Maryland Department of Natural Resources

FEDERAL AID GRANT F-53-D

MARYLAND FRESHWATER FISHERIES
RESOURCE CONSERVATION


Project A. Operations and Maintenance

Need:


The Fisheries serves the public by providing enhanced fishing opportunities and
restoration and enhancement of fish species across Maryland. The Inland Fisheries
Division meets these obligations by operating and maintaining several categories of
facilities including: regional offices and storage facilities from which administrative and
field operations are conducted; fish hatcheries and rearing stations; laboratory for fishery
research and analysis; public fishing access sites; and public use facilities.

Objective:


The objective of this project is to operate and maintain: two fish hatcheries and
five rearing stations for trout production and distribution to public fishing waters
statewide; three hatcheries for the production and distribution of warmwater fish species
to supply statewide public waters; thirteen public use areas, including 523 acres of
impoundments; and six field offices.

Expected Results and Benefits:


Maintenance operations will be performed at each facility to insure their
continued utility in providing sportfish management and restoration. Inland Fisheries
maintains these facilities to allow better response and service to the angling public.

Approach:

Operations
and
maintenance will be conducted for: eight miles of road, 10 paved
parking lots, 13 gravel parking lots, 31 buildings, 14 dams and dikes, two miles of
electric line, one laboratory, three miles of fence, one fish ladder, six foot bridges, 39
informational signs, 12 public toilets, six boat ramps, 523 acres of public use waters, and
five fishing piers.


The following operations and maintenance are performed at each group of
facilities managed by the Inland Fisheries Division.


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• Field offices: Mowing grass; brush removal; shrub maintenance; weed control;
litter control and trash collection; repair and maintenance of gravel parking lots;
general maintenance and repair of buildings; maintenance of large aquaria used
to house fish to educate the public on the resources of the State, maintain
informational signboards and kiosks, repair and replace structures identified in
annual in-house review of facilities as needed.
• Cold water hatcheries: Ground maintenance includes: mowing grass, brush
removal, fence maintenance, security gate maintenance, weed control, riparian
buffer maintenance, litter control, stream and pond vegetation control, maintain
informational signboards and kiosks,and maintenance and repair of gravel and
paved parking areas. The operation and maintenance of production and hatchery
facilities includes: waterline and valve maintenance, maintenance of intake and
outflow to production areas, stream and pond vegetation control, water filtration
equipment to remove solids and pollutants, water recirculating pumps, raceway
and pond cleaning, pump and aerator maintenance and repair, periodic inventory
of fish stocks at the facility, cleaning of screens, maintenance of egg incubators
and troughs in hatching building, maintain spring covers, net repair and
maintenance at net pen facilities, maintenance of walkways and access areas to
facilitate ease of working with the fish, feeding fish, manipulation of water
supply to relieve stress that may result in fish health problems, daily water
quality measurement, and maintenance of fish food storage facility. Building
maintenance includes: keeping stored equipment ready and in working
condition, general cleaning and janitorial service to office space and work
buildings, trash collection and removal, bathroom maintenance, maintenance of
safety equipment, monitoring and maintenance of emergency backup power
supply, repair and replace structures identified in annual in-house review of
facilities as needed.
• Warm water hatcheries: Ground maintenance includes: Ground maintenance
includes: mowing grass, brush removal, fence maintenance, security gate
maintenance, weed control, riparian buffer maintenance, stream and pond
vegetation control, litter control, fish ladder maintenance, maintain informational
signboards and kiosks, and maintenance and repair of gravel and paved parking
areas. The operation and maintenance of production and hatchery facilities
includes: waterline and valve maintenance, maintenance of intake and outflow to
production areas, repair and maintenance of catch boxes on impoundments,
stream and pond vegetation control, pond drawdown to remove fish and control
aquatic vegetation, maintenance of spawning boxes and spawning equipment,
maintenance of temperature and water quality in hatching tanks in building to
accommodate fish with specific temperature requirements, electrical supply to
ponds, pump and aerator maintenance and repair, periodic inventory of fish
stocks at the facility, pond fertilization and preparation for next production
cycle, feeding fish, manipulation of water supply to relieve stress that may result
in fish health problems, daily water quality measurement, and maintenance of
fish food storage facility. Building maintenance includes: keeping stored
equipment ready and in working condition, general cleaning and janitorial

