A continuing partnership with nature will be updated in Woolwich at the end of this month, when construction is completed on the new fish ladder at the Nequasset dam. 

For the past 300 years, there has been a requirement by the town that anyone building a dam at this spot must provide a means for alewives to migrate between the ocean and Nequasset Lake, so that the alewives can spawn in the spring.

An easement stating that requirement was written into the agreement with the Bath Water District when they acquired the rights to the dam in 1915.

Alewives, which are popular bait fish, particularly with lobstermen, can also be smoked and eaten by humans.

During the 1950s, the dam was rebuilt, the water level was raised and the old rock pool was replaced.

The fish ladder dating from that time had wooden walls and chutes and badly was in need of repair, according to Bill Potter, Woolwich Fish Commissioner.

Three years ago, the water district started to work on the project, partnering with the fish commission, fish harvesters and state and federal agencies to begin the task of rebuilding the fish ladder.  

“There were lots of regulators involved,” said Potter. Atlantic Mechanical built the ladder and Wright Pierce provided the engineering expertise. The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust served as project manager.

Trevor Hunt, superintendent of the Bath Water District, took the long view when approaching the project. He was open to looking at new types of systems and wanted the best alternative for the ladder.

And, as he explained, “It turned out that the best system was the one that had been used for decades.”

The recent construction uses updated materials, with aluminum replacing the old wooden walls and chutes.

Hunt explains that the alewives entering Nequasset Lake are actually part of the water district’s treatment process. The alewives eat algae and help to keep the lake clean and the cleaner the water is leaving the lake, the better for the water district.

“So we are part of the migration,” he said. “It’s a benefit and the benefit will last for years.”

Hunt views the partnership between the water district and the town’s fish commission as another type of partnership.

“We cooperate with each other. Bath Water District maintains the dam and the fish commission operates it.”

Potter is appreciative of the decisions Hunt made with regard to rebuilding the fish ladder.

“He recognized that the ladder was seriously in need of replacement,” Potter said. “He stood tall when it came to recognizing their responsibility.”

Related:

New Nequasset Dam fish ladder under construction

Big changes in story for Woolwich dam, fish ladder