List of dam removals in Maine

This is a list of dams in Maine that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

Completed removals[edit]

Dam^[1]	Height	Year removed	Location	Watercourse	Watershed	Notes
Little River Dam		2009	Lisbon 43°59′40″N 70°03′01″W / 43.9944°N 70.0502°W / 43.9944; -70.0502 (Little River Dam)	Little River	Androscoggin River
Farnsworth Dam	13 ft (4.0 m)	2019	Lisbon 44°01′16″N 70°05′31″W / 44.0211°N 70.092°W / 44.0211; -70.092 (Farnsworth Dam)	Sabattus River		Woolen mill dam.
Upper River Dam (Upper Town Dam)	8 ft (2.4 m)	2022	Lisbon 44°01′58″N 70°06′14″W / 44.0329°N 70.104°W / 44.0329; -70.104 (Upper River Dam (Upper Town Dam))	Sabattus River		Timber mill dam owned by the Town of Lisbon.
Unnamed remnant dam		2010	Washburn 46°46′52″N 68°09′31″W / 46.7811°N 68.1587°W / 46.7811; -68.1587	Salmon Brook	Aroostook River
Washburn Mill Pond Dam		2014	Washburn 46°47′31″N 68°09′26″W / 46.792°N 68.1571°W / 46.792; -68.1571 (Washburn Mill Pond Dam)	Salmon Brook		Dam built for recreation, owned by the Town of Washburn.
Unnamed remnant dam		2013	Riley Township 44°30′05″N 70°55′17″W / 44.5014°N 70.9213°W / 44.5014; -70.9213	Sunday River
Wight's Pond Dam	3 ft (0.91 m)	2017	Penobscot 44°27′04″N 68°40′27″W / 44.4511°N 68.6742°W / 44.4511; -68.6742 (Wight's Pond Dam)	Winslow Stream	Bagaduce River	Pond level dam owned by the Town of Penobscot, Maine. The dam was replaced with an fish passage to allow alewife to access the pond for spawning.^[2]
Smelt Brook Dam		2018	Sullivan 44°30′18″N 68°09′41″W / 44.5049°N 68.1614°W / 44.5049; -68.1614 (Smelt Brook Dam)	Smelt Brook	Frenchman Bay	Dam created a trout pond. Owned by the Downeast Salmon Federation.
Kate Furbish Dam	13 ft (4.0 m)	2016	Brunswick 43°51′58″N 69°56′04″W / 43.8661°N 69.9345°W / 43.8661; -69.9345 (Kate Furbish Dam)	Tributary to Harpswell Cove	Harpswell Sound
Edwards Dam	24 ft (7.3 m)	1999	Augusta 44°19′30″N 69°46′11″W / 44.3249°N 69.7697°W / 44.3249; -69.7697 (Edwards Dam)	Kennebec River	Kennebec River	This hydroelectric dam was removed after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission refused to renew its license, marking the first time the federal government ordered the removal of a dam against the wishes of its owners.^[3]
Lombard Dam		2018	Vassalboro 44°27′49″N 69°36′50″W / 44.4637°N 69.614°W / 44.4637; -69.614 (Lombard Dam)	Outlet Stream
Masse Dam	17 ft (5.2 m)	2017	Vassalboro 44°27′07″N 69°36′25″W / 44.4519°N 69.607°W / 44.4519; -69.607 (Masse Dam)			Sawmill dam.
Morneau Remnants Dam	6 ft (1.8 m)	2021	Vassalboro 44°27′25″N 69°36′32″W / 44.4569°N 69.6088°W / 44.4569; -69.6088 (Morneau Remnants Dam)			Sawmill dam.
Madison Electric Dam		2006	Starks 44°43′53″N 69°53′53″W / 44.7313°N 69.8981°W / 44.7313; -69.8981 (Madison Electric Dam)	Sandy River		Hydropower dam owned by Madison Electric Works.
Fort Halifax Dam		2008	Winslow 44°32′21″N 69°37′33″W / 44.5391°N 69.6258°W / 44.5391; -69.6258 (Fort Halifax Dam)	Sebasticook River
Main Street Dam		2002	Newport 44°50′07″N 69°16′19″W / 44.8352°N 69.272°W / 44.8352; -69.272 (Main Street Dam)	East Branch Sebasticook River
Mill Dam		2000	Corinna 44°55′19″N 69°15′39″W / 44.9219°N 69.2609°W / 44.9219; -69.2609 (Mill Dam)	East Branch Sebasticook River
Archer's Mill Dam	12 ft (3.7 m)	1999	Stetson 44°53′15″N 69°08′16″W / 44.8876°N 69.1379°W / 44.8876; -69.1379 (Archer's Mill Dam)	Stetson Stream		National Inventory of Dams ID ME00402.