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service to office space and work buildings, trash collection and removal,
bathroom maintenance, maintenance of safety equipment, monitoring and
maintenance of emergency backup power supply, repair and replace structures
identified in annual in-house review of facilities as needed.
• The operation and maintenance of public use areas includes: mowing grass and
removing brush around impoundment and dam breast areas, exercise and test
dam valves and outflow structures, maintain gravel and paved parking lots and
access roads, apply lime to adjust pH, trash collection and removal, maintain
unimproved roads and trails, boat ramp maintenance, maintain informational
signboards and kiosks, control vegetation in impoundments through chemical or
water level manipulation, maintain inflow and outflow pipes, maintain portable
toilets, and perform winter drawdown of water level for vegetation and
population controls.

All activities describes above are working with existing and established structures.
Any new road beds or new channels for waterways have to undergo statewide
environmental review before allowed to proceed. Hatcheries intake of water and
discharges are governed by State water appropriation and discharge permits and are
inspected on a scheduled basis for compliance. Any other activities dealing with water or
land disturbance must be reviewed and receive the appropriate permit before proceeding.

Location:


The Inland Fisheries Division operates and maintains regional offices, fish
hatcheries and rearing stations, a laboratory, and public use facilities listed below.
Western Region

Mount Nebo Work Center – Garrett County

Lewistown Fish Hatchery and Work Center – Frederick County

Bear Creek Rearing Station – Garrett County

Murley Branch Trout Hatchery – Allegany County
Jennings Randolph Work Center – Garrett County

North Branch Potomac River properties – Garrett County


(1.5 miles road, 1 boat ramp, 1 parking lot)

Evitts Creek Ponds (4 acres, .25 miles road, 1 parking lot) – Allegany County

Brunswick Pond – Frederick County

Sharpsburg Pond – Washington County

Burkittsville Pond – Frederick County

Woodsboro Pond – Frederick County

Albert M. Powell Trout Hatchery – Washington County


Big
Pool
(90 acre impoundment; 1 parking lot; 2 informational signs)- Washington County

Cushwa’s Trout Rearing Station



Frank Bentz Pond – Frederick County

Brownsville Community Pond – Washington County
Frederick
Watershed
(2 ponds; 2 parking lots; 1 dam; 4 signs) – Frederick County
Urbana Lake – Frederick County

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(35 acre pond; 0.5 miles road; 1 parking lot; 1 dam, 1 footbridge; 2 signs)



Central Region


Patuxent Work Center – Howard County

Stemmers Run Lake – Cecil County


(220 acre lake; 1 mile road; 1 boat ramp; 1 parking lot; 1 sign)

Rising Sun Pond (0.84 acre; 1 parking lot; 1 dam; 1 toilet; 1 sign) – Cecil County

Big Elk Creek Fishing Access Area (1 parking lot; 3 signs; toilets) – Cecil County
Forest Hill Community Pond (1.3 acre pond; sign) – Harford County

Southern Region
Hughesville Community Pond (1 acre) – Charles County
Myrtle
Grove
(23 acre lake; 1 boat ramp;1 parking lot; 1 dam; sign)– Charles County

Cedarville Work Center – Charles County

Joseph Manning Fish Hatchery – Charles County



Eastern Region


Unicorn Lake and Fish Hatchery – Queen Anne’s County

Big Mills Lake (10 acre lake) – Worcester County

Wye Mills Lake – Queen Anne’s County

(50 acre lake; 3 acres land; building; boat ramp; parking lot; toilets; dam; fishing pier; sign)

Wye Mills Work Center – Queen Anne’s County

Smithville Lake – Caroline County

(50 acre lake; boat ramp; parking lot; dam; 2 fishing piers; sign)

Urieville Lake (50 acre lake; boat ramp; parking lot; dam; sign) – Kent County



Hatcheries:


The Albert Powell Hatchery is the principal trout hatchery, with additional
production space located at the satellite Cushwa Rearing Facility. At these two facilities,
approximately 650,000 rainbow trout are hatched annually. Powell supplies juveniles
for rearing at the Bear Creek production facility. Excess fingerlings from all facilities are
used to stock in put-and-grow trout waters across Maryland.


