Summary Time Line of Fish Passage Issues on the Presumpscot River:
1646 -- First mill built on river (DeRoche, 1967)
1739 -- Dam built at Saccarappa Falls without fish passage. Chief
Polin of Aucocisco tribe walks to Boston to complain to Gov. Shirley about
dam's impact on migratory fish runs. People of Westbrook request that fishway
be built at Saccarappa Falls dam, owned by John Wait. (DeRoche, 1967)
1739/1741 -- "At an early day the inhabitants had regard for
the preservation of the fish. In 1739 it was voted in town meeting 'that
John Wait go to make answer to the presentment against the dam across the
Presumpscot, because of the absence of fishways. In 1741 the general court
passed an act requiring that all dams which the fish could not conveniently
cross should be provided with a passage through or around which the fish
might pass. The records of the court of session show that this matter required
constant attention." (Maine Historical Society, The Story of Presumpscot,
pp. 379-380)
1785/1793 -- "On July 13, 1785, William Gorham, Samuel Freeman
and Edmund Phinney were appointed to open sluice ways on the mill dam on
the Presumpscot River. In the year following Edmund Phinney, John Deane
and Jonah Perley were appointed a committee for the same purpose. In October
1793 the proprietors of the dam at Great falls were found guilty of not
keeping open a good and sufficient sluice way for the passage of salmon,
shad and alewives as required by law and were subjected to a fine of six
pounds per day for e4very day the way was closed." (Maine Historical
Society, The Story of the Presumpscot, p. 380)
1802 -- Dam without passage constructed at head of tide (Presumpscot
Falls); large numbers of Atlantic salmon caught below dam while unsuccessfully
trying to move upriver (Maine Commissioner of Fisheries, First Report, 1867,
p. 105)
1867 -- Maine Fisheries Commissioner reports on survey of river and
eight dams between estuary and Sebago Lake, describing potential fish passage
locations. Report notes dam at Presumpscot Falls (head of tide) washed out
15 years prior (c. 1852); notes that "alewives and shad pass this point
every year." Little Falls dam was also non-existent at this time. (Maine
Commissioner of Fisheries, First Report, 1867, p. 35)
1869 -- Maine Fisheries Commissioner's report notes, "On the
Presumpscot -- My attention was called to the construction of fishways on
the Presumpscot river by some of the owners of the dams themselves. The
river was several times visited and finally plans were drawn and submitted
to the proprietors for fishways over the dam at Cumberland Mills, the two
dams at Saccarappa, and the dam at Gambo Falls, and Lindsley's or upper
falls ....
"Since it was proposed to open this river to the migratory fishes by
the voluntary action of those liable to build fishways, no legal steps were
taken. I have not learned that any of the fishways have been completed,
but it is hoped that they will be during the next year. The character of
the river, subject to no heavy freshets, renders the building of fishways
easier and safer than on most of the rivers in the State. The most expensive
will perhaps be that at the lower falls in Saccarappa, and I think this
need not cost over six hundred dollars.
"Alewives still come as far as Cumberland Mills each year, and in common
with other fishes approach closest to the raceway where the poisonous matters
are discharged from the paper mill without apparent harm. Sebago salmon
are frequently caught here, and in the little bay below the mill is an excellent
places to take pickerel." (Fish Commissioners Report, 1869, pp. 9-10)
1875 -- Maine Fisheries Commissioners report, "The first fishway
on the Presumpscot was built by the Cumberland Mills, and finished this
spring. The plan of the fishway was by Mr. Charles G. Atkins, after a design
by Robert G. Pike, Esq. of Middletown, Conn. Of its success, one may judge
from the following extract from a letter of our genial friend, Mr. Hammon:
'I had supposed your fishways were intended for fishes in the upper walks
of life, such as salmon, trout, &c., &c.; but I find our new fishway
is used by the mudsills, the suckers, the chubs, the pouts, even the lampreys.
What is to be done about it?' Our reply was, that the 15th Amendment admitted
all!
