Free the Royal
As a member-driven conservation land trust that protects and stewards land within the Royal River watershed from its headwaters at Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester to the estuary in Yarmouth, Royal River Conservation Trust stands firmly for the restoration of the Royal to a free-running river by the full removal of the East Elm Street dam and Bridge Street dam in Yarmouth.
Rivers across the country, throughout New England, and right here in Maine respond swiftly to ecological restoration upon dam removal. We are confident the Royal River will be no exception. With Yarmouth’s dams removed, the cool streams and headwaters that feed the major stems of the Royal combined with ongoing conservation of adjacent unfragmented habitat will benefit the watershed, Casco Bay and the Gulf of Maine by restoring an active sea-run fishery, reducing erosion and runoff, slowing the proliferation of invasive species, and improving climate resiliency. This healthier Royal watershed will provide habitat for a wide variety of animal and plant species, including those that are endangered and threatened, as well as recreational opportunities for people seeking respite from the increasingly hectic pace of life in Southern Maine.
Throughout Maine, 50 dams have been removed from rivers from South Berwick to Madawaska and 288 dams have been removed throughout New England since 1988. Conversations continue throughout the state and the region regarding the removal of additional dams. These conversations include the removal of the East Elm Street and Bridge Street dams in Yarmouth.
Our watershed’s health is particularly important during this moment in time as climate change and rapid development substantially alter this area that we treasure. We have an extraordinary opportunity to be on “right side” of nature and to do our part in ensuring a healthy and sustainable environment for many generations.
For the latest information regarding Royal dam removal conversations, visit the Town of Yarmouth’s Royal River, Section 206 Study website and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Royal River Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Study website.