‘Our mission is simple — protect the Saco River for all’ (Printed Nov. 23, 2007)
By Ashley St. Michel
Staff Writer
After more than 13 years of collaboration, the 12 parties involved in the Saco River Fisheries Assessment finalized an agreement to balance the need for clean renewable energy and continue the restoration of Maine’s sea run fish and habitat in the Saco River watershed on Nov. 14 at Saco City Hall.
“Our mission is simple – protect the Saco River for all,” said Mayor Mark Johnston. “That includes the fish passage.”
Johnston was joined by representatives from FPL Energy Maine Hydro, National Marine Fisheries Service, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries, Saco River Salmon Club and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to discuss the details of the agreement.
The agreement was spearheaded by FPL Energy Maine Hydro, LLC and was an extension of the original Saco River Fish Passage Agreement outlined in 1994.
The original agreement settled licensing issues related to fish passage at six hydroelectric projects on the main stretch of the Saco River operated by FPL Energy Maine Hydro. Although the 1994 agreement didn’t incorporate measures for passage of American eel the finalized agreement includes upstream and downstream eel passage measures. Fish passages are important on the river because of the hydro stations located on different sections of the river. Johnston said salmon depend on upstream passages because they can’t survive if they can’t continue to migrate.
FPL Energy Maine Hydro owns 24 hydroelectric stations and eight storage dams on the Kennebec, Sebasticook, Androscoggin, Presumpscot and Saco rivers, according to FPL Vice President Allen Wiley. He added the company produces more than 90 percent of its electricity from clean or renewable resources and is the leading producer of wind energy in the nation.
The collaboration between the parties began with the relicensing of the Bar Mills Dam. Schweisberg said there was a mutual desire between all the parties to expand the facility.
“This project began as a potentially pretentious agreement over one dam on the Saco River,” said Timothy Keeney, deputy assistant secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere at the Department of Commerce. “It made sense to all parties involved.”
The agreement was sparked when FPL approached the city of Saco about reconstructing the Bar Mills Dam. Some of the construction also included lifting the Saco Cataract dam to a height that Johnston said could result in flooding parts of Saco.
Michael Thaboult, assistant regional director for Ecological Services, said he is pleased with the agreement.
“There is a lot of cooperation here,” he said. “We think it’s critical that the community rally around groups like these to improve the watershed and fish passage success.”
Matt Schweisberg, the facilitator and employee of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) discussed the financial terms of the agreement. The agreement provides $25,700 to the Saco River Salmon Club for rearing salmon product, $10,000 for 10 years to support fisheries, management and restoration activities on the river, $50,000 a year until 2022 for the Saco River Salmon enhancement fund and $5,000 a year for five years for public education that focuses on the Saco River. Schweisberg added the agreement establishes operational dates for upstream and downstream passages to accommodate a full life-cycle of the fish.
“Fish and wildlife don’t necessarily always stick to a calendar,” Thaboult said. “I think the fact that this agreement is responsive to actual data that’s going to be collected on the river. I think it’s a creative element that is very important.”
The agreement also includes operational dates for each of the dams on the river for upstream fish passage. Schweisberg said it establishes a procedure for monitoring the population of shad and salmon. The agreement includes testing the facilities to make sure they are effective.
“If you look at the whole agreement, it’s comprehensive,” Schweisberg said. “It addresses the migratory needs of several commercially important fish.”
Mark Woodruff, vice president of the Saco River Salmon Club, said his involvement with the agreement taught him what was necessary for a successful fish restoration. The Saco River Salmon Club is an all volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to fish restoration. The club was involved in the 1994 agreement and were co-signers to the in-stream flow agreement establishing river flows at each of the hydro projects on the river.
Patrick Kaliher, director for Maine Bureau of Sea Run Fisheries and Habitat, read a statement from Gov. John Baldacci who expressed appreciation for the environmental stewardship incorporated into the design and operation of the facilities.
“I am pleased that consensus was reached that truly takes into account and concern the 12 parties involved,” Baldacci said.
Schweisberg added he is grateful the parties involved were able to settle all differences and continue to work toward a common goal.
“The project institutionalizes the long term cooperative relationship between all the parties,” he said. “These parties have to work for the next 20 to 30 years. They are all ... intertwined in managing the fish, working on the rivers and producing energy. That cooperation has to continue.”
The Saco River, which stretches 134 miles, supplies water to more than 250,000 people and business in York County. More than 10 million gallons of water is pumped a day from the Saco according to Johnston, who added that the Army Corps of Engineers predicts the river will service all of Southern Maine in the near future. Sixteen rivers and streams flow through the Saco watershed drainage area of about 17,000 miles.
