Restore, Protect, Enjoy
We are an all-volunteer coalition of citizens and organizations taking action to restore and protect the Stroudwater River through education, research, and advocacy. Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on actions and community events.
About The River
Our River, our Responsibility.
Today, the Stroudwater is neither a river, nor a pond, but an impaired waterway that runs 15.2 miles from Duck Pond in Buxton, Maine through the cities of Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland where it empties into the Fore River. It is the second largest freshwater input to Casco Bay.
The Stroudwater was once home to seasonal runs of river herring and Atlantic salmon. The Wabanaki called the area “The Net Fishing Place,” and arrived each Spring to take fish for food and fertilizer. Early dams built on the river cut off this life-giving resource for tribal communities, sparking conflicts, protests, and filings by the Wabanaki to build fish passages around the dams.
In the 1850s the Stroudwater Dam was built at the Lower Falls of the river, what is today 17 Garrison Street in Portland. The dam was subsequently raised to widen the river for ice production, which blocked the annual herring migration. The Stroudwater Dam still impounds all 15 miles of the river behind it, interrupts natural river processes, and contributes to silt build-up, standing erosion, and pollution upstream.
The City of Portland owns the Stroudwater Dam, which costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to maintain. Removing the dam is the first step in building a new legacy of environmental stewardship and cultural accountability.
Where do we go from here?
Study and Learn
The City of Portland must first commission a thorough and impartial feasibility study to understand the river’s history, including the cultural, ecological, and geotechnical issues surrounding the Stroudwater Dam. This should include a robust public process to engage the support and participation of the entire community. Federal funds are available for dam removal and should be aggressively pursued to minimize the cost to Portland taxpayers.
Remove and Restore
River restoration is much more than dam removal. River bank and river bottom clean-up and restoration will be necessary to bring back historical fish runs, plant life, and bird populations. Maine is a leader in dam removal and has an abundance of resources to inform this process. Local community members and non-profit organizations also stand ready to support and participate in the project.
Protect and Enjoy
Dam removals often reveal features that were hidden below the impoundment, such as waterfalls and rapids, inviting new recreational communities to discover the river. Returning fish and bird species draw anglers and birder watchers. Property values rise along rivers where dams are removed. When many different stakeholders benefit, rivers and communities thrive.
What People Say
“We have seen great improvements with the restoration of parts of the Presumpscot and the Kennebec rivers, and we should also restore the Stroudwater River.”
Andy Ford, Portland
“Incoming infrastructure funding represents an astonishing opportunity to boost the health of our rivers…Maine should prioritize dam removals over dam repairs, and prioritize dam removals over technical fishways.”
Landis Hudson, Executive Director, Maine Rivers
News
Follow our Progress
- Stroudwater River HerringThe historical record is clear: herring once made annual migrations up the Stroudwater River to spawn. But which kind? If you read the news, you probably know that the Atlantic herring fishery is experiencing disaster-level instability due to over fishing. Atlantic herring spend their entire life cycle inContinue reading “Stroudwater River Herring”
- 1 Bay, 3 RiversThe Casco Bay watershed ranges across almost 1000 square miles of Southwestern Maine. One quarter of Maine’s population resides in the watershed, including the city of Portland and other rapidly developing small cities. The watershed contains many lakes and ponds, and more than 1,350 miles of rivers andContinue reading “1 Bay, 3 Rivers”
- The Rare RiparianThe word “riparian” comes from the Latin ripa, meaning river bank. Areas of transition between land and water, riparian zones make up a small percentage of the Earth, but their importance to the overall ecosystem is outsized. Maine’s natural riparian zones are usually forested. They filter runoff, stabilizeContinue reading “The Rare Riparian”
Friends of the Stroudwater River 