Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report TR-18

A Survey of Anadromous Fish Passage in Coastal Massachusetts

Part 4. Boston Harbor, North Shore and Merrimack River

P. D. Brady, K. E. Reback, K. D. McLaughlin, and C. G. Milliken

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Technical Report Technical January 2005

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report TR-18

A Survey of Anadromous Fish Passage in Coastal Massachusetts Part 4. Boston Harbor, North Shore and Merrimack River

Phillips D. Brady, Kenneth E. Reback, Katherine D. McLauglin, and Cheryl G. Milliken

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Southshore Field Station Pocasset, MA

January 2005

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Paul Diodati, Director Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement Dave Peters, Commissioner Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Ellen Roy Herzfelder, Secretary Commonwealth of Massachusetts

TABLE OF CONTENTS Part 4: Boston Harbor, North Shore, and Merrimack River Watersheds

Acknowledgements ...... iii Abstract ...... iv Introduction ...... 1 Materials and Methods ...... 1 Life Histories ...... 2 Management ...... 4 Boston Harbor Watersheds ...... 6 Map of Towns and Streams ...... 6 Stream Survey ...... 7 Boston Harbor Recommendations ...... 48 North Shore Watersheds ...... 49 Map of Towns and Streams ...... 49 Stream Survey ...... 50 North Shore Recommendations ...... 95 Merrimack River Watershed ...... 96 Map of Towns and Streams ...... 96 Stream Survey ...... 97 Merrimack River Recommendations ...... 112 General Recommendations ...... 113 Alphabetical Index of Streams ...... 114 Alphabetical Index of Towns ...... 117 Appendix 1: List of Anadromous Species in MA ...... 120 Appendix 2: State River Herring Regulations ...... 121 Appendix 3: Fishway Designs and Examples ...... 122 Appendix 4: Abbreviations Used ...... 130

ii Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the following people for their assistance in carrying out this survey and for sharing their knowledge of the anadromous fish resources of the Commonwealth: Brian Creedon, Tracy Curley, Jack Dixon, George Funnell, Steve Kennedy, Paul Montague, Don St. Pierre, Ken Sprankle and Dave Watling. The following Division of Marine Fisheries personnel were invaluable in the preparation of this report: Brad Chase, Rusty Iwanowicz and Greg Skomal. Special thanks to Edward Clark, who participated in much of the field work. We also wish to recognize Tracy Pugh for her work in data compilation and editing. This work was funded in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative.

iii ABSTRACT

Anadromous fish species such as alewife, blueback herring, rainbow smelt, American shad, and white perch are important members of the coastal and freshwater fish faunas of Massachusetts. Providing passage through numerous man-made blockages allowing for the spawning migration of these fishes is essential to maintaining healthy populations. Information on blockages (primarily dams) and fish passage structures (fishways) has not been updated since the early 1970s. In order to update this information, a survey was conducted by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries during 2001-2002. The purpose was to provide information on the present state of fish passage in Massachusetts coastal streams and rivers and to provide guidance for future restoration efforts. The results of this survey are presented in this report. All rivers and streams flowing into Massachusetts’ coastal waters were examined. The presence of anadromous species in a system was determined from a variety of sources including past Division surveys, regional biologists, harbormasters, and local herring and shellfish wardens. If alewives or blueback herring were not specifically identified, the generic term river herring was used in the species present listing. Most rivers and streams were surveyed from mouth to headwaters. General physical characteristics of the water bodies and data of specific importance to anadromous fish were noted. All obstructions and fishways were photographed and their locations were recorded using handheld GPS units. Site specific details were documented for the first impassable obstruction and its impoundment area to assist in the evaluation of future alterations or fish passage possibilities. On some streams, information was gathered on additional impassable obstructions as well. River obstruction type, construction material, and structural and hydraulic heights were recorded. When a fishway was present, the type of design, dimensions, construction materials, and number of baffles, pools and weirs were recorded. Fishways were rated based on their condition and function. Condition (poor, fair, good or excellent) described the physical structure and referred to the level of deterioration of the ladder. Function (not passable, inefficient passage, or passable) described how well the structure passed fish. A brief description of the state of fish passage and the potential for further improvements were provided for each river and stream. The survey included 215 coastal streams. Along these streams, 493 lakes, ponds or reservoirs and 380 obstructions to migratory fish passage were documented. The majority of the obstructions are man- made dams that in many cases have long ceased to perform the functions for which they were originally constructed. About 68% of the dams are six feet or under in height and only 3% were 24 feet tall or greater. The survey identified 175 existing fish passage structures and more than 100 active river herring runs. Weir pool and notched weir pool fishways were by far the most common designs employed in Massachusetts followed by the denil ladder, stream baffles, Alaskan Steeppass, combination designs, vertical slot and fish lifts. About 46% of the existing fishways were judged to be in deteriorated condition and 50% were judged to function inadequately. The survey clearly demonstrates that Massachusetts has a large investment in fish passage along our coastal rivers and streams. The survey and associated recommendations identify numerous projects that should be undertaken over the next several years. These projects include the maintenance, repair, and re-design of failing or inefficient existing fishways, and the construction of new fishways to provide access to additional spawning grounds. The information provided by this survey will guide the planning and implementation of future infrastructure work by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries necessary for the management and improvement of Massachusetts’ anadromous fish populations. This report is Part 4 in a four part series that covers the coast of Massachusetts. The information provided in this report covers the watersheds within Boston Harbor, the North Shore, and the Merrimack River. The other parts in the series are: Part 1 – Southeastern Massachusetts; Part 2 – Cape Cod and the Islands; Part 3 – South Shore.

iv INTRODUCTION fish work. Recommendations are presented and prioritized for each watershed to enable the Anadromous fishes in Massachusetts DMF to better execute its statutory mandate to coastal waters have undergone a striking decline develop and manage the anadromous fish in abundance over the past 400 years. The resources of the Commonwealth. combined effects of impassable dams, gross This is the final report in a four part pollution, water diversion and overfishing had series that covers the coast of Massachusetts. drastically reduced or eliminated anadromous Findings from the watersheds of Boston fish populations. Twentieth century efforts at Harbor, the Merrimack River, and the North restoring depleted stocks through focused care Shore of Massachusetts are presented in this and management led to a significant recovery in report. The first report in the series is comprised the Commonwealth. Today more than 100 of the Southeastern portion of Massachusetts, coastal rivers and streams are the sites of active including the Taunton River watershed and the herring runs. drainage areas of Narragansett Bay and During the fall of 1967, the Buzzards Bay. The Cape Cod, Martha’s Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Vineyard, and Nantucket watersheds are (DMF) began a survey of coastal streams to reported in part 2 of the series, and part 3 determine the existence of anadromous fish includes the watersheds of the South Shore of resources and the potential for restoration and Massachusetts. enhancement. The results of that survey, pub- lished as a Federal Aid completion report in MATERIALS AND METHODS 1972, have served as the basis for anadromous fish management in Massachusetts since that All rivers and streams flowing into time. The recommendations that resulted from Massachusetts’ coastal waters, from the Rhode the survey have provided a work plan for DMF's Island to New Hampshire borders, were anadromous fish project over the last 30 years. considered. Most were surveyed from mouth to In the three decades since the completion of the headwaters. General physical characteristics survey, numerous changes have taken place. were noted and data of specific importance to Some fishways have deteriorated or their de- anadromous fish recorded. signs have become obsolete. Dams have failed, All known or encountered obstructions eliminating spawning or nursery habitats. and fishways were photographed using a high Impoundments have degraded due to eutro- resolution digital camera, and their locations phication, and water withdrawals have raised were recorded using handheld Global fish passage issues. Other changes have been Positioning System (GPS) units. Site specific positive. Many fishways have been constructed, details were documented for the first replaced, or repaired and designs have improved impassable obstruction and its impoundment dramatically. Stocking programs have resulted area to assist in the evaluation of future in new populations and the restoration of others. alterations or fish passage possibilities. On Water quality has improved in many systems. some streams, information was gathered on Most of the recommendations made in the 1972 additional impassable obstructions as well. report have been successfully carried out. River obstruction type, construction material, Because of these changed conditions, and structural and hydraulic heights were continued effective management of coastal recorded. When a fishway was present, the anadromous fish resources in Massachusetts type of design, construction materials, number required a new survey and report that would of baffles, pools and weirs as well as opera- generate an updated set of recommendations. tional condition were noted. Measurements This document presents the results of a new including length, inside width (IW) and outside anadromous fishway survey conducted in 2001 width (OW), baffle height, pool length, steep and 2002. The information and recommen- notch width and pool depth were also recorded dations presented are intended to form the basis for each fishway. of an action plan for future DMF anadromous

1 Total stream length, obstruction river referred to the level of deterioration of the mile, and impoundment acreage were calcu- ladder. Function, rated as not passable, ineffi- lated for all systems using Map Tech Terrain cient passage, or passable, described how well Pro Navigator Software, version 5.02. To cal- the structure can pass fish. A fishway was culate impoundment acreage, the impoundment listed as not passable if fish are unable to utilize boundary was traced three times and resultant it. If there is any room for improvement in the values averaged to achieve a better area design or placement of the ladder that would estimate. enable the structure to better pass fish, it was Water pH was tested at one point on listed as inefficient passage. If the fishway each system using either a Horiba U-10 passes fish at optimum levels and no improve- Waterchecker, an Oakton Waterproof pH Testr2 ments could be made to it, it was listed as or a LaMotte Wide Range pH kit (model P- passable. 3100). These data should be used with caution since they represent only a single point LIFE HISTORIES measurement. Distances and heights were documented There are seventeen species of via tape measures and telescoping rods or an anadromous fish in the Commonwealth of Opti-Logic 400 LH Hypsometryx Rangefinder, Massachusetts (see Appendix 1). Below we Sonin Combo PRO ultrasonic electronic discuss the life history of the four species that measurer and a DISTO classic hand-held laser have been the focus of DMF’s restoration meter. The electronic measuring devices were efforts through the improvement of fish utilized when the distance was very large or passage. physical obstructions limited access to the object to be measured. River Herring: The presence of anadromous species in The river herring are actually two a system was determined from a variety of closely related members of the family sources including past Division surveys, Clupeidae, the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) regional biologist accounts, and local herring and the blueback (Alosa aestivalis) herring. and shellfish wardens and harbormaster The two species are very difficult to tell apart accounts. If alewives or blueback herring have and, short of a study of their morphometric not been specifically identified, the generic term characteristics, the best method to distinguish river herring is used in the species present them is the color of the peritoneum, the body listing. cavity lining. In the alewife this tissue is gray For the purposes of this report, an or silvery while in the blueback herring it is a obstruction was defined as any feature, natural sooty black color. Although the alewife tends or manmade, that negatively effects the to be larger, up to about 12 inches, there is upstream or downstream movement of much overlap in size. anadromous fish species. While dams were While both species are capable of considered most often, the term also applied to spawning in riverine or lacustrine environ- natural elevation changes such as those caused ments, there is a decided preference for the by falls and severe rapids or less dramatic latter on the part of alewives while bluebacks gradients that may result in extremely shallow generally choose a stream or river type of stream depths. Culverts that create elevation habitat. In general, most systems contain both changes, cause fish to hesitate due to abrupt species. lighting changes, restrict stream flow or have Alewives tend to spawn 3 to 4 weeks submerged outlets were also considered earlier than bluebacks in the same system. obstructtions and impediments to passage. Although actual spawning probably occurs When present, fishways were rated much later, alewives have been observed in based on their condition and function. Con- Massachusetts streams as early as February and, dition, which was listed as poor, fair, good or in one instance, January. Alewives begin excellent, described the physical structure and spawning when water temperatures reach 51

