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Toward a New Balance in the 21st Century

A Citizen’s Guide to Dams, Hydropower,and River Restoration in Maine

N A T U R A L R E S O U R C E S C O U N C I L O F M A I N E

2002

Maine Rivers

Maine’s rivers and streams once flowed freely to the sea, carrying nutrients and allowingunimpeded fish passage deep inland. Today, more than 1000 dams exist on Maine waterways.

The 2002 map depicts 649 dams listed in the National Inventory of Dams database, which includesdams with four feet or greater height. Hundreds of smaller dams are not shown on this map.

Before 1600

Maine Dams

Toward a New Balance in the 21st CenturyA Citizen’s Guide to Dams, Hydropower, and River Restoration in Maine

This publication was principally funded by a grant from RiverNetwork’s Watershed Assistance Program. Additional generoussupport was provided by the Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Founda-tion, the French Foundation, the Hillsdale Fund, the Henry P.Kendall Foundation, the Helen and George Ladd Charitable Cor-poration, Patagonia, Inc., The Pew Charitable Trusts, the SudburyFoundation, the Sweet Water Trust, the Rau Foundation, the WallisFoundation, and the members of the Natural Resources Councilof Maine.

For information about how you can become a member of theNatural Resources Council of Maine, see the inside back cover.

Editor and Writer: Pete Didisheim

Project Director: Laura Rose Day

Managing Editor: Judy Berk

Project Assistants: Jessica Lavin & Tanya Swain

Design: Jill Bock Design

Thanks: The Council appreciates the many individuals who provided comments on this publication.

Printer: J.S. McCarthy

Photo and Illustration Credits (left to right):Cover – Androscoggin River, Scott Perry; Inside Cover -Tom Gatto; p.1 - Jeff Morales; p.2 - Maine HistoricPreservation Commission, NRCM; p.3 - Paul Smith, Jeff McEvoy (2); p.4 - (illustration) Jon Luoma,Pejepscot Historical Society; p.5 - Doug Watts, Maine State Archives; p.6 & 7 - Jessica Lavin; p.8- Doug Watts; p. 9 - Doug Watts; p.10 - Jessica Lavin (map), Doug Watts; p.11 - D. D. Tyler(illustration), Maine DEP; Portland Press Herald; Dan Tarkinson, FlyFishingInMaine.com; p.12 -Kennebec Journal, Bill Silliker (2), Scott Perry; p.13 - Jessica Lavin, Doug Watts, Tim Watts; p.14 -Jessica Lavin, Doug Watts, Aardvaark Outfitters; p.15 - Jeff McEvoy (2), Doug Watts, Jim Thibodeau;p.16 - Dwayne Shaw, Jon Luoma (illustration), Coastal America; p.17 - Coastal America (2), TokiOshima (illustration), p.18 - Doug Watts, Bob Wengrzynek (2); p.19 - Bob Wengrzynek, MaineNatural Resources Conservation Service; p.20 - NRCM; p.21 - Calpine Corporation, Randy Spencer;p.22 – © www.heatherperryphoto.com, Pete Didisheim, Central Maine Newspapers; p. 23 - JournalTribune, Jim Thibodeau; p.24 - Gabrielle Kissinger (2), Paul Smith, Jessica Lavin; p.25 - Tina Shute(2); p.26 - Chris Gosselin, Doug Watts, Jeff McEvoy; p. 27 - Dean Bennett, NRCM (2), Doug Watts;p.28 - Jeff McEvoy (2).

Paper: Totally chlorine-free

Introduction .............................................................. 2

The Dams of Maine ....................................................4

The Damming of Maine’s Rivers ................................. 6

Environmental Impacts of Dams ................................ 8

Dam Removals .........................................................10

Three Successful Dam Removals:

The Kennebec River – AugustaRediscovers a Natural Resource ......................... 12

The East Machias River – Free-flowingand Safer ...........................................................16

Souadabscook Stream – A River Reborn ............... 18

Hydroelectric Power in Maine .................................20

Fish Passage ............................................................. 22

Dam Removal Controversies .................................... 23

Celebrating Maine’s Rivers ....................................... 24

Toward a New Balance for Maine’s Rivers ............... 26

Resources ................................................................. 28

A Citizen’s Guide to River Restoration 1

Maine is interlaced with beautiful and powerful rivers: the Saco,Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscot, Allagash, Aroostook, and St.John – to name a few. These and countless other rivers and streamsshaped Maine’s landscape, nurtured our environment, and providedsustenance for people and wildlife throughout history.

For thousands of years, Maine’s rivers have served the manyneeds of tribal people. They were used as trade routes for com-

merce with neighboring nations, and as a central spiritualforce in their cultures. Most of Maine’s rivers have

derived their modern names from the tribes thatoccupied these watersheds.

When European settlers came to Maine, theirearliest towns were located along or at the mouthsof rivers, which eased transportation to and fromthe sea. Commercial fisheries flourished on theKennebec River for fifty years before any signifi-cant dams were built on the river. The settlers builtdams to capture the power of Maine’s rivers for

Toward a New Balance in the 21st Century

mills and factories. These early forms of business and industry –textiles, saw mills, tanneries – attracted immigrants whose descen-dants remain a vital cultural feature in our communities to this day.

As highways, Maine’s rivers have carried entire forests of timberto processing plants. As ecosystems, they once supported a fisheriesindustry that sold salmon, sturgeon, and shad to markets around theworld. And, before modern pollution controls, Maine’s rivers alsoserved as open sewers for carrying untreated human and industrialwastes to the sea.

As we move into the 21st century, the roles of Maine’s riversare changing. They continue to generate a significant amount ofelectricity, although a declining share compared to other sources ofpower. Maine’s rivers also have become an increasingly importantresource for recreation and a defining feature for our way of life.

After suffering extreme pollution for nearly 100 years, the waterquality of Maine’s rivers has improved considerably – allowing thereturn and recovery of significant fish populations. Maine residentsand visitors alike are spending more time fishing, kayaking,canoeing, rafting, camping, hiking, and picnicking along our rivers– creating economic activity for local communities. Most signifi-cantly, Maine towns are reorienting themselves back toward therivers in their backyards.

Dams have extensively altered the natural functioning ofMaine’s rivers and streams. Most of the dams in Maine are smallstructures, and most dams continue to serve important purposes,whether for electricity, for recreation in their ponds, or in relation tohomes that have been built around some of them. Most are likely toremain in place for years to come. However, some have outlivedtheir original design lives. Several dams in Maine have been

A Citizen’s Guide to Dams, Hydropower and RiverRestoration in Maine

Above: Dam on the LittleAndroscoggin, Norway, Maine,December 1864.

Right: Maine’s rivers servedas highways for moving entireforests to processing plants.

