Two Dam Removals, One Bypass and One Fish Ladder at The Great Penobscot River Restoration, Penobscot River Watershed, Maine

In an effort to restore eleven species of sea-run fish while resuming energy production levels, state and federal agencies, businesses and non-profits bonded together to restore the Penobscot River watershed. Two dam removals and the construction of one fish by-pass, and one modernized fish ladder resulted in over 2,000 km of connected migratory fish passage concluding a massive restoration project. Dam removal provides benefits for the endangered Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and ten other species of catadromous and anadromous fish that migrate through these waters to and from the ocean. The recovery benefited local food chains, recreational and commercial fishing industries, and the overall resiliency of the ecosystem.