St. Croix River fish get a $5 million boost

MAINE PUBLIC • November 10, 2022

The St. Croix River once teemed with millions of migratory fish. New federal funding announced Thursday should give a boost to the recovering fish runs. The river's runs of alewives, Atlantic salmon, eels, and shad declined after a series of dams blocked the fish from their spawning grounds, and the state of Maine blocked fish passage at those dams. Now, the fish are getting a boost from $5 million in federal money. The funds will go toward building a fish lift at the Woodland Dam, which will be the lowest dam on the river after the Milltown Dam is removed next year.