2 A Citizen’s Guide to River Restoration

removed in recent years, for economic, safety,and environmental reasons. Additional damremovals are under consideration. Most of theseprojects have received little public attention, yetsome have been highly controversial.

The goal of dam removal projects in Maine is to secure a newbalance of economic, environmental, and quality of life factors – abalance that is in line with the priorities and realities of our times.This guide provides interested citizens with an overview of some ofthe issues associated with Maine’s rivers and dams, so that you canbe an informed participant in discussions about how Maine’s riverscan best be shared by people, fisheries, and wildlife for generationsto come.

After suffering extreme pollution for over 100 years, the waterquality of Maine’s rivers has improved considerably – allowing

the return and recovery of significant fish populations.

Above: Maine people are rediscovering rivers in Mainethat once were so polluted they peeled paint fromwaterfront homes.

Right: Fishing on inland waters in Maine provided anestimated $293 million in annual revenues in 1996.


The Dams of Maine

Dams played a critical role in thesettling of the United States, in general,and of Maine, in particular. Damshave been built on every major andminor river system in the lower 48states and are found in every county inthe nation. An estimated 2.5 milliondams of various sizes span rivers and

streams across America; approximately76,000 of these dams are greater than six feet tall. The exactnumber of dams in Maine is not known. More than 750 damsgreater than two feet high have been registered with the state,but the total number is estimated to exceed 1,000. Only 111dams in Maine produce electricity.

As European settlers arrived in Maine, they built dams toenhance water supplies and provide mechanical power forsawmills and gristmills. Large dams were built on theKennebec at Augusta and Waterville, on the Androscoggin atBrunswick and Lewiston, and on the Penobscot at Bangor andOld Town. The number of dams proliferated not just on themajor rivers, but on smaller rivers andstreams as well. Dams were builtalmost everywhere in the state wheresignificant falling water could be usedto operate a mill.

Dams are now a major fixture ofMaine’s landscape, even though manydams in Maine no longer serve theiroriginal purpose and are no longer

used by their original owners. Water storedbehind dams is sometimes used for recre-ation, drinking water supplies, irrigation, firecontrol and electricity generation.

How Dams WorkEver since the Greeks discoveredhow to use falling water to turn waterwheels for grinding wheat into flour,people have harnessed the energyproduced by rivers to make theirwork easier.

Water is stored behind a dam toallow power producers to manipulateriver flow. By holding water back,upstream water levels are higher thandownstream. This creates a “hydrau-lic head” – the difference in heightbetween the surface of a reservoirand the river downstream. The storedwater can be channeled through aturbine to generate power.

The dams of Maine also are aging. Dams typically are designedto last 50 years, yet many dams in Maine are older than that. Asdams reach the end of their life expectancies nationwide, hundredsof failures have been documented – raising significant safety issuesand cost implications.

Of the 617 largest dams in Maine, 23 were identified in 2000as being “high hazard” dams – in which a dam failure, if it occurr-ed, would likely result in the loss of life.

As dams age, the cost of maintenance and repair work in-creases. Aging dams also can cause increased insurance liabilitiesfor the dam owner. In Wisconsin, more than 35 small aging dams

have been removed in thepast 15 years because itwas three to five times lessexpensive, on average,than repairing the dams.

As Maine was settled, dams –such as the Pejepscot Dam(circa 1890) on theAndroscoggin River inTopsham – were built onessentially every majorriver to provide mechanicalpower to operate mills.


Left: Granite blocks from the Union Gas Dam onMessalonskee Stream in downtown Watervillesuddenly collapsed in June 2001. To reducesafety risks, the dam’s owner, Florida Power andLight, dismantled a large portion of the dam,allowing the river to run through it.

Below: Many dams in Maine are aging and indisrepair, such as the Collins Mill Dam onCobbosseecontee Stream, West Gardiner.

Above: This water powered mill inAndover was on the Ellis River, atributary of the Androscoggin,circa 1930.

Right: The Gardiner PaperboardDam, on Cobbosseecontee Streamin Gardiner, is slated to be removed.


Dams typically aredesigned to last 50 years,yet many dams in Maine

are older than that.

The Damming of Maine’s Rivers


Although Maine’s rivers once flowed freelybetween inland reaches of the state and the sea,dams have turned our rivers into highly fragment-ed waters – with stretches that are physically andbiologically separated from each other. More than1,000 dams now exist on Maine’s 31,000 miles ofrivers and streams. The majority of these dams aresmall, do not generate electricity and do notcreate a sizable impoundment. However, thedams that are most familiar to Maine people arethe ones on our major rivers, shown here.

Saco River Salmon Falls River

South Berwick Dam South Berwick

Rollinsford Dam South Berwick

Lower Great Falls Dam Berwick

Upper Great Falls Dam Berwick

Mast Point Dam Berwick

Boston Felt Dam South Lebanon

Spaulding Dam Lebanon

South Milton Dam Lebanon

Milton Leatherboard Dam (removed 1999)

Lebanon

Milton Three Ponds Dam Lebanon

Mill Dam Acton

Wambeck Dam Acton

Rowe Dam Acton

Horn Pond Dam Acton

Great East Pond Dam Acton

Cataract Dam Saco

Swans Falls Dam Fryeburg

Hiram Dam Hiram

Bonny Eagle Dam Hollis

West Buxton Dam Buxton

Bar Mills Dam Buxton

Skelton Dam Dayton

Spring & Bradbury Dams Saco

Cumberland Mills Dam Westbrook

Presumpscot River

Smelt Hill Dam Falmouth

Removed 2002

Little Falls Dam Windham

Gambo Falls Dam Windham

Dundee Falls Dam Windham

Eel Weir Dam Standish

Saccarappa Dam Westbrook

Mallison Falls Dam Windham

North Gorham Dam Windham


Although dams have provided – and in many casescontinue to provide – valuable services to our society,they have done so at a significant cost to the originalecosystems of our rivers and streams. Dams funda-

mentally alter the habitat of a free-flowing river. The damage causedby dams on Maine’s rivers hasbeen very high.

Maine’s major rivers oncesupported large populationsof sea-run fish and eels.Generally, these species areborn in inland streams infreshwater, travel down-stream to live most of theiradult lives at sea, thenreturn to spawn in the rivers of theirorigin. With the construction of dams

on Maine’s rivers, these fish were cut off from theirspawning grounds and their populations began to plummet.

The wealth of fisheries that once surged in Maine’s rivers iscaptured well in historic records. For example, a commercialfisherman estimated that during the 1870s more than 30,000Atlantic salmon were harvested each year from the Kennebecbelow Bath alone.

But the construction of dams took a toll on these landings. Thefirst major dam on the Kennebec River in 1837, for example,resulted in dramatic and deep reductions in fish populations.Within a decade, landings of salmon, herring, and sturgeondropped to a small fraction of their levels before the Augusta damwas built. A man who reported catching 500 salmon at Augusta in1838, reported that by 1850 a good year might bring four or fivesalmon.