Walton's Mill Dam	16 ft (4.9 m)	2022	Farmington 44°39′37″N 70°09′57″W / 44.6602°N 70.1658°W / 44.6602; -70.1658 (Walton's Mill Dam)	Temple Stream		Mill dam owned by the Town of Farmington. National Inventory of Dams ID ME00123.
Goff Mill Brook Dam	4 ft (1.2 m)	2015	Arundel	Goff Mill Brook	Kennebunk River
East Machias Dam		2000	East Machias 44°44′20″N 67°23′20″W / 44.7389°N 67.3889°W / 44.7389; -67.3889 (East Machias Dam)	East Machias River	Machias River	Hydropower dam owned by the Town of East Machias.
Canaan Lake Outlet Dam		1999	North Washington 44°58′00″N 67°46′30″W / 44.9667°N 67.7749°W / 44.9667; -67.7749 (Canaan Lake Outlet Dam)	Old Stream
Northern Stream Rock Dam		2020	East Machias 44°58′33″N 67°31′16″W / 44.9759°N 67.521°W / 44.9759; -67.521 (Northern Stream Rock Dam)	Northern Stream
West Winterport Dam	16 ft (4.9 m)	2010	Winterport and Frankfort 44°37′07″N 68°57′29″W / 44.6185°N 68.958°W / 44.6185; -68.958 (West Winterport Dam)	Marsh Stream	Penobscot River
Bangor Dam	4 ft (1.2 m)	1995	Bangor 44°48′36″N 68°44′30″W / 44.8101°N 68.7417°W / 44.8101; -68.7417 (Bangor Dam)	Penobscot River
Great Works Dam	20 ft (6.1 m)	2012	Old Town 44°55′15″N 68°37′55″W / 44.9207°N 68.6319°W / 44.9207; -68.6319 (Great Works Dam)			Hydropower dam.
Veazie Dam	30 ft (9.1 m)	2013	Veazie and Eddington 44°49′57″N 68°42′03″W / 44.8325°N 68.7008°W / 44.8325; -68.7008 (Veazie Dam)			Hydropower dam owned by the PPL Corporation.
Brownville Dam	12 ft (3.7 m)	1999	Brownville 45°18′23″N 69°02′04″W / 45.3064°N 69.0344°W / 45.3064; -69.0344 (Brownville Dam)	Pleasant River (Piscataquis River tributary)
Lower Sedgeunkedunk Dam		2009	Brewer 44°45′55″N 68°46′47″W / 44.7652°N 68.7798°W / 44.7652; -68.7798 (Lower Sedgeunkedunk Dam)	Sedgeunkedunk Stream
Grist Mill Dam	14 ft (4.3 m)	1998	Hampden 44°44′55″N 68°49′58″W / 44.7487°N 68.8329°W / 44.7487; -68.8329 (Grist Mill Dam)	Souadabscook Stream
Hampden Recreation Area Dam	2 ft (0.61 m)	1999		Souadabscook Stream
Mast Point Dam		1997	Berwick 43°17′13″N 70°53′54″W / 43.287°N 70.8982°W / 43.287; -70.8982 (Mast Point Dam)	Salmon Falls River	Piscataqua River
Shoreys Brook Dam	18 ft (5.5 m)	2011	South Berwick and Eliot 43°10′53″N 70°49′08″W / 43.1813°N 70.8189°W / 43.1813; -70.8189 (Shoreys Brook Dam)	Shoreys Brook	Piscataqua River
Columbia Falls Dam	9 ft (2.7 m)	1988	Steuben 44°39′11″N 67°43′38″W / 44.6531°N 67.7273°W / 44.6531; -67.7273 (Columbia Falls Dam)	Pleasant River (Pleasant Bay)	Pleasant River (Pleasant Bay)
Smelt Hill Dam		2002	Falmouth 43°43′06″N 70°16′09″W / 43.7183°N 70.2693°W / 43.7183; -70.2693 (Smelt Hill Dam)	Presumpscot River	Presumpscot River
Saccarappa Dam 1 (east)	12 ft (3.7 m)	2019	Westbrook 43°40′40″N 70°22′10″W / 43.6779°N 70.3695°W / 43.6779; -70.3695 (Saccarappa Dam 1 (east))			Hydroelectric dams owned by Sappi North America/S. D. Warren Co.
Saccarappa Dam 2 (west)	12 ft (3.7 m)	2019	Westbrook 43°40′44″N 70°22′09″W / 43.6789°N 70.3692°W / 43.6789; -70.3692 (Saccarappa Dam 2 (west))
Swett Brook Dam	4 ft (1.2 m)	2013	Waterford 44°15′24″N 70°43′39″W / 44.2566°N 70.7274°W / 44.2566; -70.7274 (Swett Brook Dam)	Swett Brook		Water storage dam owned by the Portland Pipe Line Corporation.
Randall Mill Dam	10 ft (3.0 m)	2013	Pownal 43°55′47″N 70°11′28″W / 43.9297°N 70.191°W / 43.9297; -70.191 (Randall Mill Dam)	Chandler Brook	Royal River	Sawmill dam.
