The Saco Watershed Collaborative Safeguarding the Saco River for Future Generations

Written by Timothy Harder Photos by Emily Greene

White Mountains National Forest in ; the headwaters (beginning) of the Saco River

Source Water Protection from the Headwaters to the Sea

The Saco River has been flowing from the White Mountains in New Hampshire down to the since the last ice age at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch. For the human beings that have inhabited the region around it the Saco has served many roles. It provided drinking water, a means of transportation, fish and animals for food, and hydration for crops. But the river was, and has always been more than that. The river connected the Sokokis, who lived in what is now known as Saco and Biddeford with fellow tribesmen and women, such as the Pequawket in modern day Fryeburg. In return for all that the flowing water provided the Abenaki, practiced the stewardship and conservation that we see so often in the traditional indigenous peoples. They farmed with care and forethought, chose settlement locations wisely, and protected this amazing natural resource.

The legacy created within the Saco River watershed, that area of land which drains into the Saco, left behind a wilderness which was ripe for European development starting in the 1600s. As we entered into the modern age, the Saco River powered mills, factories, and homes. The water of the river grew the crops that fed a growing populous all throughout the 1,700 square miles of the watershed. Drinking water was abundant and clean. The forests in the watershed served as the foundation of a lumber industry, and provided the wood for the first homes.

The Saco River runs about 136 miles from the headwaters to the sea 1

The Saco Watershed Collaborative Safeguarding the Saco River for Future Generations

The Saco River is Culturally Significant I’ve lived almost my entire life along the Saco River. Being born and raised in Saco, the rushing waters just became part of my consciousness whether swimming on hot summer days by Salmon Falls in Buxton, driving over Memorial bridge from Saco to Biddeford, or fishing off the jetty. When we were in high school it was a rite of passage to some degree to get your classmates together and put your canoes in at Swan Falls in Fryeburg. On those lazy days in August, the Saco would slowly carry us past sandy camping areas along the shore. In many ways it was a way of saying good-bye as we got older, before going our separate ways in the fall. We would pass numerous reunions, couples on retreat, and people coming together to enjoy the outdoors. The river There are several recreation opportunities on the Saco River— nonmotorized provided peace and connection for friends and family. boating like kayaking and canoeing are two

Although the river helped to define the mill towns of Saco and Biddeford, the waters that flow from the rocky wilderness to the vast ocean have different meaning and draw to many people. The Saco supports over 1,600 farms of various sizes. At the end of the harvest season, the Fryeburg fair puts on display the extent of the work being done by farmers and growers in the area. Attendance for the fair can exceed 200,000 people. There are over 3,000 large animals including horses, cattle, and oxen. This celebration includes one of the largest Woodsmen’s Days east of the Mississippi, maple syrup producers, and craftsmen and women. The camping department regularly handles over 4,500 reservations each year for this one event. All of this being fueled by the flow of the Saco.

Among the 1,600 working farms in the Saco Watershed, Highland Farms has been Highland Farms participates in a voluntary NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation run by the Pike Family since 1886 and is located in Cornish, ME Service) Stewardship Program that focuses on best management practices for land conservation

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The Saco Watershed Collaborative Safeguarding the Saco River for Future Generations

Building the Stewardship Network

All the uses of the Saco past and present do not come without cost. Throughout the watershed people continue to live and work, all connected by the relentless rush of water to the sea. This working class watershed has faced the threats associated with factory, mill and tannery waste, erection of dams and other interruptions, chemical run-off and effluent. With over 250,000 people in both and New Hampshire continuing to call some corner of the watershed home it is a resource that continues to require thoughtful stewardship and guidance. But there is no singular governance for this resource. The water- shed includes over 35 separate towns and cities, numerous other hamlets and villages, and straddles a state line. Trying to manage a resource encompassing so many different actors and uses is no easy task.

To help sustain the river into the future, the University of New England has facilitated the Saco Watershed Collaborative, bringing together over 100 participants from 50 partner organizations. It is a science based convener that includes professionals, researchers, community members and leaders. They encourage partners to share information, use the best data available, and connect to help guide decisions. This work advises individual townships, as well as state and federal leaders with the goal of protecting source waters for everyone that relies on the Saco River. Education and outreach throughout the Saco Watershed can include several field trips to showcase the conservation work being done in the watershed as in these photos. Participants learning about the services Highland Farms provides, its history and relevance in the Saco Watershed

The Saco Estuary Boat Tour provides an opportunity to learn about activities The floodplains of the Saco River provide opportunities to learn about the happening at the mouth of the Saco River, where the river meets the sea importance of occasional flooding and the function of silver maple forests in protecting the river banks of the river

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The Saco Watershed Collaborative Safeguarding the Saco River for Future Generations

Education and Outreach

“The biggest threat to the river right now is the conversion of forests to developed land,” explains Emily Greene, the Outreach Coordinator for the Saco Watershed Collaborative. “The Saco river is the #2 source of drinking water in the state of Maine behind only Sebago Lake. This is a federally recognized watershed, providing drinking water to two states. The forests and wetlands provide a natural filtration for the water in the river.” she explains. This conversion replaces permeable living forest with hard concrete and pavement, reducing the ability of water to percolate through the soil naturally. This can result in more organic compounds and raw inputs making their way to the river itself. Emily goes on to highlight the importance of the clean water in the Saco; “The volume of water and infrastructure in place can also allow for the Saco to be linked all the way to Boston and provide water in times of need.” This has helped to define the mission of the Collaborative. Removal of the forested areas and wetlands near the river can negatively affect water quality.

