The proposed project is rehabilitation of a 550 feet stretch of canadaway creek, a tributary of lake erie, in the village of fredonia on village-owned, publicly accessible property to enhance the…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $143,385 Cooperative Agreement under the National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) to the Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District. The project will rehabilitate a 550-foot stretch of Canadaway Creek, a tributary of Lake Erie, in the Village of Fredonia to enhance aquatic habitat, install public access points, and reduce sediment migration into the lake. The project will use natural channel design approaches to restore the stream channel and improve fish passage between Lake Erie and Canadaway Creek, benefiting migratory fish species such as smallmouth bass and rainbow trout that support recreational fisheries. This project aims to address the impacts of prior channelization on the stream, which has depleted aquatic habitat and caused excess bank erosion. The award period runs from July 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025.

The proposed project is rehabilitation of a 550 feet stretch of canadaway creek, a tributary of lake erie, in the village of fredonia on village-owned, publicly accessible property to enhance the aquatic habitat of the creek, install public access points to the stream, and reduce sediment migration into the lake. Prior channelization has impacted the stream channel, and is causing depleted aquatic habitat opportunities and excess bank erosion along canadaway creek. These processes disrupt sediment transport, degrade fish habitat, and creates a partial blockage for resident and migratory fishes. This project will restore degraded stream habitat and improve fish passage between lake erie and canadaway creek. This project will benefit migratory smallmouth bass (native) and rainbow trout (naturalized) both support significant recreational fisheries in lake erie and its tributaries. Other native species benefitting from this project include northern HOG sucker, river chub, central stoneroller, longnose dace, blacknose dace, creek chub, white sucker, rainbow darter, mottled sculpin, and bluntnose minnow. This project will use natural channel design approaches to restore stream channel habitat and improve fish passage between lake erie and canadaway creek. Canadaway creek provides high quality spawning habitats for two migratory fish species of lake erie. Natural channel design approaches are well accepted stream restoration techniques, but relatively uncommon in western new york.