Sauk River Dam Fish Passage
The Sauk River Dam in Melrose will be modified into a rapids, creating fish passage between the 53.7 miles of river downstream to over 16 miles of river upstream. An additional 500 feet of heavily modified stream and adjacent floodplain downstream from the dam will also be restored. The project will benefit fish species such as walleye, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish. Rare mussel species (black sandshell and creek heelsplitter) not currently found in the reach above Melrose will also benefit. The upcoming replacement of an adjacent bridge creates a unique opportunity to complete this project.
The Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (Stearns SWCD) proposes to partner with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) and the City of Melrose to modify the Sauk River Dam at Melrose into a rapids to allow passage of fish and other aquatic life. An additional 500 feet of river downstream of the dam and 2 acres of floodplain would also be restored. The city of Melrose owns the dam, and is supportive of modifying the dam to improve the river through this reach, and has dedicated $500,000 to the project as cash match. Stearns SWCD provides local expertise in the implementation of restoration projects, and will serve as project manager. The City of Melrose, with SWCD oversight, will contract with a design consultant, hire a construction firm to complete the project, and oversee construction. MN DNR will assist with conceptual design, provide review of project plans to be completed by a consultant, and assist with construction oversight.The County Road 13 bridge adjacent to the current Sauk River Dam is scheduled to be removed in 2019. If the dam is removed during the same project time frame as the bridge reconstruction, it is estimated that $500,000 - $750,000 will be saved. In addition, the environmental impacts would be greatly reduced by having the disturbance in the river and adjacent floodplain from both projects occur simultaneously. The reach is presently modified by concrete walls and rip-rap. Restoring this reach of the Sauk River will create quality habitat locally, and access to over 16 miles of habitat upstream.MN DNR has been involved with numerous dam removal projects similar to this one. In place of the dam, a rapids will be built to gradually step the river bed down from the upstream reservoir pool to the riverbed downstream. Arches of boulders are integrated into the rapids to provide resting places for migrating fish, and to keep the highest flow velocity in the center of the rapids. Once constructed, there is generally little maintenance required. The City of Melrose has committed to providing any future maintenance that is needed once OH funding expires.Numerous fish species including walleye, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish will benefit from connectivity between the two stream reaches. Neither smallmouth bass nor channel catfish are currently found upstream of the Melrose Dam, despite suitable habitat. Walleye numbers are considerably lower upstream of the dam than in downstream reaches. Black sandshell and creek heelsplitter are mussel species that are currently found downstream of the dam but not in the reach upstream. Removing the dam will create access for them to recolonize suitable habitat upstream, as has been seen in other similar projects in Minnesota.
$737,000 the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District to restore and enhance riverine habitat in the Sauk River and provide fish passage by removing the dam and modifying and installing structures at the Melrose dam site.
Protected, restored, and enhanced habitat for migratory and unique Minnesota species - MN DNR conducts periodic surveys of the Sauk River. Future surveys will compare fish and mussel populations to assess the benefit of the removal of the dam. We expect that rare mussel species currently absent upstream of the dam will become established. Channel catfish and smallmouth bass will become established upstream of the dam, and walleye abundance will increase. All of these species must migrate between different habitats (e.g., spawning, over-wintering) in order to complete their life processes. Catch per hour rates for different species will be compared between pre and post-removal time periods..
City of Melrose & LCCMR