Habitat Restoration

Alaska Fish Passage Program

The Alaska Region Fish Passage Program partners with state agencies, municipalities, boroughs, and other organizations to reconnect stream habitat that has been fragmented by artificial barriers, such a culverts, weirs, and dams. Thousands of such barriers exist across Alaska. Since program establishment in 1999, we have provided technical assistance and matching federal funds for projects to remove more than 40 barriers. These projects have opened more than 300 miles of historic spawning and rearing habitat for salmon, char, trout, Arctic grayling, and other species.

The Chatanika River's Fairbanks Exploration Dam, in place since 1926, was removed in 2002, opening more than 100 miles of salmon spawning & rearing habitat.

For more information:

• download our Fish Passage Program fact sheet. (pdf)
• visit the Fish and Wildlife Service's national Fish Passage Program web page
• contact John Delapp, Habitat Restoration and Partnerships Coordinator, at (907) 786-3925, or john_delapp@fws.gov

Last updated: July 28, 2008