# Berrien Springs Steelhead Passage History



## Spanky (Mar 21, 2001)

OK, you guys would know better than me. Yes I agree, a terrible waste of money.

Yes KWB, I am doing well these days and having a pretty fun summer so far.
Thanks for asking.


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

Spanky said:


> Yes KWB, I am doing well these days and having a pretty fun summer so far.
> Thanks for asking.


Hey man, VERY good to hear that! Hope the rest of the Summer is fun for you as well.

Take care,

Kory


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## Jay Wesley (Mar 2, 2009)

I just wanted to get back to you all with some information. 

I confirmed that the Berrien Springs Hydro is excempt from FERC Regulations. Therefore, we (DNRE) have no ability to negotiate shut down periods for smolting like we do at other facilities on the St. Joe and Grand rivers. 

So the Berrien Springs dam can continue to run turbines even during the smolt migration. 

The only way to stop this is to prove or show an effect on the steelhead population. Unfortunately, common sense does not work, so (DNRE) would have to do an expensive study to try and figure out how many fish are being chopped as they go through the turbine. 

As a starting point, we will look at year class and run strength and try to compare that to flow rates to see if we have any correlation with run strength and when the flood gates were open or not. If we see a correlation, then we might be able to find funds or at least suggest to do a study.


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

Perhaps if there is enough public support shown, AEP will see the light and shut down the turbines at Berrien during the smolt migration.

Here is the contact information for the local "Community Relations" manager for AEP. I would imagine he would be the first person we should all try and contact and see what he has to say...

*Barry Visel, CEcD 
*Manager, Community Relations
52807 US 131 North 
Three Rivers, MI 49093 
269.279.1543 
E-mail: [email protected]


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

*Below is a mock letter should anyone want to use it to contact AEP in regards to this matter...*

Barry,

It has came to the attention of the angling community and Michigan Fisheries Division that AEP is neglecting requests from them to shut down all turbines on the St. Joseph River for a two week period every Spring to assist in the survival of steelhead smolts downstream migration to Lake Michigan.

The Michigan DNRE fisheries biologists have released to the public that due to FERC regulations, AEP MUST shut down all turbines on every dam for the above reasons, but due to a loop hole Berrien Springs Dam is exempt from them being able to force AEP to shut down the turbines for this two week period. The Fisheries Divisions always assumed that AEP was following through with the closure on Berrien Springs Dam as well, but there are photographs proving that AEP was indeed running the energy producing turbines on Berrien Springs dam during this 2 week period therefore senselessly killing God knows how many steelhead smolts on their downstream migration. The Michigan fisheries division has as well confirmed you were running the turbines as seen by local anglers. Each of these smolts cost tax payers roughly $2.00 a piece, therefore AEP is possibly destroying thousands of dollars of tax payers money. 

We as passionate conservationists and local citizens would like to see something done about this, since you are the local community relations manager for AEP, you seem to be the most logical person to contact in regards to this. We would like to know what AEP's stance on this is and if they are willing to comply with the regulations put into action on all of the other dams for Berrien Springs dam as well during this two week period? If you are not, we would like to know why.

Depending on the results we get from you, we are willing to go to local newspapers and news stations to make it more well known what is going on here. We are very serious about this, do not feel like we are asking much and also feel it would greatly improve the local opinion of AEP's dedication to being an eco-friendly company by following suit with Berrien Springs dam like you are required to do so with the other dams on the St. Joseph and Grand Rivers.

We look forward to your response,


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

Some data that may interest you guys...

On average there are about 190,000 yearlings and 50,000 fall fingerlings stocked above Berrien Springs Dam. This includes Skamania strain steelhead and Little Manistee strain steelhead. The above numbers are 100% of the fall fingerlings and about 74% of the yearlings that are stocked into the system. 

The cost of these fish:

Yearlings: $1.40 each for a grand total of $266,000 each year

Fingerlings: $.20 each for a grand total of $10,000 each year

Now, obviously there will be a percentage of these fish which will die from stress, predation, angler pressure, etc... Just for the sake of common sense though, lets say that these fish are on their downstream migration, they pass over the spillways of the various dams above Berrien Springs dam, these spillways are all relatively short and should pose very little threat to the smolt migration as long as the turbines are shut down, which thanks to the FERC regulations, the Indiana and Michigan fisheries divisions can force AEP to do so, therefore greatly increasing the percentage of fish that will make it as far as Berrien Springs dam.

Now forgetting the past 4 years that they have ran the turbines on Berrien Springs dam during this period of time, lets just talk about this year. On average they ran anywhere from 1-3 flood gates, during this 2 week period, more often than not they ran 2 flood gates about 2/3's of the way open, which is a fair amount of flow, but then they ran 2-4+ energy producing turbines, which results in the majority of the flow going through the turbines or at the very least, half of the flow. In the photo I have posted on this thread, there is 3-4 turbines going and 1 flood gate, you do the math on where the majority of flow is coming through the dam...

