Restoring the Flow: The Removal of Edes Falls Dam
Wednesday, June 19th, 2024
Edes Falls Park, Naples, ME
In a landmark achievement for environmental restoration and community enhancement, the Edes Falls Dam has been successfully removed after years of planning and extensive permitting. This project, undertaken by a coalition of dedicated partners, not only restores the natural flow of the Crooked River but also opens up over 25 miles of critical spawning and nursery habitats for Sebago’s landlocked salmon.
The project was managed and funded by a coalition of dedicated partners, including the Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Lakes Environmental Association, Maine Council of Trout Unlimited, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sebago Clean Waters, Sebago Lake Anglers, Sebago Rotary, The Nature Conservancy, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. These resource groups covered the costs and permitting, relieving the town of Naples from financial burdens. The overarching goal was to restore fish passage while improving Edes Falls Park for the community to enjoy. With the dam removed, landlocked salmon and brook trout now have unimpeded access to critical spawning habitats upstream.
The decision to remove Edes Falls Dam was not taken lightly. Initially, proposals suggested removing just a portion of the dam to make it passable. However, as discussions and revisions unfolded over multiple years, it became evident that leaving any part of the dam in the river was unsafe and a liability to the town. Floods had caused pieces of the dam to continue falling, prompting the town of Naples to post no-trespassing signs for public safety. Ultimately, it was decided that the complete removal of the dam was necessary.
Tours of the dam remnants and presentations to the town’s Board of Selectmen highlighted the dangers posed by the deteriorating structure, accelerated by storms in 2023 and 2024. The board unanimously voted to use an emergency declaration to authorize the expanded demolition of the dam, leaving a 20-foot abutment to preserve part of the historical legacy.
Before its removal, the dam remnants presented obstacles for fish. Pool water depth, hydraulics, and horizontal jump distance prevented salmon from utilizing the center breach at low flows. Fish, being vertical jumpers, could not jump over the extensive width of the dry stone during critical spawning periods. With the dam removed, these barriers have been eliminated, allowing salmon and brook trout to access the spawning grounds above Edes Falls regardless of drought conditions.
Maine is the last stronghold for brook trout and the only place in the U.S. with Atlantic salmon. The Crooked River is unique, home to its own sub-species of landlocked salmon, Salmo salar sebago. While the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has been supplementing the salmon fishery in Sebago Lake with stocked fish, improved habitat connectivity throughout the drainage has resulted in 70-80% of the salmon in Sebago Lake being of wild origin. It is hoped that this project continues to build on past efforts, ensures passage at all flows, and incorporates some resiliency in the face of climate change.
The removal also mitigates risks associated with high flows, log jams, or ice jams that could collapse or speed up the deterioration of the existing ruins. By cleaning up the deteriorating dam and loose rocks, the project has improved overall safety and reduced liability issues for Naples at no cost to the town.
The project includes improvements to Edes Falls Park on the east side of the river. The park will feature signage and displays highlighting the dam's history and the old mill foundations, making these remnants more visible and accessible to visitors. The town also plans to repurpose some of the split stone removed from the river portion of the dam for other local projects, such as the Village Green Improvement Project.
The Edes Falls Dam removal project is a collaborative effort managed and funded by several partners, including the Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Lakes Environmental Association, Maine Council of Trout Unlimited, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sebago Clean Waters, Sebago Lake Anglers, Sebago Rotary, The Nature Conservancy, and US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Contacts:
Matt Streeter, Maine Council of Trout Unlimited mstreeter212@gmail.com
Colin Holme, Lakes Environmental Association, colin@mainelakes.org
Scott Craig, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, scott_craig@fws.gov
Karen Young, Sebago Clean Waters, kyoung@sebagocleanwaters.org