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Sex‐Specific Atlantic Salmon Upstream Passage and Fallback at a Natural Cascade After Dam Removal

Kurt C. Heim; Jonah L. Withers; William R. Ardren; Laurie A. Earley; David Minkoff; Theodore Castro‐Santos
Fisheries Management and Ecology · 2026

Abstract

In the Boquet River (NY, USA) a low‐head dam set above a ~200‐m bedrock cascade was removed in 2015. We used radio‐telemetry to assess landlocked Atlantic salmon passage at the remaining cascade (2020, 2022). Across years, 52% of males (13/25) attempted cascade passage whereas females made no discernable attempts (0/11). Attempt probability increased with stream discharge and decreased with fish size, though overall passage success was low (1/36). Shallow depths—likely owing to an artificially widened channel—appear to be limiting passage. Additionally, we transported fish upstream but observed high fallback (72%) that was associated with fish size and energetic status. Following dam removal, this cascade continues to limit upstream passage resulting in increased vulnerability to angling during migratory delay. Overall, we highlight the importance of follow‐up studies after dam removal, and that further modifications at this site may be required to improve passage.

Bibliographic Information

JournalFisheries Management and Ecology
PublisherWiley
Publication Date2026-05-04
Publication Year2026
Document TypeJournal Article
Print ISSN0969-997X
eISSN1365-2400
DOI10.1111/fme.70073
SubjectGeneral Aquaculture, Fisheries & Fish Science

Access Information

NARA Access Coverage1997-01-01~Current
Journal Homepagehttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/loi/13652400
Publisher PageOpen Publisher Page
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