Project Title: Replace 9 Clay Pond Liners (FFS #R6PC)

State: North Dakota

Initial Project Description: Recovery Act funding enabled the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery (NFH) in North Dakota to replace 9 deteriorated clay pond liners with polyethylene liners. Pond liners at Garrison Dam NFH have proven effective for increasing fish production and stabilizing survival swings associated with pond culture. The results of the liners are impressive: hatchery employees are producing more fish at a larger size with less effort and no chemicals, and are seeing improved stability in the harvests. Garrison Dam NFH is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s largest walleye production hatchery, and is responsible for providing walleye to anglers in many western states, including North Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada.

Garrison Dam NFH was originally established in 1957 to provide fish for recreational fishing in new reservoirs created by Federal water development projects in the Midwest. Today, the hatchery continues to provide management and production of many freshwater fishes for the Missouri River dam development projects, national wildlife refuges, tribal waters, and state programs of North Dakota. The original clay liners in the Garrison Dam NFH ponds were effective in preventing water loss, but their integrity had been lost over 40 years of service. Some ponds had water losses in excess of 250,000 gallons per day; fish production under those conditions was not practical. In 2002, a single pond was lined with polyethylene to evaluate the effect. The following year, walleye production in that pond increased 13 fold and the size of walleye produced was nearly twice that of earthen lined ponds.

The liners also alleviate issues associated with overpopulation of clam shrimp, invertebrates that live in ephemeral ponds in this area. The shrimp are planktivors and live in clay pond bottoms. The shrimp create turbid conditions in the ponds, shut down light penetration, and consequently disrupt the food chain critical to fish production. Polyethylene liners effectively prevent clam shrimp from impacting production and warm the water, stimulating growth in the food chain and fish. The pond liners purchased with Recovery Act funding will enable the Garrison Dam NFH to more effectively manage its ponds and give biologists the resources they need to maintain the fisheries.

April 2011 Project Update: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service used $923,000 in Recovery Act funds to replace nine clay fish production pond liners at Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery. Hardrives Construction, Inc., a Billings, Montana based company was contracted to complete the work, which they subcontracted to DIG IT UP Backhoe Service and Integra Plastics. This Recovery Act project was the final phase of a larger pond lining initiative at the hatchery. The nine ponds, encompassing 15 acres, were lined with polypropylene to prevent water losses of 654,000 gallons per day. The original clay liners were installed in 1963 and were well beyond the expected 20-year life span. Prior to repairing the liners, the hatchery would add water to the ponds to make up for the seepage, which in some cases amounted to over 280,000 gallons per pond per day. Adding water reduced pond temperature and disrupted the zooplankton food chain. The result was an inadequate food supply for the developing fish, causing slow growth and reducing survival rates.

Pond liners provided a solution to other problems encountered in pond production as well. Liners eliminated the need for herbicide application to control rooted vegetation, and disrupted the life cycle of eubranchiopods, an invertebrate that competed with the fish for food and fouled the water.

According to project leader, Rob Holm, “hatchery production of native fishes requested for stocking these Federal reservoirs (about 20 reservoirs throughout North Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho) increased 53% for northern pike and 22% for walleye, leading to record hatchery production. The results seen by anglers and economic benefits to local communities were equally as impressive. Statewide (in North Dakota), in excess of 70% of the walleye caught originated at the hatchery as documented through oxytetracycline marking studies – in some cases 100% of the walleye recruits in Corps of Engineer impoundments were attributed to hatchery stockings. The economic impacts from this hatchery are estimated at over $183 million annually, the impact from increased production in the nine ARRA lined ponds – over $5 million annually.”

The project was completed in September 2009.

News Releases:  Regional Director Stephen Guertin Announces the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery Pond Liner Project

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Originally posted 07/14/2009
Updated 08/19/2009
Updated 12/16/2009
Updated 12/18/2009
Updated 04/26/2011
Page Completed 06/30/2011