THE EEL RIVER OF NORTHERN INDIANA IS A 5TH ORDER STREAM WITH A WATERSHED OF 854 SQUARE MILES AND A LAND USE OF ABOUT 80% CULTIVATED AGRICULTURE. ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF THE EEL RIVER HAS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING WATER QUALITY BY ADDRESSING EXCESS NUTRIENT AND SEDIMENT LOADINGS REINTRODUCTION OF A FEDERALLY ENDANGERED FRESHWATER MUSSEL (CLUBSHELL) (95% SURVIVAL) REMOVAL OF LOWHEAD DAMS (FISH PASSAGE). SINCE 2012 SIX DAMS HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND PROTOTYPE FISH PASSAGEWAY WAS INSTALLED AROUND THE LAST REMAINING MILL DAM AT STOCKDALE (RIVER MILE 35) THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED. THE LAST TWO DAMS IN THE BASIN WERE REMOVED IN NOVEMBER 2021 AT RIVER MILE 1. THIS RECONNECTED THE ENTIRE BASIN WITH THE WABASH RIVER (1200 STREAM MILES). THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TWOFOLD. ONE IS TO CONTINUE TO DESCRIBE RECOLONIZATION AND USE OF HISTORIC HABITAT BY FISHES THAT HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO THE EEL BASIN FOR OVER 150 YEARS. SECONDLY INTEGRATION OF NEW SPECIES INTO THE RIVER THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL NEED FOR ROBUST INSTREAM HABITAT TO FACILITATE UPSTREAM FISH PASSAGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BASIN. THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH REINTRODUCTION OF EELGRASS BACK THROUGHOUT THE BASIN. IN 2023 TWO QUARTER ACRE PLOT OF EELGRASS WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE CRITICAL HABITAT ZONES WITHIN THE BASIN. PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOW MEASURABLE POPULATION GROWTH AND INCREASED FISH USAGE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PLANT MORE ONE QUARTER ACRE PLOTS THROUGHOUT THE BASIN TO INCREASE INSTREAM HABITAT FOR IMPROVED PROBABILITY OF UPSTREAM FISH PASSAGE. THIS PROJECT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO REINTRODUCE AMERICAN EELGRASS TO AN AGRICULTURAL STREAM AS A MECHANISM TO ALLOW FISH PASSAGE IN AREAS WITH MINIMAL HABITAT AND SERVE AS A SURROGATE FOR POTENTIAL REINTRODUCTION INITIATIVES ACROSS THE MIDWEST.