Environmental Impacts of Dams

Above: Dams create an impenetrable wall for upstream fish migration.Fish passage systems have generally served as poor substitutes to free-flowing rivers.

Right: The State has taken enforce-ment actions in recent years againstdam owners in Maine wherethousands of fish have been killedwhile passing through turbines.


The damagecaused by damson Maine’s rivershas been veryhigh.

From the Falmouth Gazetteand Weekly Advertiser,Sept. 23, 1785.

Left: Alewives weretrapped each springbelow Edwards Dam,until the dam’s removalin 1999.

Recent research has documented that the water stored behinda dam has neither the habitat of a river, nor the habitat of a natu-rally occurring lake. As a result, dams produce an ecosystem that isnot well designed for the species that occur in either of thesehabitats.

Environmental impacts of dams• Dams block the movement of river life – preventing fish

migration, halting the flow of plants and nutrients, and curbingdownstream recreational use.

• Dams slow rivers – interfering with the steady flows that somespecies, such as salmon, need to flush young fish downriver andguide them upstream years later to spawn.

• Dams flood upland areas – by creating a reservoir that inun-dates land that previously served as terrestrial habitat, and mayhave been valued floodplains.

• Dams alter water temperatures – usually increasing tempera-tures by slowing flow; sometimes decreasing water temperaturesby releasing cooled water from the reservoir bottom. Tempera-ture irregularities can harm aquatic life.

• Dams alter timing of flows and cause water level fluctuation –by withholding and then releasing water to generate power.These releases can act like a firehose washing away plants andanimals downstream, eroding soil and vegetation, and floodingor stranding wildlife, disturbing fisheries and waterfowl. Theseirregular releases destroy seasonal flow variations that triggernatural growth and reproduction cycles in many species.

• Dams reduce dissolved oxygen – reducing circulation of thewater and increasing its temperature, which can result in lessoxygen than is necessary for the survival of many species.

• Dams hold back silt, debris, and nutrients – by slowing flows,dams can allow silt to collect on river bottoms and bury fishspawning habitat. Dams also trap gravel, logs and other debris,

eliminating their availability downstream as food and habitat.

• Dams can harm fish – by following currents downstream, fishcan be drawn into and cut up by power turbines.

• Dams increase predator risk – warm, murky reservoirs oftenfavor predators of naturally occurring species. In addition,passage through fish ladders or turbines can injure or stun fish,making them easy prey for flying predators like gulls andherons.

• Dams reduce productivity of estuaries and bays – becausethere are fewer juvenile fish due to the inaccessibility ofspawning grounds to sea-run fish. Maine’s Department ofMarine Resources estimates that for every returning adult fish,300-400 juveniles return to our estuaries and bays each year,adding tremendously to the ocean food chain.

More than 600,000miles of the nation’srivers and streamshave been floodedbeneath watersstored behind dams.

Left: “Converting a river to a lakecauses many riverine species toperish. Many studies havedocumented drastic declines indiverse mussel communitiesfollowing the construction ofdams.”

The Freshwater Mussels of Maine,Maine Department of Inland Fishand Wildlife, 2000

Right: Wild Atlanticsalmon like this one onCobbosseecontee Streamin 1997, are nearly extinctin the U.S., in part due tothe construction ofimpassable dams.


Dams have been built across the United States, andthey have also been removed across the nation forsafety, environmental, and economic reasons. A reportissued in 1999 documented nearly 500 dams that havebeen removed across the country, yet other estimateshave placed the number at 1,000 or more, most ofwhich have been small, non-hydropower dams.Officials in Wisconsin estimate that as many as 500dams have been removed in that state alone. Sixty-three dams in 15 states and the District of Columbiawere scheduled for removal in 2002.

Dams have been removed throughout historywhen it made sense to do so in terms of costs or safety,or when the original purpose of the dam had been served. Dams

built to generate power for sawmillsin remote forests, for example,were removed when the harvest-ing operation was over.

What is new in recent years,however, is the consideration of

environmental benefits that can beachieved through selective dam

removals. Communities across thenation are viewing dam removals as ameans of creating healthier rivers and

streams.The removal of a dam can have a

substantial, positive impact for a river orstream. Most significantly, it can restoreaccess to upstream habitat and spawn-ing areas for migratory and resident fish.Improved water quality, increasedspecies diversity, and enhanced

Dam Removals

ecosystem function also can be achieved through a dam removal.Most of the dam removals that have occurred or are under discus-sion in the U.S. involve small dams.

Maine has had several highly successful dam removals – whichhave resulted in significant benefits for Maine’s environment. Theseprojects have been the result of collaborative efforts involvingcitizens; local, state and federal government agencies; and variousorganizations.

Removal of the Smelt Hill Dam on the Presumpscot River inOctober 2002, for example, was called “a resurrection of this river”by Edward Kitchel, chairman of the Falmouth Town Council.

Removal of theseven-foot-highQuaker Neck Dam in1997 in North Caro-lina opened up 1,000miles of upstreamspawning habitat formigratory fish.

This map depicts 586 documenteddam removals in the United States,including 63 slated for removalin 2002.– Source: American Rivers

Above: The Guilford Dam, onthe E. Branch of the SebasticookRiver in Newport, was removedin 2002 as part of an economicdevelopment plan for thecommunity.

Right: Atlantic salmon need tobe able to return to their nativespawning grounds to reproduce.


Recent Dam Removals in MaineColumbia Falls Dam Pleasant River 1990Grist Mill Dam Souadabscook Stream 1998Hampden Dam Souadabscook Stream 1999Souadabscook Falls Dam Souadabscook Stream 1999Archer’s Mill Dam Stetson Stream 1999Edwards Dam Kennebec River 1999Brownville Dam Pleasant River 1999East Machias Dam East Machias River 2000Eastland Woolen Mill Dam E. Branch Sebasticook River 2001Union Gas Dam Messalonskee Stream 2001Guilford Dam Sebasticook River 2002Smelt Hill Dam Presumpscot River 2002Sennebec Dam St. George River 2002

Benefits Galore“Dam removal is often toutedbecause it benefits anadromousfish species, but opening uprivers with impoundments helpsmore than fish. Once floodplainhabitat returns on the sub-merged section of river, avianlife such as warbling vireos,northern parulas, northernorioles, American redstarts,wood thrushes, pileated wood-peckers, woodcock, whip-poor-wills, etc. will flourish. Thisecosystem also attracts graytreefrogs, wood frogs, woodturtles, spring peepers andribbon snakes. The brief list justtouches the top, too. We live inexciting times, and obviously,the news isn’t all bad.”

