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 WORLD’S FIRST - Artificial Fishway - St. George, NB Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 45° 07.784 W 066° 49.748
19T E 670710 N 4999654
Yes, this is really a fish ladder and it is really a New Brunswick Historic Place. Why?... ...Tally = 14
Waymark Code: WMRX25
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Date Posted: 08/15/2016
Views: 0
Primarily because it was the world’s first artificial fishway. Built in 1928, its purpose was to allow Atlantic salmon and other fish to pass upriver to spawn after the dam at St. George had blocked their access. The ladder consists of a series of 43 pools which are filled from the top of the dam. The water flows down from pool to pool while the salmon swim and jump upstream from pool to pool.
The dam was built in 1902 in a picturesque area in St. George known as The Gorge by St. George Pulp and Paper to operate their mill equipment. The company ceased operations in 1967. Now a 15 Megawatt hydro facility, the dam and hydro facility are owned by the J.D. Irving Corporation. The facility was rebuilt in 2002-2004, with the generators coming online in March or April of 2004. There's an interesting article on its construction by the Kleinschmidt Group.
Salmon Fish Ladder
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
Salmon Fish Ladder is located on the east bank of St. George Gorge at First Falls in St. George. It consists of 43 concrete pools resembling a staircase of water cascading from pool to pool built into gorge rock. A public access viewing station is located at the Upper Bridge.
HERITAGE VALUE
Salmon Fish Ladder is designated a Local Historic Place for the implementation of an innovative design to address an environmental concern.
Salmon Fish Ladder was designed and built to offset the negative impact industries in the St. George Gorge at First Falls were having on the annual migration of Atlantic salmon going up the Magaguadavic River to spawn. It was the world’s first artificial fishway. Built into gorge rock in 1928, it consists of 43 concrete pools resembling a staircase of water cascading from pool to pool. The pools are naturally filled with water from First Falls.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
The character-defining elements that describe Salmon Fish Ladder include:
- strategic location on the east bank of First Falls, above the Magaguadavic River tidal basin and below the fresh water of Magaguadavic River, allowing the passage of fish;
- location within the St. George Gorge at First Falls;
- 43 concrete pools, each 30,5 cm higher than the other, naturally filled with water from First Falls;
- proximity to a public viewing station located on the Upper Bridge.
From Historic Places Canada
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