Dam removal in Massachusetts reopened 10 miles of river and 354 acres for fish

Demolition crews in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, have completed the removal of the High Street Dam, taking down a 12.5-foot-high and 80-foot-wide concrete barrier that had blocked the Town River for more than a century. The removal has reopened 10 miles (16 kilometres) of continuous river channel and restored access to 354 acres of important spawning and rearing habitat at Lake Nippenicket for migratory fish. Official information from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) confirms that the dam was the lowest barrier preventing migratory fish from moving inland from Narragansett Bay into the 40-mile National Wild and Scenic Taunton River system.Dam removal clears major obstacle on Town RiverThe old dam stood along the Town River tributary in Plymouth County and had badly deteriorated after decades without use. Engineers and environmental experts considered the structure a serious public safety risk as well as a major barrier to fish movement.