MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • August 25, 2024
A dam malfunction this spring caused the water in Dundee Pond to drain, offering a short-lived glimpse of what Maine's rivers looked like before industrialization. It also likely devastated an ecosystem. Landis Hudson, executive director of the nonprofit Maine Rivers, described it as a “fascinating combination of profound ugliness and unexpected beauty.” No one knows yet the impact on the fish that swim and spawn in the river. Even before the Dundee dam malfunction, conversations have been happening more frequently in Maine about removing dams. The mills that needed them are no longer there, and residents are placing more value on recreational opportunities and on protecting habitats that have been disrupted for decades.