Ken Allen, Maine Sportsman,August, 2002

— Portland Press Herald, September 28, 2002

With dam removals thepopulation of livingorganisms in thesediment, such as thisdobson fly larva, anindicator of healthystreams, has increaseddramatically.

Left: Removal of thedam has freed upPresumpscot Fallsand other rapids,allowing fish passageto more than sevenmiles of habitat onthe PresumpscotRiver for the firsttime in 268 years.

Right: Smelt HillDam was breach-ed on October 2,2002 at a locationwhere a dam hasstood since 1734.


The environmental benefits from the 1999 removal of the EdwardsDam in Augusta have greatly exceeded initial expectations –resulting in a rebirth of the river and new found connectionsbetween riverside communities and the Kennebec River.

Swimming and fishing along the Kennebec’s westernshores in Fairfield are not what Bob Dionne remembers of hischildhood relationship with one of Maine’s largest rivers. “Igrew up on this river and remember when you wouldn’t putyour big toe in,” Dionne said. Now he owns and operates agrowing business guiding anglers on the river.

In the 1950s, mill waste, raw sewage and log drives hadturned the Kennebec into what many citizens viewed as an opensewer. In Augusta, the Edwards Dam, built in 1837, powered atextile mill, the last of nearly a dozen mills originally poweredby the dam. The millprovided hundreds of areajobs but blocked migratoryfish from being able tomove up the river.

The Kennebec River – Augusta Rediscoversa Natural Resource

Dam Removals: Three Successes


Back to the FutureBefore 1837, from its headwaters atMoosehead Lake to its mouth atMerrymeeting Bay, the Kennebecflowed unimpeded across miles ofrich spawning habitat. The river’sbanks were yet unspotted by mills.Alewives, salmon, American shad,striped bass and sturgeon were insuch abundance that in the early1800s, driftnet fishermen oftencaught thousands of fish in just onenight. Communities looked to theriver as a source of food, water andtransportation.

The removal of the EdwardsDam in 1999 has helped clear theway for the Kennebec to be thiskind of river again.

Breaching of the Edwards Dam on July 2, 1999 wasrecognized with a ceremonial bell ringing, signaling thepassage of one era and the beginning of a new one forthis stretch of the Kennebec River. Thousands of people,including Maine’s Governor and entire congressionaldelegation, participated in this historic event.

Over a century earlier, the Kennebec Riverhad been a different place.When Bob Dionne grew up, people still talked of theold Kennebec – the Kennebec with clean water. In anattempt to improve water quality in the river, environ-mental laws in the 1970s forced an end to the logdrives and untreated waste dumping. By the 1980s,water quality and the conditions of fisheries had

improved, but sea-run fish werestill blocked by dams on all ofMaine’s major rivers, including theKennebec, where the EdwardsDam prevented fish from everreaching the 17 miles of primespawning ground above Augusta.

By the early 1990s, the millthat was once powered by the damhad burned to the ground and

Benefits of Edwards Dam Removal• Water quality has improved and now supports more numerous and diverse

forms of river life.

• Sea-run fish have arrived in Waterville for the first time in more than 160years, including shad, striped bass, sturgeon, alewives, and Atlantic salmon.

• Nearly two million alewives have arrived each spring at the base of Ft. Halifaxdam at the mouth of the Sebasticook River in Winslow.

• The 17-mile stretch of river from Waterville to Augusta has become popularfor sport fishing for shad and striped bass, with landings of striped bassgreater than 50 inches reported.

• The free-flowing river from Waterville to Augusta, with restored rapids, hasbecome a popular canoe and kayak trip.

• Biological life in the river is healthier, with river sediment samples showinghuge increases in the number and diversity of organisms.

• Restoration of the river has benefited species that depend on a healthy river,including osprey, eagles, hawks, and great blue herons.

• The City of Augusta is creating a riverfront redevelopment plan for theformer dam site.

ceased operating. The remaining hydropoweroperation employed only three people andproduced only a small amount of electricity. Forthat small economic benefit, it was blockingpassage of sea-run fish to a large watershed.

With increased national interest in outdoorrecreation, wildlife, natural resources andrestoring fisheries, a growing number of Mainepeople began to see that the economic benefits ofcontinued operation of Edwards Dam were lessthan the environmental and economic benefits of dam removal.Atlantic salmon fisheries and big game fish such as stripers and

“Now that the Edwards Dam has beenremoved, the fishing is unbelievable

from Waterville to Augusta;17 miles of angler heaven!”

– George Smith, Sportsman’s Alliance of MaineKennebec Journal, October 2, 2002

The Kennebec now flowsfreely from Waterville to thesea, creating a new“backyard” natural resourcethat is teeming with life forthe City of Augusta.



sturgeon were stifled because oftheir inability to reach areas wherethey could reproduce. The damblocked the passage of canoes andother boats. Water quality sufferedbecause the dam slowed the flowof the river – reducing oxygenationand natural flushing of silt andpollutants.

Not everyone was in favor ofremoving the dam. Land ownersabove and below the dam fearedthat their property would bedevalued if water levels droppeddrastically. Others were concernedthat a shallower, quicker flowingriver would also expose ugly debrisleft on the river bottom from the lastlog drives.

Despite these concerns, in1997 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC) made a landmark decision not to renew thedam’s license and to order its removal. Following adecade of public meetings, FERC’s decision reflectedtheir belief that the benefits of removing the damoutweighed the benefits of relicensing it.

The dam was breached in July 1999. Just monthslater, striped bass had returned to the Waterville-Winslow section of the river. In January 2000, theriver’s water quality had improved sufficiently to earna higher rating from the Department of EnvironmentalProtection. Scientists found that the number anddiversity of organisms living in the river bottom

upstream from the old dam had increased by several orders ofmagnitude. This change is a strong indicator of improvedecosystem health.

Delaine Nye, AugustaCity Councilwoman“I grew up on a farm about 50miles north of Augusta. Almost 20years ago, I can remember drivingthrough the city on a hot summerday and smelling the putrid odorfrom the river. Down the road, Ithink this will be an incrediblelocation for reinvestment and thatreal estate values are going toincrease. People have been used toturning their backs to the river for solong. I see the removal of the damand the creation of a riverfrontimprovement district as a catalystfor the rehabilitation and restorationof thedowntownand northernend ofAugusta.”

“The fishing is unbelievable...the river was waiting for the right moment.”

– Bob Dionne, Aardvark Outfitters

A year later, Bob Dionne was making regular driftboat tripsdown the river with clients of his fishing outfitter business. “Wethought it would be good for the river, but we thought it would takeat least a couple years,” he said. “The fishing is unbelievable… theriver was waiting for the right moment. In terms of just sheereconomic development, the river’s recovery is going to bringincredible results.”

