2010 Orvis Conservation Grant Project: Susquehanna River -- Yellow Breeches

The Resource: Yellow Breeches of the Susquehanna River

The 444-mile long Susquehanna River, which runs through New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland, is the nation's sixteenth-largest river and provides half of all freshwater to the Chesapeake Bay.  The river provides drinking water and recreation such as boating, fishing, and canoeing, and parts of the basin have been designated as trophy bass waters for their small-mouth bass fishery. 

In Central Pennsylvania, near Boiling Springs, the Yellow Breeches watershed is a significant fly fishing destination.  The watershed, which is designated as a cold water fishery because most trout live there when the water is coldest and holds the most oxygen, produces ample populations of brook and brown trout. In addition, because of its high-quality springs, a portion of the Yellow Breeches has also been designated as a Special Regulation Stream.  To protect and restore this section of the river, in 2007, American Rivers funded removal of the Wittlinger Dam, which was located immediately upstream of this specially-regulated section. The dam was a public safety hazard that also negatively impacted water quality by creating an open-water impoundment where the water was heated up before flowing into the trout fishing area.  In recent years, American Rivers has worked with partners to remove eight obsolete dams from the Yellow Breeches. On the attached map of the basin the now-removed dams are numbers 2, 3, 5, 11, 15-17 and 18. 

The Problem:  Outdated Hydroelectric Facilities

Historically, the Susquehanna and the Yellow Breeches have supported large spawning runs of American shad, river herring, and striped bass.  However, construction of hundreds of dams on the river and its tributaries, combined with poor water quality, has greatly harmed these fisheries.  Four outdated hydroelectric facilities constructed in the early 1900s on the lower river are major barriers to unlocking the rivers and allowing fish to return to their spawning grounds. 

The Solution: Removal of Deteriorated and Obsolete Dams

On the Yellow Breeches, American Rivers is working to remove deteriorated and obsolete dams that will restore wetlands and riparian habitat, increase spawning habitat, restore trout and improve water quality.  Specifically, we’re laying the groundwork for the removal of at least three additional dams (numbers 6, 8 and 12 on the map). 

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources estimate that a restored fishery would add $45 million to the local economy, prompting the investment of millions of dollars in a restoration effort.