SANDY RIVER DAM REMOVAL BIOMONITORING
NOAA Fisheries, Gloucester, MA
Trout Unlimited, Augusta, ME
In 2006, the Sandy River hydroelectric dam in Starks,
Maine was removed. This removal enhances habitat
connectivity for anadromous salmon and shad in an
enormously important tributary of the Kennebec River
watershed, and also reestablished over four miles of
riverine aquatic habitat. Conservation interests and
fishery agencies supporting the dam deconstruction
desired monitoring data to assess the relative success of
the dam removal in restoring native fish resources and
riverine habitat.
Prior to the dam removal, Kleinschmidt collected
baseline biological data to serve as a benchmark in
documenting the effect of removing the dam on the
Sandy River fish community structure by applying IBI
sampling methods and newly-emerging metrics. the
survey represents the first application of the Barrier
Removal Monitoring Criteria developed in 2006. The
data were collected in a manner so that post-removal
monitoring can accurately duplicate the spatial and
methodological sampling and thus provide a quantitative
assessment of ecological changes resulting from the
dam removal. Immediately after dam removal,
Kleinschmidt also surveyed the intact bed profile,
substrate and slope characteristics of the former
impoundment, so that fluvial geomorphologic changes
to the project area could subsequently be documented.
Both surveys also gathered data in contiguous upstream
and downstream reference sites.
The survey provides data that will allow future monitoring to determine the rate, and extent to which removal of the Sandy River dam enhances habitat connectivity allows river processes to form more favorable fluvial habitat conditions in the former impoundment area.
For further information contact Brandon Kulikl, Kleinschmidt, Pittsfield, Maine (207) 487-3328.