GLIN==> Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant News: Workshop to Focus on Restoring Stream Fisheries

[Irene Miles <miles@uiuc.edu>]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
July 29, 2005
 
Sources: Leslie Dorworth-(219)989-2726;
dorworth@calumet.purdue.edu
Don Roseboom-roseboom@mtco.com 
 
Workshop to Focus on Restoring Stream Fisheries 
  
 
URBANA - Fish populations in many streams have suffered at the hands
of progress. For example, when a stream is diverted or channelized to
increase drainage, it may no longer provide habitat that supports healthy
fish communities. To address this, restoration experts have developed a
number of techniques that recreate more natural streams.
 
At the fifth River Restoration Practices and Concepts Workshop on
September 28 and 29 at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Wheaton,
Illinois, the focus will be on restoring fisheries through the creation
of meander pools, riffles, and fishways in urban streams. "Deep
pools and riffles, which are shallow areas with greater water velocity,
provide the variety of habitat lost in floodway and drainage
construction," said Don Roseboom, United States Geological Survey
and Colorado State University biologist who helped organize the workshop.
 
Dams will also be a focus of discussion. "In the Chicago area, some
streams contain low dams that limit fish movement," added Roseboom.
"Our instructors will discuss how to create fishways, which allow
fish to bypass or swim over the dams."
 
"The workshop is designed for those who develop and implement river
restoration in the field, including resource managers, consultants,
designers, scientists and engineers," said Leslie Dorworth,
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant aquatic ecologist. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
and Chicago Wilderness are sponsoring the workshop.
 
The first day of the workshop will include presentations and discussion
about the process of designing and implementing pools, riffles and
fishways in degraded streams. In addition to the input of regional
experts, Marc Gaboury of British Columbia will share his expertise from
29 years in the field of fish habitat restoration and research. 
 
The following day will be in the field for participants to observe
streams where restoration techniques are in progress. As part of this
tour, Ted Gray, who has designed two Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency urban stream projects, will discuss the benefits and possible
limitations of creating deep pools and riffles, and Steve Pescitelli, who
has constructed two fishways for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will
share his experiences at Big Rock Creek in Kane County, Illinois.
 
Enrollment for this workshop is limited so register as soon as possible.
The cost is $175 if you register before September 1; $200 after that
date. Included with your registration are continental breakfasts and
lunch on both days as well as workshop notes.
 
For more information, contact Leslie Dorworth at 219-989-2726 or email
dorworth@calumet.purdue.edu. You can find the registration form on the
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Web site at
www.iisgcp.org;
click on Calendar.

--30--

The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program is one of more than 30
National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea
Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to
address coastal and Great Lakes needs.  Funding is provided by the
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U. S. Department of
Commerce, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue
University at West Lafayette, Indiana.

Irene Miles
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
376 NSRC
1101 W. Peabody Dr.
Urbana, Il 61801
(217) 333-8055
FAX (217) 333-8046