Maine Rivers

Maine Rivers directs the China Lake Alewife Restoration Initiative. We successfully removed dams and installed fish passage at six barriers in the Outlet Stream between China Lake and the Sebasticook River. This allows native migratory alewives, a keystone fish species, to make their way from the ocean to China Lake to spawn. Coordination and planning with community partners has been a central part of this overall project, which brings together two towns, state and federal agencies, a land trust, local schools and numerous volunteers. During this reporting year the first run of native migratory alewives was completed, with 837,000 adult fish counted making their way safely into China Lake from the ocean. Millions of juveniles alewives can now be produced in the lake. News of the successful restoration effort was featured in local, state and national news outlets.

1) We are formulating and carrying out plans to improve alewife passage in the Medomak River watershed in Knox County. This involves two impassable dams and a series of improperly sized or placed road culverts that limit fish passage into and out of the spawning habitat in Washington Pond, Medomak Pond and Little Medomak Pond. We are partnering with Maine Department of Marine Resource, US Fish and Wildlife Service, local volunteers with the Medomak Brook Connection as well as the Towns of Washington and Waldoboro. 2) We are also formulating and carrying out an initiative in Kennebec County to improve fish passage into Webber Pond and Threemile Pond via Seaward Mills Stream. Here we are partnering with Maine Department of Marine Resources, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Town of Vassalboro, Webber Pond Association and Threemile Pond Association. Our goal is to make the habitat of Threemile Pond accessible to alewives to double the size of existing alewife run.

Maine Rivers advocates for the health of Maine's rivers with policy-makers at all levels. We focus on water quality and fish passage, and take a great interest in the impacts of climate change and the Gulf of Maine. We work with community members, land trusts, tribes, state and federal agencies. We review permits and coordinate meetings. We draft and submit letters as well as technical review materials to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.We share scientific information as well as relevant news about local, state and national river milestones via social media, newsletters and email. Advocacy efforts at the local and statewide levels include focus the Kennebec River, Sebasticook River, Presumpscot River, Royal River, Mousam River, St. Croix River, the Medomak River and Cobbosseecontee Stream. We update and share the Maine Alewife Trail Map. We co-chair the Maine Stream Connectivity Working Group. We edited and share "Removing Small Dams in Maine: Updated Guide for Project Managers."