One of Emily Greene’s many functions for the Collaborative is working with the education sector to help students understand all of the roles that the river fills. She shares one of her teaching strategies of connecting the 4 major habitats in students’ minds by identifying with the iconic animals that inhabit them (illustrations of wildlife below). The Eastern Brook Trout is a fish that lives in the gravely areas in the Spruce/fir forests near the headwaters. Further down, the riverine maple forests of the upper watershed are home to the Kingfisher. Students learn about the endangered New England Cottontail within the scrub Pine forests of the mid- watershed (illustrations by Emily Greene). Greene virtually presenting to students about ecosystem services in the Saco River Watershed at the University of New England

Greene giving an introduction to the Saco Watershed Collaborative at the University of New England pre-COVID

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The Saco Watershed Collaborative Safeguarding the Saco River for Future Generations

The Saco River Watershed is a “Living Laboratory” The river waters finally meet with the cold waters of the Atlantic and mix to form an estuary just below the dam between Biddeford and Saco. The estuary is an important home to animals like the American Eel and the Great Blue Heron. UNE scientists Dr. Pam Morgan and Dr. Christine Feurt, as part of their work with the Saco Watershed Collaborative published the Saco River Estuary Report of 2015. The report, which was the result of extensive collaboration with experts under a National Science Foundation EPSCoR grant, went into detail about the significance of the estuarine part of the watershed. In just these 5 miles, there exist over 350 acres of tidal marsh. There are 10 plants in those marshes which are considered rare, either globally or in the state of Maine. The fish species that were cataloged numbered 60 in total (both adult and juvenile) and represent the largest number of any estuary in Maine. Over half of all the bird species in Maine have been observed using the Saco River estuary, and Drs. Morgan and Feurt’s report counted over 133 different bird species.

My life along the Saco also includes time as a graduate student studying sediment within the estuary. Now a little older and wiser, my time traversing the waters near the river mouth struck me due to its beauty and strength. After centuries of use, generations of building and utility, and decades of modern living, the river still projects abundance and opportunity. My research sought to understand some of the factors that impact the mud and sand deposition patterns. This required an understanding of construction of buildings, jetties, rock walls, marinas and pilings. Exposed earthen banks revealed bands of metal shavings which were washed down stream long ago from the gun smith that operated on factory island. The stunning biodiversity and splendor of the Saco River described by scientists, artists, and residents exists within

the working class character of the watershed.

For the full report, please visit https://dune.une.edu/_facpubs/27/

The Saco River is a spectacular living laboratory. Whether they be elementary students learning about their own unique place and type of habitat within the watershed, high school students studying the plants and animals right outside their doors, or college students looking at the link between our natural resources and human health, it is remarkable how the Saco continues to flourish to this day. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection amazingly shows no significant water quality issues at this time in the Saco itself. The opportunities this affords learners and researchers is significant, and the need for thoughtful stewardship has never been more important.

Students from the University of New England par-taking in a field-based course on the Saco River. 5

The Saco Watershed Collaborative Safeguarding the Saco River for Future Generations

Sustaining the Saco into the Future The Saco River Watershed Collaborative draws on that history and looks to the future to define their mission. They constantly look for ways to characterize and define non-point sources of pollution and run-off that can affect the river. They have undertaken the work of the assessing flood plain vulnerability to help make recommendations for those affected. They have been instrumental with the work of restoring Thatcher Brook in Biddeford. Thatcher Brook is one of 53 sub-watersheds that has been impacted by the construction of I-95 and a network of roadways which segments and disconnects the habitat. Use and construction of impervious habitat like cement and asphalt can reduce the filtering and retention of water, leading to increases in contaminated run-off. Use of chemicals such as lawn treatments, including fertilizers has increased. The Collaborative helped to identify these Waste product from historic textile mills in Biddeford used to pollute the Saco River threats and provide real-world solutions and mitigation daily. Now, they provide spaces for local businesses, think tanks, apartments, and strategies, and the town of Biddeford is beginning to see restaurants. positive effects. The Collaborative is also working throughout the watershed with the US Environmental Protection Agency to compile an inventory of water quality data used to understand watershed health.

Today the Saco River endures to provide us with clean drinking water, and to sustain us and the amazing diversity of plants and animals that rely on it. It drives the economy of the region, just like it always has. Vacationers dream of the days when they can visit and enjoy the natural beauty. People like me have been affected by it their entire lives. The Saco Watershed Collaborative has recognized this, and they are committed to providing the tools to sustain the Saco River now, and for future generations.

For more information on the Saco Watershed Collaborative, visit sustainthesaco.org or contact Emily Greene at [email protected]. Today, the Saco River Watershed provides a number of ecosystem services, services that are a benefit to humans. It is a source of drinking water, recreation, employment, spiritual connection, and more.

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