A Maine river is getting a makeover — by going au naturel and removing dams that have been diminishing fish access and native species.
The Portland Press Herald reported that $1 million has been granted by the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program, a full year after the city of Yarmouth gave its stamp of approval for the changes.
This summer, construction will begin on the Royal River, which runs through Yarmouth, to take away dams that "impact fish, birds, and animals that depend on the river's resources by blocking access, slowing river flows, altering habitat, and degrading water quality," according to the Royal River Alliance, a group that has labored to remove the dams.
The East Elm Street and Bridge Street dams in Yarmouth have been the focal point for multiple similar groups, including the Royal River Conservation Trust, which writes that returning the river to its natural state would improve conditions by "restoring an active sea-run fishery, reducing erosion and runoff, slowing the proliferation of invasive species, and improving climate resiliency."
Additionally, the Trust explains that an unfettered river provides more recreational opportunities for nearby folk who want to enjoy the water.
A similar effect was highlighted in Oregon, when a group of Indigenous youth kayaked down 300 miles of the Klamath River after communities successfully banded together to push for the removal of outdated hydroelectric dams that obliterated fish populations and interrupted the river's natural flow.
When obsolete dams are removed, the ecosystem often springs back to life. Populations of salmon have notably flourished in rivers where dams have been removed, such as the Klamath River in Oregon or the Elwha River in Washington, often with benefits to the people who live and fish nearby.
Local activists are finally feeling satisfied with the plan to remove the dams along the Royal River. Yarmouth Town Council Chair Karin Orenstein said, per the Portland Press Herald: "It has been a long time coming, and we're standing on the shoulders of a lot of people who came before me to see this project finally happen. What we're going to see is a healthier river."
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