Why was the Edwards DamRemoval Significant?A First for FERCFERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is thegovernment body responsible for licensing hydroelectricdams. In 1997, FERC decided not to renew the license forthe Edwards Dam because the benefits of removing thisdam outweighed its usefulness. It was the first time theagency had denied a licenserenewal for an operating dam andordered that the dambe removed.

The dam was breached inJuly 1999. Just months later,striped bass had returned to

the Waterville-Winslowsection of the river.

Left: Spring alewife runsprovide bait for lobsterfishing.


In January 2002, town officials from East Machias traveled toWashington, D.C. to receive a presidential award for success-fully removing an abandoned, unsafe former hydroelectricdam on the East Machias river. A letter of congratulations fromPresident Bush commended the project team, which included

civil engineers from the U.S. Air Force Reserve whohelped remove the dam from the river as a trainingexercise.

Built in 1926 and owned by the town since the1960s, the East Machias Dam was an irresistible tempta-tion to youth who often climbed on the structure, posinga potential liability for the town.

“We gated the dam and posted no trespassing signsbut we still had trouble keeping the kids off,” saidSelectman Ken “Bucket” Davis. A lifelong resident ofthe area, Davis saw the dam as a costly liability and anegative impact on the town’s river and its historicfisheries.

Davis remembered years past when the alewivesand sea-run smelt had run thick. Fishermen used thealewives as bait for lobster and to trawl for halibut.Alewives and smelt also provided food for striped bass,relieving pressure on young salmon which stripers alsoconsume.

Although the dam had “fish ladders” that couldhelp certain fish species pass by, it was difficult for fishlike salmon to pass above the site. Waiting in eddiesbelow the dam, the fish were easy prey for predatorsand poachers.

Built of hand-mixed concrete and steel by BangorHydro-Electric Company in 1926, the 230-foot widedam was one of several former dams that had blockedthis section of the river for over 150 years. By the

The East Machias River – Free-flowing and Safer

1990s, it was the only obstruction from the river’s source inPocomoonshine Lake, near the Canadian border, all the way toMachias Bay. When Bangor Hydro was operating the dam as ahydroelectricfacility it was asignificantdeterrent to themigration ofsalmon and otheranadromous fishspecies.

LiabilityIssuesIn the late 1990s,liability issuesprompted thetown to lookseriously into removing the dam. Townspeople overwhelminglysupported an item on the town warrant to raise $5,000 toward adam removal project. With the help of the Atlantic Salmon Federa-tion, the town attracted support from the Coastal America Partner-

“We gated the dam andposted no trespassing signs

but we still had troublekeeping the kids off.”

Selectman Ken “Bucket” Davis

Dam Removals: Three Successes


The dam on the East Machias River had become afinancial liability to the town.

ship, a national initiative created to improve coastal conditions.Through Coastal America, a collaboration of conservation

groups secured help from the military and state and municipalagencies to carry out demolitionand restoration – and save thetown hundreds of thousands ofdollars. In May 2000, a demoli-tion team of Air Force reservistsfrom around the country traveledto East Machias to dismantle thedam as part of a training exercise.Local residents gathered at a smallpark alongside the river in July2000 to commemorate theopening of approximately 300miles of stream habitat.

New possibilitiesFishermen expect to someday see the return of sea-run brook trout,smelt, alewives, striped bass and American shad that once occu-pied the river. Recreationists are excited about new canoeingpossibilities and town officials are discussing what types of trees toplant along the river’s shores to shade the water and keep tempera-tures cool – which is important for the survival of many fishspecies.

“With the dam out, people will be ableto canoe out into the estuary and up to Helen’sRestaurant in Machias for a piece of pie,” saidDwayne Shaw of the Wild Salmon Resource

Center in nearby Columbia Falls.

A team of 12 civilengineers from theAir Force ReserveCommand remov-ed the dam as atraining exercise,through a partner-ship with CoastalAmerica.

Why was the East MachiasDam Removal Significant?Collaboration makes dam removal affordableand limits town liabilitiesThe East Machias Dam was the first dam removal Air Forcereservists had been involved with. The Air Force reservistsparticipated in the project through theInnovative Readiness Training program, a program thatprovides them with trainingwhile leaving somethingof value behind for communi-ties. In this case, the dam’sremoval helped eliminatea potential legal liabilityfor the town.

Excerpt from letter fromPresident Bush which waspresented at the awardsceremony for removal of theEast Machias Dam, 1/22/02.


WHITE HOUSE“Congratulations... Your project brought together

Federal agencies, state and local governments,

and a variety of nonprofit organizations to remove

an obsolete dam, which opened 300 miles of

migration corridors for Atlantic salmon and

anadromous fish. My Administration strongly

supports efforts like this...”

President George W. Bush

Souadabscook Stream – A River RebornDam Removals: Three Successes

“On the Souadabscook, Atlantic salmon wasted no time in showingus just how resilient they are when given a chance by digging egg nests

above the dam site less than three months after the removal.”– John Banks, Director of Natural Resources, Penobscot Indian Nation

Souadabscook Stream, a tributary to the Penobscot River, inHampden, Maine, drains runoff from approximately 160 squaremiles, including abundant cold water streams, bogs, and ponds. Itprovides exceptional cold water spawning and rearing habitat for

migratory fish.In the late 1700s, the Grist Mill Dam was built at

head-of-tide on the Souadabscook to provide mechanicalpower for a mill. The 14-foot high, 75-foot wide dam waslater converted to a hydroelectric facility that was regu-lated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC). The dam was the first obstruction fish met whenmigrating up from the Atlantic Ocean, blocking access tothis exceptional spawning habitat.

By the late 1990s, the dam clearly showed signs of its age. Itwas inactive and had an inoperable fishway. It was in poor condi-tion and in need of repairs more expensive than the dam’s exist-ence justified. The owner petitioned FERC for approval to removethe hydropower dam. The estimated cost of repairing and maintain-ing the dam was $150,000. The cost of removal was $56,000.Through a cooperative effort involving numerous governmentagencies and Facilitators Improving Salmonid Habitat (FISH), thedam was removed in October 1998. Less than three months afterthe Grist Mill Dam was removed, Atlantic salmon from thePenobscot River returned to the Souadabscook Stream for the firsttime in over 200 years.

Restoration of the RiverThe removal of the Grist Mill Dam benefited migratory fish such asAtlantic salmon, sea-run brook trout, American shad, smelt, stripedbass, alewife and thewildlife that depend onthem. Alewives havereturned in recordnumbers, while residentbrook trout also benefitfrom lower watertemperature, enhancedfood availability, andimproved flow condi-

Then U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbittmeets with John Banks, Director of Natural Re-sources, Penobscot Indian Nation, on the banksof the Souadabscook Stream.

Above: The fishway for the GristMill Dam on the SouadabscookStream no longer functioned.