2 and bluebacks 57 degrees F. Both species cease the stream bottom until hatched. Juveniles spawning when the water warms to 81º F. spend their first summer in the river feeding on Blueback eggs are semi-buoyant and tend to microscopic zooplankton and insects until they drift with the current while alewife eggs will depart for the marine environment in the fall. remain in contact with the substrate or current. New England shad populations over- After utilizing the freshwater habitat for a winter in the mid-Atlantic coastal region and nursery area for most of the summer, the migrate northward in the spring, using their juvenile herring undertake a massive migration olfactory sense to locate natal rivers. Post- to the ocean in the fall. In the case of alewives, spawn adults and immature fish congregate in a smaller but significant out migration in late the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy during the spring/early summer has been documented in summer before moving to their wintering some systems. grounds. There is no commercial fishery for Once in the marine environment, river American shad in Massachusetts where it is herring feed on zooplankton such as micro- considered a sportfish and is eagerly sought by crustaceans, fish eggs and fish larvae. Maturity anglers in rivers where the fish congregate in occurs at 3 to 5 years and the fish return to their sufficient numbers. natal streams utilizing their olfactory sense to guide them to the home waters. Repeat Rainbow smelt: spawning occurs more often in northern than in Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) are southern populations. Mortality during a small fish that rarely exceed 7 to 9 inches as spawning season in the south may reach up to adults and weigh 1 to 6 ounces. Mature 90%. females are larger than their male counterparts. Formerly an important local food The smelt can be distinguished from other small source, river herring were smoked, salted or coastal Massachusetts species by its deeply pickled. Human consumption is now a minor forked tail and adipose fin anterior to the caudal use and the fish are primarily sought after as fin. Both sexes mature at about 2 years of age bait for commercial and sport fishing. although some precocious one year olds may participate in spawning. Spawning begins in American shad: late winter/early spring in Massachusetts when The American shad (Alosa sapidissima) water temperatures reach 40 to 42 degrees F. is also a member of the Clupeidae and, with the Spawning takes place just above the exception of its size, closely resembles the river head of the tide in fast flowing, often turbulent herring. The series of 4 to 6 lateral dark spots water usually associated with rocky or boulder on the shad's side, posterior to the gill cover, substrate. Eggs are broadcast, fertilized and and the fact that its upper jaw extends beyond immediately become attached to the substrate the eye serve to distinguish it from alewives and or vegetation by means of a stalk-like appen- blueback herring. Adult males may weigh up to dage which protrudes from the egg surface. 6 pounds and females can grow to 8 pounds Spawning occurs at night with the adult smelt although larger specimens are occasionally retreating to deeper water downstream during reported. Shad may grow to 2 feet in length the day. although individuals of 30 inches have been Larvae are about 1/4 inch when hatched recorded. and are carried downstream to the estuary. The Shad are river spawners, ascending the juvenile fish feed on zooplankton, especially larger systems such as the Comnnecticut and microscopic crustaceans. Adults feed on small Merrimack Rivers when spring water temper- crustaceans such as shrimp and gammarids as atures reach approximately 62 degrees F. A few well as crabs, worms and small fish. Adult smaller Massachusetts streams, notably the smelt spend the summer in relatively shallow Palmer and Indianhead Rivers, support small waters less than a mile from shore and move but important populations. Males reach sexual into bays and estuaries during the fall and maturity at 3 to 5 years old and females from 4 winter. Smelt feed actively during the winter to 6. Eggs are semi-buoyant and tumble along and as a result support a small but intense rod

3 and reel fishery from docks and piers and, when quently, the repeal of the Special Acts and an ice conditions permit, ice shanties. No com- emphasis on local control with oversight by mercial fishery exists and in order to protect the DMF has proved to be a satisfactory com- species during its spawning run, possession of promise. smelt during the spring is illegal according to Perhaps of greatest importance to the state law. protection of anadromous fish resources is Section 19 of Chapter 130. This statute gives MANAGEMENT the Director of Marine Fisheries the authority to order removal of an obstruction to fish passage The management of river herring or order construction of passage facilities at the (alewives and blueback herring), American shad expense of the owner. Section 19 is responsible and rainbow smelt in coastal waters and streams for the existence of many fishways that may not is delegated to the Division of Marine Fisheries have been built otherwise. Other laws such as through Chapter 130 of the Massachusetts Section 95, which prohibits unauthorized taking General Laws. Anadromous salmonids (trout of herring from created fisheries, and Section and Atlantic salmon) come under the 96, which prevents the taking of herring after jurisdiction of the Division of Fisheries and June 15, also aid in the management of this Wildlife. DMF's management techniques fall species. into three general categories: regulation, Other anadromous fish are also pro- propagation and fishway construction. tected by state law. According to Section 34, smelt may not be taken or possessed from Regulations March 15 to June 15 in order to protect Fisheries for anadromous fishes are spawning broodstocks. Section 100C prohibits subject to the General Laws of the taking of American shad by any means other Commonwealth. Chapter 130 of the General that hook and line and the daily bag limit is 6 Laws establishes specific laws for the shad. Section 17 enables the Director of the management of river herring, American shad, Division of Marine Fisheries to set regulations and rainbow smelt in coastal waters and for the management of anadromous fish in empowers the Director of the Division of coastal waters as well as for other marine Marine Fisheries to create regulations for the species. protection of these species. Current state regulations are intended to protect existing Propagation populations while allowing reasonable usage of Propagation may be the oldest fisheries the resource by the public. This is accom- management technique and has been applied to plished by the standard fishery management anadromous fish in Massachusetts since the 17th techniques of imposing a no fishing period, century if not earlier. DMF's propagation daily bag limits, restrictions on methods of strategy for river herring has been to collect catch or some combination of the above. adult fish from productive populations just prior (Specific state regulations for all river herring to spawning and transport them to a new can be viewed in Appendix 2). potential spawning ground that has been made In addition to the generic state regu- accessible, usually through fishway construc- lations, Sections 93 and 94 of Chapter 130 allow tion. The offspring of the transplanted adults cities and towns or anyone who creates a fishery become imprinted on this habitat just prior to to develop their own river herring regulations their seaward migration and return there to with the approval of DMF. Autonomous local spawn when they mature. This technique has control of these fisheries, as was established in been extremely successful and is also used to the past by numerous Special Acts of restore populations that have been depleted by Legislature, proved for a number of reasons to overfishing, drought, fish kills or other causes. be ineffective. Conversely, it is not possible for American shad propagation has been the state to effectively manage the numerous carried on by DMF since the late 1960's. Both populations in the Commonwealth. Conse- fertilized eggs and adult shad have been

4 transported from home streams to potential under low flow regimes and is the favored habitats. While some limited success has been design when public viewing is desired. Its achieved, the shad stocking programs have not drawbacks are the need for frequent manual matched river herring propagation as an adjustment and its inability to pass species other important management tool. Other states have than river herring with any efficiency. Many of been more successful in this area and refine- the weir-pool fishways currently in operation ment of methods and techniques in the future have been in place for fifty years or more and could result in a productive shad restoration are both deteriorated and obsolete in design. program. In the late 1960's, DMF began to use a Rainbow smelt stocking has been Denil design for most of its newly constructed carried on in the Commonwealth for over a fishways. This type was more effective in hundred years. Early attempts did not take passing species other than river herring and habitat requirements into consideration and could operate with a minimum of flow accordingly the results were less than adjustment. In addition, fish tended to move satisfactory. Both fertilized eggs and adult through the structure more quickly creating less brood stock have been used for transplanting in backup than is experienced with the weir-pool the past, each with success. The current method ladder. The disadvantage is the need for used by DMF is to collect newly fertilized eggs relatively high flow volumes to insure fish on trays of sphagnum moss or some other passage. The Denil soon became the preferred material to which the eggs will attach and design where applicable and is still frequently survive. Once a sufficient number of eggs have used. been deposited on the trays they are transported The first installation of a prefabricated, to the host stream on which the larval smelt will aluminum Alaskan steeppass fishway by DMF become imprinted. took place in 2000. Similar to the Denil in function, this style offered the benefit of Fishway Construction reduced costs by eliminating the need for large, Massachusetts has been a leader in the labor intensive construction projects. Also, field of fishway construction. Records indicate impacts to streambeds, wetlands and adjacent that 18th century colonists recognized the need uplands were minimized. In addition, the for fish passage around newly built dams and steeppass has been found to be useful in the passed laws requiring access for fish. This modification of dilapidated, inefficient weir- tradition has carried into the 21st century. The pool ladders. Its disadvantages are similar to Commonwealth has maintained its own fishway those of the Denil type and its cost becomes a construction crew since 1934 and, in 1967, factor when many sections are required to DMF established an Anadromous Fish Project overcome an obstruction. which dealt with fish ladder design as well as all A mechanical fish lift is currently in the other aspects of anadromous fish manage- operation on the Merrimack River. Operated ment. The result has been the more than 140 by CHI Energy, the lift at the Essex Dam in fishways documented by this survey, most of Lawrence is primarily designed to pass Atlantic which have been designed and/or constructed by salmon and American shad although other DMF. Typically, funding for materials has been species such as blueback herring utilize it in provided by towns, local organizations, or state substantial numbers. Also, a vertical slot or Ice and federal grants, with design expertise and Harbor fishway in addition to a lift is utilized at labor coming from the Division's anadromous the Pawtucket Dam in Lowell. fish program. Several fishway types are currently in use on coastal Massachusetts streams. (See Appendix 3 for illustrations and photos of typical fishway designs.) The most common is some variation on the weir-pool design. This style has the advantage of adequate function

5 Boston Harbor Watersheds

BOSTON HARBOR WATERSHED

6 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Boston Harbor Watersheds Weir River Hingham Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 4.9 Third 6.4 River herring, smelt, white perch, tomcod

Obstruction # 1 Foundry Pond Dam Hingham

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 2.7 Dam Concrete and 100 9.0 6.0 1998 Town of 42° 15’ 48.794” N stone Hingham 70° 51’ 38.082” W

Foundry Pond Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 73.5 3.0 4.6 12 3.0 1.5 6.5 Good weir-pool Passable

Fishway at Foundry Pond Dam

7 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Remarks:

Weir River forms a 6 acre impoundment as it flows to Boston Harbor. The 9 foot dam which creates the impoundment has recently been restored and the fishway that provides access was also modified at this time. Juvenile herring out-migration may be negatively impacted by the new rip-rap facing piled at the base of the dam. Efforts should be made to correct some of the detrimental impacts of the dam restoration. The area immediately downstream of the dam has historically supported a strong smelt population and white perch are known to spawn in the lower river.

8 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Straits Pond Cohasset, Hull Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.0 Second 8.9 River herring

Obstruction # 1 Straits Pond Tidegate Cohasset, Hull

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.0 Tide gate Metal 10.5 - 95.8 - Town of 42° 15’ 37.146” N Hull 70° 50’ 40.373” W

Tidegate at Straits Pond

Fishway None

Remarks:

This 95.8 acre salt pond is maintained at low salinities by a tide gate operated by the Town of Hull. River herring enter the pond when the tide gate is properly adjusted. Other than maintaining a flow regulation protocol which would insure maximum fish passage, little can be done to improve the productivity of this system.

9 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Accord Brook Hingham Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 5.9 First 6.9 River herring

Obstruction # 1 Triphammer Pond Dam Hingham

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.6 Dam Concrete and 20.3 7.5 17.4 1940 Town of 42° 13’ 25.775” N stone Hingham 70° 52’ 00.103” W

Triphammer Pond Dam Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Weir-pool Concrete 58.0 2.5 4.4 10 Varied - 6.0 Good with wooden (1.7, 2.2, 3) Passable baffles

Fishway at Triphammer Pond Dam

10 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Accord Pond Dam Hingham

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 5.9 Dam Concrete, 7.2 8 95.0 1890, Mass.- 42° 10’ 27.710” N stone, and replaced American 70° 53’ 21.624” W aluminum since Water Co.

Accord Pond Dam Spillway at Accord Pond

Fishway None

Remarks:

Accord Brook is a tributary to the Weir River and forms two impoundments along its course. The first, Triphammer Pond, is equipped with a weir-pool fishway which allows river herring to access its 17.4 acres of habitat when properly adjusted. The second impoundment, Accord Pond, is 95 acres in area but functions as a public water supply. No outflow was observed at the time of this survey and there is little potential for development here.