The Murley Branch Trout Facility produces rainbow and brown trout fingerlings
to be grown out at Bear Creek, Lewistown, and Fountain Rock facilities. Murley
provides fish for the restoration of the North Branch of the Potomac River and the
enhancement of other major western Maryland drainages.

The Bear Creek Production Facility rears rainbow and brown trout to be stocked
in western Maryland, principally Garrett and Allegany counties.

Lewistown Hatchery produces both coldwater (brown trout) and warmwater fish.


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The Joseph Manning Hatchery is the principal warmwater production facility.
Production species include: walleye fry and fingerlings; smallmouth bass fry and
fingerlings; largemouth bass fry to advanced fingerlings; redear, bluegill and hybrid
sunfish fingerlings and adults; striped bass fingerlings; golden shiners; and fathead
minnows. Production is scheduled and adjusted annually according to management
needs.

The Unicorn Lake Fish Hatchery produces largemouth bass fry to advanced
fingerlings for stocking into tidal and freshwater areas and impoundments. Hatchery
ponds are also used as research ponds for largemouth bass studies.

Regional offices are located at Mount Nebo Work Center, Patuxent Work Center,
Cedarville Work Center, and Wye Mills Work Center. Additional offices are maintained
at Lewistown Work Center and Jennings Randolph Boat Ramp. A laboratory is
maintained at the Lewistown Work Center for work with invertebrates and fish health.
Invertebrate identification in the lab provides information that is being used in the
restoration of fish populations in acid mine damaged streams in Western Maryland, and
to support fish projects on other areas facing impacts from construction, acid rain, and
thermal discharges.

Project B. Population Management:

Need:


Fish stocking and population management are needed to promote sport-fishing
opportunities by establishing, maintaining, restoring, and enhancing freshwater fish
populations in suitable public waters throughout Maryland.


Initial stockings of sport and forage fish species are needed to establish productive
populations in new waters, to develop new fisheries in suitable existing waters, and to
restore fish populations in waters that have experienced fish kills or environmental
degradation.


Maintenance or corrective stocking and fish capture is needed to reestablish
balance in fish populations.


Put-and-take stocking is needed to offset heavy fishing pressure and to provide
preferred species for angling opportunities.

Objective:


Lakes and streams in Maryland are stocked to maintain sport fisheries and to
restore populations to provide for recreational fishing. Each spring approximately
400,000 rainbow and brown trout are stocked by May 15. An additional 50,000 or more
trout are stocked during the fall of each year. (The fall stocking is dependent upon

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sufficient water supply and appropriate water temperatures.) Most of the trout stocking is
conducted to support put-and-take fishing, where anglers catch and keep their limit of
trout.


Warmwater fish species are usually stocked as advanced fry or fingerlings in the
late spring or early summer. The volume of fish stocked is dependent upon hatchery
success and annual needs. These fish are stocked primarily in new or renovated
impoundments to begin or reestablish balanced fish populations.


Initial and maintenance fish stocking occurs annually for warmwater and
coldwater streams and impoundments in all management regions. Suitable coldwater
habitat is stocked to establish or reestablish natural trout populations. The size, number,
and species of fish to be stocked are determined first by physical and biological
characteristics of the habitat and second by angler preference. Brown and rainbow trout
will not be stocked where there is a potential conflict with the native brook trout. Fish
species that may be stocked into Maryland waters include: brown trout, rainbow trout,
channel catfish, black crappie, redear sunfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, golden
shiner, striped bass, walleye, bluegill, and tiger muskie.


