Program Overview: NOAA Fisheries: Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants
Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, up to $20 million is available to support U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and tribal organizations in fish passage projects and capacity building. In partnership with NOAA, these funds will help reopen migratory pathways, restore habitats for tribally important species, and improve community resilience by upgrading aging infrastructure. Proposals ranging from $300,000 to $6 million will be considered, with typical awards expected between $500,000 and $4 million.
Organized Village of Kassan (OVK)
proHNS provided grant writing services to secure funding for a critical infrastructure project in Southeast Alaska: Kasaan Access Road Fish Passage Improvements. This project involves the redesign, permitting, and construction of 8 aquatic organism passage (AOP) crossings to replace existing undersized culverts. These new fish passage structures will improve habitat connectivity and support critical fish populations, including pink, coho, sockeye, and chum salmon, as well as steelhead trout, dolly varden char, coastal cutthroat trout, and rainbow trout.
Working with the OVK and NOAA, proHNS engineering staff are performing site inspections and surveys on the existing culverts. The USFWS geomorphic analog method is being followed to evaluate each site and to select the most appropriate crossing method that allows fish passage and conveyance of future flood events. The main outcome of this design method is that the existing stream channel width and natural features are mimicked throughout the crossing making it friendly for aquatic organisms to pass through. The watershed is modeled to determine flows during storm events as part of the design process. The existing stream features in the reference reach are surveyed to determine stream gradient, bankfull widths, and existing substrate gradation. That information is used to design a crossing that matches the existing stream channel as closely as possible.
Activities funded under these awards include:
- Future project development and feasibility studies
- Engineering and design
- Permitting
- On-the-ground fish passage restoration
- Pre- and post-removal implementation monitoring
- Community engagement
- Outreach and education
- Building tribal capacity to participate in developing current and future fish passage projects
