Transcript ME_Presumpscot_(Omar)

Presumpscot River Stakeholders Plan:
The Future of a Changing River
Prepared by
The Presumpscot River Plan Steering Committee
With Funding and Assistance from:
Casco Bay Estuary Project and EPA Region 1
Intro: Background
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Casco Bay Estuary Project for Presumpscott River initiated in the Spring of 2000
Largest freshwater resource to Casco Bay
Presumpscot was the site of Maine’s first pulp mill, first hydroelectric project, only significant
canal and largest gunpowder mill, no other river in Maine has had virtually all its hydraulic head
captured behind dams
Impact from dams on fisheries has been a concern since the 1700’s, by 1950’s the condition of the
river reached its all time low, treatment plants reduced pollutant discharges following Clean Water
Act but non-point sources of pollution increased
Interest started in 1992 when Maine Department of Inland Fisheries successfully reestablished a
trout and salmon fishery just below Sebago Lake and after plans for the removal of Smelt Hill
Dam and improvements in water quality from cessation of SAPPI Fine Paper’s pulp mill.
Development pressure increased after removal of the pulp mill since the stench and
unattractiveness of living near a pulp mill was also removed.
Originates at Sebago Lake; Maine’s second largest lake, supplies greater Portland area with water,
originally the river was a rushing river with many falls and rapids, abundant fish life, now it is slow
moving and does not support as much wildlife
Focus on Presumpscot River and adjacent river corridor lands and some tributaries, does not
address Sebago Lake levels
Sebago
Lake
27 miles long
Casco
Bay
Deepest
lake in New
England,
one of the
cleanest in
the state
Removed
in 2002
Problems
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Clearing of land and draining or filling wetlands for
agriculture: 16% of the land is farmland
Timber harvesting for fuel wood, lumber, shipbuilding,
pulp and paper
Extraction of sand and gravel
Development of settlements
Construction of roads, canals, railroads
Industrial development, dams for power
Use by industries and municipitalities for waste disposal
Impacts to Water Resources
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8 dams: fragmented habitat, fast flowing water
converted to impoundments, anadromous fish
blocked
5 waste water discharges: reduce water quality
31% of lower watershed is now developed
16% of lower watershed is agricultural
Flow regimes altered
Changes in Water Quality
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Basin was originally forested, original water quality was
very similar to Sebago Lake, its source
In 2001, Portland Water District’s draft of the Lake
report noted that Lake Sebago has outstanding water
quality
Impacts of waste discharges, watershed development,
and damming include:
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Increased TSS, increased dissolved solids, lowered DO,
increased bacteria levels, shift to pollution-tolerant organisms,
elevated temperature
Below Westbrook, 60% chance of meeting Class B for WQS
for aquatic life
Changes in Aquatic Habitat
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Increased temperature from development and
slowing of water, switch from native cold water
species (trout) to warm non-native species (bass)
Sedimentation: aquatic community shifts to
organisms more tolerant of turbid water, overall
abundance of organisms decreases
Put and take
salmon and
trout fishery
The rest is only
suitable for bass and
panfish
Also impacts on wetlands, terrestrial
resources, endangered species and
estuarine habitat
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Reduction in diversity and productivity or
floodplain from less frequent flooding
Loss of wetlands from draining
Fragmentation of wildlife travel corridors,
reduction of wildlife populations
Loss of habitat for endangered species
The Steering Committee
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Presumpscot River Management Plan Steering Committee
composed of federal, state, and local government agencies,
businesses, conservation organizations and other interested
groups
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Goal: to work cooperatively to develop a plan for the future of the river, and
to develop recommendations that work for all interests
Purposes:
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1. to develop a comprehensive and unified plan with management objectives to
guide future actions and decision that impact the river
2. to identify opportunities for supporting continued improvements to the health
of the river and its tributaries, and for capitalizing in the potential of a healthy
river ecosystem for providing a diversity if public benefits, including recreational,
educational and economic benefits; in balance with the benefits of renewable
hydropower energy
Focus Areas
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Cumulative Impacts to the River
Fisheries Conditions and Opportunities
Open Space Conditions and Opportunities
Steering Committee worked for 2 years to
develop information and proposed objectives
for these focus areas
Cumulative Impacts to Environmental
Conditions on the Presumpscot River and its
Shorelands: Options for addressing
Cumulative Impacts
Options for addressing cumulative
impacts
Protecting and Enhancing Open
Space Along the Presumpscot River
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Open space is what Maine has going for it! Important to the
Maine way of life.
Presumpscot is in a part of Maine that is losing open space at a
rapid rate
Protecting open space is critical for:
 Fish and aquatic life. Riparian open space filter runoff from
the land, protects waters from sedimentation, maintains cool
water temperatures, and contributes organic matter to the
aquatic food base
 Wildlife: Riparian open space provides habitat used by 80%
of Maine’s terrestrial vertebrate species at some time during
their lifestyle
Wildlife and Fish Habitat Values
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Well vegetated open space corridors along river or stream have special value
as wildlife habitat:
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A unique edge habitat
Importance to aquatic habitats
Importance to birds
Dear yards
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80% if Maine’s terrestrial vertebrate wildlife species use riparian
areas to meet their habitat needs at some point in their life
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Coalition of planning and conservation organizations: Maine Audobon
Society, Maine Department of Conservation, Maine Department of
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine State Planning Office, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Wells National Estuarine Research Office, Maine Coastal
Program, USGS, Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, and
The Nature Conservancy
Maine already has a lot of open
space: a rare opportunity for
preservation
Open Space for Recreation
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Boating, canoeing, kayaking
Swimming
Fishing
Hunting
Wildlife observation and bird watching
Walking
Bicycling
Skiing and snowshoeing
Historical study
Educational activities
Snowmobiling
Enjoying the peace and quiet!
Communing with nature
Spiritual renewal!!
Methods to Preserve Open Space
Methods to preserve open space
Methods to preserve open space
Recommendations and Strategies:
identified by steering committee
Visions for the Future
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As far at Cumberland Mills Dam could supports
runs of 13,000 shad, 78,000 blueback herring,
20 to 100 Atlantic Salmon and up to 20,000
alewives
Most of the area remains undeveloped,
extensive opportunities to preserve open space,
time is limited as development pressure is
increasing