With the help of many partners and multiple funding sources, LEA played a critical part in restoring over 38 miles of stream and river habitat this past summer. This exciting work benefits fish and water quality, and helps to make our communities more resilient to flooding events that are becoming more common as our climate changes.
Edes Falls Dam removed
After several years of planning and meetings with town representatives, community groups, and local landowners, the remnant granite dam at Edes Falls on the Crooked River in Naples was removed in June.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of removing this dam for the sustainability of the landlocked salmon that are endemic to Sebago Lake. More than 80% of the spawning habitat for these fish was cut off during periods of low water in the fall when the base of the old dam was still in place. By removing this one crumbling structure, more than 27 miles of stream habitat was reconnected for both landlocked salmon and native brook trout in the renowned Crooked River fishery. The natural hydrology was also restored in this section of the river with only a minimal change in water level directly behind the dam.
LEA was involved in the planning of this project, serving on the Naples town committee formed to examine this issue, and helping shepherd funding from multiple sources for this work. One of the biggest funding sources came from a Natural Resources Conservation Service grant that the Sebago Clean Waters collaborative (of which LEA is a partner) procured. The project was overseen by Trout Unlimited and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The Nature Conservancy and Casco Bay Estuary Partnership also provided critical early funding.
Sampson Brook restoration
Another project completed this summer was the removal of an old and partially blocked three-foot elliptical culvert on Sampson Brook in Waterford. In this particular case, the landowner opted to fully remove the crossing and restore the bank and stream to the most natural conditions possible. Similar to Edes Falls, this project was funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service grant procured through Sebago Clean Waters. In planning this project, we were able to visit this beautiful section of Sampson Brook over multiple seasons, including at flood stage, when water was flowing over the woods road going to the crossing. Along with spotting lots of other wildlife in the area, our staff often observed brook trout rising in the pool below the old culvert during these visits. We could not have done this project, which resulted in more than three miles of reconnected stream, without the landowner’s help and interest in this work.
Muddy River – Chaplins Mill crossing upgrade
Where the Muddy River crosses under Chaplins Mill Road in Naples, a deteriorating and undersized culvert had become a safety issue for the town, flooding regularly and limiting heavy loads.
As is the case with many of these projects, finding funding to replace this structure with a properly sized crossing was a struggle for the town of Naples. LEA was able to help this project along first by procuring grant funding to design a stream-smart crossing for the site and then applying for a $200,000 Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) grant for the town of Naples, which was later awarded.
Thanks to this grant and additional funding and commitment from the town of Naples, the rusted and peeling 6-foot diameter pipe under the road was replaced with a 20-foot box culvert embedded in the stream to mimic natural conditions. The end result is a safe and flood-resistant structure that reconnects more than 7 miles of the Muddy River.
What’s next
All these sites were chosen as projects based on the severity of the flow restriction, the potential for flooding, and the quality and amount of coldwater fish habitat impacted. LEA was able to make these assessments thanks to comprehensive past stream-crossing evaluations by other organizations.
We will continue to use this methodology to review future projects, and there are already three crossing upgrades on deck for next summer. Stay tuned for updates.