As these smolts migrate downstream, they obviously follow the path of the majority of the flow, therefore it would not be out of this World to say 50% of the smolts migrating downstream COULD have followed the path which lead them through the turbines of Berrien Springs dam and indeed chopping them to pieces to become food for various other species residing in the St. Joseph River and a massive waste of resources and money. I seen a half dozen chopped up smolts floating down the river one day "I was down there about 5 minutes" during this time period so there is absolutely no doubt some of these smolts were migrating downstream through the turbines. The way the current is and direction it flows during high water periods like this May would indeed have the majority of dead smolts flowing away from the West side of the river and on down the river without being noticeable from a wading perspective. So it would be a safe assumption to say a fair amount of smolts went through the turbines this May and AEP's practices lead to a massive waste of life, resources and money. 

A very light estimate would say at the least $10,000 worth of smolts were killed by AEP leaving these turbines open, in reality it very well could have been $100,000+ that was wasted due to the turbines being left running. There is no way of knowing, but one thing is for sure, if there wasn't an important reason to have these turbines shut off on all the other dams, then the fisheries divisions wouldn't request that it be done and therefore it would be just as important if not more so that the turbines be shut off at Berrien Springs as well.

Even if you do not fish for steelhead on the St. Joseph River, the waste of money and resources here should upset you enough to take action. I sincerely hope each and every person that reads this thread has the drive and motivation to join the fight and contact Barry Visel at AEP in regards to solving this matter. If we do not get anywhere with him, we will seek other avenues, but simply giving up is not an option....


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

After no response from Barry Visel, I called a lady by the name of Marta Elliot today, her voicemail stated she was out of the office until Monday, I left a message stating what our goals are and what they are in regards to, left my cell phone number for her to call me back. Will have to wait and see what results this brings about...


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

Thus far, no response from anyone I have contacted at AEP, I have something that will have me busy the remainder of this week, but if I have not heard anything by next Monday, my next step will be a local news station...


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## deathroe (Jul 22, 2008)

KWB said:


> Thus far, no response from anyone I have contacted at AEP, I have something that will have me busy the remainder of this week, but if I have not heard anything by next Monday, my next step will be a local news station...


Very cool KWB. Glad you are pushing for answers.


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

deathroe said:


> Very cool KWB. Glad you are pushing for answers.


No worries mate, the least I could do for a fishery which has done so much for me...

Got everything squared away I needed to this week, going to fish for Trout up North this weekend, when I return on Monday, the war begins...

Cheers,

K


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## SteelheadMasterWiggins (Sep 23, 2008)

I think U guy are putting the blame on the wrong thing That dam has been chopping smolts up for years,pretty much the whloe salmon and steelheads existence on the joe on the best years it chops, and on the worst years it chops up smolts.On the record year when almost 30,000 fish went over the dam they all had to go over when the were young.I think its more about giving those fish some thing to eat when they get to the lake which has not happened the last 7 to8 years


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

SteelheadMasterWiggins said:


> I think U guy are putting the blame on the wrong thing That dam has been chopping smolts up for years,pretty much the whloe salmon and steelheads existence on the joe on the best years it chops, and on the worst years it chops up smolts.On the record year when almost 30,000 fish went over the dam they all had to go over when the were young.I think its more about giving those fish some thing to eat when they get to the lake which has not happened the last 7 to8 years


Great point, which I certainly have thought about, one problem...

Who is to say that year we had 30,000 return, we wouldn't of had 50,000 return had they followed through with shutting down the turbines on Berrien Springs Dam???

At the VERY least, AEP should agree to a 5 year trial of shutting down the turbines to study whether it increases the return rate...


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

KWB said:


> Great point, which I certainly have thought about, one problem...
> 
> Who is to say that year we had 30,000 return, we wouldn't of had 50,000 return had they followed through with shutting down the turbines on Berrien Springs Dam???
> 
> At the VERY least, AEP should agree to a 5 year trial of shutting down the turbines to study whether it increases the return rate...


You bring up great points. The amount of variables that influence returns can be extreme. I do agree with KWB that we should give them the best odds to return to the rivers. If that means turning off the turbines for a couple of weeks, so be it.


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## KWB (Mar 1, 2009)

So....

Without any "proof" or scientific studies, no media is going to touch it, so basically it would take the general public hassling AEP enough to make them want to do it to make themselves look good, we all know how well that has worked and right now with thousands of people out of power in the area, this would not be a top priority for AEP at this time.

Will keep racking my brain but things don't look great...


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## SteelheadMasterWiggins (Sep 23, 2008)

*Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking the chances of them shutting Berrien Springs down without absolutely having to are very little. Maybe we can take a tip from the people out West. There they trap them above the dam and ship them down stream below the dam. Here it doesn't work that good with the salmon but works good with Steelhead. Just need the $$$ to do it.*​


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

SteelheadMasterWiggins said:


> *Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking the chances of them shutting Berrien Springs down without absolutely having to are very little. Maybe we can take a tip from the people out West. There they trap them above the dam and ship them down stream below the dam. Here it doesn't work that good with the salmon but works good with Steelhead. Just need the $$$ to do it.*​


Couldn't they put a grate or something similar to keep them out? It would probably cause a problem with debris, but something similar could be devised to keep them out of the turbines. It all reality, doing something like this could easily pay for itself within a year or two.


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