. ▁The ▁dam ▁was ▁class ified ▁as ▁a ▁bar rier ▁to ▁fish ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Fish ▁and ▁Wild life ▁Service . ▁There ▁were ▁del ays ▁while ▁the ▁Carolina ▁Power ▁& ▁Light ▁Company ▁looked ▁for ▁an ▁alternative ▁source ▁of ▁cool ing ▁water . ▁An ▁alternative ▁was ▁developed ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁agreed ▁to ▁remove ▁the ▁dam . ▁ ▁De const ruction ▁was ▁undert aken ▁between ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Bruce ▁B abb itt , ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Inter ior , ▁sw ung ▁a ▁s ledge ham mer ▁to ▁symbol ically ▁start ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁Men om ine e , ▁Qu aker ▁Ne ck ▁& ▁Cher ry ▁Hospital ▁D ams . ▁The ▁Qu aker ▁Ne ck ▁Dam ▁was ▁removed ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁work ▁cost ▁$ 2 2 2 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁result ▁was ▁to ▁restore ▁access ▁for ▁an ad rom ous ▁fish ▁to ▁about ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁Ne use ▁River ▁and ▁ ▁of ▁trib ut ary ▁streams . ▁An ad rom ous ▁fish ▁mainly ▁live ▁in ▁salt water , ▁but ▁return ▁to ▁fresh water ▁to ▁spawn , ▁and ▁include ▁ale w ife ▁( Al os ap se ud oh ar eng us ), ▁blue back ▁her ring ▁ ▁( Al osa ▁a estival is ), ▁strip ed ▁bass ▁( Mor one ▁sa x at ilis ) ▁and