Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $535,000 to Support Dam Removal Studies & Ecological Restoration Partnerships
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Attleboro, Ayer, Barnstable, Groveland, Kingston, Lawrence, Lowell, and Pittsfield dams to be assessed for potential restoration
BOSTON- The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced support for dam removal preliminary design studies in eight municipalities by the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER). Funded by $400,000 from DER and ResilientMass, studies will help dam owners assess risks and opportunities of dam removal and provide critical information for future climate adaptation planning statewide. Additionally, DER awarded $135,000 to support Regional Restoration Partnerships in the Buzzards Bay, Merrimack, and Hoosic, Housatonic, and Farmington River watersheds.
“Ecological restoration is essential to building a biodiverse and climate-ready future for the Commonwealth,” said DFG Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “We are excited to play a role in building restoration capacity throughout the state by supporting dam owners in taking this important first step to explore dam removal, which can have immense benefits for people and nature. Every barrier removed and river mile restored makes our communities safer, healthier, and better for fish and wildlife.”
“There are numerous deteriorating dams on our rivers and streams throughout the Commonwealth that have long outlived their intended use,” said DER Director Beth Lambert.“These structures damage river ecosystems and threaten public safety. In addition, the burden of owning and maintaining dams can be overwhelming for dam owners. We look forward to providing dam owners with information they can use to take the next step towards dam removal and river restoration.”
There are over 3,000 dams in Massachusetts, most of which no longer serve their original purpose and many of which are in disrepair. Many dams degrade water quality, block passage for fish and wildlife, increase flood risks, and pose public safety hazards. Removing unwanted dams has enormous benefits—increasing climate resilience for communities, eliminating costs of dam operation and maintenance burdens for owners, and reducing risks of dam failure in extreme weather. Preliminary design studies funded and led by DER will assess the restoration potential of each dam to inform future ecological restoration projects statewide.
DER is supporting eight dam removal preliminary design studies:
Farmers Pond Dam; Attleboro Farmers Pond Dam is a significant hazard dam in unsafe condition on the Ten Mile River. Removal of the dam would provide public safety and flood resiliency benefits for the downstream environmental justice community as well as nearby electrical infrastructure, roads, and schools.
Balch Pond Dam; Ayer Balch Pond Dam is a significant hazard dam in poor condition on Cold Spring Brook. The removal of the dam would reconnect critical coldwater habitat and improve flood resilience and public safety for nearby roads, railroads, and an environmental justice community.
Mill Pond Dam; Barnstable Mill Pond Dam is a significant hazard dam in fair condition on the Marstons Mills River. Removal of the dam would benefit coldwater and migratory aquatic species and improve flood resilience of nearby road infrastructure and homes.
Johnson Creek Dam; Groveland Johnson Creek Dam is a significant hazard dam in poor condition on Johnson Creek. Johnson Creek is a core aquatic habitat for migratory and coldwater species. Removal of the dam would benefit these resources, as well as improve public safety and flood resilience of nearby infrastructure.
Maple Street Dam; Kingston Maple Street Dam currently blocks migratory fish passage and causes tidal flooding issues on Halls Brook. Removal of the dam would reconnect important migratory fish spawning habitat, improve salt marsh health, and restore natural tidal flow.
Stevens Pond Dam; Lawrence Stevens Pond Dam is a high hazard dam in fair condition on the Spickett River. Removal of the dam would build on past DER restoration work in the Spickett River and would benefit migratory fish and improve public safety in an environmental justice community.
Congress Street Dam; Lowell Congress Street Dam is the first dam on River Meadow Brook and its removal would reconnect habitat for migratory fish upstream through Chelmsford. Dam removal would also improve the flood resilience of local infrastructure and public safety in an environmental justice community.
Grist Mill Dam; Pittsfield Grist Mill Dam is the first dam on the Southwest Branch of the Housatonic River. Its removal would benefit coldwater species in a core aquatic habitat and would improve flood resilience for the local community.
DER’s Regional Restoration Partnerships Program boosts the pace and scale of ecological restoration in Massachusetts by strengthening local and regional organizations that collaborate on restoration projects, helping both people and nature adapt to climate change. In 2021, DER selected three Restoration Partnerships for support through a competitive process. The funding granted through this announcement will provide continued support for these partnerships.
DER is awarding three grants to Regional Restoration Partnerships:
Buzzards Bay Coalition; Buzzards Bay Watershed Restoration Partnership: $50,000 The Buzzards Bay Watershed Restoration Partnership supports a network of towns, local land trusts, and private landowners throughout the Buzzards Bay region working to implement strategic ecological restoration, land conservation, and climate resilience projects. This award will support the Partnership’s efforts to advance restoration projects with towns, land trusts, and other stakeholders.
Housatonic Valley Association; Berkshires Clean, Cold, Connected Partnership: $35,000The Berkshire Clean, Cold, Connected Partnership supports a network of organizations, agencies, and communities working for healthy aquatic systems and building climate resilience in the Hoosic, Housatonic, and Farmington River watersheds. This award will support the Partnership in their efforts to build local and regional capacity for restoration education, and plan and implement locally-driven priority restoration projects.
Merrimack River Watershed Council; Merrimack Restoration Partnership: $50,000 The Merrimack Restoration Partnership supports a diverse network of partners and stakeholders working to advance a strategic, watershed scale restoration and climate resilient vision in the Merrimack watershed. This award will support Partnership efforts to build project support and advance locally-driven, high-priority ecological restoration projects.
“The removal of Balch Pond Dam is a crucial step toward improving Ayer’s environmental health and safety,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D—Marlborough). “The dam is in poor condition, disrupts vital coldwater fish habitats, and exacerbates flooding risks for roads, railways, and at-risk environmental justice communities. Its removal will create a healthier, safer environment around Cold Spring Brook and strengthen the town’s resilience to climate change. I am grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for advancing the preliminary design study and Division of Ecological Restoration for their ongoing commitment to dam safety.”
