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Rite of spring: Fishway is now open By Lori O' Brien
Correspondent
HOLYOKE Beginning May 10, the Robert E. Barrett Fishway will offer area residents a glimpse into the amazing journey of the Atlantic salmon, American shad, Sea Lamprey and other anadromous fish as they begin their annual spring migration.
"The Robert E. Barrett Fishway offers a window on the river," said Kim Noyes, supervisor of the fishway guides at the local facility as well as at the Turners Falls Fishway, during an interview with Reminder Publications. "Looking through our viewing windows, visitors are able to witness the amazing journey that these fish undertake each spring to return to their natal river to spawn."
The Holyoke facility is the first and most successful fish lift on the Atlantic coast, according to Noyes. First constructed in 1955, fish were lifted a short distance by an elevator and then transferred, by hand nets, to barrels that were raised the rest of the way.
"As primitive as it was, it worked, and 4,899 shad were lifted that year," said Noyes. "Over the past five decades continuous improvements have been made."
Noyes explained that in 2004 and 2005, the Holyoke Gas and Electric Company underwent an extensive renovation project that included improvements to the fish lift. Projects included enlarging the lifts, constructing larger crowding areas, offering a more direct path from the river to the lifts, and widening the flume to accommodate the higher capacity of the new lifts. The fish counting room was also expanded and improvements were made to the trapping system where fish are captured for study purposes.
Atlantic salmon and sturgeon, for example, are generally captured for study purposes, according to Noyes.
"They are then trucked to an observation station where they are studied and then returned to the river north of the Hadley Falls Dam," she said. "In the past, these activities were quite difficult. The fish trap operator couldn't directly view the trap itself, only a picture from a video camera."
Noyes also said that in years past they did not have any permanent storage tanks for the trapped fish, only a small portable tank that was brought to the site each season.
"The reconstruction process corrected both of these problems through the addition of a second window for the trapping operation, and a system for transferring the trapped fish from newly constructed permanent holding tanks to a smaller transport trailer," she said.
With the improvements, several hundred fish can now be stored at the facility.
From an observation deck overlooking the Connecticut River, visitors can watch the lifts in action.
"It is an amazing sight," said Noyes.
Both a fish lift and fish ladder use attraction water, according to Noyes, which is a stream of water that has been released to attract them into the base of a fish lift or fish ladder.
"Sensing this flow, the fish follow it into the lift system until they pass through a gate and enter a crowded area," she said.
At pre-set intervals, the gate closes horizontally guiding fish into the lift.
"The fish are then lifted where they exit the lift into a water-filled cement tunnel, called a flume," added Noyes.
After the fish are lifted, visitors can witness their migration as they swim by the viewing windows and continue their upriver journey. Fishway guides are also available to answer questions regarding the Connecticut River, the fish migration period and restoration programs at the site.
"After passing the public viewing windows, the fish swim by additional windows where biologists count the fish before they continue upriver," said Noyes.
More than 250,000 fish pass through the system each season before they are released to continue their journey upstream.
The Holyoke site will be open Wednesdays-Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from May 10-June 18.
"The fishway is open during the migration season of anadromous fish," said Noyes. "This six-week window when the fishway is open coincides with the majority of the anadromous fish passage, however, migrant fish may arrive as early as April or as late as mid-July when the fish lifts are still operable."
The Robert E. Barrett Fishway receives approximately 10,000 visitors each year. Teachers are also encouraged to set up a school tour by calling (800) 859-2960.
For more information, call (413) 659-3714 or visit www.hged.com/fishlift.
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