Right: After removal, upstreamfish passage was assured for thefirst time in 200 years.


tions and habitat. Other wildlifebenefit, too, including baldeagles, osprey, herons, and riverotters.

Towns along theSouadabscook may find ways totake advantage of the newwildlife resource. Trout, Ameri-can eel and smelt all areeconomically valuable species.Canoeists and kayakers frequentthe Souadabscook. Many peoplefeel that the Town of Hampdenjust plain looks better since thedam was removed.

Saving money is a clearbenefit not only to the dam’sowners, but also to its neighbors.The risk of flooding to nearby

properties has been reduced. The dam was considered a seriouspublic hazard due to the precarious position of the impoundment,which abutted US Route 1A. The Maine Department of Transporta-tion reported that the dam caused significant damage and repaircosts along US Route 1A and the bridge over the dam. Removingthe dam will reduce the cost to taxpayers of road repairs.

Penobscot tribal elder Arnie Neptune,conducted a ceremonial “smudging” ofthe Grist Mill Dam before its removal.

Why was the Souadabscook DamRemoval Significant?Spawning habitat returns

Removal of this dam demonstrated how rapidly Atlanticsalmon, alewives, sea-run brook trout and other anadromousfish will respond to the availability of new spawning habitat.If given the chance, these persistent fish will quickly returnto river segments that have been blocked by a dam – even ifthat dam was there for hundreds of years.

“The dam under Route 1A in Hampden hadno fish passage and generated a tiny amount of

power. Faced with the need to upgrade thedam or remove it, the owner chose removal, and

the results for the Souadabscook havebeen spectacular.”

– Bill Townsend, Board Member, FISH


15

05

101520253035404550

0-1 MW 1-5 MW 5-10 MW 10-20 MW 20-100 MW

Generating Capacity Per Dam

Num

ber

of D

ams

8

16

26

46

Hydroelectric Power in Maine

Of the 750 dams in Maine greater than two feet high, 111 produceelectricity. Virtually all of these dams were built prior to theexistence of environmental laws. Thus, there was little consider-ation at the time of construction of their impact on rivers andfisheries. The overwhelming majority of dams in Maine do notproduce power. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,only three percent of the dams nationwide produce electricity.

The electrical power system in New England has changeddramatically in recent years. Electricity generated in Maine goesinto a region-wide electrical grid involving more than 500 generat-ing facilities and 8,000 miles of transmission line, servicing 6.5million customers in a six state region.

The relative importance of hydropower dams also haschanged enormously over the past 100 years. Althoughdams once were a leading form of electrical power


Power Capacity of Maine Dams

The electricity gener-ated by just two ofthe natural gas powerplants built in Maineduring the past fewyears is more thanthe total productionof all of the operatinghydroelectric damsbuilt in Maine overthe past 200 years. Above: Wyman Dam on

the Kennebec River isthe second largesthydropower facility inthe state, with agenerating capacity of72 megawatts (MW).

Left: Mattaceunk Dam,on the Penobscot River,has installed capacity of19.2 MW.

generation in America, dams currently provide only about 10% ofthe nation’s electricity and about 6% of the electricity within NewEngland.

Coal, oil, nuclear, and natural gas plants now dwarf dams interms of the amount of electricity generated in New England. As anexample, the electricity generated by just two of the natural gaspower plants built in Maine during the past few years exceeds thetotal production of all of the operating hydroelectric damsbuilt in Maine over the past 200 years.

76% of Maine’s hydropower comes fromthe State’s 24 largest dams. Most dams inthe state have less than 10 MW capacity.

Dam OperatingLicensesMost hydropower dams inMaine have been licensed tooperate by the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission. Theselicenses provide authority togenerate power through the useof a public resource – a river –generally for 20-50 years. Manyof the original licenses grantedto dams across America haveexpired in recent years. Therelicensing process allowsfederal and state agencies,conservation organizations, thepublic, and other interestedparties to review the environ-mental impacts of dams andpropose ways to mitigate thoseimpacts as conditions of a newlicense. In the case of theEdwards Dam, FERC decidedthat the most appropriatemitigation was dam removal.

Most of Maine’s operating hydroelectric dams are smallfacilities; 78% of Maine’s hydroelectric dams have a generatingcapacity of less than 10 MW. By comparison, the Calpine naturalgas plant in Westbrook has a capacity of 525 MW. Several smallhydropower dams in Maine have become uneconomic to operatein recent years and have been shut down.

Although hydropower is not the dominant formof electricity it once was, it remains a significantform of electricity nonetheless. Unlike coal, oil ornatural gas, hydropower dams do not produce otherforms of air pollution or nuclear, toxic, or hazardouswastes. Hydropower dams and non-generating damsdo, however, have other significant environmentalimpacts, as discussed elsewhere (see pages 8-9).

Because hydropower remains a significant formof power, major efforts have been made in recentyears to reduce the environmental impacts ofexisting dams so that they can continue to produceelectricity. These efforts include the installation offish passage systems, modifications in water flow,fish stocking programs, and habitat protectionagreements. For hydropowerdams licensed by the FederalEnergy Regulatory Commission,these changes generally havebeen made within the contextof the relicensing process(see sidebar).


Above: Milford Dam, locatedbetween Milford and Old Town onthe Penobscot River, has 6.4MW ofinstalled capacity, generating enoughelectricity for approximately 5,000households. For reference, Maine hasan estimated 518,200 households,according to the 2000 Census.

Left: Calpine’s natural gas-firedWestbrook Energy Center hasinstalled capacity of 525 MW.

Efforts to reduce the environmental impacts,of hydropower dams include the installation offish passage systems, modifications in water

flow, fish stocking programs, and habitatprotection agreements.

Fish Passage

The removal of a dam is the most effective means of restoring ariver or stream and providing for the passage of sea-run fish toupstream spawning grounds. Dam removal is not, however, a viableoption for all dams, due to energy generation considerations,

existing land uses, and other issues. As such, fishpassage systems have been developed to assistfish in getting around dams which are expectedto remain in place or operational for theforeseeable future. Some approaches workreasonably well for some species of fish, whileothers have proven to be failures. Different typesof fish passage include:

Fish Ladders consist of a series of graduallyinclining steps with resting pools located atregular intervals. Usually located off to oneside of a dam, fish must physically jumpfrom one tier to the next. The laddersusually are effective only for strong swim-ming fish like salmon and trout, and not forother species. Fish may be damaged duringthe process. If insufficient water flow exists,then fish will not be attracted to the ladder.

If too much flow runsthrough the ladder, thenfish are deterred fromusing it.

Denil Fishway (pro-nounced den–neel)is a type of fishladder designedwith a series ofsloped channels.


Water flows through a chute, with baffles inserted at an up-streamangle providing resting areas for fish as they swim into thecurrent.

