Session C2- Building stakeholder consensus to achieve fish passage success-Sedgeunkedunk Stream restortion case study

Many dams no longer serve a useful function and should be removed or replaced with fish passage structures. At least, that seems clear to Fisheries Professionals. However, even the smallest dams often have a broad constituency with many interest that may be overlooked or dismissed by stream restoration proponents. These interests include flat-water recreation, shore-front property values, water supply for fire protection, waterfowl habitat, perceived flooding benefits of a dam, or the simple desire to preserve the status quo. The failure to identify these interests and address them early in the process of stream restoration project planning can lead to opposition and ultimately derail good fish passage projects. We present a case study of a successful stream restoration project that included two dam removals and construction of a rock ramp fishway