The Nature Conservancy has reached a historic deal to buy four hydropower dams on the Kennebec River in Maine, a move that it says will help bring balance to a vital ecosystem.
The environmental group plans to remove the structures and restore the waterway for native sea-run fish such as American shad, river herring, and Atlantic salmon. Dam owner Brookfield Renewable will continue to operate the dams as TNC undergoes a process to decommission them, per Maine Public. This could take up to a decade.
According to TNC, the Kennebec River and its tributaries host 20 hydroelectric dams, which have severely impacted salmon.
"Despite having some of the best Atlantic salmon spawning habitat in the country, the Kennebec's run of salmon has dropped from hundreds of thousands each year to nearly zero," TNC says on its website. "Science and nature are telling us that we're asking too much of the Kennebec. The river is out of balance."
These dams have also changed the way that sediment is carried downstream, and they impact birds and other wildlife that depend on a natural river flow, according to John Burrows, vice president of operations for the Atlantic Salmon Federation.
"Once dams were constructed and the river became a series of really slow moving deep impoundments, it really just changed everything about the ecosystem," he told Maine Public.
Score early access to Nike’s best Black Friday deals — and get an extra 25% off Nike’s exclusive Black Friday preview collection is loaded with early access deals on crowd-favorites like ultra-soft hoodies, training bags and duffles, and of course, Air Jordans. Plus, use code ACCESS to get an extra 25% off, but only for a limited time. Learn more → |
This project is part of a larger movement in the U.S. and elsewhere to remove dams from rivers and other waterways. For instance, Ohio plans to remove a dam on one of the state's creeks, saying the plan will improve water quality and biodiversity.
In the Pacific Northwest, conservationists are already seeing the impacts of the largest dam removal project in history on the Klamath River. They say that the removal reaped almost instantaneous results, as salmon have returned to an area of the river that they have not swam for almost a century.
Meanwhile, TNC said that the Kennebec project has the potential to reconnect over 800 miles of river and stream habitat, making it one of the largest river restoration efforts in the nation.
"Through thoughtful collaboration, it can be done in a way that provides economic benefits to towns along the river, from municipal revenue to local jobs, while supporting ecological benefits to fish populations and the communities that depend on them along the river and in the Gulf of Maine," the organization said.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
