Beating a dead shad: Failure and futility of shad restoration programs on dammed rivers

Shad restoration programs involving the construction of fish passage facilities, hatchery production and trucking of adult fish continue on large Atlantic coast rivers with main-stem hydro power dams despite the lack of success.  We examine shad restoration programs on three rivers with main stem hydropower dams, the Connecticut, Merrimack and Susquehanna.  For example, with respect to fish passage, on the Connecticut, Merrimack and Susquehanna Rivers, of the fish that passed the first dam, a mean of 4, 15 and 34% passed the second dam, respectively, and virtually no shad are reaching the up-river areas where they spawned historically.  Unfortunately, once restoration programs begin, it becomes politically difficult to end them, even if they are not effective.  The obvious alternative to these ineffective programs is dam removal.  With the exception of two dams on the Susquehanna River, the power generating capacity of the dams on these three rivers is modest.  Additionally there is evidence showing that monetizing ecosystem values and conducting a complete cost-benefit analysis is not necessary for participants to support dam removals and ecosystem restoration.  We suggest that stakeholders should begin to look at dam removals on these systems, and suggest the Penobscot River program as a model.