Tidal freshwater black bass (smallmouth and largemouth) are restored and
maintained, as needed. Reproduction and recruitment in these species is extremely
variable due to natural fluctuations in habitat.


Put-and-take fish stocking is planned for approximately 150 locations annually.
Fish species stocked in put-and-take areas include channel catfish, hybrid sunfish (green
X bluegill), brown trout, and rainbow trout.

Expected Results and Benefits:


Maryland has approximately 50,000 surface acres of nontidal freshwater and
200,000 surface acres of tidal freshwater available for recreational fishing. Nontidal
waters are evenly split between flowing systems and impoundments.


Trout fisheries are established in waters that are capable of supporting populations
during appropriate periods of the year. Preference is given to those areas that can support
trout on a year round basis. Areas managed for put-and-take fishing provide may not
support trout year round, but conditions are usually suitable during the spring and fall of
the year. Put-and-take trout fishing provides early, immediate benefits for anglers in the
spring and fall of the year, while taking pressure off of native streams. Some of the areas
that support trout on a year round basis and may allow spawning are under special
management (catch and release, no creel, trophy areas) to extend the opportunities for
anglers throughout the year. Areas that have the potential for year round trout
management may already possess naturally reproducing trout populations, or may be
enhanced with put-and-grow stocking of fingerling trout.


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Tidal freshwater black bass fisheries are maintained and restored by developing
self-sustaining stocks and by supplemental as needed. Rivers and streams with limited
natural recruitment are stocked to enhance the fishing success of anglers.


Fish population management for warmwater streams and impoundments is
directed at maintaining biological integrity, building a diversified sport fishery, and
striving for a fish community structure capable of supporting optimal fishing for
preferred native and naturally reproducing species.


Fish of a preferred harvestable size are stocked to provide a quality angling
experience and support sport fisheries in waters with high fishing effort.

Approach:


Sport fish populations are established in newly constructed impoundments, and
restored in existing waters by stocking native and naturally reproducing species to
establish appropriate community structure with the goal of developing self-sustaining
sport fisheries. Stocking numbers established for each species are applied to each area to
help create balanced fish populations.


Selective fishing pressure, fish kills, and adverse environmental conditions
resulting from agriculture, development, and industry may result in unbalanced fish
populations. In order to offset the effects of these factors, and provide productive
freshwater fisheries, affected waters are managed on the basis of studies conducted under
Federal Aid Project F-48-R, Statewide Fisheries Survey and Management, and
appropriately stocked under this federal aid project.


Fingerling and adult trout are stocked as a component of coldwater sport fisheries
management. Harvestable size fish are stocked for immediate catch on a cost effective
basis as part of the put-and-take trout-fishing program. Alternative areas for stocking are
constantly being sought to prevent the stocking of trout over wild populations, creating
more opportunities for anglers to catch fish. Fish are stocked in areas where trout can
survive on a year-round basis, but cannot reproduce to produce additional fishing
opportunities.


Trout, fingerlings and adults, and channel catfish are purchased as needed to
supplement hatchery production. Most trout are produced by our own hatcheries and are
regularly tested for disease. If a disease is detected the infected fish are either destroyed
or used only in waters already possessing the disease agent. In some cases trout may be
purchased from uncertified suppliers. Uncertified fish are only stocked in areas that do
not hold susceptible species and where rapid harvest under put-and-take regulations is
expected.

Location:


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This project covers areas statewide and includes publicly owned waters and state
managed waters that allow public access. Tables 1 lists maintenance stocking locations
and species the annual stocking schedule published by Fisheries Service lists locations for
Put and Take and Special Trout Management Areas.



