Downeast Salmon Federation

PURPOSE: THE DOWNEAST SALMON FEDERATION WILL REMOVE THE CHERRYFIELD ICE CONTROL DAM ON THE NARRAGUAGUS RIVER AND REPLACE IT WITH A NATURE-LIKE FISHWAY, ALLOWING FOR ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON (A NOAA SPECIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT) AND OTHER FISH TO MIGRATE UNIMPEDED UP AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE SITE. THE NARRAGUAGUS RIVER HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY HABITAT FOR ATLANTIC SALMON IN THE DOWNEAST SALMON HABITAT RECOVERY UNIT, ONE OF THREE DESIGNATED REGIONS IN MAINE FOR RESTORING HABITAT FOR ATLANTIC SALMON.

SCALING THE PETER GRAY PARR PROJECT: INCREASING ATLANTIC SALMON RETURNS TO THE NARRAGUAGUS AND EAST MACHIAS RIVERS IN EASTERN MAINE

RESTORING ATLANTIC SALMON ACCESS TO CRITICAL HABITAT IN THE NARRAGUAGUS RIVER WATERSHED AND EAST MACHIAS RIVER GARDNER LAKE SUB-WATERSHED

HIGH PRIORITY ATLANTIC SALMON RIVER RESTORATION PROJECTS IN EASTERN MAINE

ORANGE RIVER INITIATIVE, PHASE I: ATLANTIC SALMON ACCESS TO THE ORANGE RIVER WATERSHED

COMMUNITY FACILITY GRANTS

NAWCA-SMALL GRANT- DEAD STREAM-COOPER

THESE FUNDS ARE REQUESTED TO FULLY FUND THE RESTORATION OF A HUMAN ALTERED IMPASSABLE BARRIER ON THE DENNY'S RIVER IN MEDDYBEMPS, MAINE. THE PROJECT WILL REMOVE AN ABANDONED DAM AND COMPLETES ENGINEERED FISH PASSAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR AQUATIC ORGANISMS INTO MEDDYBEMPS LAKE FROM THE DENNY'S RIVER. IN THIS PHASE OF THE PROJECT THE RIVERBANKS WILL BE WIDENED, AND ENGINEERED STONE FISH PASSAGE WEIRS WILL BE INSTALLED TO ALLOW DIADROMOUS FISH FREE ACCESS THROUGH THE SITE. HUMAN ACCESS AND SAFETY ALONG THE RIVER WILL ALSO BE IMPROVED BY STREAM SIDE RESTORATION. THE RESTORATION WILL TAKE PLACE JUST ABOVE THE ROUTE 191 BRIDGE IN MEDDYBEMPS, MAINE. THE FINAL PHASE OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2022 DURING THE LOW WATER WORK WINDOW. DOWNEAST SALMON FEDERATION'S RESTORATION AND ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR BRETT CICCOTELLI WILL MANAGE THIS PROJECT. HE HAS MANAGED DAM REMOVALS AND FISHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS PERVIOUSLY FUNDED BY THE USFWS. HE WILL WORK WITH AGENCY PARTNERS FROM THE MAINE DEPARTMENTS OF MARINE RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

DOWNEAST RIVERS AND WETLANDS

IMPROVE AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE BY REPAIRING THE LOWER FISH LADDER ON THE FIRST DAM ON THE PENNAMAQUAN RIVER SUCH THAT SAFE, TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE UPSTREAM PASSAGE IS RESTORED FOR RIVER HERRING.

BRANCH LAKE STREAM DAM REMOVAL

COMMUNITY FACILITY GRANTS

THIS PROJECT WILL REMEDIATE THE EFFECTS OF LEGACY AGRICULTURAL DITCHING AND BERMING AND RESTORE NATURAL HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES TO 5 ACRES OF SPARTINA SALT MARSH AT DOWNEAST SALMON FEDERATION S 11-ACRE NARRAGUAGUS MARSH PRESERVE IN MILBRIDGE, MAINE. DOWNEAST SALMON FEDERATION WILL WORK WITH PARTNERS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A RESTORATION PLAN WHICH WILL REPAIR AND REVEGETATE ARTIFICIAL CHANNELS AND RESTORE NATURAL DRAINAGE PROCESSES TO THE MARSH. THIS IS A HIGH-VISIBILITY SITE THAT WILL SHOWCASE THE BENEFITS OF SALTMARSH RESTORATION, INVOLVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE PROCESS, AND EDUCATE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ABOUT RISKS TO SALTMARSH HEALTH AND THE BENEFITS OF RESTORATION THROUGH COMMUNITY MEETINGS, FIELD STUDIES, AND INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE MATERIALS. DOWNEAST SALMON FEDERATION HOPES THAT THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE AS A CATALYST TO INITIATE CONVERSATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDOWNERS ON 6 ADJACENT PARCELS, AND EVENTUALLY EXPAND RESTORATION WORK ONTO THOSE PARCELS. THE SITE S 5 SALTMARSH ACRES HAVE HIGH HABITAT VALUE AND ARE CLASSIFIED BY THE MAINE NATURAL AREAS PROGRAM AS AN EXEMPLARY NATURAL COMMUNITY. 4 ACRES ARE CONSIDERED TIDAL WATERFOWL AND WADING BIRD HABITAT. THE TIDAL CHANNEL IS CLASSIFIED AS HABITAT FOR SEA-FUN RAINBOW SMELT (A FEDERAL SPECIES OF CONCERN) AND RIVER HERRING BY THE MAINE DEPT OF INLAND FISHERIES WILDLIFE. DOCUMENTED STATE SPECIES OF CONCERN IN NEARBY AREAS INCLUDE THE BALD EAGLE, ESTUARY BAR-MARIGOLD, GREAT BLUE HERON, AND HARLEQUIN DUCK.

OPERATE AN ATLANTIC SALMON FRY HATCHERY IN ME

COMMUNITY FACILITIES - ECONOMIC IMPACT INITIATIVE GRANTS