DOI Project #AC94A, Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief; remove the Hughesville Dam on the Musconetcong River in Pohatcong Township, NJ

This is an announcement for issuing a single source financial assistance award to Musconetcong Watershed Association in Asbury, New Jersey. This announcement is for notification purposes only. The intent of the award is to remove the Hughesville Dam on the Musconetcong River in Pohatcong Township, Warren County and Holland Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. This is the lower most blockage on the Musconetcong River and will open up approximately one mile of spawning habitat for migratory fish including alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), American eel (Anguilla rostrata) as well as resident fish including brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Approximately 1,000 feet of the Musconetcong River would be restored and portions of that replanted with native trees/shrubs. In addition, several instream habitat restoration structures would be installed at the project site. Once established, the riparian area would be allowed to naturally revegetate and succeed. This project will provide access to important spawning habitat for anadromous fish as well as improving habitat for native brook trout. This project is authorized by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, Public Law 113-2. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5, intends to make a sole source award of a Cooperative Agreement to Musconetcong Watershed Association. This project was previously vetted and approved for funding by the Department of the Interior. The appropriation for this project is the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act of 2013, Public Law 113-2. Criteria for funding was based on the project¿s ability to yield the greatest return on investment by taking advantage of existing science and regional planning tools for resiliency and by working with states, cities, communities, and partners who contribute to the goals restoring and rebuilding national wildlife refuges and other federal public assets: and to increase resiliency and the capacity of coastal habitat and infrastructure and to withstand future storms and to minimize the damage incurred.