IMPROVING HABITAT OF FORMOSAN LANDLOCKED SALMON BY DAM REMOVAL

With increasing recognition on conservation of endangered species in Taiwan, one of the major conservation projects is the habitat restoration of Formosan Landlocked Salmon which is major threatened by check dams in the channel for their blockading pathway to upstream and causing the problems of population isolation and close-blood mating. By creating an opening in the central dam body appropriately, partial removal dams can provide pathway for the fish for the better upstream channel habitat. Four check dams at Gau-Shan Creek were remodeled between April of 1999 and September of 2002 with information supported from model experiments under certain hydraulic condition of field environment. Based on the follow-up investigation, the channel morphology of observation sections is in stable condition and the total number of Formosan Landlocked Salmon in this creek increased promptly at the reach containing partial-removed dams.