Small Dam Removal Reopens Fish Passage at Maryland’s Camp Conowingo

A small, deteriorating dam at Maryland's Camp Conowingo has been removed, restoring natural stream flow and reopening fish passage on Conowingo Creek. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported September 16 that the work was completed in 2026 at the Girl Scouts' property in Cecil County.

This was a small barrier near historic Bell Manor, not the large Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River. Believed to have supplied water to the manor, the creek dam had partially breached but still blocked access to upstream habitat. Coastal Program biologists began working with partners on its removal in 2020.

The reopened corridor benefits American eel and other migratory and resident fish. It also gives Chesapeake logperch a route back into habitat where historical records show the species once lived. Recent surveys did not find logperch immediately upstream, so restored passage is an opportunity for recolonization, not proof that the fish have already returned.

Funding came through the Chesapeake WILD grant program. Federal fisheries and maintenance personnel contributed to the project, with support from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The work also fits the state's approach to prioritizing fish-passage projects for their connectivity benefits.

Removing an obsolete barrier is a practical way to put existing habitat back within reach of fish. The announcement reports a completed restoration project, not a new public fishing access site or a change in harvest rules. At Camp Conowingo, the restored stream will also become part of camp programming, giving young people a direct look at habitat work on the ground.