"Our esteemed friend, Hon. George Warren ... has given us an admirably
built fishway at Saccarappa. Two have been constructed at that village;
and excellent one by the 'Westbrook Manufacturing Co.' A fishway after design
and plan by Mr. Atkins has been promptly built over the dam at their works,
by the Oriental Powder Mills at Windham. Four others on the Presumpscot
will be completed by the month of May, by Mr. Lindsey and Messrs. Holland
& Law." (Fisheries Commissioners' Report, 1875, p. 18)
1876 -- Maine Fisheries Commissioner reports, "The Presumpscot
River may now be pronounced accessible to salmon and alewives, as far as
Mallison Falls. Everybody ostensibly connected with that property is bankrupt.
To the County Attorney is referred the decision as to what course to pursue.
Of the fishways already built on the river, there was more or less departure
in all from accurate obedience to the plans furnished, and some alterations
will be required before we shall accept them in the name of the State. As
a general rule, kindly feeling and a desire to fulfill the wishes of the
Commissioners prevails. Allow me to state, that in no one instance have
we ever, from our own personal desire, enforced a fishway upon any mill
owner. In every single instance have we been impelled either by newspaper
attacks, or by the petition of the inhabitants of the locality, to take
the legal steps that were necessary to produce the result." (Fisheries
Commissioners' Report, 1876, pp. 12-13)
1879 -- Maine Fisheries Commissioners report, "On the Presumpscot
River, within the present year the chain of fishways has at last been completed.
The old fishway at Mallison Falls, that was not built according to the original
design and was utterly inadequate to its purpose, has been torn down and
replaced by a new and efficient fishway. Other fishways on the river have
been repaired and improved, and a fishway has been constructed over the
new dam at Wescott's Falls, at the head of the river." (Fish Commissioners'
Report, 1879, pp. 20-21)
1880 -- Maine Fisheries Commissioners report, "Presumpscot River.
There are now eight fishways upon this river, a new having been completed
at Wescott's Falls, to allow the fish to pass the dam at the head of the
river, the outlet of Sebago Lake. So that every dam upon the Presumpscot
is provided with a fishway. Some much needed improvements have been made
at Cumberland Mills, and some improvements are required at the upper dam
at the head of the river." (Fisheries and Game Commissioners' Report,
1880, pp. 22-23)
1882 -- Maine Fisheries Commissioners report, "On the Presumpscot,
at its source on Crooked River, a very great number of unusually large fish
have been taken by the poachers for the last two or three years. The exceptional
size and number of the fish has given increased incitement to the nefarious
practice of spearing on the spawning bed. The very remarkable size of the
fish and their unwonted number, warrant the conclusion that they are sea
salmon planted by us in the head waters of the river at Norway and other
tributaries of Sebago in the past years. The first salmon fry were planted
in the Presumpscot in 1875. A large fish of 13 pounds was taken below the
dam at the outlet of Sebago last June with hook and line. A man named Paul
is now under arrest for spearing a fish weighing 24 pounds on Crooked River
the middle of October. Several others have been arrested for spearing fish
and there are also many other casees which will be prosecuted in due course.
We feel warranted in the conclusion that most of these fish are results
of our planting sea salmon, not only from the reasons we have assigned above,
but from the added fact that we have now a series of eight good fishways
on the Presumpscot river from Cumberland Mills to Sebago. .... There has
been distributed this season Penobscot salmon fry in different rivers, as
follows, viz: Presumpscot River, 140,000." (Fisheries and Game Commissioners'
Report, 1882, pp. 10-11)
1893 -- Diary entry of John Warren, agent for Samuel Warren, for
year 1893. Copied from original at Warren Memorial Library in Westbrook.
May 27, 1893: "Gage at White's Bridge is incorrect. Fishways in bad
repair, need to be fixed."
June 17, 1893: "Met with Fish Commissioner. He said, 'present fishway
totally without merit.' Other fishway lower falls inadequate."
July 3, 1893 -- Warren states flow of 1,000 cfm needed for fishway. Note
by Roger Wheeler states that, "JW in journal goes into some detail
about directions for new fishway."
August 14, 1893: Warren reports new fishway is completed (presumably at
dam at outlet of Sebago).