Unnamed dam		2012	Yarmouth 43°48′19″N 70°11′19″W / 43.8053°N 70.1885°W / 43.8053; -70.1885	Royal River	Royal River	Mill dam.
Milltown Dam	42 ft (13 m)	2023	Calais 45°10′33″N 67°17′34″W / 45.1759°N 67.2929°W / 45.1759; -67.2929 (Milltown Dam)	St. Croix River	St. Croix River
Sennebec Dam	15 ft (4.6 m)	2002	Union 44°14′12″N 69°16′42″W / 44.2367°N 69.2782°W / 44.2367; -69.2782 (Sennebec Dam)	Saint George River	Saint George River	Dam had raised the natural water level on Sennebec Pond, and was replaced with a fish ramp that maintained the level while opening 17 miles (27 km) of the Saint George River and 1,100 acres (450 ha) of lake habitat to fish passage. This was the last man-made barrier on the Saint George River.^[4]
Martin Brook Upper Dam		2010	Madawaska 47°20′43″N 68°19′53″W / 47.3453°N 68.3315°W / 47.3453; -68.3315 (Martin Brook Upper Dam)	Martin Brook	Saint John River
Sherman Lake Dam		2008	New Castle 44°00′41″N 69°35′52″W / 44.0115°N 69.5979°W / 44.0115; -69.5979 (Sherman Lake Dam)	Marsh River	Sheepscot River
Lower Montsweag Dam	35 ft (11 m)	2010	Wiscasset 43°58′07″N 69°43′13″W / 43.9686°N 69.7202°W / 43.9686; -69.7202 (Lower Montsweag Dam)	Montsweag Brook		Dam was built to create an emergency water source for the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant.
Head Tide Dam	15 ft (4.6 m)	2019	Alna 44°06′54″N 69°37′23″W / 44.1149°N 69.623°W / 44.1149; -69.623 (Head Tide Dam)	Sheepscot River		Former grist mill dam owned by the Atlantic Salmon Federation and the Town of Alna. The dam was partially removed and replaced with an elevated platform to allow for fish passage.^[5]
Coopers Mill Dam	20 ft (6.1 m)	2018	Whitefield 44°15′31″N 69°33′02″W / 44.2587°N 69.5506°W / 44.2587; -69.5506 (Coopers Mill Dam)	Sheepscot River		Owned by the Town of Whitefield.

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References[edit]

^ "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
^ Rappaport, Stephen (15 August 2017). "Crews begin removing Wight Pond dam". The Ellsworth American. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ "The River Runs Free" (PDF). Maine State Planning Office, State House Section 38, Augusta, Maine. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
^ "Sennebec Dam Removal Union, Maine" (PDF). NOAA Community-based Restoration Program. 2003. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
^ Clifford, Jessica (7 November 2019). "Head Tide Dam Project a 'Gift That's Going to Outlive Us All'". The Lincoln County News. Retrieved 5 September 2023.

External links[edit]

Media related to Removed dams in Maine at Wikimedia Commons

[ardrd-1] "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.

[2] Rappaport, Stephen (15 August 2017). "Crews begin removing Wight Pond dam". The Ellsworth American. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

[3] "The River Runs Free" (PDF). Maine State Planning Office, State House Section 38, Augusta, Maine. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-26.

[4] "Sennebec Dam Removal Union, Maine" (PDF). NOAA Community-based Restoration Program. 2003. Retrieved 5 September 2023.

[5] Clifford, Jessica (7 November 2019). "Head Tide Dam Project a 'Gift That's Going to Outlive Us All'". The Lincoln County News. Retrieved 5 September 2023.

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