Dams in Maine

Maine has thousands of dams on its rivers and lakes; some of these dams are aging and pose significant public safety risks. The Legislature expanded last year’s “Dam Repair and Reconstruction Fund” to allow funding for the breaching or removal of a dam. Little new money was provided, but it was important for the Legislature to clarify that some old dams should be removed, and not repaired, so that the aquatic habitat can recover from years of disruption.

In 1997 the Edwards dam on the Kennebec iin Augusta came down, following a ...... year struggle.

American Rivers calls the Presumpcot River in Maine one of America's most endangered rivers. The Presumpscot drops 270 feet over 17 miles in a what was once – maybe 200 years ago – a tumultuous roaring cascade from Sebago Lake to Casco Bay in Falmouth. But nine dams, most of them with hydropowered turbines, transformed the bountiful river into a powerhouse for paper mills, a steel foundry and other industrial users.