11 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Fulling Mill Brook Hingham Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.1 First 6.8 River herring

Obstruction # 1 Fulling Millpond Dam Hingham

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.1 Dam Concrete 3.0 7 13.4 1900 Hingham 42º 12’ 15.410” N with wooden Water Co. 70º 52’ 34.324” W boards

Fulling Millpond Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

This stream is also a tributary to the Weir River and forms a 13.4 acre impoundment called Fulling Millpond before joining that stream. The spillway design creates a difficult fishway installation problem and the impoundment is used as a public water supply making this a very low priority for development.

12 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Crooked Meadow River Hingham Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.0 Second 6.7 Unknown

Obstruction # 1 Elevation Change below Cushing Pond Hingham

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.9 Elevation Stone 6.0 ~8.5 0.0 - Private 42° 12’ 34.835” N change 70° 53’ 15.127” W

Elevation change downstream of Cushing Pond

Fishway None

Obstruction # 2 Cushing Pond Dam Hingham

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.0 Dam Concrete 28.0 7.0 18.8 1940 Private 42° 12’ 31.466” N 70° 53’ 14.597” W

Cushing Pond Dam

Fishway None

13 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Remarks:

This stream flows into the Weir River and two obstructions block fish passage before any significant habitat can be reached. The difficulty in providing access to the 18.8 acres available in Cushing Pond reduces potential for development.

14 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Broad Cove Hingham Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.5 First 7.9 None known

No Obstructions

Broad Cove

Fishway None

Remarks:

Broad Cove is an inland extension of Hingham Harbor. A small, unnamed stream drains into the cove and smelt have been known to spawn there in the past. No recent spawning has been observed, probably due to degraded habitat, and there is little potential for further development.

15 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Weymouth Back River Weymouth Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 4.8 Third 6.6 River herring, smelt, white perch

Obstruction # 1 Broad Street Dam Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.2 Dam Concrete - - 0.0 - - 42º 12’ 56.555” N 70º 55’ 22.461” W

Broad Street Dam and Fishway

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 130 4.8 6 14 - 3 7 Good weir-pool Passable

16 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Dam at Youth Center Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.2 Dam Concrete 4.0 1.4 0.1 - - 42º 12’ 53.965” N 70º 55’ 25.225” W

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 21.0 Varied Varied 3 1.8 4.0 9.9 Fair weir-pool (7.9-10.6) (9.0-12.0) Passable

Fishway and dam at Weymouth Youth Center

17 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Jackson Square Dam Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.3 Dam Concrete 28 4.3 0.1 - - 42º 12’ 53.875” N 70º 55’ 25.393” W

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 35.0 4.0 5.7 6 Varied 2.0 Varied Good weir-pool with wooden (1.6-3.7) (6-7) Passable baffles

Jackson Square Dam and fishway

18 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 4 Elevation change under Jackson Weymouth Square

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.4 Elevation Concrete 12.5 - - - 42° 12’ 52.332” N change 70° 55’ 25.928” W

Entrance to Jackson Square elevation change

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Stream Wooden 146 12.5 12.5 3 1 - Varied Good baffles baffles (44’ and 80’) Passable

Jackson Square elevation change

19 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 5 Pleasant Street Dam Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.5 Dam Concrete 8.2 5.7 0.0 - - 42° 12’ 46.371” N with wooden 70° 55’ 32.578” W boards

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 89.2 3.0 4.0 13 2.2 1.5 7.0 Fair weir-pool Passable

Fishway and dam at Pleasant Street

20 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 6 Iron Hill Dam Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.6 Dam Stone and 6.8 18.1 1.6 - Town of 42° 12’ 47.280” N concrete with Weymouth 70° 55’ 39.306” W wooden boards

Iron Hill Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil Concrete 288.5 3.0 4.9 86 5.0 - - Good with wooden Passable baffles

Fishway sections at Iron Hill Dam

21 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 7 Whitman's Pond Dam Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.8 Dam Concrete 53.5 15.0 175.0 1970 Town of 42º 12’ 40.195” N Weymouth 70º 55’ 46.031” W

Whitman’s Pond Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil Concrete 85.8 3.0 4.0 26 5.0 - - Good with wooden Passable baffles

Fish ladder at Whitman’s Pond Dam

22 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction #8 Washington Street Control Structure Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 5.7 Dam control Concrete and 10.5 9 29.3 - - 42º 11’ 59.050” N structure metal 70º 56’ 19.158” W

Control structure at Washington Street

Fishway None

Remarks:

Despite numerous obstructions and the need for seven fishways to insure access, this system supports one of the largest Massachusetts river herring populations north of Cape Cod. Population estimates based on visual counts by volunteers have ranged from 31,000 in 1978 to 859,000 in 1995, and average 265,000 fish annually. A number of factors impact this resource and may be preventing the population from reaching higher production levels. A bypass channel which is part of a flood control system, designed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and owned by the Town of Weymouth, distracts river herring from the entrance to the first ladder. An attempt to screen this bypass has met with some success but inefficient screen design and deterioration have resulted in the loss of large numbers of fish. The recent installation (Fall, 2004) of a new grate over the entrance to the bypass channel should eliminate the trapping of river herring. Another factor which certainly affects productivity is the blocking of the portion of Whitmans Pond south of Washington Street to spawning river herring. This extension of the pond is used as a water supply and, in order to isolate it from the poorer quality water in the northern section, a sluice gate prevents any back flow. While river herring could conceivably enter this area in spring without risking contamination of the water supply, any young herring produced would have a difficult time exiting the upper system when the levels were drawn down. As a result, it was decided to confine spawning to the main pond and avoid losses of juveniles. A third element which may have some effect on population size is the large concentration of double crested cormorants which frequent the area during the summer. These birds have been reported to feed heavily on juvenile herring throughout this period and could impact juvenile escapement success. In addition to the above mentioned issues, the reliance on seven fishways to provide access to spawning habitat presents another challenge to the management of this resource. The maintenance, regulation, and

23 Boston Harbor Watersheds cleaning of this many ladders requires a high level of dedication on the part of those responsible, and the Town of Weymouth has undertaken this task with a great deal of success. Continuation of this effort is necessary to maintaining the current high level of productivity. The section of Weymouth Back River below the first dam is used as a spawning area for rainbow smelt.

24 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Fore River/Monatiquot River Weymouth, Braintree

Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 15.4 Third 6.9 Smelt

Obstruction # 1 McCusker Road Culvert Braintree

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 5.5 Culvert Concrete 35.5 1.5 0.0 - - 42° 13’ 16.016” N 70° 58’ 58.974” W

McCusker Road culvert

Fishway None

Obstruction # 2 Elevation Change above McCusker Braintree Road

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 5.5 Elevation Stone ~15 ~3 0.0 - - 42° 13’ 17.110” N change 70° 58’ 59.832” W

Elevation change upstream of McCusker Road

Fishway None

25 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Falls upstream of Railroad tracks Braintree

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 8.4 Elevation Rock 18 6 0.0 - - 42º 12’ 00.293” N change ledge 71º 00’ 08.267” W

Natural falls upstream of railroad tracks

Fishway None

Obstruction # 4 Ames Pond Dam Braintree

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 8.5 Dam Concrete 52.0 1.9 3 - - 42º 11’ 58.888” N with wooden 71º 00’ 09.368” W boards

Ames Pond Dam

Fishway None

26 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 5 Hollingsworth Dam Braintree

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 8.6 Dam Concrete 50 11 4.1 - - 42° 11’ 54.429” N with wooden 71° 00’ 12.441” W boards

Hollingsworth Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

The first obstruction on Fore River is a road culvert at McCusker Street. The 1.5 foot drop at the culvert is passable by river herring during spring flows but effectively limits smelt movement. A 3 foot high natural falls a very short distance upstream of McCusker Street is also passable by river herring under ideal flows but would not allow smelt to pass. Altering the culvert to allow smelt passage could increase smelt spawning habitat by 300 square meters. Due to the numerous fishways needed to overcome a third obstruction (6 foot natural falls) and two upstream dams, plus possible seasonal low flow issues, the further development of the river herring resource would be a difficult and expensive project. This river, once above the influence of the tide, is known as the Monatiquot River.

27 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Smelt Brook Weymouth, Braintree Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.2 First 6.7 Smelt

Obstruction # 1 Culverts at abandoned railroad tracks Weymouth

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built .13 Culvert Concrete 4 and 6 4 and 6 - - - 42º 13’ 17.282” N 70º 50’ 04.374” W

Left culvert (6 foot diameter) Right culvert (4 foot diameter)

Fishway None

28 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Pond Meadow Lake Dam Braintree

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.2 Dam Concrete 7.0 7.0 22.9 1975 Weymouth/ 42º 12’ 28.943” N Braintree 70º 58’ 30.653” W Regional Recreation Conservation District

Dam at Pond Meadow Lake

Fishway None

Remarks: Smelt Brook is a tributary to the Fore River estuary. Smelt spawn in the stream above the head of the tide. Much of the stream above this point is channelized and runs underground. Providing access for river herring to its 22.9 acre headwater pond is made difficult by the design of the pond’s spillway structure.

29 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Sunset Lake Braintree Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.4 First 7.1 None known

Obstruction # 1 Sunset Lake Dam Braintree

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.4 Dam Concrete and 3.0 1.7 57.0 - Town of 42° 12’ 05.708” N granite with Braintree 71° 00’ 56.222” W wooden boards

Sunset Lake Dam

Fishway None

Remarks: The unnamed tributary which drains 57 acre Sunset Lake enters the Monatiquot River above the fifth obstruction. The high cost associated with overcoming these obstructions makes this system a low priority for river herring restoration.

30 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Farm River Braintree Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 3.0 Fourth 6.9 None known

Obstruction # 1 Great Pond Reservoir Dam Braintree

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 3.0 Dam Concrete 31.8 6.6 180.0 - - 42º 12’ 20.581” N with steel 71º 02’ 39.482” W stop logs

Great Pond Reservoir Dam

Fishway None

Remarks: Farm River also enters the Monatiquot River above the fifth obstruction and so has low development potential due to downstream obstructions despite its 180 acre headwater impoundment.

31 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Town River Quincy Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 2.0 First 7.1 Smelt

Obstruction # 1 Culvert at Monroe Field Quincy

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 2.0 Culvert Concrete 60 0.0 0.0 - - 42° 15’ 02.521” N with 70° 59’ 33.070” W aluminum grate

Monroe Field culvert

Fishway None

Remarks:

This highly altered stream is a spawning habitat for a smelt population. Modifications to the culvert structure at Rt. 3A by the US Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose of flood control changed the stream's gradient within the spawning area. These changes have eliminated spawning habitat below Rt. 3A and the flood control project has diverted base flows resulting in degraded spawning habitat upstream of Rt. 3A.

32 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Furnace Brook Quincy Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.9 First 6.5 Smelt

Culverts downstream of Furnace Brook Elementary School

No Obstructions

Fishway None

Remarks: Furnace Brook is another highly urbanized and altered stream which drains into Boston Harbor. Smelt spawn in the stream at the head of the tide. There is no opportunity for further development of anadromous fish passage. Lack of spawning habitat prohibits alewife restoration.

