The hatchery is located in one of the Vermont communities that experienced severe flooding after tropical storm Irene passed over the region last week. The White River rose feet above its banks, and much of the hatchery’s infrastructure - including fish pools and raceways - was underwater and is now buried in mud. The facility was unreachable by road for several days, and it remains minimally operational. Service biologists and engineers are assessing the extent of fish losses and hatchery damage.
Watch a video of storm damage at the hatchery
Volunteers at the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex pitched in to help both with preparing for Hurricane Irene and with clean-up after the storm. They removed poles and signage at piping plover protection sites before the storm, and cleared debris from hiking trails and the shoreline afterwards. Throughout the Northeast Region, thousands of volunteers last year donated nearly 220,000 hours supporting national wildlife refuges. That’s the equivalent of 100 full-time employees.
Hurricane Irene stormed through Sussex, N.J., on August 28, pounding Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge with heavy rain and wind. Refuge buildings weren’t damaged, but areas were flooded. Many refuge trails are under water and are closed. The refuge’s only fishing pond was lost after a dam broke, and one footbridge fell into a stream. Biologists have not been able to reach certain areas to determine the full extent of the storm’s damage.
Except for Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, all refuges in eastern North Carolina will be open to the public as of Friday, September 2, 2011.
Mattamuskeet, Swanquarter, and Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuges are open today. The Mattamuskeet Goose hunt, a permit hunt, will occur as scheduled during the entire month of September. However, the Rose Bay access road will be closed due to storm damage to a bridge. This road may also remain closed during the deer hunt. At Swanquarter, the Bell Island Road and Bell Island Pier are closed due to damage to Bell Island Pier, pending safety inspections. On Cedar Island, the Lola Road boat ramp dock is closed; however, the ramp may still be used.
Great Swamp and Wallkill River national wildlife refuges in New Jersey remain closed due to severe flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. Water levels at Great Swamp are at the highest recorded in recent history, with some roads under three feet of water. Levels in the Wallkill River are expected to continue rising and will result in significant erosion downstream. Most dikes are still under water at the refuge, and at least one footbridge and dam have been washed out. Refuge staff continue to assess the damage caused by the storm.
Hurricane Irene sliced and diced Pea Island NWR into three parts.
Irene's brutal storm surge ripped the national wildlife refuge in several locations along North Carolina Highway 12 creating gaps in the highway that could take weeks to repair. About six miles south of Herbert C. Bonner Bridge the storm cut a huge swath between the Pamlico Sound and the ocean creating a new inlet that wiped out a large section of the highway. The inlet blew out from the Sound side as a result of significant storm surge in the Sound and will likely continue to scour getting wider and deeper in the days ahead until a balance is reached between the volume of water in the Sound and tidal flows from the ocean.
