New York Times editorial Ten years have gone by since a modest but important moment in American environmental history: the dismantling of the 917-foot-wide Edwards Dam on Maine’s Kennebec River. The Edwards Dam was the first privately owned hydroelectric dam torn down for environmental reasons (and against the owner’s wishes) by the Federal Energy Regulatory Read More
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Kennebec River Reborn 10 Years After Dam Removal
People and wildlife have benefited from river’s recovery NRCM news release Augusta, ME – State, federal and local officials and conservation leaders gathered on the bank of the Kennebec River today to celebrate one of our nation’s most significant and successful river restoration projects. Ten years ago, the 160-year-old Edwards Dam was removed to restore Read More
Ten Years After Dam Removal Kennebec River Fish are Jumping Back
by Susan Sharon Maine Public Radio news story For centuries, dams that harnessed water power fueled factories around the Northeast. But the walled barriers prevented migrating fish from reaching their native spawning grounds. Water quality and entire ecosystems changed. Think about a dam on a river you know. Imagine what would happen if that structure Read More
Fort Halifax Dam Removed to Open Fish Passage in Sebasticook
On July 17, 2008, after more than 5 years of legal battles, FPL Energy Maine Hydro breached the Fort Halifax Dam in Winslow. Finally, this section of the river will flow freely again and native sea-run fish – striped bass, salmon, sturgeon, and shad – will be able to return to waters they have not seen Read More
News & Noteworthy—July – September 2024
Each month, we highlight news stories and opinion pieces related to the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s work to protect Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife. September 2024 Our work to reunite the Kennebec River to protect the endangered Atlantic salmon is the feature of this Times Record story. Learn about the rebirth of the Read More
September 17, 2024: Paddle the Kennebec River with NRCM!
Kennebec Paddle with NRCM! Tuesday, September 17, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. NRCM staff led an 8-mile paddle on the Kennebec River from Sidney to Augusta. There was a Registered Maine Guide, Richard Behr, accompanying us on this paddling trip, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Edwards Dam removal. On this trip guests learned more about Read More
News & Noteworthy—April – June 2024
Each month, we highlight news stories and opinion pieces related to the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s work to protect Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife. June 2024 The Bangor Daily News wrote an in-depth story about the four dams on the Kennebec River from Waterville to Skowhegan that are blocking spawning grounds for the endangered Read More
Draft EIS for Kennebec River Fails to Meet the Moment
The Kennebec River experienced a dramatic resurgence in sea-run fish populations, water quality, and wildlife with the removal of the Edwards Dam in 1999. The restored river has also helped revitalize riverfront communities. We need to continue this success by restoring access for sea-run fish to the Kennebec above Waterville. Right now, the Federal Energy Read More
Mysterious Murmurations
The mild temps on Saturday, December 16, had us wondering: is this really the Christmas Bird Count time of year? (It felt a little like Breeding Bird Atlas time!) But indeed, there we were, traipsing through the streets of our Gardiner neighborhood and beyond, binoculars around our necks, as part of the Augusta area Christmas Read More