Staff Writer
After more than 13 years of collaboration, the 12 parties involved in the Saco River Fisheries Assessment finalized an agreement to balance the need for clean renewable energy and continue the restoration of Maine’s sea run fish and habitat in the Saco River watershed on Nov. 14 at Saco City Hall.
“Our mission is simple – protect the Saco River for all,” said Mayor Mark Johnston. “That includes the fish passage.”
Johnston was joined by representatives from FPL Energy Maine Hydro, National Marine Fisheries Service, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries, Saco River Salmon Club and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to discuss the details of the agreement.
The agreement was spearheaded by FPL Energy Maine Hydro, LLC and was an extension of the original Saco River Fish Passage Agreement outlined in 1994.
The original agreement settled licensing issues related to fish passage at six hydroelectric projects on the main stretch of the Saco River operated by FPL Energy Maine Hydro. Although the 1994 agreement didn’t incorporate measures for passage of American eel the finalized agreement includes upstream and downstream eel passage measures. Fish passages are important on the river because of the hydro stations located on different sections of the river. Johnston said salmon depend on upstream passages because they can’t survive if they can’t continue to migrate.
FPL Energy Maine Hydro owns 24 hydroelectric stations and eight storage dams on the Kennebec, Sebasticook, Androscoggin, Presumpscot and Saco rivers, according to FPL Vice President Allen Wiley. He added the company produces more than 90 percent of its electricity from clean or renewable resources and is the leading producer of wind energy in the nation.
The collaboration between the parties began with the relicensing of the Bar Mills Dam. Schweisberg said there was a mutual desire between all the parties to expand the facility.
“This project began as a potentially pretentious agreement over one dam on the Saco River,” said Timothy Keeney, deputy assistant secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere at the Department of Commerce. “It made sense to all parties involved.”
The agreement was sparked when FPL approached the city of Saco about reconstructing the Bar Mills Dam. Some of the construction also included lifting the Saco Cataract dam to a height that Johnston said could result in flooding parts of Saco.
Michael Thaboult, assistant regional director for Ecological Services, said he is pleased with the agreement.
“There is a lot of cooperation here,” he said. “We think it’s critical that the community rally around groups like these to improve the watershed and fish passage success.”
Matt Schweisberg, the facilitator and employee of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) discussed the financial terms of the agreement. The agreement provides $25,700 to the Saco River Salmon Club for rearing salmon product, $10,000 for 10 years to support fisheries, management and restoration activities on the river, $50,000 a year until 2022 for the Saco River Salmon enhancement fund and $5,000 a year for five years for public education that focuses on the Saco River. Schweisberg added the agreement establishes operational dates for upstream and downstream passages to accommodate a full life-cycle of the fish.
“Fish and wildlife don’t necessarily always stick to a calendar,” Thaboult said. “I think the fact that this agreement is responsive to actual data that’s going to be collected on the river. I think it’s a creative element that is very important.”
The agreement also includes operational dates for each of the dams on the river for upstream fish passage. Schweisberg said it establishes a procedure for monitoring the population of shad and salmon. The agreement includes testing the facilities to make sure they are effective.
“If you look at the whole agreement, it’s comprehensive,” Schweisberg said. “It addresses the migratory needs of several commercially important fish.”
Mark Woodruff, vice president of the Saco River Salmon Club, said his involvement with the agreement taught him what was necessary for a successful fish restoration. The Saco River Salmon Club is an all volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to fish restoration. The club was involved in the 1994 agreement and were co-signers to the in-stream flow agreement establishing river flows at each of the hydro projects on the river.
Patrick Kaliher, director for Maine Bureau of Sea Run Fisheries and Habitat, read a statement from Gov. John Baldacci who expressed appreciation for the environmental stewardship incorporated into the design and operation of the facilities.
“I am pleased that consensus was reached that truly takes into account and concern the 12 parties involved,” Baldacci said.
Schweisberg added he is grateful the parties involved were able to settle all differences and continue to work toward a common goal.
“The project institutionalizes the long term cooperative relationship between all the parties,” he said. “These parties have to work for the next 20 to 30 years. They are all ... intertwined in managing the fish, working on the rivers and producing energy. That cooperation has to continue.”
The Saco River, which stretches 134 miles, supplies water to more than 250,000 people and business in York County. More than 10 million gallons of water is pumped a day from the Saco according to Johnston, who added that the Army Corps of Engineers predicts the river will service all of Southern Maine in the near future. Sixteen rivers and streams flow through the Saco watershed drainage area of about 17,000 miles.
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