by Susan Sharon MPBN news story In a scene repeated from the Penobscot River last year, when the Great Works Dam was demolished, the historic removal of another large dam began, in sections, today. This time it was the 830-foot-long Veazie Dam at head of tide in Eddington: first, a small trickle of water as Read More
Penobscot River
Construction Workers Begin Veazie Dam Removal
by Caitlin Burchill WABI-TV news story Eddington – For more than a decade, the Penobscot Indian Nation, along with conservation groups, hydropower companies and state and federal agencies have worked together to come up with a plan to restore sea-run fisheries while maintaining hydropower. Monday was a huge step as crews began to breach the Read More
Crossing the Piscataqua
I’d love to believe that many years from now, my grandchildren will be able to catch brook trout in the same lovely little Maine pools where my father taught me to fish. Those native fish reply so reliably to our visits each spring that it has taken me a long time to realize that I shouldn’t Read More
Veazie Dam Removal Project Gets $1 Million Boost
by Dawn Gagnon, BDN staff Bangor Daily News news story VEAZIE, Maine — The organization behind a key conservation project on the Penobscot River has been awarded a major grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, members of the state’s congressional delegation announced last week. The Penobscot River Restoration Trust will receive a $1 Read More
A Climb Worth the Effort
On June 28th, I climbed Maine’s great Mount Katahdin, in Baxter State Park, with colleagues from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I’ve wanted to do it ever since I settled in Maine 33 years ago, so this was a big occasion for me. Katahdin is a mile high at the summit, and to get there one Read More
Decommissioning Dams: The Penobscot’s Song
A river is brought to life again The Economist news story Here’s to eco-tourism. The Penobscot river takes its name from the Penobscot nation, the American-Indian tribe whose ancestral lands lie along its banks. It is the largest river in Maine and the second-largest in New England. For thousands of years the tribe lived along, Read More
A Huge Win for the Whole Team
The day of the Great Works Dam removal celebration dawned sparkling clear. For me it started early at the Veazie Salmon Club, and had a few moments by the Penobscot River before everyone arrived. The power of the river was palpable, especially after all the rain we’ve had. It coursed over the Veazie Dam, and I Read More
Dam Removal to Help Restore Spawning Grounds
by Murray Carpenter New York Times news story BRADLEY, Me. — Under a bright sky here, a convoy of heavy equipment rolled onto the bed of the Penobscot River on Monday to smash the Great Works Dam, a barrier that has blocked the river for nearly two centuries. Before the destruction began, a tribal elder Read More
Saving a River, and Its Species
New York Times editorial On Monday morning, wrecking crews began demolishing the 1,000-foot-long Great Works Dam in Bradley, Me., the first step in a multiyear effort to restore ancient fish runs on the Penobscot River. This is a very welcome development for the environment and a tribute to the willing collaboration of many players, public Read More