Augusta, ME – A coalition of conservation and fishing groups is hailing an agreement between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Canadian power company Brookfield Renewable that sets the stage for the decommissioning and removal of four dams that are barriers to fish passage on the lower Kennebec River in Maine.
Removing the Lockwood, Hydro-Kennebec, Shawmut, and Weston Dams is not only essential for recovery of endangered Atlantic salmon, but for several other sea-run fish that are cornerstone species for the Gulf of Maine. It will also have many other positive ripple effects across the region, including unlocking countless new outdoor recreation opportunities.
The announcement of the agreement is an important step forward, but there will be a long journey ahead to remove the dams in order to restore the river’s ecological health and strengthen the region’s economic vitality.
The Kennebec Coalition, comprised of the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Maine Rivers, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Trout Unlimited, and Trout Unlimited’s Kennebec Valley Chapter, has long partnered with the Penobscot Nation, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, and Conservation Law Foundation to advocate for a collaborative solution that leads to a healthier Kennebec.
“We’re entering an exciting new chapter for a stretch of the Kennebec that has been inaccessible to sea-run fish for more than a century,” said Luke Frankel, Staff Scientist and Woods, Waters, & Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “Previous experience on the Kennebec and Penobscot proves that removing dams sparks a remarkable recovery of fish, wildlife, and new outdoor recreational activities. We’re looking forward to working with TNC and other partners to unlock the enormous opportunities that a further restored Kennebec River can deliver.”
“The Atlantic Salmon Federation commends this milestone agreement between TNC and Brookfield as a major step forward for Atlantic salmon conservation,” said Jeff Reardon, Habitat Restoration Project Manager at the Atlantic Salmon Federation. “Fully restoring and reconnecting the Sandy River with the Gulf of Maine is essential to ensure that healthy wild Atlantic salmon populations will thrive in this river for generations to come. This restoration will benefit more than just salmon and other sea-run fish. It will result in long-lasting economic, social, and ecological benefits for the people and communities of the Kennebec Valley and beyond.”
“Mainers deserve a thriving, healthy Kennebec River, and this agreement marks an important step in a long journey toward its restoration,” said Sean Mahoney, Conservation Law Foundation Vice President for Maine. “Letting the river run free can help bring back millions of sea-run fish, preserve our valuable state fisheries, and improve the health of the Gulf of Maine. Restoring the Kennebec will take time and close collaboration with communities and partners, but the benefits for both our environment and our economy are undeniable.”
“We are enthusiastic about the potential for new partnerships to support communities along the Kennebec and revitalize the waterway,” said Landis Hudson, Executive Director of Maine Rivers. “It’s a magnificent and ecologically powerful river, deeply connected to so much of Maine’s history. We are very hopeful about a new vision for its future.”
“When I was a student at Colby College in Waterville in the 1960s, the Kennebec was an open sewer. Fumes from the river literally peeled the paint off buildings along the river,” said Steve Brooke, a retired Senior Planner from the Maine State Planning Office and a Trout Unlimited member. “The river’s restoration began with the Clean Water Act of 1972 and continued with the removal of the head of tide Edwards Dam in Augusta in 1999. Since then, the Kennebec has come alive with sea-run fish that literally feed the larger ecosystem that includes the Gulf of Maine. This agreement can expand this rebirth upstream into the Sandy River, which means a healthier river to feed Maine’s economy. This is literally a dream come true.”
For more information, visit www.nature.org/kennebec
About Maine’s Kennebec River:
The Kennebec was once one of the nation’s greatest Atlantic salmon rivers, but runs that once reached up to 200,000 fish annually have been nearly wiped out. Currently, the few dozen salmon that return to the Kennebec annually are trapped at the lowermost dam and trucked in tanks to spawning habitat in the Sandy River. While efforts to keep the salmon run going have been heroic, they were never going to be a permanent solution.
The lower Kennebec surged back to life after the removal of the Edwards and Fort Halifax Dams in 1999 and 2008, bringing back millions of sea-run fish, such as shad, sturgeon, and river herring while restoring other wildlife species including Bald Eagles and contributing to the revitalization of Augusta’s downtown. More than a decade ago, major dams were removed from the Penobscot River, which has helped to restore salmon and other sea-run fish as well as return a healthier river to the Wabanaki people.
The Kennebec Coalition, comprised of the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Maine Rivers, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Trout Unlimited, and
Trout Unlimited’ s Kennebec Valley Chapter, is working to restore Maine’s Kennebec River in partnership with the Conservation Law Foundation.
