NH NFC Busts Another Manmade Rock Dam...

A manmade rock dam in New Hampshire’s White Mountains Region…

Manmade rock dams can impede and even block fish passage. They can also warm the water and alter habitat by trapping silt and decaying organic matter..

Come summer, these manmade structures start popping up on streams across the nation. By fall they are abandoned and left to the elements to take care of unless someone steps in…

NFC has an org-wide program to try to educate the public in regard to rock dams, and mitigate their impact where possible. While the northwestern states have taken an active role in regard to rock dams to protect migrating sea-run salmon, the northeast states have no such focus.

While fishing in the White Mountains Region of New Hampshire, NFC board member Jeff Moore encountered a potential fish-blocking manmade dam on one of his favorite rivers. He contacted NH NFC Chair Aliess John, and they returned the next day to do something about it…

Starting now through the end of fishing season, folks should be on the lookout for these structures and take a moment out of their fishing time to breach them to get the water flowing and allow fish to pass.

special thanks to jeff and aliess for taking the time to dismantle yet another potentially harmful manmade rock dam.

A wild native brook trout from the same stream as the manmade rock dam…