Atlantic Salmon Federation Inc

THE ATLANTIC SALMON FEDERATION WILL BE AWARDED $7,554,797 TO ADDRESS FISH PASSAGE BARRIERS IN THE PENOBSCOT RIVER WATERSHED, PARTICULARLY THE PISCATAQUIS BASIN, TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE THE LARGEST ATLANTIC SALMON RUN IN THE UNITED STATES. REMOVING TWO DAMS AND INSTALLING FISH LADDERS AT TWO OTHERS WILL OPEN SITES THAT ARE CURRENTLY COMPLETE BARRIERS TO FISH PASSAGE. THE PROJECTS ARE IDENTIFIED IN, OR CONSISTENT WITH, THE ATLANTIC SALMON RECOVERY PLAN AND THE ATLANTIC SALMON SPECIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT 5-YEAR ACTION PLAN. REMOVAL OF THE GUILFORD DAM WILL RECONNECT MORE THAN 9,700 SUITABLE HABITAT UNITS TOWARDS THE DELISTING CRITERIA OF 30,000 UNITS FOR THE PENOBSCOT BASIN SALMON HABITAT RECOVERY UNIT. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE TOWN OF DOVER-FOXCROFT IN CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO EXAMINE OPTIONS TO PROVIDE FISH PASSAGE AT MOOSEHEAD DAM.

TEMPLE STREAM HABITAT CONNECTIVITY PROJECT

THE "RECONNECTING CRITICAL HABITAT OF THE SANDY RIVER PROJECT" WILL RESTORE ACCESS TO MORE THAN 2,697 UNITS OF DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT FOR ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON, A NOAA SPECIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT. THE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED IN THE KENNEBEC RIVER WATERSHED WITHIN THE MERRYMEETING BAY SALMON HABITAT RECOVERY UNIT (SHRU), IN THE STATE OF MAINE. THE ATLANTIC SALMON FEDERATION WILL REMOVE THE WALTON'S MILL DAM ON THE LOWER MAINSTEM OF TEMPLE STREAM AND REPLACE THE ASSOCIATED PUBLIC WATER LINE CURRENTLY CROSSING THE IMPOUNDMENT, AND WILL REPLACE FOUR UNDERSIZED ROAD/STREAM CROSSINGS ON COLD-WATER TRIBUTARIES TO THE SANDY RIVER. THESE FIVE PROJECTS WILL RESTORE ACCESS TO 2,301 SALMON CRITICAL HABITAT UNITS, AND WILL ALSO IMPROVE HABITAT CONNECTIVITY FOR AMERICAN EEL, ALEWIVES, BLUEBACK HERRING, EASTERN BROOK TROUT, AND VARIOUS OTHER AQUATIC ORGANISMS. ADDITIONALLY, A FISH PASSAGE FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL BE COMPLETED AT THE CHESTERVILLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA DAM ON LIT

ATLANTIC SALMON FEDERATION WILL BE WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO REMOVE TWO DAMS IN THE SANDY RIVER WATERSHED- LOCATED IN MAINES MERRYMEETING BAY SALMON HABITAT RECOVERY UNIT. MERCER DAM IS ON LITTLE NORRIDGEWOCK STREAM IN CHESTERVILLE (FRANKLIN COUNTY) AND IS OWNED BY THE MAINE DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE. THE DILAPIDATED PARTIALLY BREACHED MERCER DAM WILL BE REMOVED, BUT CURRENT WATER LEVELS WILL BE MAINTAINED TO PRESERVE WATERFOWL PRODUCTION IN THE 1,340 ACRE CHESTERVILLE STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. A LOW HEAD ( 18 INCHES) NATURE-LIKE FISHWAY STRUCTURE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AT THE STREAMS NATURAL HYDRAULIC CHECK TO FULLY RESTORE FISH PASSAGE AND FLUVIAL PROCESSESLEMON STREAM DAM IS LOCATED IN STARKS (SOMERSET COUNTY) AND IS A PRIVATELY OWNED FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION HYDRO FACILITY (FERC EXEMPTION #8791) THAT HAS NOT PRODUCED ANY ELECTRICITY FOR DECADES. LEMON STREAM DAM WILL REQUIRE THE FERC EXCEPTION PERMIT TO BE SURRENDERED. UPON SURRENDER, THE DAM WILL BE COMPLETELY REMOVED FULLY ELIMINATING UNNATURAL HYDRAULIC CONTROL AT THE SITE.FUNDING FROM THE SERVICES NATIONAL FISH PASSAGE PROGRAM BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW ($630,000) WILL BE UTILIZED FOR FISHWAY CONSTRUCTION (MERCER DAM) AND DEMOLITION OF BOTH DAMS ($500,000) AS WELL AS ENGINEERING ($85,000) AND PERMITTING COSTS ($45,000). THIS GRANT AGREEMENT WILL RUN THROUGH DEC 31, 2029.

