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It feels rare these days to get good news. So, it was heartening to hear last week about an agreement to remove dams on the Kennebec River, returning more of the waterway to its natural, free-flowing state, while also seeking ways to support the Sappi mill in Skowhegan, a vital source of jobs for the region.
Last month, The Nature Conservancy announced that it was undertaking a $168 million project that would restore more of the central Maine river for fish, including endangered Atlantic salmon. The project includes the purchase of four hydroelectric dams, which TNC hopes to remove.
This would restore unfettered access for Atlantic salmon and other seagoing fish from the Gulf of Maine to their historic spawning grounds upstream on the Sandy River for the first time since the Kennebec River was permanently dammed more than a century ago.
“The vision of The Nature Conservancy and our partners is for a free-flowing river on the lower Kennebec, accomplished in a way that both restores the river’s ecological health and strengthens the region’s economic vitality,” said Kate Dempsey, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Maine said in a press release. “Achieving these twin goals will take time and thoughtful collaboration with local communities. We’re grateful to Brookfield for working with us to find a mutually beneficial solution to restoring balance to the Kennebec River, and to all the partners who have come together to make this once-in-a-generation opportunity possible.”
Time and collaboration. Those are key ingredients to the success of this project. It is easy to criticize such a large project and to make assumptions about its outcome, but an open mind, a commitment to working together and patience can lead to a more vibrant river. A river that is home to prized fish and other animals, and a destination for anglers, paddlers and others seeking recreation and restoration.
We’ve seen such transitions already on the Kennebec with the removal of the Edwards Dam in Augusta. The lower part of the river is now home to salmon, sturgeon, alewives, bald eagles and anglers.
Likewise, the Penobscot River Restoration, a multi-year project that saw the elimination of dams and construction of fish bypass on the Penobscot River, offers a model for the new Kennebec River project. It opened up more than 2,000 miles of rivers and streams for salmon and other aquatic species, while maintaining hydropower production.
Removing the dams on the Kennebec has been controversial, and used as a political cudgel, because Sappi North America uses water diverted from the river by the Shawmut dam to operate its mill in Skowhen, which employs 780 people. TNC says it is 100% committed to developing an alternative to the dammed water.
The dams’ current owner, Brookfield Renewable, will continue to operate them as TNC develops a river restoration plan, which includes public input. In other words, no immediate changes are expected, and the mill and the jobs it supports will be a crucial part of a final plan.
Sean Wallace, a vice president for Sappi North America, said the company was concerned about removing the Shawmut dam but the company is open to negotiating a technical solution with The Nature Conservancy.
“We believe there are solutions that preserve the impoundment and allow fisheries to thrive without sacrificing the livelihoods and investments tied to the mill,” Wallace said in a statement.
There is much work to do, and that will take time and input from a broad range of people and groups. This project, like other river restoration work in Maine and around the country, has great potential to benefit wildlife, Maine people, and visitors, and it can be done in a way that boosts and preserves the region’s economy.
