‘Take It Down and They’ll Return’: The Stunning Revival of the Penobscot River

[Anomaly]

"When you dam a river, it’s like flooding a house. Water pools and settles, as does sediment, and what you get is a warm, still environment, nothing like the lively, textured existence of a flowing river. But when you remove a dam, the river’s rebound is robust and swift. In 2018, just six years after the removal of the first dam, more than two million river herring (which includes alewives) were counted passing through a local fish lift in addition to 772 salmon. “When we do on-the-ground restoration actions with these fish, they respond immediately,” says Payne Wynne. “It’s fascinating. And it’s unique in the restoration world, because in other spheres of restoration, it can take decades to see any real response to the actual, immediate restoration activity.” https://reasonstobecheerful.world/dam-removal-project-maine-penobscot-river-success/?fbclid=IwAR29cvq3PBNx-8XkNdmlBiRviK4Y3Dx1i1QrWLvlU2v8-_6i6yOOLkXIqIw

[Jack978]

I can vouch for the Alewife being abundant.  There are literally thousands of them, and Stripers are chasing them. Not like the 1800s but its way better than the 1960s or 1970s.

[Kevin in maine]

Who cares what it costs the rest of us long as people feel like they did a good thing.

[Anomaly]

Who cares what it costs the rest of us long as people feel like they did a good thing.

What cost? It'a about BIG stuff, not short term gain or to satisfy your ideology of the day but a gain in real investment for Our future and the future of this and other watersheds...   It is a benefit across the board for everyone including depleted fisheries, adding to and enhancing species diversity and the health of an entire watershed and ecosystem! More of this is going on, Thankfully, including bridging back some salmon populations, (not withstanding warming waters and low spawning success in drought conditions) and species on the west cost many depend on for livelihood as well as sustenance!!! Same here! with all the species the live and have lived there!!! It's a BIG good thing!!!

[Moosekill]

Cost, hmm.  Well to start it does away with basically completely free electricity, so that has to be replaced with, right now, fossil fuels, large swaths of land being turned into solar fields, or windmills on mountain tops, along with the power lines through the woods to get the power connected to the lines.  Once we go back to nuclear, that won't be an issue, but until, it is.  Secondly, many have concerns with the alewives damaging salmon reproduction, and introducing other fish that haven't been in the lakes since the 1800's.  West Grand is one of the lakes people are very concernecd about, and the possible decimation of both the salmon and whitefish in the lake.

[Splattypus]

Sorry to chime in from outside the region, as I'm not familiar with the watershed in question and the particular pieces of infrastructure in question, but it's my understanding that most of these restoration projects involve dismantling derelict dams  that are no longer used in producing electricity, milling lumber or grain products, or diverting water for agricultural irrigation. At least, that's been the case in areas I am familiar with.

Is that also the case here?  Projects like this are always hard, and I would hope are carefully studied by people with more knowledge and information to help them make these decisions. If it is an active hydroelectric dam, presumably much of the transmission lines can still be used during the transfer to solar or wind power.

And I'm sure there is at least some economic benefit in regards to the outdoor sporting market. Camping, fishing, mountains biking and hiking, perhaps even skiing and other winter sports; while these may not be huge money makers at the offset, the revenue of these industries do get spread around pretty well in the communities- hospitality, sporting goods stores, restaurants, jobs related to the immediate demolition and rebuilding of infrastructure related to the restoration project.

I don't know any of these things, but these are all things certainly considered from stage one of the proposal, as are any hardships crested by a change in utilities and costs to the residents.

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but so far my experience has been that the organizations spearheading these projects do their due diligence, because it's hard to get that many government agencies to sign off on something that is otherwise just a feel good story for hippies. Political leanings aside, the economic implications are the real factors of any decisions made on this kind of scale.

[Anomaly]

I didn't realize they owned the dams! Nice!!!

"Improved Access to 2,000 Miles of the Penobscot

The Trust removed the Great Works Dam in 2012 and the Veazie Dam in 2013 to open up the lower Penobscot. The Trust also completed a stream-like bypass channel around the Howland Dam in 2016. The Trust had purchased all three dams in previous years."

"Penobscot Project Benefits

The Penobscot and its tributaries flow from Mount Katahdin through the heart of Maine to Penobscot Bay. It is the largest river system in Maine—draining more than one-quarter of the state—and the second largest in New England. The river connects the mountains to the sea, delivering ecological benefits and opportunities for recreation, economic development, and cultural enrichment. The Penobscot Project benefits the watershed by:

Providing unobstructed access to 100% of historic habitat for Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon and striped bass;
Improving access to 2,000 miles of river and stream habitat for endangered Atlantic salmon and other species of sea-run fish;
Restoring ecological systems that benefit native plants and animals in the river, estuary, and Gulf of Maine;
Creating a cleaner, healthier river;
Supporting the Penobscot Indian Nation’s culture and traditions;
Offering new opportunities for economic and community development in riverside communities;
Enhancing outdoor recreation such as fishing, paddling, and wildlife watching; and
Maintaining hydropower generation."
 https://www.nrcm.org/programs/waters/penobscot-river-restoration-project/#:~:text=Improved%20Access%20to%202%2C000%20Miles%20of%20the%20Penobscot&text=The%20Trust%20removed%20the%20Great,three%20dams%20in%20previous%20years.

[Anomaly]

In Ohio, a dam that was built a century ago to power a mill on the East Branch of Rocky River was removed in 2020, which quickly led to a thriving habitat for fish and other wildlife as well as native plants.

In the United Kingdom, projects big and small are drawing rave reviews. In 2022, 325 dams, weirs, culverts, and levees were removed, and Dam Removal Europe hands out an annual award for the best endeavor.

The benefits of removing dams include improved water quality, sediment transport, and native resident and migratory species recovery, according to American Rivers. Each dam is different, but in general the barriers disrupt the natural course and flow of water, altering water temperatures and transforming floodplains. The consequences include harm to biodiversity and fish and wildlife habitats.

The largest undertaking in the world is set to reach a milestone this month, with the demolition of three large dams on California’s Klamath River set to begin. In November, a smaller dam was removed.

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/massive-dam-removal-project-video-power-water-nature/?fbclid=IwAR32BTJzv85mM_ZC5auRhT5lfxZJ6VSV0CHImhZJLyyQO1QtS_xRdroZuQM

[oldskidoo]

I believe that funding was provided to improve the Stillwater Dam and also Howland that resulted in a net increase in electric generation for the watershed while bring these dams up to current standards.

[Anomaly]

I believe that funding was provided to improve the Stillwater Dam and also Howland that resulted in a net increase in electric generation for the watershed while bring these dams up to current standards.

NICE!!! Thanks for that info!!! Cools stuff! It's great to have actual info!!! I wondered what was meant by "...and
Maintaining hydropower generation." in the piece I posted above...

[Anomaly]

Who cares what it costs the rest of us long as people feel like they did a good thing.

What say you now that woke info is available?