PROJECT WILL RESTORE FISH PASSAGE VIA CONSTRUCTION OF A POOL AND WEIR FISHWAY AT THE CROOKED BROOK DAM IN DANFORTH, MAINE (45.659 -67.869). FISHWAY WILL RESTORE NATIVE FISH PASSAGE TO 137 MILES OF STREAM FOR ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON AND EASTERN BROOK. UPSTREAM ACCESS WILL BE RESTORED TO NEARLY 9,000 ACRES OF LAKE HABITAT FOR RIVER HERRING (ALOSID SPP.), WHICH ARE A KEYSTONE ECOLOGICAL SPECIES IN THE GULF OF MAINE AND A HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER SOURCE OF BAIT FOR COMMERCIAL LOBSTERMEN. PROJECT HAS BECOME A CENTERPIECE OF THE TOWN OF DANFORTH-S VISION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION. BEYOND CONSTRUCTION AT THE FISHWAY, CONCURRENT PLANS ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO CONSTRUCT A PUBLIC PARK ALONGSIDE THE FISHWAY, WITH RIVER ACCESS AND WALKING PATHS CONNECTING THE PARK TO THE DOWNTOWN CORE. FUTURE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE FISHWAY WILL INCLUDE A RIVERFRONT PARK CONNECTED TO A DOWNTOWN PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR. TOWN OF DANFORTH EXPECTS INCREASED PUBLIC USE FOR WILDLIFE WATCHING, GATHERING, FISHING, WALKING, BIKING, AND PADDLING. PROJECT IS SHOVEL READY (ALL DESIGNS FINALIZED AND PERMITS OBTAINED). ATLANTIC SALMON FEDERATION EXPECTS CONSTRUCTION TO COMMENCE WHEN MAINE-S IN-STREAM WORK WINDOW BEGINS ON JULY 15TH. PROJECT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY OCTOBER 30TH 2023. HOWEVER, TO COVER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE IS SET TO END ON DECEMBER 31, 2024.

SHEEPSCOT RIVER BARRIER REMOVAL

MAINE HEADWATERS PROJECT

KENDUSKEAG HEADWATERS RESILIENCY

RESTORING CONNECTIVITY TO THE SHEEPSCOT RIVER

THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO RESTORE ACCESS TO HISTORIC RIVER AND LAKE HABITAT FOR MULTIPLE SEA RUN FISH, REBUILD A SELF SUSTAINING POPULATION OF ALEWIVES IN THE SABATTUS RIVER WATERSHED, IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND INCREASE CLIMATE RESILIENCE BY REMOVINGTWO DAMS IN THE SABATTUS RIVER LOCATED IN ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY MAINE THE MILL REMNANT DAM IS LOCATED IN SABATTUS 44 120 70 108 AND UPPER TOWN DAM IS LOCATED IN LISBON 44 033 70 104 THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT IS TO RESTORE HABITAT CONNECTIVITY, IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND PROMOTE CLIMATE RESILIENCE BY REMOVING TWO DAMS ON THE SABATTUS RIVER THE PROJECT WILL REMOVE TWO DAMS ON THE SABATTUS RIVER IN THE TOWNS OF LISBON AND SABATTUS, MAINE REMOVAL OF THESE DAMS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE HABITAT CONNECTIVITY FOR SEA RUN AND RESIDENT FISH SPECIES IN THE SABATTUS, INCLUDING ALEWIFE, AMERICAN EEL, AMERICAN SHAD, ATLANTIC SALMON, EASTERN BROOK TROUT, AND SEA LAMPREY PROJECT CONSTRUCTION EXPECTD TO OCCUR IN 2022 AND 2023

