Restoring Salmon Runs: Maine's Ambitious Dam Removal Project

For decades, the wild Atlantic salmon populations in Maine have struggled to survive, their numbers dwindling in the face of habitat loss and other threats. But a long-term project to remove or modify a series of dams on the Kennebec River may finally offer a glimmer of hope for these endangered fish.

The plan, which has been in the works for over 20 years, aims to clear the way for wild Atlantic salmon to swim freely up the Kennebec River and its tributaries, including the Sandy River, where they can access crucial spawning and rearing habitat. This would mark a significant milestone in the effort to restore salmon populations in Maine, which were once abundant but have declined precipitously in recent decades.