Fish Lifts are like an elevator for fish. Fish swim into a chamber at thebase of the dam, guided by currents, and the chambers aremechanically lifted up and over the dam, depositing fish on theother side. Advanced fish lifts are among the most successfulcurrent means for allowing fish passage, yet have not proven towork for all species.

Trap and Truck approaches involve capturing fish in a tank, usuallywith the assistance of a pump, and transporting the fish invehicles to release sites above the dam. This method works bestfor fish that are easily trapped, such as alewives that oftencongregate below a dam. A fish pump works only for selectspecies and can cause damage to the fish. Federal and tribalfisheries agenciesconsider trap andtruck only as a tem-porary measure.

Some fish passagesystems cause injuriesor stress that can makethe fish more vulnerableto predators. Over-crowding within fishpassage systems canincrease the incidenceof disease. Some fishways fail to create an effective “attractionflow” to guide fish to the entrance. Others fail because they werenot designed to pass large fish or bottom dwelling species or fishthat do not congregate in schools. Fish mortality can increase dueto the cumulative impacts of multiple passages. Downstream

Above: Alewives arestopped by the FortHalifax Dam inWinslow.

Right: Fish ladder onthe AndroscogginRiver in Brunswick.Recent studies showit has not passedAmerican shad.

Fish pump at Ft. Halifax Dam on the Sebasticook River.

passage must also be provided toallow fish and their progeny toreturn to the ocean.

Research continues aroundthe world to collect data on fishpassage systems to evaluate theirsuccess in passing viable numbersof specific species, and to helpdetermine options for improvingfish passage. For a fish passagesystem to succeed, it must takeinto account the behavior of thetarget fish species, includingswimming capabilities; the watervelocity needed throughout the

fishway, without inducing spawning partway up the system; and thespecific dynamics of the river. Large dams on large rivers may requiremultiple fish passage systems. Conservation organizations, damowners, and state and federal agencies have reached agreement onfish passage provisions for several dams in Maine, such as the HarrisDam on the Kennebec River.

The costs of installing effective fish passage can be prohibitivefor some dams, particularly small dams. If river and fisheries restora-tion objectives are more important in such cases than the valuesassociated with other existing uses of the dam (e.g. power genera-tion, land uses), then dam removal may become the preferred optionfor the dam owner and interested parties.

Dam Removal ControversiesAlthough most of the dam removals that have taken place in Maine and acrossthe nation have occurred without public controversy, some proposed damremovals have been contentious – with divergent perspectives expressed aboutthe best current and future uses and values for a given segment of a river orstream. Just as the proposed construction ofa dam can be very controversial, so, too,can a proposed removal of a dam. Bothactions change the river, and how it will beused by humans, fish, and wildlife.

Construction of a dam introducesmajor changes, sometimes flooding a largearea, creating a lake-like impoundment, andaltering the ecosystem and water quality.With the changed system come ecologicaland human adaptations – land use develop-ments, recreational uses, and ecological conditions that favor some species andnot others. The proposed removal of a dam may be greeted with opposition bylandowners who prefer the existing waterway conditions to a free-flowing river,by anglers who prefer existing fishing conditions to what might exist afterremoval of the dam, or by communities that are attached to the aesthetic,historic, cultural, or economic (e.g. property tax payments) values of the dam.

Existing state and federal policies provide significant opportunities for thepublic to comment on a proposed dam removal. For any dam that generateselectricity, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a public hearingin order to gather broad input from the public, state agencies, and otherinterested parties before approving a dam removal.

Interestingly, some opponents of particular dam removals have changedtheir views with the passage of time. This has been true with the Edwards Damon the Kennebec, removed in 1999. As George Viles, a resident of Sidney said inNovember 2002: “We had enjoyed the impoundment we lived on. The plannedremoval of the Edwards Dam started out as an offense to us. But a varied andvibrant river has emerged that’s far more interesting than the impoundment. Itdraws life to it. It’s attractive, the water is clear. It’s great.”

Ft. Halifax Dam


Fish lift on the Saco River

“No matter how good your engineering is,if the fish don’t like, it doesn’t work.”

– FPL Energy President Ron GreenJournal Tribune, June 7, 2002

Celebrating Maine’s Rivers

Maine’s rivers have always been a cherishedresource – whether for transportation, watersupply, power generation, recreation, or naturalbeauty. Over the past 30 years, however, theyhave taken on a new importance as water

quality has improved with the passage ofthe Clean Water Act in 1972, the final logdrives in 1976, and extensive investmentsby paper mills and municipalities in wastewater treatment.

Towns throughout Maine are discovering the importanceof rivers as a central part of their quality of life. Many townsare investing in the redevelopment of riverfront properties in away that would never have happened 40 years ago, when thestench of some heavily polluted Maine rivers kept people awayand real estate values low.

Evidence that we have entered a new era for Maine’srivers can be found throughout the state. A recent magazinearticle heralded the waterfront of Waterville. A bicycle pathalong the Androscoggin River in Brunswick is in almostconstant use. A river festival in Bucksport draws hundreds ofpeople to the banks of the Penobscot each year. New busi-nesses are locating along the Presumpscot since the paper millin Westbrook stopped its pulping operations. A growingnumber of annual river festivals are further testament to thechanging attitudes of Maine people toward our rivers.

The removal of dams has been a small, yet in some casessignificant, factor in the larger context of river restoration inMaine. For some towns, dam removals have created eco-nomic, recreation, and quality of life enhancements that didn’texist before.

For the Town of Newport, for example, removal of theGuilford Dam on Main Street in July 2002 was one of the first stepstoward an intensive renovation and rebuilding of the downtown

Dam removal first step torenovating Newport“Construction Divers of Westbrook,an underwater construction anddemolition firm, will begin work nextTuesday on the removal of the MainStreet dam in Newport.

Removal of the dam is one of thefirst steps towards an intensiverenovation and rebuilding ofNewport’s downtown area. Thetown is also building a new libraryand historical society just steps fromthe river, while planning a RiverWalk, gardens and parks along theriverbank itself. There has also beenan attempt, not yet finalized, toacquire the century-old Grangebuilding, also on Main Street.”

Bangor Daily News, July 4, 2002

area. A new library, historical society, River Walk, gardens, andpark are planned along the riverbank in an effort to make the towna destination for tourists.

With the removal of Edwards Dam, many new opportunitieshave emerged to celebrate the Kennebec River. Scores of anglers


Above: The 2001Maine Rivers Confer-ence visited thePenobscot River.

Right: The Androscog-gin River Bike Path inBrunswick has becomea favorite outing forwalkers, runners, bird-watchers and families.

The Kennebec RiverTrail opened in 2001.

