Dam Removals Open Hundreds Of Miles Of River, Boost Fish Passage In Chesapeake Region

By Bay Journal, Maryland Matters

November 6, 2025

The Chesapeake Bay region opened more than 300 miles of rivers and streams for migratory fish in 2022-2023, a tenfold increase from the preceding two-year period.

Thirteen dams were taken down during that span, but more than two-thirds of the total mileage came from the demolition of the Oakland Dam on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. Another key removal was the Wilson Creek Dam in Virginia.
James River Association volunteers join state and federal officials to install plants along Flowerdew Hundred Creek where an ineffective culvert was removed to promote fish passage. (Photo courtesy James River Association)
“In addition to restoring native and recreational fisheries, these projects can improve wildlife habitat along stream corridors and reduce long-term maintenance needs of aging infrastructure, flooding and public safety hazards to local communities,” said Ray Li, a fishery biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Chesapeake Bay Program, a state-federal partnership that administers the estuary’s cleanup, announced the figures on Oct. 15.

The draft of the updated Chesapeake Bay Agreement, set to go into effect next year, would raise the target to 150 miles every two years.

Biologists say that giving migratory fish access to the upper reaches of rivers and streams helps reconnect them with their historical spawning grounds. Among the species that benefit: alewife, herring, shad, brook trout and American eel.

In addition to dam removals, fish passage can be achieved by installing fish ladders to carry aquatic life past barriers.