33 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Neponset River Quincy, Boston, Milton, Canton, Dedham, Westwood, Norwood, Walpole, Foxborough Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 28.4 Third 6.7 Alewife, blueback, American shad, smelt, white perch

Obstruction # 1 Baker Chocolate Factory Dam Milton

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.2 Dam Concrete and 79 7.0 0.0 1900 Comm.- 42º 16’ 14.096” N steel with of MA- 71º 04’ 07.531” W wooden DCR boards

Baker Chocolate Factory Dam

Fishway None

34 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Rubble Dam Milton, Mattapan

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 6.7 Dam Boulder variable - - - not available and rubble

Rubble Dam; photo courtesy of Michael Merrill (FWE)

Fishway None

35 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Tilestone & Hollingsworth Dam Milton, Mattapan

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 6.8 Dam Concrete 151 9.5 1.1 - DCR 42º 15’ 39.337” N with a steel 71º 06’ 37.312” W door

The Tilestone and Hollingsworth Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

The Neponset River and its potential for anadromous fish restoration have been the focus of a great deal of attention in recent years. A survey carried out by DMF in 1995 revealed 15.7 miles of riverine habitat suitable for American shad and river herring spawning. Although river herring, rainbow smelt, and possibly American shad are known to spawn below the first dam, nearly all of the upstream habitat is made inaccessible by the Baker Chocolate Factory dam and the Tilestone-Hollingsworth dam. With the existence of so much potential spawning area documented, the issue of fish passage has been undertaken by an Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) feasibility study, currently underway, to determine the preferred alternative. The options addressed in the study are the installation of two Denil style ladders or complete or partial removal of the dams. In anticipation of renewed fish access to the upper river, DMF has introduced a total of 1,047 adult American shad from the Connecticut River. This stocking has taken place over 7 years from 1995 to 2001.

36 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Charles River Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, Waltham, Newton, Weston, Wellesley, Needham, Dedham, Westwood, Dover, Natick, Medfield, Sherborn, Millis, Norfolk, etc. Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 79.5 Fourth 6.9 Alewife, blueback, American shad, smelt, white perch, gizzard shad

Obstruction # 1 Charles River Locks Boston

River Type Material Lock Lock Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) L (ft) Acreage Built 0.9 Locks Concrete and Varied Varied 0.0 1978 Comm. of 42° 22’ 06.924” N steel (2 at 25’ (2 at 200’ Mass.-DCR 71° 03’ 42.812” W 1 at 40’) 1 at 300’)

Charles River Locks Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Slots H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Vertical slot Concrete 170 Varied 29 N/A - Varied Fair (.5-1.0) Not passable

Vertical slot fishway at Charles River Locks

37 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Watertown Dam Watertown

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 9.4 Dam Concrete 198 5.9 0.0 1900 Comm. of 42° 21’ 54.390” N Mass.-DCR 71° 11’ 22.365” W

Watertown Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil Concrete 83 4 6 15 7 Good with plastic Passable baffles

Fishway entrance at Watertown Dam

38 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Bleachery Dam

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 11.4 Dam Granite blocks 150 3.5 0.0 1900 Comm. of 42° 22’ 09.615” N (breached) and cement Mass. DCR 71° 13’ 22.433” W

Bleachery Dam (breach not shown)

Fishway None

39 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 4 Moody Street Dam Waltham

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 12.2 Dam Granite base & 171 17.0 188.9 1847 Comm. of 42° 22’ 23.850” N steel with Mass-DCR 71° 14’ 09.749” W wooden boards

Moody Street Dam and Fishway

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil & Concrete 216.0 6.0 8.7 23 7 6 10.0 Fair weir-pool with wooden Inefficient passage Denil baffles

40 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 5 Finlay (Newton Lower Falls) Dam Wellesley, Newton

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 17.8 Dam Granite & 104 6.5 0.0 1900 Comm. of 42° 19’ 30.411” N concrete Mass.-DCR 71° 15’ 30.842” W

Finlay Dam (Newton Lower Falls)

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil Concrete 93.0 4.5 6.5 16 7 - - Good with composite Passable baffles and granite block cap

Fishway at Finlay Dam

41 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 6 Cordingly (Newton Upper Falls) Dam Wellesley, Newton

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 18.1 Dam Concrete and 92 20 0.0 1912 Comm. of 42° 19’ 33.022” N granite Mass.-DCR 71° 15’ 15.671” W

Cordingly Dam (Newton Upper Falls)

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil Concrete 166 4.6 7.5 40 7 - - Fair with wooden Not passable baffles and a granite cap

Fishway at Cordingly Dam

42 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 7 Metropolitan Circular Dam Wellesley, Newton

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 20.0 Dam Granite 75 12.0 0.0 1900 Comm. of 42° 19’ 00.129” N blocks Mass.-DCR 71° 13’ 40.921” W

Metropolitan Circular Dam

Fishway None

43 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Obstruction # 8 Silk Mill Dam Newton/Wellesley

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 20.2 Bascule Steel & 68 14.0 0.0 - - 42° 18’ 50.058” N dam concrete 71° 13’ 34.370” W

Silk Mill Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

The Charles River is a large system and offers an abundance of riverine habitat to anadromous fishes. Its potential, however, is drastically impacted by the numerous obstructions to passage in its lower reaches. The first of these, the Charles River Dam and Locks, operated by DCR, is near the mouth of the river and has an effect on any fish attempting to enter the system. Although equipped with a fishway in 1978, the facility has never operated effectively due to mechanical failures and insufficient attraction flow and, as a result, migrating fish must rely on opening of the locks for access to the river. A locking protocol has been developed to maximize usage by rainbow smelt, river herring and American shad during their spawning runs. Approximately 8.5 miles above the first obstruction fish encounter the Watertown Dam. While the Denil fishway at this location functions well, the width of the spillway and river make it difficult for river herring and shad to locate the entrance and it is likely that a large percentage of these populations fail to ascend the river beyond this point. The smelt population spawns below this dam and is not affected by the fishway's shortcomings. The partially breached Bleachery Dam at river mile 11.4 still functions as an obstruction due to the river's width and the relative narrowness of the breach. The siting of the breached section adjacent to the south bank of the river also makes it difficult for fish moving along the north bank to locate. Complete removal of the structure or the addition of a second breach on the north side would significantly improve passage at this point. The fourth obstruction, the Moody Street Dam, is at river mile 12.2 and is equipped with a combination Denil and weir-pool fishway. The incorporation of these two designs into one fishway makes proper flow regulation critical to efficient passage. Other problems such as competing spillway flow, which makes entrance to the ladder difficult, and a deteriorated baffle have made this site a problem spot. In order to pass any significant numbers of fish, a conscientious program of flow regulation and maintenance must be applied to this structure.

44 Boston Harbor Watersheds

The next two obstructions, the Finlay (Newton Lower Falls) and the Cordingly (Newton Upper Falls) Dams, are both equipped with Denil fishways. The wooden Denil baffles in the first ladder had badly deteriorated and have recently been replaced with an experimental design incorporating a recycled plastic material. The upper fishway is currently scheduled for a similar renovation. It should be noted that, to date, there is no documentation of anadromous species reaching the Newton Lower Falls. Two large dams, Metropolitan Circular Dam at river mile 20.0 and the Silk Mill Dam at river mile 20.2, have no fish passage facilities and eliminate any potential for further upstream migration. The Charles River has been the focal point of much anadromous fish restoration work in the past. DMF introduced a total of 9,436,000 fertilized American shad eggs into the river from 1971 to 1977 and from 1978 to 1992 released 2,612 adult shad into the system. While some returning adult shad have been documented, the development of a significant Charles River population never materialized. From 1990 to 2002 a total of 37,950 blueback herring, taken from below the Watertown Dam by DMF, have been moved to above the Moody Street Dam to establish a population imprinted on that section of the river. Due to the fish passage difficulties at Moody Street, the success of that stocking has yet to be evaluated.

45 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Mystic River Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Medford, Arlington, Winchester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 7.2 Third 7.8 Alewife, blueback, American shad, white perch

Obstruction # 1 Amelia Earhart Dam & Locks Somerville, Everett

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.7 Locks Concrete and - N/A 0.0 1965 DCR 42° 23’ 41.782” N steel 71° 04’ 32.072” W

Amelia Earhart Dam and Locks

Fishway None

Obstruction # 2 Mystic Lakes Dam Arlington, Medford

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 7.2 Dam Granite 76 5.8 165.0 1900 DCR 42° 25’ 50.662” N blocks with 71° 08’ 54.180” W wooden boards

Mystic Lakes Dam Fishway None

46 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Remarks:

River herring entering the Mystic River encounter the Amelia Earhart Dam and Locks just 1.7 miles from the river's mouth. Although a fishway at the dam is poorly designed and nonfunctional, DCR personnel are able to pass herring through the locks in large numbers. Although no locking protocol exists, as is the case at the Charles River, sufficient numbers reach spawning habitat to maintain a large population. A 5.8 foot dam separates 85 acre Lower Mystic Lake from 165 acre upper Mystic Lake and prevents herring from reaching the larger habitat. Deterioration of the dam has caused DCR to initiate planning for repair or replacement of the structure. A fishway should be included in any future modifications. A locking protocol should also be instituted to insure ongoing passage at the Amelia Earhart Dam.

47 Boston Harbor Watersheds

Boston Harbor Watershed Recommendations

1. Fish passage at the lower two dams on the Neponset River should be restored either through construction of fishways or removal of the dams. From the perspective of passage for river herring and American shad, complete removal would be the preferred option.

2. A fishway should be installed at Upper Mystic Lake for the passage of river herring. It would be economically beneficial to coordinate such construction with proposed dam improvements.

3. .A locking protocol for moving river herring through the Amelia Earhart Dam and Locks on the Mystic River should be developed and adhered to. Although fish are currently locked through the system successfully, a more formal arrangement is needed to insure that this continues in the future.

4. The locking protocol that has been developed for the Charles River Dam and Locks should be evaluated for effectiveness and adjustments made if required for optimal fish passage. Lock operators should strictly adhere to the accepted protocol.

5. A second breach of the Bleachery Dam on the Charles River should be made adjacent to the north bank in order to facilitate passage of fish moving up that side.

6. A conscientious program of flow regulation and ladder maintenance for the Moody Street Dam fishway on the Charles River should be developed and adhered to.

7. American shad should continue to be introduced into the Neponset River in anticipation of restoration of fish passage. The possibility of utilizing shad fry rather than adults should be considered.

48 North Shore Watersheds

NORTH SHORE WATERSHEDS

49 North Shore Watersheds

North Shore Watersheds

Saugus River Saugus, Lynn, Wakefield, Lynnfield Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 12.2 Third 6.9 Alewife, blueback, smelt

Obstruction # 1 Lynn Waterways Dam (Colonial Saugus Country Club Dam)

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 9.4 Dam Concrete 19.0 7.0 4.9 1915 City of Lynn 42º 30’ 49.033” N with metal 71º 02’ 17.719” W stop logs

Lynn Waterways Dam at the Colonial Country Club

Fishway None

50 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Lake Quannapowitt Dam Wakefield

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 12.2 Dam Concrete 7.0 3.9 254.0 1890 Town of 42º 31’ 20.455” N with wooden Wakefield 71º 04’ 38.884” W boards

Lake Ouannapowitt Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Since the breaching of the Saugus Iron Works dam, river herring have had access to the Colonial Golf and Country Club dam at river mile 9.4 and have been observed at the base of that dam as well as in Camp Nihan Pond at river mile 6.0. Further development would be costly due to outlet structure design at the first and second dams and is greatly reduced in priority by the fact that stream flows can be very low in summer and fall. Rainbow smelt are known to spawn in the area below the remains of the Saugus Iron Works dam.

51 North Shore Watersheds

Shute Brook Saugus Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 2.0 First N/A Smelt

No photo available

No Obstructions

Fishway None

Remarks:

Rainbow smelt spawning has been noted in this small tributary to the Saugus River. There is no opportunity for further development.

Proctor Brook Salem, Peabody Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 5.6 Second 7.6 None Known

No photo available

No Obstructions

Fishway None

Remarks:

This tributary to Beverly Harbor has no potential for development.

52 North Shore Watersheds

Crane River Danvers Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.8 Second 8.3 River herring, smelt

Obstruction # 1 Mill Pond Dam Danvers

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.8 Dam Concrete 7.8 3.0 4.6 1875 Town of 42° 33’ 33.396” N with wooden Danvers 70° 56’ 32.043” W boards C/O Select

Mill Pond Dam (from above) Downstream of Mill Pond Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Crane River is another small tributary to Beverly Harbor. A 4.6 acre impoundment provides the only potential river herring habitat in the system. Small schools of river herring have been observed in the stream on occasion by DMF biologists. During the period 1995 to 1997 DMF introduced fertilized smelt eggs to this stream and removed a sluice gate, which blocked smelt passage to spawning habitat. In recent years small numbers of smelt eggs have been observed on the substrate and may be a result of this stocking.

53 North Shore Watersheds

Porter River Danvers Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.7 First 7.2 Smelt

No photo available

No Obstructions

Fishway None

Remarks:

Rainbow smelt eggs have been observed in this tributary to Beverly Harbor. There is no opportunity for development of other anadromous species.

54 North Shore Watersheds

Bass River Beverly Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 3.0 First 6.8 None known

Obstruction # 1 Elliot Street Culvert Beverly

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.3 Culvert, Concrete 8 8.0 0.0 - - 42º 33’ 23.454” N Circular 70º 53’ 18.793” W

Elliot Street culvert

Fishway None

Obstruction # 2 Dam above Elliot Street Parking Beverly

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.6 Dam Concrete 70 2.2 3.2 - - 42º 33’ 30.838” N 70º 53’ 17.332” W

Dam above Elliot Street parking

Fishway None

55 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Shoe Pond Dam Beverly

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.6 Dam Concrete 31 5.5 12.1 1904 Cummings 42° 33’ 37.232” N with wooden Properties 70° 53’ 21.340” W boards

Shoe Pond Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Although this tributary to Beverly Harbor offers over 15 acres of potential river herring habitat in its two impoundments, the difficulty of providing fish passage at the obstructions gives it a very low priority for development.

56 North Shore Watersheds

Chubb Creek Beverly, Manchester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.0 First 6.3 Smelt

No photo available

No Obstructions

Fishway None

Remarks:

This small tributary to Manchester Bay offers no river herring habitat. Rainbow smelt, however, are known to spawn above the stream's tidal reaches.

Clark Pond Manchester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present .12 First N/A None known

Looking towards Clark Pond from downstream

No Obstructions

Fishway None

Remarks:

This pond in Manchester drains into Kettle Cove by way of a small stream. There is no river herring potential.

57 North Shore Watersheds

West Pond Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.3 First 6.5 None known

Obstruction # 1 Shore Road Culvert Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.0 Elevation - 2.6 ~6'-8' 7.3 - - 42º 34’ 30.581” N change 70º 42’ 30.557” W

Outlet of Shore Road culvert

Fishway None

Remarks:

The stream draining this 7.3 acre pond enters Massachusetts Bay by way of a small corrugated metal culvert. There is no access to the culvert entrance across the rocky beach and no development potential.

58 North Shore Watersheds

Buswell Pond Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.6 First 4.8 None known

Obstruction # 1 Duck Pond Culvert Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Culvert Metal 0.9 ~ 5 0.0 - Private 42° 35’ 49.015” N 70°41’ 08.085” W

Outlet from Duck Pond culvert

Fishway None

59 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Duck Pond upstream edge Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Elevation Stream bed 8.0 3.0 - - - 42° 35’ 49.682” N change 70° 41’ 08.354” W

Ledge at upstream edge of Duck Pond

Fishway None

60 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Channel Spillway Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Elevation Concrete 5.3 ~ 3 - - Private 42° 35’ 49.837” N change 70° 41’ 09.017” W

Channel leading to Duck Pond

Fishway None

61 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 4 Buswell Pond Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.2 Dam Stone with 6.0 6.0 4.3 1920 Private 42° 35’ 53.081” N concrete cap 70° 41’ 08.795” W

Buswell Pond with covered spillway Spillway

Fishway None

Remarks:

Four obstructions block passage to this 4.3 acre pond, making any anadromous fish development costly and unlikely due to the small potential resource return for the investment..

62 North Shore Watersheds

Fernwood Lake Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.6 First 5.7 None known

Obstruction # 1 Railroad Tracks at Lower Banjo Pond Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Earthen N/A N/A N/A 5.8 - - 42º 37’ 00.300” N berm 70º 41’ 28.860” W

Downstream end of Lower Banjo Pond with railroad tracks visible.

Fishway None

63 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Upper Banjo Pond Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.3 Dam Concrete N/A N/A 10.5 1908 LePage - 42º36’ 47.173” N Papercraft 70º 41’ 32.026” W Corp.

Dam on Upper Banjo Pond

Fishway None

Obstruction # 3 Fernwood Lake Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.6 Dam N/A N/A N/A 25.0 1877 Gloucester 42º 36’ 41.080” N DPW 70º 41’ 52.920” W No photo available

Fishway None

Remarks:

Fernwood Lake is the uppermost of three impoundments on this unnamed stream. Although the USGS topographic map shows this stream, there is currently no outflow from the impoundments and no apparent outlet structures. There is no potential for development of an anadromous fish population in this system.

64 North Shore Watersheds

Little River Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 4.0 First 6.1 Alewife, blueback, smelt

Obstruction # 1 West Gloucester Water Treatment Gloucester Facility

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.4 Elevation - - - 0.0 - City of 42° 36’ 38.252” N change Gloucester 70° 42’ 29.395” W

Lower portion of fishway Upper portion of fishway at Treatment Facility

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 310 3.1 Varied 27 Varied 1.5 Varied Good weir-pool walls with (4.5 & 5.1) (1.3-1.6) (2, 7-15) Passable cinder block and plywood weirs

65 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Lily Pond Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.8 Dam and Concrete and 2.0 ~6 34.0 - City of 42º 36’ 22.357” N elevation stone Gloucester 70º 42’ 48.105” W change

Stream baffles and denil ladder at Lily Pond

Fishway Present (in two sections) Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Stream baffle Stone ~460 Varied Varied 10 Varied Varied Varied Fair (5-12) (5-12) (0.7,1.2, (1.4, (7, 10, 21) Passable 1.7) 1.7, 2.0)

Denil Wood 32.0 2.0 2.4 16 1.9 - - Good Passable

66 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Dykes Pond Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.0 Dam Concrete 30.0 42 110.0 1980 City of 42º 36’ 10.735” N Gloucester 70º 43’ 23.625” W

Lower section of Dykes Pond Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

This stream has its source in Dykes Pond, a 110 acre water supply reservoir. It then flows to 34 acre Lily Pond and subsequently to the Annisquam River estuary. Four obstructions are formed along its course, the first of which is a rapid elevation change at the West Gloucester Water Treatment Facility. This is surmounted by a weir-pool fishway, which passes river herring adequately when properly adjusted. The second obstruction includes an elevation change and the Lily Pond dam. Stone stream baffles allow herring to traverse the elevation change, and a wooden Denil ladder, replaced in 2000, provides passage at Lily Pond Dam. The third obstruction is the dam at Dykes Pond. The lack of consistent outflow due to withdrawals from this impoundment eliminates it as a potential spawning habitat and Lily Pond provides the primary spawning/nursery area for the system. Rainbow smelt spawn in the river near Rt. 133.

67 North Shore Watersheds

Sleepy Hollow Pond Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.8 First 6.5 None known

Obstruction # 1 Atlantic Street culvert Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.6 Culvert, Concrete 2 2 3.6 - - 42° 38’ 48.394” N circular 70° 41’ 53.121” W

Upstream view of culvert at Atlantic Street Overgrown channel downstream of Atlantic Street culvert

Fishway None

Remarks:

This small system has been the focus of some interest by the City of Gloucester since a small culvert in a dyke was enlarged to allow full tidal flow. The elimination of this obstruction made the establishment of a small spawning population of river herring a possibility. Stocking of the pond has not taken place due to lack of access for the transport truck, however, it may be possible to hand carry a sufficient number of adult herring create a run. The small size of the pond makes this a low priority project.

68 North Shore Watersheds

Sawmill Brook Rockport Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.7 First 6.1 None known

Obstruction # 1 Frank Street culvert Rockport

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.5 Elevation Concrete 3.0 20 1.0 - - 42º 38’ 16.246” N change and 70º 36’ 36.842” W culvert

Culvert and elevation change at Frank Street

Fishway None

Remarks:

Both natural and manmade obstructions combined with minimal spawning area make this stream an unlikely candidate for anadromous fish development.

69 North Shore Watersheds

Mill Brook Rockport Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.9 First 6.2 None known

Obstruction # 1 Dam off King Street Rockport

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Dam Granite 5.0 6.0 0.9 - - 42° 39’ 30.550” N 70° 37’ 23.693” W

Dam off King Street

Fishway None

70 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Loop Pond Dam Rockport

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.9 Dam Granite 10.0 5.0 2.4 - - 42° 39’ 01.473” N with wooden 70°37’ 53.150” W boards

View looking down on Loop Pond Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Little potential river herring spawning habitat exists here. On one occasion smelt eggs were observed above the head of the tide but no evidence of spawning has been found since.

71 North Shore Watersheds

Langsford Pond Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.2 First 5.8 None known

Obstruction # 1 Spillway under Route 127 Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Elevation Granite 1 ~5 0.0 - - 42º 39’ 39.842” N change culvert 70º 40’ 15.568” W

Upstream opening of culvert under Rte. 127

Fishway None

72 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Langsford Pond Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.2 Dam Granite 2.5 3.0 3.8 1877 Gloucester 42º 39’ 33.273” N blocks DPW 70º 40’ 06.829” W

Langsford Pond Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Two obstructions and lack of significant spawning habitat for river herring eliminate this system as a potential anadromous fish development site.

73 North Shore Watersheds

Goose Cove Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 0.4 First 5.4 None known

Obstruction # 1 Falls above Denniston Street Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.0 Elevation Rock rubble 2 7.6 1.2 - - 42° 39’ 07.120” N change 70° 39’ 54.417” W

Elevation change above Denniston St.

Fishway None

Obstruction # 2 Boards in Duck Pond Culvert Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Dam Concrete 3.0 2.6 1.2 - - 42° 39’ 07.400” N with wooden 70° 39’ 52.422” W boards

Culvert at Duck Pond

Fishway None

74 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Goose Cove Reservoir Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.4 Dam Earthen SubmergedSubmerged 57.5 - City of 42° 38’ 54.529” N berm outlet outlet Gloucester 70° 39’ 43.645” W

Gate house on Goose Cove Reservoir Draw site on Goose Cove Reservoir

Fishway None

Remarks:

The fact that the primary potential habitat is a public water supply and the existence of several difficult obstructions make development of anadromous resources unlikely.

75 North Shore Watersheds

Alewife Brook Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 4.6 First 4.9 None known

Obstruction # 1 Mill Pond Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.0 Dam and Concrete 5.6 6.0 17.4 1969- City of 42º 37’ 57.832” N tide gate 1970 Gloucester 70º 40’ 38.084” W

Mill Pond Dam

Fishway None

76 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Babson Reservoir Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.1 Dam Concrete 40 35 27 1930 Gloucester 42º 37’ 33.162” N Water 70º 40’ 03.319” W Department

Babson Reservoir Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Alewife Brook has its source in Babson Reservoir, a 27 acre water supply for the City of Gloucester. Along its route to the Annisquam River it forms a 17.4 acre impoundment called Mill Pond. Mill Pond is brackish, reducing its suitability for spawning herring. This and the lack of sustained flows from the reservoir make this stream a poor candidate for development.

77 North Shore Watersheds

Walker Creek Gloucester Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 2.9 First 5.5 None known

Obstruction # 1 Unnamed Dam behind Forest Lane Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 2.4 Dam Concrete and 5.4 5.4 1.6 - Private 42° 37’ 23.819” N stone 70° 44’ 15.201” W

Dam at Forest Lane

Fishway None

78 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Haskell Pond Dam Gloucester

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 2.9 Dam Concrete and 14.0 24 50.0 1902- City of 42° 36’ 57.785” N stone 1903 Gloucester 70° 44’ 19.135” W

Upper section of Haskell Pond spillway (no outflow) Lower section of spillway (dry)

Fishway None

Remarks:

Walkers Creek flows from 50 acre Haskell Pond to Essex Bay. Two obstructions, the dam at Haskell Pond and a smaller privately owned dam prevent anadromous fish access. In spite of the significant potential habitat available in the upper impoundment, the height of the dam and the lack of sustained outflow relegate this stream to a low priority for development. Smelt spawning was reported in the lower river in the past, but none have been observed in recent years.

79 North Shore Watersheds

Essex River / Alewife Brook Essex, Hamilton Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 7.5 First 6.0 River herring

Obstruction # 1 Elevation change off Apple Street Essex

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.0 Elevation - - - 0.0 - - 42º 37’ 30.514” N change 70º 47’ 24.096” W

Stream baffles off Apple Street

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Stream baffle Stone 12.0 7.0 Stream 2 0.8 - 12.0 Poor edge Inefficient passage

Remarks:

The Essex River and its main tributary, Alewife Brook, flow from Chebacco Lake to Essex Bay. The only obstruction to fish passage is a natural elevation change at Essex Falls which is overcome by a series of stone stream baffles. While there are no man-made structures to block passage at the Chebacco Lake outlet, encroaching vegetation in the low gradient stream may make it difficult for river herring to reach the 206 acre spawning area. Additionally, beavers have created a dam in recent years that can block fish passage. Habitat in the lower river is favorable for rainbow smelt spawning, although the presence of this species has not been documented.

80 North Shore Watersheds

Ipswich River Ipswich, Lynnfield Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 33.8 Third 6.5 Alewife, blueback, smelt, lamprey

Obstruction # 1 Ipswich Mills Dam Ipswich

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 3.7 Dam Granite 136 6.7 9.5 1900 Town of 42º 40’ 39.110” N blocks Ipswich 70º 50’ 15.572” W

Ipswich Mills Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil Concrete 85.4 2.5 4.8 17 4.5 - - Good with wooden Passable baffles

Old (left) and new (right) fishways at Ipswich Mills Dam

81 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Willowdale Dam Ipswich

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 8.5 Dam Concrete 102 4.6 0.0 1900 Foote 42º 39’ 34.642” N with a Brothers 70º 53’ 39.007” W wooden board

Willowdale Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 61.0 3.1 5.0 13 Varied 1.6 Varied Poor weir-pool (2.6-5) (4-6.5) Inefficient passage

Fishway at Willowdale Dam

82 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Bostik Finley Dam Lynnfield, Middleton

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 25.6 Dam Stone and 47 6.0 13.7 - Bostik 42º 34’ 12.069” N concrete Finley Co. 71º 01’ 51.117” W

Bostik Finley Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

The Ipswich River appears to offer significant potential for river spawning anadromous fish such as blueback herring and American shad. While no sizeable impoundments or ponds are available, many miles of riverine habitat are potentially available for these species. An inefficient ladder at Ipswich Mills was replaced with a modern Denil design in 1995 and a second obstruction, a dam at Willowdale with an inefficient fishway, is being considered for removal. In addition, DMF has stocked the stream with a total of 31,147 blueback herring from 1990 to 2002. Local volunteers have monitored up-running adults at the first fishway and have documented modest returns. In addition to the lack of effective fish passage facilities in the past, the most critical factor in preventing the system from reaching its potential for anadromous fish production is probably the seasonal loss of flow due to withdrawals in the upper watershed. The inability of this stream to function reliably as a nursery area in summer and as a vehicle for out-migration of juveniles in the fall may ultimately be the limiting factor determining the success of restoration efforts in this river. The impact of these withdrawals must be taken into consideration when planning future attempts to develop anadromous fish resources in the system. It would be well advised to assess the results of recent stocking and fish passage improvement efforts before committing additional time and financial resources to this project. Should the numbers of river herring using the Ipswich Mills fishway increase significantly, the next logical step would be removal of the Willowdale dam or installation of a more efficient fish passage facility.

83 North Shore Watersheds

Howlett Brook Topsfield, Ipswich Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 2.2 First 6.4 None known

Obstruction # 1 Howlett Brook Dam Topsfield

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Dam Concrete 20 4.6 2.2 1930 - 42° 39’ 19.887” N with wooden 70° 55’ 03.090” W boards

Howlett Brook Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Howlett Brook enters the Ipswich River upstream of the Willowdale dam. It is impounded by a 4.6 foot dam immediately above the confluence and has no significant spawning habitat in its lower reaches, resulting in a low priority for development.

84 North Shore Watersheds

Martins Brook North Reading, Wilmington Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 4.5 Second 6.1 None known

No Obstructions

Culverts at Martin’s Pond Outlet

Fishway None

Remarks:

Martins Brook enters the Ipswich River above the Bostik Finley Dam. Its headwaters, 89.3 acre Martins Pond, provide significant potential alewife spawning habitat. The need for efficient passage facilities at Willowdale and Bostik Finley Dams before a population can be developed, however, relegate this stream to a low priority.

85 North Shore Watersheds

Egypt River Ispwich, Rowley Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 5.5 Second 6.7 River herring, smelt

Obstruction # 1 Municipal Electrical Generating Ipswich Plant Site

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 5.3 Elevation - - - 0.4 - Ipswich 42º 41’ 53.259” N change Hydroelectric 70º 52’ 09.286” W

Stream baffle at Municipal Electrical Generating Plant

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Stream baffle Stone 224.0 Varied Stream 7 0.9 - Varied Poor (9-10') edge (21, 20, 20.5) Inefficient passage

Remarks:

The Egypt River is formed by the confluence of Bull and Dow Brooks and is known as the Rowley River in its estuarine section. River herring and smelt were present in the 1970's, but only limited numbers have been observed in recent years. This may be due to the low stream flows, which were noted during the survey. This factor and the cost of providing fish passage at the impoundments make this stream a low priority area for development.

86 North Shore Watersheds

Parker River Newbury, Byfield Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 21.3 Third 6.9 Alewife, blueback, smelt, white perch, lamprey

Obstruction # 1 Woolen Mill Dam Newbury

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 9.3 Dam Stone 38 9 8.7 1975 Byfield 42° 45’ 00.072” N Water 70° 55’ 44.862” W District

Woolen Mill Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 104.0 Varied Varied 12 1.8 3.0 Varied Fair weir-pool and stone (3-10) (2-3) (5-16.3) Passable

Fishway at Woolen Mill Dam

87 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 2 Larkin Road Dam Newbury

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 10.6 Dam Concrete 39 6.5 2.9 1874 Town of 42° 44’ 59.710” N Newbury 70° 56’ 32.239” W

Larkin Road Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 152.0 Varied Varied 14 Varied 1.3 11.2 Fair weir-pool and stone (2.4-4.1) (4.0-6.7) (0.7-1.4) Passable

Fishway at Larkin Road Dam

88 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 3 Snuff Mill Dam Byfield

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 11.2 Dam Concrete and 61 8.8 1.3 - Private 42º 45’ 17.988” N stone 70º 56’ 49.405” W

Snuff Mill Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Concrete 106.0 Varied Varied 13 1.9 1.5 Varied Fair weir-pool and stone (2.2-4.6) (4.1-5.8) (8.3-10.4) Inefficient passage

Fishway at Snuff Mill Dam

89 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 4 Blacksmith Shop Dam Byfield

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 11.4 Dam Concrete 74 5.0 2.8 1921 Private 42º 45’ 19.946” N 70º 56’ 59.210” W

Blacksmith Shop Dam with fishway (left side of photo)

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Alaskan Aluminum 20.0 2.0 - 2.5 - - Excellent steeppass Passable

90 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 5 River Street Dam Byfield

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 11.6 Dam Concrete 34 5.2 0.8 - Private 42° 45’ 23.291” N with wooden 70° 57’ 13.929” W boards

River Street Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Notched Stone and 65.0 3.9 7.0 8 1.5 3.1 Varied Poor weir-pool concrete (7.1, 8.4, 6.9) Passable

Fishway at River Street Dam

91 North Shore Watersheds

Obstruction # 6 Pentucket Pond Dam Georgetown

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 16.3 Dam Concrete and 6.7 ~3 84.0 Rebuilt Town of 42° 43’ 52.958” N aluminum 1999-2000 Georgetown 70° 59’ 25.030” W

Pentucket Pond Dam and fishway (right side of photo)

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Alaskan Aluminum 10.0 2.0 - 2.6 - - Excellent steeppass Inefficient passage

Remarks:

The Parker River has been the subject of a great deal of interest and anadromous fish restoration work in recent years. Despite the numerous obstructions to passage, the river has managed to sustain a river herring population over the years. There have been numerous improvements to the system due to the efforts of volunteer groups, conservation organizations as well as state and Federal agencies. A number of problems for migrating river herring have occurred at the first dam. The first of these, difficult entrance to the ladder at low tidal stages, was alleviated in 2002 by the addition of stream baffles in the downstream culvert. The propensity for beavers to builds dams inside the fish ladder has also become a problem and current state regulations which protect the beaver make it difficult for managers to deal with this apparently simple problem. Downstream migration of juveniles is also an issue at this site. The rock rubble face of the dam can trap young herring since water tends to flow through rather than over it during low flow periods. The second fishway, at Larkin Street, was improved 1997 by volunteers who modified the entrance to increase attraction flow. The ladder now functions adequately. The next fishway, at the Snuff Mill dam, is inefficient and needs to be redesigned and replaced. The fourth fishway at the Blacksmith Shop dam was replaced in 2001 with an aluminum Alaskan Steepass ladder. A notched weir-pool fishway at River St. is passable but in poor condition and will need repair work in the near future. And finally, a new aluminum steeppass ladder was installed in 2000 at the outlet of Pentucket Pond. Access for cleaning and a screen in the spillway channel of the dam are needed to provide maximum efficiency for this facility. Rainbow smelt are known to utilize the streambed below the Woolen Mill dam for spawning.

92 North Shore Watersheds

Mill River Rowley Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 11.5 Second 6.7 River herring, smelt, lamprey

Obstruction # 1 Jewel Mill Dam Rowley

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.2 Dam Concrete and 74 5.6 4.0 - Private 42° 44’ 20.829” N stone 70° 54’ 01.723” W

Jewel Mill Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

River herring and rainbow smelt ascend this tributary to the Parker River up to the Jewel Mill Dam. The lack of significant habitat in the impoundments, however, greatly reduces this stream's potential.

93 North Shore Watersheds

Penn Brook Boxford Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 2.9 First 6.0 None known

Obstruction # 1 Baldpate Pond culvert Boxford

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 2.9 Culvert, Steel 2 0 66.0 - - 42º 42’01.750”N circular 70º 59’31.460”W

Culvert with screen at Baldpate Pond

Fishway None

Remarks:

Penn Brook enters the Parker River below Pentucket Pond. Although a 2 foot diameter culvert may inhibit fish movement, it is passable and fish can access the Baldpate Pond headwater. Stocking of this pond may be considered when passage facilities on the Parker have been improved.

94 North Shore Watersheds

North Shore Recommendations

1. Continue to monitor adult river herring returns in the Ipswich River at the Ipswich Mills fishway. If significant increases in returns are observed, consider removal of the Willowdale dam with fishway construction as an alternative.

2. Add stream baffles in the culvert below the Woolen Mill dam on the Parker River as described in the existing plan in order to improve access to the fishway entrance at lower tidal stages.

3. Replace the Snuff Mill and River Street ladders on the Parker River with more efficient designs.

4. Provide a low water passage channel for juvenile herring at the Woolen Mill dam on the Parker River.

5. Provide a screen in the spillway channel at the Pentucket Pond dam on the Parker River to prevent fish from bypassing the fishway entrance.

6. A clear channel should be maintained at the outlet of Chebacco Lake to the Essex River to insure that migrating herring will be able to reach the spawning habitat.

95 Merrimack River Watershed

MERRIMACK RIVER WATERSHED

96 Merrimack River Watershed

Merrimack River Watershed Merrimack River Newburyport, Amesbury, Merrimack, Haverhill, Groveland, Methuen, Lawrence, N. Andover, Andover, Dracut, Tewksbury, Lowell, Chelmsford, Tyngsboro, cont'd. Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 126.8 Fifth 6.6 Alewife, blueback, American shad, smelt, white perch, lamprey, gizzard shad

Obstruction # 1 Essex Dam Lawrence

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 28.8 Dam Stone with 920 31 0.0 1848 Consolidated 42° 41’ 57.942” N plywood Hydro, Inc. 71° 09’ 57.086” W Energy

Essex Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Fish lift Concrete N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Good and Passable aluminum

97 Merrimack River Watershed

Obstruction # 2 Pawtucket Dam Lowell

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 40.2 Dam Stone with 1086 15 0.0 1847 Consolidated 42° 38’ 54.800” N splash boards Hydro, Inc. 71° 20’ 01.095” W (CHI) Energy

Pawtucket lift and powerhouse Pawtucket Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Modified Concrete 292 14 15 16 Varied - 12 Good Ice Harbor (0.0-4.0) inefficient

Fish Lift Concrete, Good aluminum Passable and wood

Modified Ice Harbor Fishway at Pawtucket Dam

98 Merrimack River Watershed

Remarks:

The Merrimack River is formed by the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee Rivers in New Hampshire and flows 127 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. The lower 49 miles of the river are within Massachusetts. Anadromous fish, specifically Atlantic salmon, American shad and river herring, are managed by a Merrimack River Anadromous Fish Committee comprised of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service and U. S. Forest Service. Management strategies are implemented by the mutual consent of these agencies. The first two obstructions on the river, the Essex Dam in Lawrence and the Pawtucket Dam in Lowell, have been equipped with fish passage facilities since the mid-19th century. These ladders have been upgraded on several occasions, the latest being in the 1980's when fish lifts were installed at the two dams. The Essex lift is designed specifically to pass 840,000 shad annually. The lift at the Pawtucket Dam is designed for an annual capacity of 720,000 shad. In addition, a modified Ice Harbor fishway at the Pawtucket Dam is functional during high flow periods. River herring counts made through the viewing window at the Lawrence fish lift from 1983 to 2002 have varied widely but reached a high of 379,225 in 1991. American shad counts have been more stable and peaked at 76,717 in 2001. Numbers counted at the Pawtucket Dam passage facilities in Lowell drop off dramatically for like years. Due to problems with attraction flows at the fish lifts and ladder, which are inherent in fish passage facilities on large rivers as well as behavioral differences of the species, the counts may not be an accurate representation of the numbers or relative abundance of anadromous fish utilizing the system.

99 Merrimack River Watershed

Powwow River Amesbury, South Hampton Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 7.1 Second 6.5 Blueback, smelt

Obstruction # 1 Mill Street Dam Amesbury

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.6 Dam N/A N/A N/A 0.0 1900 Town of 42º 51’ 24.608” N Amesbury 70º 55’ 46.359” W

View of Mill Street Dam through the trees (structure is under the building).

Fishway None

100 Merrimack River Watershed

Obstruction # 2 Lake Gardiner Dam Amesbury

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 2.1 Dam Concrete 73 18 71.0 1872, Town of 42º 51’ 33.094” N rebuilt Amesbury 70º 56’ 17.240” W 2000

Lake Gardiner Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

The Powwow River enters the Merrimack River in Amesbury. A dam at Mill Street presents a very difficult fish passage problem and, when combined with the cost of providing passage at the large dam at Lake Gardner, eliminates any development potential here. Bluebacks are known to enter the system in small numbers.

101 Merrimack River Watershed

Back River Amesbury, South Hampton Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 5.4 Second 6.5 Blueback

Obstruction # 1 Clarks Pond Dam Amesbury

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.4 Dam Concrete 70 3 6.8 - Merrimac 42º 51’ 37.663” N with wooden Hat Co., Inc. 70º 55’ 35.866” W stop logs

Clarks Pond Dam, partial view.

Fishway None

Remarks:

Back River is a tributary to the Powwow River and joins it below the Mill Street dam. A relatively low head dam blocks passage into the 6.8 acres of potential habitat provided by Clarks Pond. Small numbers of river herring have been observed in the stream and a fishway could be installed at a reasonable cost. The small size of the impoundment, however, relegates the stream to a low priority for development.

102 Merrimack River Watershed

Artichoke River Newburyport, W. Newbury Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 1.2 First 6.7 None known

Obstruction # 1 Emery Lane Dam (Curzon's Mill Dam) Newburyport, W. Newbury

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Dam Concrete 36.0 8.1 15.8 1950 Private 42° 49’ 09.330” N 70° 56’ 14.603” W

Emory Lane Dam (aka Curzon’s Mill Dam) Fishway None

Obstruction # 2 Lower Artichoke Reservoir Dam W. Newbury, Newburyport

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.7 Dam Concrete 81 7.5 49.0 1920 City of 42° 48’ 47.706” N Newburyport 70° 55’ 53.467” W

Lower Artichoke Reservoir Dam Fishway None

103 Merrimack River Watershed

Obstruction # 3 Upper Artichoke Reservoir Dam W. Newbury, Newburyport

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.2 Dam Concrete 136 5.8 196.0 1920 City of 42º 48’ 22.436” N Newburyport 70º 55’ 54.895” W

Upper Artichoke Reservoir Dam

Fishway

Remarks:

The Artichoke River is a tributary of the Merrimack River and enters it well downstream of the dam at Lawrence. Although the stream's three impoundments offer a total of 261 acres of potential habitat, the upper two are used as public water supplies resulting in reduced and inconsistent outflow. This and the cost of passage at three large dams severely limits the development potential.

104 Merrimack River Watershed

Indian River West Newbury Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 2.9 First 7.0 None known

Obstruction # 1 Mill Pond Dam West Newbury

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.0 Dam Concrete 4 8 14.8 1937 Town of 42° 48’ 23.727” N with steel West 70° 58’ 01.553” W stop logs Newbury

Dam at Mill Pond

Fishway None

Remarks:

This small stream enters the Merrimack River in West Newbury. It forms a 14.8 acre impoundment called Mill Pond. While the pond offers an attractive habitat, the spillway configuration and its proximity to the Rt. 113 road culvert make fishway installation difficult and lower the site's priority for development.

105 Merrimack River Watershed

Shawsheen River North Andover, Lawrence, Andover, Wilmington, Billerica, Bedford Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 25.0 Second N/A River herring, American shad

Obstruction # 1 Dam at Rt. 133 Andover

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 3.8 Dam N/A N/A N/A 0.0 - - 42º 40’ 20.522” N 71º 08’ 58.243” W

Dam at Route 133, Andover

Fishway None

Remarks:

The Shawsheen River enters the Merrimack just below the Essex Dam in Lawrence. A culvert under Rt. 495 is passable but may collect debris, which could hinder fish movement. A low head dam at Rt. 133 in Andover presents the first real obstruction. Passage could easily be achieved at this point with a ladder or a partial breach. However, two dams immediately upstream present costly fishway installation issues which reduce the restoration potential of this stream. River herring and American shad have been observed in the lower river.

106 Merrimack River Watershed

Spickett River Lawrence, Methuen, Salem NH Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 12.7 Second N/A American shad

Obstruction # 1 Spickett River Dam Lawrence

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.1 Dam Concrete N/A N/A 0.0 - City of 42° 42’ 26.609” N Lawrence 71° 08’ 52.669” W

Spickett River Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Spickett River flows through the City of Lawrence and joins the Merrimack below the Essex Dam. Although American shad have been observed at the mouth, a large dam just upstream of the confluence with the Merrimack River as well as several other obstructions preclude any anadromous fish development.

107 Merrimack River Watershed

Concord River Lowell, Tewksbury, Billerica, Carlisle, Bedford, Concord Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 16.2 Fourth 6.7 Alewife, blueback, American shad

Obstruction # 1 Centennial Island Dam Lowell

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 1.4 Dam Concrete and 250 5 2.7 1900 Wamesit 42º 37’ 44.544” N rebar with Real Estate 71º 17’ 53.144” W wooden Trust boards

Centennial Island Dam

Fishway Present Design Material Length Inside Outside # of Baffle Notch Pool Condition/ (ft) W (ft) W (ft) Baffles H (ft) W (ft) L (ft) Function Denil Concrete 79.5 4.0 6.3 19 4.0 - - Good with Passable wooden baffles

Fishway at Centennial Island Dam

108 Merrimack River Watershed

Obstruction # 2 Talbots Mills Dam (Faulkner Mills Billerica Dam)

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 4.7 Dam Stone and 130 6.7 9.0 1850 Laggeat 42º 35’ 31.320” N concrete and Platt, 71º 17’ 01.106” W Inc.

Talbots Mills Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

The Concord River enters the Merrimack River just downstream of the Pawtucket Dam in Lowell. Consequently, fish successfully passed at the Lawrence lift have access to the lower Concord River. A breached dam at river mile 0.37 is passable at normal spring flows and is not considered an obstruction. The first obstruction is equipped with a relatively new Denil fishway but the second, a dam at Talbot Mills, is impassable. A fishway will be considered for this site when substantial numbers of fish have reached the dam on an annual basis. The USFWS has been monitoring returns here. The Division of Marine Fisheries and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have been stocking the Concord River with adult river herring since 2000 in numbers that have ranged from 5600 to 7550 annually. American shad have been observed in the lower river.

109 Merrimack River Watershed

River Meadow Brook Lowell, Chelmsford Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 6.3 Second N/A Unknown

Obstruction # 1 River Meadow Brook dam Lowell

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.6 Dam Concrete ~40 ~6 0.0 - - 42° 37’ 54.400” N 71° 18’ 31.700” W

River Meadow Brook Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

River Meadow Brook is a tributary to the Concord River, which it enters at river mile 1.04. Fish ascending the Concord are free to enter River Meadow Brook but a dam 0.55 miles from the mouth prevents further access. Development of fish passage facilities on this stream would not contribute substantially to anadromous fish populations of the Concord River watershed due to limited potential spawning habitat.

110 Merrimack River Watershed

Beaver Brook Lowell, Dracut, Pelham NH Stream Length (mi) Stream Order pH Anadromous Species Present 4.6 Second N/A Unknown

Obstruction # 1 Beaver Brook Dam Dracut

River Type Material Spillway Spillway Impoundment Year Owner GPS Mile W (ft) H (ft) Acreage Built 0.5 Dam Stone and ~50 15 0.0 1850 Gold-Kauf 42º 39’ 51.971” N concrete Realty 71º 19’ 22.569” W

Beaver Brook Dam

Fishway None

Remarks:

Beaver Brook flows into the Merrimack River below the Pawtucket Dam in the city of Lowell. Although it appears to offer substantial potential riverine habitat, a large dam just upstream from the mouth as well as other obstructions on the lower river, diminishes any potential for development of anadromous fish in this system.

111 Merrimack River Watershed

Merrimack River Watershed Recommendations:

1. Continue to support the development and restoration efforts of the Central New England Anadromous Fish Program.

2. Continue to stock and monitor river herring in the Concord River. If substantial numbers consistently reach Talbot Mills Dam, a fishway should be considered at that site.

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General Recommendations

1. With a small number of exceptions, the important river herring spawning/nursery habitats on coastal streams have been made accessible through the construction of fishways. Many of these structures have become deteriorated and are often of obsolete design. The emphasis of future work should be on the replacement of these fish ladders in order to preserve or augment the populations they serve rather than to create new populations by accessing minor habitats.

2. Most river herring fisheries are under local control through the authority granted by Section 94 of Chapter 130. Many towns having this control, however, are unaware that approval of the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries is required by the statute and often change their regulations without consulting DMF. In order to insure biologically sound and legally valid local management, the Director should inform cities and towns of this condition and request them to submit current regulations and subsequent changes for approval.

3. River herring passage issues have dealt primarily with upstream migration of adults. Downstream passage of adults and more importantly juveniles has been largely ignored and, in some systems, may be an important limiting factor in population productivity. Future work should take this into consideration and place appropriate emphasis on this phase of the life cycle and the problems which are associated with it.

4. Large numbers of juvenile herring are killed each year due to cranberry bog operations. A simple, inexpensive screening system has been developed which will prevent most of these losses. Despite publicizing the availability of this system through industry media, growers have been reluctant to utilize it. Appropriate screening of water withdrawal intakes to prevent stranding, mutilation, entrainment or impingement of young herring should be made a condition of any state permits required for the agricultural operation.

5. Shoaling of pond outlets and encroachment of vegetation has seriously impacted river herring populations in some systems. Deposition of sandy material at the outlets in combination with low late summer/fall water levels has prevented the escapement of large segments of year classes and caused them to be lost to the population either through winter kill or greatly reduced growth rates. Outlet structures which would retain depth, reduce deposition and provide for easier maintenance should be developed and installed at stream outlets where appropriate.

6. The emphasis of anadromous fish management in coastal streams has been on river herring, American shad and rainbow smelt. Consequently little is known about white perch and tomcod populations in the Commonwealth. In the future more attention should be directed toward these species and management strategies which would protect them should be developed.

7. Several large coastal streams, notably the Taunton, Charles and Neponset Rivers, appear to have excellent potential for development of American shad populations. Many years of stocking with adult fish and eggs have yielded negligible results, however. Other states have had success through hatchery egg taking and rearing to fry size before release. This technique should be developed in Massachusetts and applied to the above streams.

8. Removal of dams should be considered as an alternative to fishway construction where appropriate.

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Alphabetical Index of Streams

Stream Name Town(s) Page Accord Brook Hingham 10 Alewife Brook Gloucester 76 Artichoke River Newburyport 103 West Newbury Back River Amesbury 102 South Hampton, NH Bass River Beverly 55 Beaver Brook Dracut 111 Lowell Pelham, NH Broad Cove Hingham 15 Buswell Pond Gloucester 59 Charles River Bellingham 37 Boston Cambridge Dedham Dover Franklin Hopkinton Medfield Medway Milford Millis Natick Needham Newton Norfolk Sherborn Waltham Watertown Wellsley Weston Westwood Chubb Creek Beverly 57 Manchester Clark Pond Manchester 57 Concord River Bedford 108 Billerica Carlisle Concord Lowell Tewksbury Crane River Danvers 53 Crooked Meadow River Hingham 13 Egypt River Ipswich 86 Rowley Essex River/ Alewife Brook Essex 80 Hamilton Farm River Braintree 31 Fernwood Lake Gloucester 63

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Stream Name Town(s) Page Fore River/ Monatiquot River Braintree 25 Weymouth Fulling Mill Brook Hingham 12 Furnace Brook Quincy 33 Goose Cove Gloucester 74 Howlett Brook Ipswich 84 Topsfield Indian River West Newbury 105 Ipswich River Ipswich 81 Lynnfield Middleton Langsford Pond Gloucester 72 Little River Gloucester 65 Martins Brook North Reading 85 Wilmington Merrimack River Amesbury 97 Andover Chelmsford Dracut Groveland Haverhill Lawrence Lowell Merrimack Methuen Newburyport North Andover Tewksbury Tyngsboro Mill Brook Rockport 70 Mill River Rowley 93 Mystic River Arlington 46 Boston Chelsea Everett Medford Somerville Winchester Neponset River Boston 34 Canton Dedham Foxborough Milton Norwood Quincy Walpole Westwood Parker River Byfield 87 Newbury Penn Brook Boxford 94 Porter River Danvers 54 Powwow River Amesbury 100

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Stream Name Town(s) Page Powwow River, cont. South Hampton, NH 100 Proctor Brook Peabody 52 Salem River Meadow Brook Chelmsford 110 Lowell Saugus River Lynn 50 Lynnfield Saugus Wakefield Sawmill Brook Rockport 69 Shawsheen River Andover 106 Bedford Billerica Lawrence North Andover Wilmington Shute Brook Saugus 52 Sleepy Hollow Pond Gloucester 68 Smelt Brook Braintree 28 Weymouth Spickett River Lawrence 107 Methuen Salem, NH Straits Pond Cohasset 9 Hull Sunset Lake Braintree 30 Town River Quincy 32 Walker Creek Gloucester 78 Weir River Hingham 7 West Pond Gloucester 58 Weymouth Back River Weymouth 16

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Alphabetical Index of Towns

Town Stream Name Page Amesbury Back River 102 Merrimack River 97 Powwow River 100 Andover Merrimack River 97 Shawsheen River 106 Arlington Mystic River 46 Bedford Concord River 108 Shawsheen River 106 Bellingham Charles River 37 Beverly Bass River 55 Chubb Creek 57 Billerica Concord River 108 Shawsheen River 106 Boston Charles River 37 Mystic River 46 Neponset River 34 Boxford Penn Brook 94 Braintree Farm River 31 Fore River/Monatiquot River 25 Smelt Brook 28 Sunset Lake 30 Byfield Parker River 87 Cambridge Charles River 37 Canton Neponset River 34 Carlisle Concord River 108 Chelmsford Merrimack River 97 River Meadow Brook 110 Chelsea Mystic River 46 Cohasset Straits Pond 9 Concord Concord River 108 Danvers Crane River 53 Porter River 54 Dedham Charles River 37 Neponset River 34 Dover Charles River 37 Dracut Beaver Brook 111 Merrimack River 97 Essex Essex River/Alewife Brook 80 Everett Mystic River 46 Foxborough Neponset River 34 Franklin Charles River 37 Gloucester Alewife Brook 76 Buswell Pond 59 Fernwood Lake 63 Goose Cove 74 Langsford Pond 72 Little River 65 Sleepy Hollow Pond 68 Walker Creek 78 West Pond 58

117

Town(s) Stream Name Page Groveland Merrimack River 97 Hamilton Essex River/Alewife Brook 80 Haverhill Merrimack River 97 Hingham Accord Brook 10 Broad Cove 15 Crooked Meadow River 13 Fulling Mill Brook 12 Weir River 7 Hopkinton Charles River 37 Hull Straits Pond 9 Ipswich Egypt River 86 Howlett Brook 84 Ipswich River 81 Lawrence Merrimack River 97 Shawsheen River 106 Spickett River 107 Lowell Beaver Brook 111 Concord River 108 Merrimack River 97 River Meadow Brook 110 Lynn Saugus River 50 Lynnfield Ipswich River 81 Saugus River 50 Manchester Chubb Creek 57 Clark Pond 57 Medfield Charles River 37 Medford Mystic River 46 Medway Charles River 37 Methuen Merrimack River 97 Spickett River 107 Merrimac Merrimack River 97 Middleton Ipswich River 81 Milford Charles River 37 Millis Charles River 37 Milton Neponset River 34 Natick Charles River 37 Needham Charles River 37 Newbury Parker River 87 Newburyport Artichoke River 103 Merrimack River 97 Newton Charles River 37 North Andover Merrimack River 97 Shawsheen River 106 North Reading Martins Brook 85 Norfolk Charles River 37 Norwood Neponset River 34 Peabody Proctor Brook 52 Quincy Furnace Brook 33 Neponset River 34 Town River 32 Rockport Mill Brook 70 Sawmill Brook 69

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Town(s) Stream Name Page Rowley Mill River 93 Rowley River (Egypt River) 86 Salem Proctor Brook 52 Saugus Saugus River 50 Shute Brook 52 Sherborn Charles River 37 Somerville Mystic River 46 Tewksbury Concord River 108 Merrimack River 97 Topsfield Howlett Brook 84 Tyngsboro Merrimack River 97 Wakefield Saugus River 50 Waltham Charles River 37 Walpole Neponset River 34 Watertown Charles River 37 Wellesley Charles River 37 West Newbury Artichoke River 103 Indian River 105 Weston Charles River 37 Westwood Charles River 37 Neponset River 34 Weymouth Fore River/Monatiquot River 25 Smelt Brook 28 Weymouth Back River 16 Wilmington Martins Brook 85 Shawsheen River 106 Winchester Mystic River 46

New Hampshire Towns Stream Names Page Pelham Beaver Brook 111 Salem Spickett River 107 South Hampton Back River 102 Powwow River 100

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Appendix 1: Anadromous species of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Alewife (Alosa psuedoharengus) Blueback (Alosa aestivalis) American shad (Alosa sapidissima) Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) White perch (Morone americana) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) Brook trout (aka Salter trout) (Salvelinus fontinalis) Rainbow trout (aka Steelhead trout) (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Brown trout (sea run) (Salmo trutta) Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) Hickory shad (Alosa mediocris) Tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) Striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

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Appendix 2: State River Herring Regulations

The following regulations affect the catch of river herring (alewives and bluebacks) in cities and towns without local control. These regulations establish catching days, daily catch limits, and gear restrictions and are being promulgated to establish consistent state management of river herring not under the local control of a city or town by operation of M. G. L. c. 130, s.94. These regulations are easily understood, readily enforceable, and will help assure adequate escapement of river herring for spawning.

Below is section 6.17 of 322 CMR:

6.17 River Herring

1) Purpose. This regulation is promulgated to establish consistent state management of river herring fisheries not under local control of a city or town by operation of M. G. L. c. 130 s. 94.

2) Definition. For purpose of this regulation, the term River Herring means those species of fish known as alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) and bluebacks (Alosa aestivalis).

3) Catching Days. It is prohibited and unlawful for any person to catch river herring on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

4) Daily Catch Limit. It is prohibited and unlawful for any person to catch more than 25 river herring per day.

5) Gear Restrictions. It is prohibited and unlawful to catch river herring with any net other than hand-held dip nets.

6) Exception. These regulations shall not apply to the catching of river herring in cities and towns which have acquired local control by operation of M. G. L. c. 130, section 94, or to the catching of herring authorized by the Director under 322 CMR 4.02 (1)(b) and (1)(c).

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Appendix 3: Fishway Designs and Examples

Fishway Flow pattern Exit flow

Plan View Plain Denil Baffle

Profile flow Fishway Entrance

Denil Fishway - Slope: 10-25% - Resting pools are required between long segments - Limited by large water depths - Greater discharge of water than the other fishways, and therefore a greater attraction capability.

Fishway Fishway Typical weir sections Exit Typical weir sections FlowFlow PatternPattern Exit flow Center overflow and orifice flow Center Side over- Center overflow Center overflow and orifice weirCenter flowSide over-weir andCenter orifice overflow weir flow weir and orifice

Plan View Plan View

Fishway EntranceFishway Entrance Profile Profile flow

Weir Fishway - Slope usually 10% - Sensitive to water level fluctuations

122

Fishway Steeppass Baffles Exit flow flow

Front elevation plan

flow Baffle detail Fishway Entrance

Steeppass Fishway

Fishway designs taken from:

Fish Passageways and Diversion Structures Section 3 United States Fish & Wildlife Service Presented by: Branch of Aquatic Resources Training National Education and Training Center June 17-21, 1996 Richland, Washington

123

Examples of fishways in use:

Denil Fishways

Denil – Newton Lower Falls dam, Newton

Denil – Ipswich Mills Dam, Ipswich

124

Weir pool fishways

Notched weir pool fishway – Pleasant St. Dam, Weymouth

125

Notched weir-pool – Broad St. Dam, Weymouth

Weir pool – Triphammer Pond Dam, Hingham

126

Weir pool – Benoit’s Pond Dam, Bourne

Steeppass Fishways

Alaskan Steeppass – Newfield St. Dam, Plymouth

127

Alaskan Steeppass – Elm St. Dam, Kingston

Stream Baffles

Stream baffles – Brook St. Culvert, Kingston

128

Vertical Slot Fishways

Modified Ice Harbor vertical slot fishway – Pawtucket Dam, Lowell

Fish Lifts

Fish lift – hopper rising with fish –Essex Dam, Lawrence

129

Appendix 4: Abbreviations used in this publication:

DCR** Department of Conservation and Recreation DMF Division of Marine Fisheries DPW Department of Public Works EOEA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs GPS Global Positioning System NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service

**DCR is a new agency that was once two separate agencies: Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC).

130