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
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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
Conservation Groups Applaud Historic Agreement on the Kennebec
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, 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
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
100 Clean Water Champions
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act and the many people involved in this work, NRCM recognized Maine’s “Clean Water Champions” who have been leaders in river, lake, coastal water, and drinking water clean-up. To find these Champions, we asked people from all over the state to nominate champions in one of four categories: Read More
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 place over the past 20 years and help save Atlantic salmon from becoming extinct. We can improve the health of the river and enhance communities along the Kennebec. Doing so, however, will Read More
