Healthy reservoir systems are vital to the security of the United States, to the quality of life of its citizens, and to the quality and quantity of aquatic habitat needed to sustain our native and sport fisheries. Our conservation strategy to protect, restore and enhance healthy reservoir systems – and the fish habitat that relies upon them – is built on the foundation of five goals:

• Protect, restore and enhance fish habitat in reservoir systems to support productive fisheries and healthy aquatic ecosystems
• Manage reservoir systems to provide, protect and enrich quality of life for the American people
• Develop and foster partnerships that implement landscape-scale approaches to the conservation of fish habitat in reservoir systems
• Develop and sustain institutional arrangements and sources of funding to support the long-term conservation of fish habitat in reservoir systems
• Support education and outreach initiatives that advance public awareness and understanding of the value of healthy reservoir systems

Science is clearly an essential part of reaching these goals.  In order to best manage reservoirs, reservoirs must be studied and understood.  As they age, predictable changes occur which may be desirable or, more often than not, undesirable.  These changes can be met with proactive fishery and habitat management.  A management approach that is not supported by science will likely fail and ultimately be a poor investment.  The Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership works to maximize its effectiveness by using sound science and supporting important reservoir-based research.

To accomplish these goals, the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership is supporting several ongoing projects:

• Repeat/expand nationwide fish habitat assessment
• Develop a habitat management plan tool
• Integration of RFHP data into NFHP's National Assessment
• Field test assessment against measured habitat/fish population data (Iowa mini-project)