USFWS biologist Nick Staats with a recently trapped landlocked Atlantic salmon.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),  Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Resources Complex in Essex Junction, Vermont reports the Winooski One Fish Lift began the fall lift season on September 15 and has trapped 37 landlocked Atlantic salmon and 21 steelhead rainbow trout to date.   The lift, located on one of Lake Champlain's larger tributaries, the Winooski River, only captured 26 salmon and no steelhead in 2008.  Returning salmon numbers have been steadily increasing over the last five years.   The low number of returning fish to the passage facility was attributed to the resurgence of the parasitic sea lamprey in Lake Champlain since the experimental control program ended in 1997.  However, the long-term lamprey control program initiated in 2002 is beginning to pay dividends.  The fish passage operation is a cooperative effort between the Service, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, the owner of the dam, Winooski One Partnership, and Green Mountain Power.

Fish passage is an important component in the Services mission of restoring self-sustaining fish populations and re-establishing important connectivity to aquatic ecosystems.  The Winooski One dam and hydroelectric facility is the first upstream barrier on the Winooski River.  The Service required fish passage at this facility which has allowed fisheries managers the opportunity to restore wild migratory salmonid populations and fisheries in the lower Winooski River that have been restricted by barriers built on the river.  The Winooski One fish lift has enabled migrating Lake Champlain landlocked Atlantic salmon and steelhead rainbow trout access to critical spawning and nursery habitat above the Winooski One hydroelectric station.  The fish lift operates in the spring (March 15 - May 15) and in the fall (September 15 - November 15) and is open to the public.