Aquatic Organism Passage Program Reporting, Guidance, and Directives

Annual Reporting Requirements

Projects funded with Forest Service fish and wildlife funds, and/or with other fund sources are reported in the Wildlife, Fish, and Rare Plants database, which is available to the public at the USDA Forest Service Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare Plants website.

Projects funded primarily through the Legacy Roads and Trails Restoration program (CMLG) are reported to the Forest Service Engineering Staff.

The status of AOP projects funded by the Safe Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), referred to as “HTAP” projects, for “highway transportation act projects”, are reported annually to the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA).

The implementation results of aquatic organism projects are reported under the Forest Service’s accountability system as:

• Stream Miles Restored/Enhanced
• Lake Acres Restored/Enhanced
• Number of Structures replaced for AOP

Tools

• Discover where and how many passage improvement projects have been finished or are planned, by using the Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) Dashboard and Map Viewer. These are map and chart tools that you can use to see AOP inventory and activity data and where improvements have been made on the ground to help aquatic organisms reach habitat. Click to access the dashboard and map viewer.
• Aquatic Organism Passage: FishXing - This software is intended to assist engineers, hydrologists, and fish biologists in the evaluation and design of culverts for fish passage. It is free and available for download.
• Technical Guide for Field Practitioners: Understanding and Monitoring Aquatic Organism Passage at Road-Stream Crossings (PDF)