People and animals both depend on nature’s free flowing rivers. In the case of Maine's Penobscot River, restoration focuses on the entire river basin and all its uses — from fish production to recreation to hydropower. While salmon were the all-stars of the river, other migratory fish like sturgeon, striped bass and especially the river herring have all been decreasing in population.
Today, the Penobscot River Partnership is the best hope for bringing back the endangered Atlantic salmon and these other fish. The unlikely partners of the Penobscot River restoration include: a power company, a Native American tribe, six environmental groups and numerous state and federal agencies and riverside communities. The plan calls for the removal of the two dams closest to the ocean. A third dam further upstream will be decommissioned and a state-of-the-art fish bypass built around it. At the same time, energy production will be increased at other dams, providing the ability to maintain current hydropower levels.
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