GROTON, VT – Crews are in the midst of completing work to remove Green Mountain Power’s Groton #9 dam on the Wells River, a project aimed at improving fish passage and public safety along the river.
The project, which is being spearheaded by the Connecticut River Watershed Council and funded in part by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s watershed grant program, will ultimately open 34 miles of stream to trout and other fish, restoring the ability for fish to move freely up and downstream to find spawning habitat, as well as cooler waters during the summer.
“By removing the existing, deteriorating dam, we’ll be restoring free-flowing conditions of the river, improving water quality and sediment transport, and restoring the river and channel banks,” said Rod Wentworth, aquatic habitat scientist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “Additionally, the project will eliminate hazards to boaters and anglers created by the old dam structure.
“In total, the project will improve fish and wildlife habitat, which is vital to the biological integrity of the Wells River, and make the site safer for recreationalists who want to enjoy the river,” Wentworth said.
The dam removal will also allow for the natural movement of woody debris and nutrients.
In addition to funding secured through the Department’s watershed grant program, the project also received financial support from the Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund, dam owner Green Mountain Power, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service also provided engineering services and project oversight.
Other project partners include Trout Unlimited, the Town of Groton, local landowners, and recreational users.
“Without the support of our partners and funders, these on-stream restoration projects wouldn’t be possible, so we’d like to thank all those involved,” said Ron Rhodes, river steward with the Connecticut River Watershed Council.
Removal of the Groton #9 dam supports the goals of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resource’s Wildlife Action plan which lists wild, naturally reproducing strains of brook trout as a conservation priority in fluvial habitats with the aim of conserving all known populations.
To learn more about Vermont’s fisheries management programs and fishing in Vermont, visit http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com.
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