FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sources: Leslie Dorworth 219-989-2726; dorworth@calumet.purdue.edu
               Don Roseboom; roseboom@mtco.com              

July 29, 2005
Workshop to Focus on Restoring Stream Fisheries

Fish populations in many streams have suffered at the hands of progress. For example, when a stream is diverted or channelized to increase drainage, it may no longer provide habitat that supports healthy fish communities. To address this, restoration experts have developed a number of techniques that recreate more natural streams.
 
At the fifth River Restoration Practices and Concepts Workshop on September 28 and 29 at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Wheaton, Illinois, the focus will be on restoring fisheries through the creation of meander pools, riffles, and fishways in urban streams. "Deep pools and riffles, which are shallow areas with greater water velocity, provide the variety of habitat lost in floodway and drainage construction," said Don Roseboom, United States Geological Survey and Colorado State University biologist who helped organize the workshop.
 
Dams will also be a focus of discussion. "In the Chicago area, some streams contain low dams that limit fish movement," added Roseboom. "Our instructors will discuss how to create fishways, which allow fish to bypass or swim over the dams."
 
"The workshop is designed for those who develop and implement river restoration in the field, including resource managers, consultants, designers, scientists and engineers," said Leslie Dorworth, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant aquatic ecologist. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Chicago Wilderness are sponsoring the workshop.
 
The first day of the workshop will include presentations and discussion about the process of designing and implementing pools, riffles and fishways in degraded streams. In addition to the input of regional experts, Marc Gaboury of British Columbia will share his expertise from 29 years in the field of fish habitat restoration and research.
 
The following day will be in the field for participants to observe streams where restoration techniques are in progress. As part of this tour, Ted Gray, who has designed two Illinois Environmental Protection Agency urban stream projects, will discuss the benefits and possible limitations of creating deep pools and riffles, and Steve Pescitelli, who has constructed two fishways for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will share his experiences at Big Rock Creek in Kane County, Illinois.
 
Enrollment for this workshop is limited so register as soon as possible. The cost is $175 if you register before September 1; $200 after that date. Included with your registration are continental breakfasts and lunch on both days as well as workshop notes.
 
For more information, contact Leslie Dorworth at 219-989-2726 or email dorworth@calumet.purdue.edu. You can find the registration form on the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Web site at www.iisgcp.org; click on Calendar.

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The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program is one of more than 30 National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to address coastal and Great Lakes needs. Funding is provided by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U. S. Department of Commerce, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University at West Lafayette, Indiana.

Irene Miles
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
376 NSRC
1101 W. Peabody Dr.
Urbana, Il 61801
Phone:  217-333-8055
Fax:  217-333-8046
miles@illinois.edu