— Morning Sentinal, August 1, 2002

Maine River Events(PARTIAL LIST)

Augusta – Ft. Western Whatever Paddle

Androscoggin River – Source to the Sea Trek

Bangor – Bangor Harbor Day, KenduskeagCanoe Race

Belfast – Passagassawakeag Canoe Race

Bethel – Androscoggin Watershed Fish Festival

Bingham – Kayak-A-Thon (Kennebec River)

Brunswick – Androscoggin Hand PoweredRegatta

Bucksport – Penobscot River Festival

Calais – St. Croix Kayak and Canoe Sail

East Machias – Annual River Day Festival

Fort Kent – Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Freeport – Paddle for Hospice Kayak-a-Thon(Harraseeket River)

Greenville Junction – Moosemainea RowingRegatta

Hampden – Souadabscook Canoe Race

Kenduskeag – Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Lincoln – River Drivers’ Supper

Old Town – Riverfest on the Penobscot

Rockwood – Moose River Canoe andKayak Race

Searsmont – St. George River Canoe Race

Skowhegan – Log Days

Waterville – Voices of the Kennebec Festival

Yarmouth – Royal River Canoe & Kayak Race

now travel to the Winslow-Waterville area to catchstriped bass, keeping river guides in the area veryactive. Additionally, an annual “water pilgrimage” wasstarted on the river following removal of the dam, with

hundreds of kayaks and canoes paddling from the PublicBoat Landing in Waterville to Old Fort Western inAugusta – recreating the trip between two outpostsof early settlers.

As rivers in Maine are restored, they areattracting Maine people, tourists, and fish andwildlife in significant numbers. This is a cause for

celebration.

— Maine Sunday Telegram, July 2, 2000

— Bangor Daily News, August 5, 1999

— Portland Press Herald, July 6, 1999

— Bangor Daily News, July 2, 1999

— Bangor Daily News, July 4, 2002

The Passagassawakeag Canoe Race in Belfastis fun for paddlers of all ages.

— Bangor Daily News, September 15, 1997

Left: The Georges RiverCanoe Race attractshundreds of paddlerseach spring.


— Sun Journal,

July 11, 2001

Maine’s rivers serve a broad range of functions. Theyprovide critical habitat for thousands of species ofinsects, fish, birds, water plants, and mammals. Theyserve as spawning grounds for Atlantic salmon, stur-

geon, shad and other sea run fish. Theycarry fresh water to the ocean. Theygenerate electricity through hydro-power dams. They offer recreationopportunities for anglers, paddlers, andhikers. They also add immeasurably toour quality of life.

For much of the last century, theuse of our rivers has been out ofbalance. Industrial activities includingpower generation, waste disposal, and log drivesseemed like the best way to support and enable agrowing economy. But these uses crowded out, orcompletely ruined, other values and functions ofour rivers. The damage caused by these activitieshas become increasingly recognized, and hasstimulated legislation, investments, and changes ofbehavior that collectively have helped createhealthier rivers in Maine.

Maine’s aging dam infrastructure, combinedwith a growing appreciation of the ecologicalimpacts of dams, has led to a series of dam remov-

als which have restored important functions to many stretches ofMaine’s rivers and streams. These dam removals have involvedsmall dams, by-and-large, where the cost, safety, and fish migrationissues have clearly weighed in support of the decision to removethe dam.

Dams willcontinue to pro-vide an impor-tant source ofelectricity inMaine. They willcontinue tocreate lakes andponds that arevalued by individual landowners, communities, and tourists. Theywill also create ponds used as municipal and agricultural watersupplies, sources of water for fire protection, and structures thathelp guard against flooding.

As we enter the 21st Century, the many different and at timescompeting functions of Maine’s rivers and its dams are beingweighed in a new way in order to strike an appropriate balance forMaine people and our environment. In some cases, fish passage

Toward a New Balance for Maine’s Rivers


systems are being required at dams where no effective fish passagehas previously existed. In other cases, dams are being repaired ortheir hydropower capacity isbeing increased. Elsewhere,dams are being removed.

Each dam in Maine hasits own unique set of circum-stances, and the fate of eachdam must be examined on acase-by-case basis. With theinvolvement of Maine peopleand communities, a newbalance of values can andwill be achieved for Maine’srivers that will serve ourneeds and interests, and those of theflora and fauna that depend on healthyrivers, well into the future.

Maine’s aging dam infrastructure, combined with a growingappreciation of the ecological impacts of dams, has led to a series

of dam removals which have restored important functions tomany stretches of Maine’s rivers and streams.


Resources


OrganizationsAmerican Rivers

1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Ste. 720Washington, D.C. 20005202-347-7550 www.amrivers.org

Atlantic Salmon FederationFort Andross, Suite 30814 Maine StreetBrunswick, ME 04011207-725-2833www.asf.ca

Coastal America300 7th Street, SW Suite 680Washington, DC 20024202-401-9821www.coastalamerica.gov

Department of Environmental Protection17 State House StationAugusta, ME 04333-0017207-287-7688www.state.me.us/dep

Friends of the PresumpscotP.O. Box 223 S. Windham, ME 04082www.presumpscotriver.org

Maine Rivers3 Wade StreetAugusta, ME 04330www.mainerivers.org

Natural Resources Conservation Service967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 3Bangor, ME 04401207-990-9100, Ext. 3www.me.nrcs.usda.gov/

Natural Resources Council of Maine3 Wade StreetAugusta, ME 04330800-287-2345www.maineenvironment.org

Trout Unlimited1500 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 310Arlington, VA 22209-2404800-834-2419www.tu.org

Dam Removal: A Citizen’s Guide to RestoringRivers A Joint Project of River Alliance ofWisconsin and Trout Unlimited; 2000 –www.wisconsinrivers.org and www.tu.org

Dam Removal: Science and Decisionmaking,The H. John Heinz III Center for Science,Economics and the Environment; 2002;220 p. – www.heinzctr.org

Dam Removal Success Stories; AmericanRivers, Friends of the Earth, and TroutUnlimited – www.americanrivers.org/damremovaltoolkits/default.htm

Dam Removal: A New Option for a NewCentury, The Aspen Institute; 2002; 68 p.www.aspeninst.org/damremovaloption

A River Reborn: Benefits for People andWildlife of the Kennebec River FollowingRemoval of Edwards Dam; NaturalResources Council of Maine; 1999; 12 [email protected]

National Inventory of Dams; U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers and Federal EmergencyManagement Agency – http:/crunch.tec.army.mil/nid/webpages/nid.cfm

Taking a Second Look: Communities and DamRemoval; Video released jointly by theNational Park Service, Trout Unlimited,American Rivers, Natural ResourcesCouncil of Maine, River Alliance of Wis-consin, and Atlantic Salmon Federation.Copies available from the Natural ResourcesCouncil of Maine – [email protected]

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