1967 -- Comments and observations made in a lengthy report on the
Presumpscot River by DeRoche (1967), later summarized in an article for
the State of Maine's official fish & game magazine, comprise the most
complete overview of the Presumpscot River's condition and future potential
since the 1867-1880s era state fisheries commissioner reports. DeRoche's
report indicates both a continued interest in the restoration of the river
for its native fish species as well as a sobering assessment of the river's
sharp decline in water quality, the disappearance of all previously constructed
fishways at the rivers' dams and the continued presence of native salmonids
in most of the river's tributaries.
Historic issues specific to Atlantic salmon:
Because licensee on numerous occasions has questioned the historic abundance,
extent and even existence of sea-run Atlantic salmon in the Presumpscot
River, we alert the Commission to several recent occasions on which it has
affirmed the former existence and abundance of sea-run Atlantic salmon in
the Presumpscot River and attributed their disappearance, in part, to licensee's
dams:
"The Presumpscot River has eight dams on the main stem 21.6 mile long
section between head-of-tide and Sebago Lake. Cumulative impacts on the
anadromous fishery extend throughout this reach. Historically (pre-1900),
the river supported anadromous runs of Atlantic salmon and shad." (Order
Issuing License at North Gorham Dam; 65 FERC ¶ 64,348; Nov. 22, 1993)
and;
"Prior to dam construction and pollution, the Presumpscot River supported
an abundance of both sea-run and landlocked Atlantic salmon." (Director's
Order For Minimum Flows in Eel Weir Reach; 58 FERC ¶ 62,006; Feb. 6,
1992)
Atkins (1867) reported, "The Presumpscot was originally peopled with
salmon, shad, alewives and several other species. We have the testimony
of Mr. James Lord, aged eighty-five, who lives near Presumpscot Falls, to
their abundance. The salmon were practically destroyed by the erection of
the dam at the head of tide in 1802. That year they accumulated in unusual
numbers below the dam in their attempts to pass it, and a great many were
caught. At the present time there is no doubt that a few salmon run into
the river each year; for they are occasionally taken. In 1866 four were
taken with a dip-net at Presumpscot falls .... It would seem that the bright
pure waters of this river are better fitted for salmon than the other species
and we think that efforts to restock it should have them first in mind."
Kendall (1935) reported, "Presumpscot River -- This was one of the
finest salmon rivers for its size in the state, but was early obstructed
by dams and only a few salmon have since been taken. Salmon were reported
at Cumberland Mills and Saccarappa, in 1873."
The Maine Fisheries Commissioners (1882) reported that the first planting
of juvenile Atlantic salmon in the Presumpscot occured in 1875 followed
by further plantings in 1876 and (at least) in 1882. As such, reports by
Atkins and Kendall of adult salmon in the river in 1866 and 1873 indicate
the presence of Atlantic salmon immediately prior to any stockings and prior
to the date any adult returns from the first stockings would return to spawn.
Comments below by the Maine Fisheries Commissioners (1882) indicate the
existence of large, adult Atlantic salmon in both the Presumpscot River
and the Crooked River in the period 1880-1882. The coincident construction
of fishways on the river and the stocking of the basin with juvenile Atlantic
salmon suggests the large, adult salmon observed throughout the drainage
during this period originated from both natural reproduction and the stocking
program initiated in 1875:
"On the Presumpscot, at its source on Crooked River, a very great number
of unusually large fish have been taken by the poachers for the last two
or three years. The exceptional size and number of the fish has given increased
incitement to the nefarious practice of spearing on the spawning bed. The
very remarkable size of the fish and their unwonted number, warrant the
conclusion that they are sea salmon planted by us in the head waters of
the river at Norway and other tributaries of Sebago in the past years. The
first salmon fry were planted in the Presumpscot in 1875. A large fish of
13 pounds was taken below the dam at the outlet of Sebago last June with
hook and line. A man named Paul is now under arrest for spearing a fish
weighing 24 pounds on Crooked River the middle of October. Several others
have been arrested for spearing fish and there are also many other casees
which will be prosecuted in due course. We feel warranted in the conclusion
that most of these fish are results of our planting sea salmon, not only
from the reasons we have assigned above, but from the added fact that we
have now a series of eight good fishways on the Presumpscot river from Cumberland
Mills to Sebago. .... There has been distributed this season Penobscot salmon
fry in different rivers, as follows, viz: Presumpscot River, 140,000."
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