Midcoast Conservancy

HIDDEN VALLEY NATURE CENTER COMMUNITY FOREST

MCLAUGHLINS CROSSING COMMUNITY FOREST

NAWCA -MUSQUASH POND PRESERVE ADDITION

BEN BROOK IS A TRIBUTARY OF THE SHEEPSCOT RIVER IN ALNA, MAINE AND IS LOCATED IN DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT FOR FEDERALLY ENDANGERED WILD ATLANTIC SALMON PROJECT WILL REMOVE A FAILING SEVERELY PERCHED CULVERT AND CONSTRUCT A BRIDGE WITH CERTIFIED, APPROVED ENGINEERING DESIGNS FOR EFFECTIVE STREAM PASSAGE OF ATLANTIC SALMON AND OTHER AQUATIC SPECIES NATIONAL FISH PASSAGE PROGRAM FUNDS WILL ASSIST PARTNERS TO RESTORE ECOLOGICAL STREAM FUNCTION AND ADD CONNECTIVITY TO 7 68 MILES UPSTREAM BEN BROOK IS MODELED COLD WATER HABITAT THAT PROVIDES CRITICAL THERMAL REFUGIA FOR ATLANTIC SALMON AND EASTERN BROOK TROUT THE SEVERELY PERCHED, 10 FOOT DIAMETER CULVERT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A 28 FOOT CLEAR SPAN MAINE STREAM SMART DESIGNED BRIDGE THAT WILL EASILY ACCOMMODATE A 100 YEAR STORM PEAK WE EXPECT PROJECT TO BE FULLY FUNDED IN 2023 AND PROJECT WILL OCCUR BETWEEN JULY 15 AND SEPT 30, 2023 MIDCOAST CONSERVANCY WILL OBTAIN ALL PERMITTING BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS AND PROJECT OFFICER WILL BE MELISSA COTE

THE SHEEPSCOT RIVER WATERSHED IS A COASTAL RIVER IN MIDCOAST MAINE THAT SUPPORTS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL SPECIES FROM ITS HEADWATERS TO MOUTH INCLUDING RIVER HERRING, THE ENDANGERED SHORT NOSE STURGEON, WOOD TURTLE, BROOK FLOATER MUSSEL, WILD EASTERN BROOK TROUT, LEAST BITTERN, AND THE RAPIDLY DECLINING SALTMARSH SHARPTAILED SPARROW. THE WATERSHED ALSO HOSTS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING RUNS OF THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON IN THE U.S. THE SHEEPSCOT WATERSHED HAS UNDERGONE INTENSIVE ALTERATION AND IMPACTS SINCE EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT INCLUDING INTENSIVE LOGGING, CHANNELIZATION, REMOVAL OF WOOD AND BOULDERS, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS AND STREAM CROSSINGS THAT BLOCK AQUATIC ORGANISM PASSAGE. THESE LEGACY IMPACTS ARE IMPAIRING HABITAT FOR MANY OF THE WATERSHEDS ENDEMIC AND RARE SPECIES. MIDCOAST CONSERVANCY WILL PARTNER WITH THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE GULF OF MAINE COASTAL PROGRAM USFWS GOMCP TO ADDRESS THESE IMPAIRMENTS BY PRIORITIZING RESTORATION ACTIONS WITHIN THE WATERSHED, COLLECTING DATA, DEVELOPING RESTORATION DESIGNS, COMPLETING PERMITTING, AND CONDUCTING OUTREACH FOR HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS. THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD OFF PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT WORK COMPLETED BY USFWS GOMCP AND MIDCOAST CONSERVANCY WITHIN THE SHEEPSCOT WATERSHED. FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT MANY OF THE ATRISK SPECIES THAT OCCUR WITHIN THE WATERSHED INCLUDING THE STATE LISTED BROOK FLOATER MUSSEL AND FEDERALLY ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON.