Sebago Lake, surrounded by the towns of Casco, Naples, Raymond, Sebago, Standish and Windham, is one of four lakes in Maine that had indigenous wild strains of Atlantic salmon. Now it has the largest and most robust population, and possibly the only nearly self-sustaining one of the four.
The Edes Falls dam was in the way of more progress in the state’s efforts to restore the Sebago watershed fishery. Here’s the timeline of the removal process;
A fisherman holds a salmon in this historic photo. Salmon were once abundant in the Sebago Lake watershed. Credit: Courtesy of Jim Wescott
A view of the covered bridge that once carried travelers over the Crooked River at Edes Falls. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
Edes Falls is pictured with Jugtown Road in the background of this historic photo. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
Old stumps can be seen below Edes Falls in this historic picture capturing the view up the Crooked River. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
This covered bridge over the Crooked River at Edes Falls was washed away in 1936. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
The Naples side of the Crooked River is shown in this view above Edes Falls. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
Edes Falls prior to dam removal, pictured in August 2022.
The town of Naples agreed to remove the remnants of the Edes Falls dam in 2022. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association.
Stones that once supported a covered bridge over the Crooked River were removed as part an effort to restore the Sebago Lake watershed. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
The view downstream of Edes Falls, prior to the dam removal. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
Thousands of pounds of debris was removed to clear the flow of the Crooked River, opening the waterway for fish to travel into Sebago Lake. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
It took a large team to remove the remnants of stones which once held up a covered bridge over the Crooked River. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
The Edes Falls dam was more than 200 years old, but its removal paved the way for the reintroduction of a heritage fish species. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
An excavator and a dump truck remove stone from the Edes Falls dam. Credit: Courtesy of the Maine Lakes Association
