This paper presents a simple method for calculation of burst speeds of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) and short nose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) based on field observations of leaping sturgeon in the waters of the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers in Maine, USA. The applied method for calculation of burst speeds is based on equivalence of kinetic and potential energy and results in calculated burst speeds expressed in body-lengths-per-second (BLS) that exceed published swimming speeds for other sturgeon. The applied method has been discussed with fish passage professionals, including biologists and engineers, and while the applied method may be described as reasonably sound, the results must be considered with due caution when considering their application to evaluation of the potential for sturgeon to successfully negotiate fish passage systems. The intent of this talk is to present and dissect the applied method and to emphasize the potential deficiencies of deterministic analyses and evaluation of species-specific swimming speeds.