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). One of the eight sites is the Congress Street Dam in 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.
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 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.
