Grangebel fish passage will be ready for March alewife migration
Underwater ramp has been 12 years in the making
3 comments below
Work crews stopped the flow of water through the south dam and spillway in downtown's Grangebel Park so they could construct a fish ramp for the alewife migration. The ramp, championed for more than 12 years by Bob Conklin, should be ready by March. Mr. Conklin, a marine biologist and environmentalist, died in December.
And in April, a dedication ceremony is planned honoring Bob Conklin, the former Riverhead marine biology teacher who was the driving force behind the fish-way. He died in December.
Alewives migrate from saltwater bays far up freshwater creeks to spawn. The ramp, made of rocks for a natural look, will provide smooth passage for fish that would otherwise face a four-foot dam blocking their journey up the Peconic River, town officials said.
"They've changed the gradient of the riverbed from the saltwater environment to the height of the freshwater, the dam," explained Jim Miller of the Miller Environmental company, which for 10 years installed a temporary fish ladder in Grangebel each spring. "The contractor assures us that by around March 1 [the new ramp] will be passing water, and therefore fish."
The ramp will stretch about 190 feet underwater. Along the way, much larger rocks will serve as protection to allow fish to rest as they push through the river.
"Slower flowing water will hit the rest stops, strategically placed with larger rocks," Mr. Miller said. "The fish could rest behind a boulder for a minute where they rejuvenate themselves. Then they can scoot on up to the next place."
"Spawning could generate hundreds of thousands of babies," he said. "It's the beginning of the whole ecosystem."
Restoration work was required on the north dam, or north spillway, before the ramp could be built, said Riverhead Town Engineer Ken Testa.
"To build the rock ramp, we had to stop the flow of water going into the south spillway," he said. "Stopping that water would redirect all of it through the north spillway. Since that was in poor condition, we chose to do a total rehabilitation on that north spillway before we sent 100 percent of the river's flow into it."
Work on the north dam was finished in late December, when work on the south dam and rock ramp began, he said. The two projects together cost about $625,000, with $363,000 for the south dam and ramp covered by grants with the town bonding out for the north dam work. Finishing touches on the park, including landscaping and walkways, a footbridge to the Southampton side and a small amphitheater, should be ready by summer, Mr. Test said.
The fish passage was a long-held dream of Mr. Conklin, a Flanders resident and founder of the 90-member Peconic River Fish Restoration Commission. He began pushing for the ramp more than 12 years ago.
"It's really unfortunate that he wasn't here to see the fish passage's completion," said former Riverhead councilman George Bartunek, who helped Mr. Conklin in his efforts.
Mr. Bartunek and other commission members are hoping to hold the dedication ceremony April 12.
"Bob was the motivating force behind the whole thing," Mr. Miller said. "It's been a long, arduous task through the regulatory agencies to persevere and overcome."
"We certainly enjoyed his friendship and his companionship throughout ... It was just an honor to have known him."
mwhite@timesreview.com
The Riverhead News-Review is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Riverhead News-Review does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Riverhead News-Review. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Service and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
3 comments found
Gods speed Mr. Conklin : 2/17/2010
I am sad to hear of Mr. Conklin's passing. He was my 7th grade biology teacher and my high school tennis coach. He was a fine man and loved Riverhead and its heritage very much. His work in preserving the alewives came straight from the heart. I think of Mr. Conklin every time I pass Grangebel Park.
Thanks : 2/11/2010
Good catch, Brad. I've made the corrections.
- Mike White
grangebel spillway : 2/11/2010
A great development. I must say, though, that all the mentions of "damns" seem more appropriate to the school bond comments.
Brad Berthold
