HOME |
ABOUT THE PROJECT |
ABOUT THE RIVER |
WHO WE ARE |
ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
PROJECTS |
|
The Dingley Island Causeway Project
This 200' barrier between Dingley Island and the Harpswell mainland both separated the north and south sections of the waterway and divided one of town's richest clamflats. The structure had been accumulating sediments on both sides since its construction in 1946, and the New Meadows River Watershed Project (NMRWP) actively supported the replacement of the causeway with a small bridge in order to reestablish water flow and restore a portion of the original habitat. Construction of the bridge began on May 19, 2003 and was completed on August 1, 2003. The U.S. Navy provided labor for the bridge construction through its Innovative Readiness Training program. Students at Bowdoin College have collected data on the effects of the causeway at Dingley Island through the service-learning components of courses
offered by the school's Environmental Studies and Geology Departments.
The Effect of Tidal Flow Restoration on Water Quality and Suspended Sediments at Dingley Island
|
Making way for the bridge |
|
View of the causeway and spillway |
Bath
Road Causeway Project In 1937, a stone and earth causeway and 15 foot spillway was built to allow Bath Road to cross the New Meadows River, replacing a trolley bridge that had allowed the river relatively unrestricted tidal exchange. The causeway acts as a dam to impound the 180 acre "New Meadows Lakes." Currently, the tidal fluctuation in the lakes is only several inches, compared to 9 feet south of the causeway. Many studies have focused on the lake due to its unpleasant odors in the summer months, large fish kills, and anoxic conditions annually from March to October. The NMRWP is currently proposing a study to assess the feasibility of restoring tidal exchange and evaluate the potential ecological and economic benefits of restoration. Field investigations were conducted during the summer of 2003. Nutrient flux surveys were preformed immediately above and below the causeway. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will assist in the restoration of the New Meadows Lake under the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program. A Preliminary Restoration Plan is scheduled to begin during the spring of 2005. |
| New
Meadows River Watershed Management Plan The Watershed Management Plan is a subset of the New Meadows River Strategic Plan that identifies Best Management Plans (BMPs) to address non-point sources of pollution. This type of pollution cannot be traced to a single problem (such as a pipe dumping factory waste into a river) but rather results from small amounts of pollutants from many areas coming together and entering a watershed. In determining BMPs, the Watershed Management Plan must be careful to consider and complement existing efforts such as comprehensive and open space planning. This insures that the BMPs and their implementation strategies are compatible with the land use and zoning guidelines for the area. In addition to correcting problems from the past, the implementation of the Watershed Management Plan will help insure the future health of the New Meadows River by requiring future developers and residents in the area to follow established guidelines and prevent new pollutants from entering the River. Read the New Meadows River Watershed Management Plan |
This farm is an example of possible non-point source pollution. |
|
|
Water
Quality: The Lakes and Upper River The Friends
of Casco Bay has collected extensive data on the New Meadows River, much
of it from their volunteer citizen monitoring program, particularly in
the northernmost sections of the river called the "Upper River" and "The Lakes." These
findings show alarmingly low levels of dissolved oxygen and high levels
of nitrogen in the depths of the Lower Lake. In addition, microbial activity
within the zone appears to be releasing large quantities of nitrogen that
could possibly be indirectly affecting both the Lakes and a portion of
the Upper River. Such conditions can lead to potentially serious problems,
such as fish kills, and have prompted further research on the area to
examine the released nitrogen's effect. Volunteers are continuing to conduct nutrient sampling throught the Lakes. Invasive species are being monitored in the Upper Lake. Students at Bowdoin College have also collected data on the waterway and
worked with the New Meadows River Watershed Project as well as other local
groups and organizations through the service-learning components of courses
offered by the school's Environmental Studies and Geology Departments. |
|
|
Water
Quality: The Lower River All four
of the shoreline municipalities actively participate in water quality
sampling to help ensure that open shellfish harvesting areas meet federal
requirements. In order to reopen closed shellfish harvesting areas, several
towns have established programs to remove overboard discharge waste treatment systems and replace
failed septic systems. |
View downriver from Sawyer Park |
|
Pump-out
Facilities
One area of concern is the impact of discharges from recreational
vessels at anchor for extended periods. These may lead to the closure
of adjacent shellfish harvesting areas. Currently, the nearest pump-out
facility is located at the very head of the New Meadows River, at the New Meadows Marina. While this facility is a great asset to many boaters on the River,
larger vessels cannot easily access it. The New Meadows
River Watershed Project is exploring various options for assisting
towns with the installation of pump-out facilities further south along the River.
|
|
New Meadows Marina |