WALTON'S MILL DAM REMOVAL AND CROOKED BROOK DAM FISHWAY

BRANCH POND DAM FISHWAY AND CUMMINGS BROOK CULVERT REPLACEMENT

ACCELERATING US ATLANTIC SALMON RECOVERY THROUGH HABITAT RESTORATION, MARINE RESEARCH, AND EXPANDED PUBLIC APPRECIATION

IMPROVING AQUATIC CONNECTIVITY IN THE SHEEPSCOT RIVER WATERSHED

THE PROJECT OBJECTIVE IS TO CONSTRUCT A POOL AND WEIR FISHWAY AT THE CROOKED BROOK DAM ON BASKAHEGAN STREAM IN THE TOWN OF DANFORTH, MAINE A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AT THE SITE AND TO MAINTAIN THE 20 YEAR MOMENTUM TO REBUILD SEA RUN FISHERIES THROUGHOUT THEIR HISTORIC RANGE IN THE PENOBSCOT WATERSHED THIS PROJECT CONTINUES SEVERAL DECADES OF FISHERIES RESTORATION WORK IN THE PENOBSCOT RIVER AND IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HABITAT CONNECTIVITY PROJECT UNDERTAKEN TO DATE IN THE UPPER WATERSHED THE FISHWAY WILL RECONNECT 137 STREAM MILES AND 8,960 ACRES OF POND AND LAKE HABITAT FOR ATLANTIC SALMON, ALEWIVES, BLUEBACK HERRING, SEA LAMPREY, AMERICAN EEL, AND EASTERN BROOK TROUT GIVEN THE VAST AMOUNT OF HABITAT THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT A RUN OF UP TO 2 MILLION ADULT ALEWIVES AND BLUEBACK HERRING WILL BE PRODUCED ANNUALLY AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT IN ADDITION, ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON WILL GAIN ACCESS TO AN ESTIMATED 557 UNITS OF SPAWNING AND REARING HABITAT ABOVE THE DAM AND AMERICAN EEL WILL GET IMPROVED ACCESS TO A HUGE AREA OF REARING HABITAT

SUPPORT FOR MAINE AQUATIC CONNECTIVITY REGIONAL CONSERVATION PROJECT (RCPP).

HENRY MITCHELL BROOK IN TEMPLE, ME IS A TRIBUTARY TO TEMPLE STREAM, WHICH IS A TRIBUTARY TO THE SANDY RIVER INTHE KENNEBEC RIVER WATERSHED. WITH THE 2022-23 REMOVAL OF WALTONS MILL DAM, TEMPLE STREAM IS OPEN TO PASSAGE OF ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON AND FOUR SALMON REDDS WERE DOCUMENTED IN TEMPLE STREAM IN THE FALL OF 2023. THE HENRY MITCHELL BROOK CULVERT IS A 41 LONG SQUASHED ROUND CORRUGATED METAL CULVERT THAT IS 9.3 WIDE AND 6.5 TALLIN A STREAM WITH A MEASURED BANKFULL WIDTH OF 15.5. IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE MAINE STREAM HABITAT VIEWER AS ABARRIER TO PASSAGE FOR ATLANTIC SALMON AND OTHER NATIVE FISH. UPSTREAM OF THE CULVERT ARE 1.73 MILES OF BLOCKEDSTREAM CONTAINING 24.7 MODELED UNITS OF CLASS 1 ATLANTIC SALMON REARING HABITAT THAT IS DESIGNATED CRITICALHABITAT FOR ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON WITHIN THE MERRYMEETING BAY SIGNIFICANT HABITAT RESTORATION UNIT. THECULVERT WILL BE REPLACED IN THE SUMMER OF 2024 WITH A 19 WIDE X 8 TALL X 63 LONG PRECAST CONCRETE BOX CULVERT.THE BOTTOM OF THE CULVERT WILL BE FILLED WITH STREAM BED GRAVEL AND WILL INCLUDE SIX STONE WEIRS AT 15 INTERVALSCONSTRUCTED OF 24-30 BOULDERS TO CREATE GRADE CONTROL.

