Restoration and Innovation: The FishPass project on the Boardman-Ottaway River

FishPass is the capstone of a restoration project on the Boardman/Ottaway River (Traverse City, Michigan) which will reconnect the river with Lake Michigan, replacing the deteriorating Union Street Dam. FishPass will incorporate a new, complete barrier that designed to accommodate research to sort and selectively pass desirable fish while blocking harmful invasive species like sea lampreys. FishPass will also re-establish hydrological and ecological connectivity within the river. FishPass will feature a vertical barrier across the river, nature-like river channel, fish-sorting channel, research and education building, and enhanced public spaces. The site will be a place for scientists to use a variety of techniques and technologies in combination to determine the most effective means of sorting desirable and undesirable fish below a barrier. Fully automated selective passage of fish is the long-term goal of the project.