The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CBFO) – Chesapeake Bay Field Office, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Maryland Fishery Resources Office (MFRO), the City of Frederick (City) and WMRCD were involved in a collaborative effort to remove a in-stream culvert blockage on Clifford Branch, located in Frederick County, Maryland. The project involved removing an approximately 20 foot long culvert that was 6 feet in diameter that was no longer needed and restoring approximately 100 linear feet of stream channel. It appears that the culvert was installed over 65 years ago to allow access to the western side of Clifford Branch. Recently, bed and bank erosion has occurred in the area of the culvert. In addition, the culvert is a partial fish passage blockage for a reproducing population of brook trout in Clifford Branch. The restoration returned the stream channel to a stable, self-maintaining state, and allow full brook trout passage. This project compliments a dam removal that occurred approximately two miles downstream on Clifford Branch that was completed in 2012.
