Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: North Carolina
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

North Carolina Project


Identification of American shad spawning habitat in the Pee Dee River, North Carolina and South Carolina

September 2009 - December 2010


Personnel

Participating Agencies

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

As part of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing application, future transport and volitional passage structures for anadromous fish, such as American shad, are being considered for Blewett Falls Dam. Identification and description of presently used spawning habitat could help evaluate the potential of upstream habitat to support spawning American shad. Project Objectives: 1) Delineate main spawning areas for American shad in the Pee Dee River. 2) Identify characteristics of spawning habitat, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, current velocity and substrate type to evaluate habitat selection in this river, as well as to help update/validate the habitat suitability model presently in revision for American shad.