PENOBSCOT, MID-COAST AND KENNEBEC RIVER WATERSHEDS BARRIER INVENTORY PRIORITIZATION AND FISH PASSAGE PROJECT

THE PROJECT OBJECTIVE IS TO CONSTRUCT A POOL AND WEIR FISHWAY AT THE CROOKED BROOK DAM ON BASKAHEGAN STREAM IN THE TOWN OF DANFORTH, MAINE A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AT THE SITE AND TO MAINTAIN THE 20 YEAR MOMENTUM TO REBUILD SEA RUN FISHERIES THROUGHOUT THEIR HISTORIC RANGE IN THE PENOBSCOT WATERSHED THIS PROJECT CONTINUES SEVERAL DECADES OF FISHERIES RESTORATION WORK IN THE PENOBSCOT RIVER AND IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HABITAT CONNECTIVITY PROJECT UNDERTAKEN TO DATE IN THE UPPER WATERSHED THE FISHWAY WILL RECONNECT 137 STREAM MILES AND 8,960 ACRES OF POND AND LAKE HABITAT FOR ATLANTIC SALMON, RIVER HERRING, SEA LAMPREY, AMERICAN EEL, AND BROOK TROUT GIVEN THE VAST AMOUNT OF HABITAT THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT A RUN OF UP TO 2 MILLION ADULT RIVER HERRING WILL BE PRODUCED ANNUALLY AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT IN ADDITION, ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON WILL GAIN ACCESS TO AN ESTIMATED 557 REARING UNITS 1 UNIT 100M2 OF HABITAT ABOVE THE DAM AMERICAN EEL WILL GET IMPROVED ACCESS TO A HUGE AREA OF REARING HABITAT ATLANTIC SALMON FEDERATION PROJECT OFFICER WILL BE MARANDA NEMETH AND PROJECT CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR BETWEEN JULY 15 AND SEPT 30, 2023 ALL FEDERAL PERMITS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OBTAINED

PENOBSCOT, MID-COAST, AND KENNEBEC RIVER WATERSHEDS BARRIER INVENTORY PRIORITIZATION AND FISH PASSAGE PROJECT

F19AC00079

BRANCH BROOK, ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER, AND ST. CROIX RIVER WATERSHED FIS PASSAGE PROJECTS

THE PROJECT ON BOG BROOK, A TRIBUTARY TO THE MIDDLE BRANCH PLEASANT RIVER, WILL REMOVE TWO UNDERSIZED 6 CULVERTS AND REPLACE THEM WITH A 38 OPEN BOTTOM BRIDGE. THE PROJECT WILL RESTORE ACCESS TO 6.9 MILES OF HABITAT FOR ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON AND EASTERN BROOK TROUT. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO REDUCE FLOODING OF A ROAD IMPORTANT FOR TIMBER HARVESTING OPERATIONS AND RECREATIONAL ACCESS. WITH COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT, THE ENTIRE MIDDLE BRANCH PLEASANT RIVER WATERSHED WILL CONTAIN NO ROAD-STREAM CROSSINGS THAT ARE BARRIERS TO AQUATIC ORGANISMS.

STRENGTHENING MAINE RIVERS AQUATIC CONNECTIVITY

GULF OF MAINE-DPS CONNECTIVITY PROJECTS

MAINE COASTAL FISH PASSAGE PROJECT

DIADROMOUS FISH HABITAT RESTORATION

2012 PENOBSCOT RIVER LAKE OUTLET PASSAGE II

IMPROVING RIVER CONNECTIVITY AND ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION WITHIN THE SHEEPSCOT RIVER WATERSHED

2015 BLACKSTONE BROOK CONNECTIVITY II PROJECT

WEST WINTERPORT DAM REMOVAL PROJECT

2016 PENOBSCOT RIVER LAKE OUTLET PASSAGE III PROJECT

ATLANTIC SALMON STOCKING DATABASE

2014 BALCKSTONE BROOK CONNECTIVITY PROJECT