By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
WASHBURN — The heart of town will look a lot different in coming months, following the announcement last week that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection will be overseeing the removal of the Mill Pond dam and berm.
A meeting was held at the Washburn Town Office on Jan. 29, providing representatives from all interested agencies an opportunity to weigh in on the removal of the structures, which have been in place for nearly a century. Those present included: Nick Archer, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, northern Maine regional office director; Washburn Town Manager Bev Turner; Town Council Chair Keith Brown; Town Councilors Fred Thomas, Mike Umphrey and Daren Churchill; Washburn Code Enforcement Officer Adam Doody; Wildlife Biologists Rich Hoppe and Frank Drost of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; MDEP representatives Bill Sheehan, Lee Thomas, Jim Beyer and Eric Hitchcock; James Caron, Maine Parks and Land; Scott Thompson, Atlantic Salmon for Northern Maine; Randall Spencer, Maine Department of Marine Resources; Jay Kamm, Northern Maine Development Commission; Greg Landeen, and Carl Soderberg, Soderberg Construction.
“We’ve finalized funding, with the pulling of the dam being the big deal,” said Archer.
Archer said though funding does not include restoration of the park itself, it will cover the removal of the dam and berm.
“We received $85,000 through the Supplemental Environmental Project Fund through DEP. It won’t cost the town anything to remove the dam and berm,” he said.
Archer said the project was expected to get underway Feb. 18 — weather permitting — with Soderberg Construction doing the work. Completion is expected to take about five weeks.
“Restoring Salmon Brook will allow fish species access to the stream for spawning. This will benefit both salmon and trout,” said Frost.
Hoppe said there would be “no significant habitat affected” by the removal of the dam and berm.
“New habitat is only obtained through these methods. These communities up and down the river (Aroostook River) have expressed a commitment to preserving Atlantic salmon,” noted Spencer.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of the process,” added Thompson.
Brown said the removal was necessary, due to safety concerns.
“Safety’s been an issue, which will be taken care of with the removal of the dam,” said Brown. The aging dam and berm were beginning to wear in places, posing a risk of flooding and possible injury, should someone be traversing either in the event of a collapse.
Archer said the funds will be disbursed through NMDC.
“NMDC has volunteered to handle the money, with Jay seeing that the bills get paid,” Archer said.
The group discussed where removed materials, including dirt from the berm, would be stored. Archer said some will be stored near the Trail Runners Snowmobile clubhouse, for use on trail maintenance, while some will be used as fill.
“We’ll use some fill on the west side. By 2015 we should know where the stream will go,” said Archer.
Brown said the footbridge and access across the berm will be eliminated. Town officials are authorizing use of the Hines Street bridge for snowmobiles and ATVs to access the trail system.
Thomas said measures are being taken to ensure safety in the event of any type of spill.
“As a safety precaution, a spill kit will be on site. We ask that equipment be checked regularly and hay bales be kept on the premises, in the event anything lets loose,” said Thomas. “If something does happen, notify the Washburn Fire Department immediately.”
Officials are optimistic about the future of the site, which is being restored to the state it was in back in the 1800s. Removal of the berm will open a stretch of about 20 miles of free-flowing water for trout and salmon, which will be suitable for fall spawning and as a refuge in summer months.
“We want to make this as simple as possible. This won’t be the last such project. We already have another project in mind,” said Archer.
Turner sees this as a positive advancement for the town, which has been trying for years to do something with the Mill Pond to create a gathering spot for residents and visitors alike. She sees the stream restoration as a way to attract fishermen and more.
