Dam removal begins on the Royal River

FRIENDS OF CASCO BAY • July 24, 2026

The residents of Yarmouth, Maine have begun imagining what it might be like to stand beside a Royal River abundant with blueback herring, alewives, sea-run trout, eels—and maybe even salmon. To see the river flowing naturally over ledge rocks. The water clear, cold, and in rhythm with the landscape once again, after being dammed and impounded for more than 250 years to power mills and industry. This vision of a healthy river is the goal behind the Bridge Street Dam removal in Yarmouth, where preparatory work began this week.