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Table 1. Maintenance Fish Stocking Locations and Species

Location Species
Western Region

Youghiogheny
brown trout; rainbow trout
Community ponds
largemouth bass
Potomac River
tiger muskie
North Branch Potomac River
brown trout; rainbow trout; largemouth bass; smallmouth bass; walleye; tiger muskie
Antietam Creek
brown trout; rainbow trout
Marsh Run
brown trout
Saint James Run
brown trout
Blairs Valley Lake
redear sunfish; bluegill; golden shiner; tiger muskie
Licking Creek
brown trout
Conocheague Creek
tiger muskie
Monocacy River
tiger muskie
Central Region

Patuxent River Special Area
brown trout; rainbow trout
Little Seneca Creek
brown trout
rainbow trout
Morgan Run Special Area
brown trout
rainbow trout
Conowingo Reservoir
walleye
Happy Valley Branch
brown trout
Mill Creek
brown trout
Bryce Run
brown trout
Elkton Pond
largemouth bass
Howard’s Pond
largemouth bass
Stone Run
brown trout
Big Elk Creek
rainbow trout
Southern Region

Lake Artemesia
redear sunfish; black crappie
Allens Pond
black crappie
St Mary’s Lake
channel catfish
Lake Waterford
channel catfish
Triadelphia Reservoir
striped bass; walleye; tiger muskie
Rocky Gorge Reservoir
striped bass; walleye; tiger muskie
Foxhill Pond
largemouth bass
Tucker Pond
largemouth bass; redear sunfish
Bowie Town Center Pond
largemouth bass
Melwood Pond
largemouth bass
Schoolhouse Pond
largemouth bass; redear sunfish
Patuxent River
largemouth bass
Wheatley Lake
channel catfish
Eastern Region

Urieville Lake
largemouth bass
Idylwild Ponds
largemouth bass
Tidal Freshwater
largemouth bass; smallmouth bass
Leonards Mill Pond
bluegill; golden shiner
Stemmers Lake
largemouth bass; channel catfish
Unicorn Lake
largemouth bass
Smithville Lake
golden shiner; redear shiner


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Table 2. Put-and-Take Trout Stocking Areas in Maryland

GARRETT COUNTY
Accident
Pond
Bear
Creek
Broadford
Lake
Deep
Creek
Lake

Glades
Park
Pond
Herrington
Creek
Herrington Lake


Jennings Randolph Lake (JRL)
Little Youghiogheny River

Mill Run
Muddy Creek


New Germany Lake
N. Br. Potomac River, below JRL
N. Br. Potomac River, Gorman
N. Br. Potomac River, Kitzmiller
Piney Reservoir
Sand
Run
Savage
River
Savage River Reservoir

Youghiogheny River, Friendsville,

Youghiogheny
River,
Oakland


ALLEGANY COUNTY

Battie Mixon Pond

Cotton Cove Pond

Dans Mountain Pond

Evitts Creek
Evitts Creek Ponds

Fifteen Mile Creek
Flintstone
Creek

George’s
Creek
Jennings
Run

Laurel
Run

North Jennings Run

Orchard Pond
Rocky Gap Lake

White Sulfur Pond
Wills
Creek


WASHINGTON COUNTY
Antietam
Creek
Beaver
Creek
Big
Pool
Blairs
Valley
Lake
Brownsville
Pond
Greenbrier
Lake
Indian Springs Pond

Israel Creek
Licking Creek


Little Antietam Creek
Little Tonoloway Creek

Pangborn Pond

Sharpsburg Pond

Sideling Hill Creek

FREDERICK COUNTY
Carroll Creek


Cunningham Falls Lake

Fishing Creek


Frank Bentz Pond
Friends
Creek
Hamburg
Pond
Middle
Creek
Middletown
Pond
Owens
Creek
Rainbow
Lake
Urbana Lake


Whiskey Springs Pond
Woodsboro Pond

CARROLL COUNTY
Beaver
Run
Farm
Museum
Pond

Liberty Reservoir

Patapsco River, South Branch
Piney
Run
Piney
Run
Reservoir
Taneytown
Pond
Westminster
Pond

BALTIMORE COUNTY
Avalon
Pond
Dead
Run
Gwynn Oak Park Pond


Gwynnbrook Pond
Gwynns
Falls
Gunpowder
Falls,
Upper
Gunpowder Falls, lower

Herring Run

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