot, but that would be putting the creek even closer to its natural state....

and how about that giant reservoir that is damming it up down by Muller Toyota..lets get that removed too!!!! :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: