Why do we need to make a decision?
(Is doing nothing an option?)
The Montgomery Dam in its current condition cannot be maintained longterm.
It will either need to be rebuilt or removed.
There is no option to leave it “as-is.”
With that understanding, the Town of Camden—with the Select Board's support, and the assistance of dedicated volunteers—investigated the possible options, their implications, and how much they would cost.
Below is a timeline of the process that resulted in the recommendation to remove the Montgomery Dam:
The Montgomery Dam needed $60,000 worth of repairs.
The Select Board decided to study whether continuing to fund repairs and maintenance of the dam made sense. Was this best for taxpayers? Was this best for flood concerns? Was this best for the ecology of the river?
These questions led the Town of Camden to hire Inter-Fluve, a firm specializing in river restoration investigations and design, to assess the options moving forward.
2017
2019
Inter-fluve’s feasibility study found that the Montgomery Dam significantly increases flood risk in portions of the downtown area while also creating the first in a series of fish passage barriers to species including alewives, blueback herring, sea-run brook trout, and American eel. The study also found that dam removal would provide the lowest cost option to the Town over the next 50 years.
2021
On October 31st, a rainstorm with over 5 inches of precipitation came within inches of flooding downtown where there was no room for more water.
Through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Coastal Resilience Fund, the Town of Camden hired Inter-fluve to expand its focus to include analysis of the management options for the additional six dams on the Megunticook River. The report recommended removal of the Montgomery Dam as well as the three dams above it (Powder Mill, Knowlton Street, Knox Mill).
2022
The Select Board created the Megunticook River Citizens Advisory Committee (MRCAC) to further study the issue.
The Purpose of MRCAC was to provide recommendations to the Select Board for preserving and improving sustainability and resiliency of the Megunticook River and its watershed.
These recommendations were supported through engagement with the community, stakeholders, grant funding agencies, and providing a due diligence process to advance viable options.