Fish Ladder in Nebraska? A Successful Case Study

Abstract Only - Fish ladders are not typically thought of in Midwestern or Great Plains settings. However, dams act as barriers for fish migration in Nebraska, just as they do in the Pacific Northwest and other areas more commonly associated with fish passage systems. A hydro power dam on the Cedar River in the small Village of Spalding, NE was a prime example of such. Originally constructed in the late 1800s, this small dam provides power and recreation to the surrounding area. In the early 2000s the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) performed netting studies on the Cedar River both upstream and downstream of the dam. It was noted that areas upstream of the dam were virtually void of channel catfish. But during times when the dam was taken offline for flood repairs, studies showed fish upstream of the dam. This confirmed that the dam posed an unpassable blockage to fish and that a need for a fish passage system existed.
The NGPC and University of Nebraska studied various fish passage styles in relation to this dam and the types of fish in the river. It was decided that a Denil style fish passage system would best suit the area. The NGPC and Village of Spalding started seeking grant assistance to construct the system beginning in 2010 and finally received grant funds from the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) in 2015. Final design began immediately and in 2016, with the help of many project partners and stakeholders, the fish ladder was constructed. After two plus years of monitoring, the fish ladder is a proven success. Numerous fish species of various sizes are successfully navigating the ladder in both upstream and downstream directions. The migration of fish upstream allows various species to access critical spawning habitat during certain times of the year, promoting natural reproduction and recruitment.