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Edwards Dam and Kennebec Restoration

For more than a decade, NRCM and the Kennebec Coalition worked to open up the Kennebec River to sea-run fish past the Edwards Dam in Augusta. In a precedent-setting action, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decided that the ecological value of a free-flowing river was greater than the economic value of a dam. The Edwards Dam was removed on July 1, 1999.

Today, millions of alewives swim from the Atlantic Ocean up the Kennebec every spring in what is perhaps the largest alewife run on the eastern seaboard.

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alewives swimming in Sebasticook River
June 7, 2024 | NRCM

Alewives Abound at Benton Falls

At the end of May we were lucky enough to join our colleagues on a field trip to the Benton Falls Dam on the Sebasticook…
Pete talking at podium
October 5, 2022 | Pete Didisheim, Senior Director of Advocacy

Celebrating Maine’s Clean Water Champions

Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act Remarks by Pete Didisheim, NRCM Interim CEO, at a Clean Water Act event on September 29th…
aerial view of Lockwood Dam in Waterville
July 14, 2022 | Emmie Theberge, Senior Director of Outreach and Campaigns

The Path to Restoring Maine’s Kennebec River 

Today, the future of the Kennebec River is at a turning point. Maine can continue the highly successful restoration of the river that has taken…
Allagash Wilderness Waterway
February 17, 2022 | Pete Didisheim, Senior Director of Advocacy

50 Years of the Clean Water Act 

Progress Made but Challenges Remain Clean water is central to Maine’s identity and vital for the future of our economy and way of life. We…
Kids fishing on the Kennebec River
July 1, 2014 | NRCM

A Kennebec for the Generations

Fifteen years ago, the efforts of the passionate souls at the Natural Resources Council of Maine resulted in the removal of the Edwards Dam in…
September 26, 2013 | NRCM

Reclaiming Rivers

By Henry Heyburn Jr., former NRCM board member In July of 1999, I attended the breaching of the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River. There…
view of ocean from top of trail
May 23, 2013 | NRCM

Alewife Observations

Guest blog post by NRCM member David Wilkins Editor’s Note: In October 2011, NRCM member and alewife activist David Wilkins wrote a blog post about…
holiday gift
December 18, 2012 | Allison Wells

“Locally Written” Gift Ideas

If you’re like me, you still have plenty of holiday shopping to do. After all, there’s nearly a full week to go before the Great…
Machines begin to breach Great Works Dam
June 1, 2012 | Beth Comeau

It’s About “Dam” Time

I have worked at NRCM for more than 16 years. During that time I have seen a lot of amazing progress made by NRCM and…