Another year, another dam removal! In mid-February, construction trucks mobilized on Temple Street in Duxbury and began deconstruction of the Temple Street Dam. This is the uppermost barrier on the South River and its removal will reconnect an additional 7 miles of stream and restore 6 acres of open water wetland.
Back in 2012, NSRWA approached dam owners along the South River about dismantling this aging infrastructure. The effort gained momentum in 2016 when the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) designated the South River Restoration as a Priority Project. Even so, it took another 10 years to find a design that met the goals of all stakeholders involved:
- Restore ecological processes and natural hydrology while limiting downstream impacts to infrastructure and structures;
- Reopen fish and wildlife passage, particularly for river herring, American eel, and other anadromous fish species who travel from the ocean to freshwater to spawn;
- Reduce or eliminate the need for dam maintenance;
- Mitigate the impacts of climate change (for example, storing carbon and slowing floodwaters); and
- Maintain recreational opportunities.
As we saw downstream at Veterans Memorial Park, this dam removal project represents a true partnership. NSRWA has worked closely with the Town of Duxbury (dam owner) and DER throughout this process, and all three partners have provided funding toward construction. DER recently awarded $150,000 for the project, NSRWA committed $250,000 through an anonymous grant supporting our river restoration work and the Town of Duxbury approved $125,000 in matching grant funds.
Why is this important? The Temple Street Dam was most likely constructed to support long-defunct cranberry bog operations along the South River. With that industry no longer active, we are left with a barrier that has blocked fish passage, disconnected habitats and transformed a free-flowing river into a series of ponds. The Town was left with aging infrastructure at risk of failure and potential damage to homes and infrastructure downstream.
This project also reflects a broader statewide movement to restore rivers. In recent years, Massachusetts has seen just 3–5 dam removals annually, and we are proud to once again be part of that small but impactful group helping to reconnect rivers across the Commonwealth. While there is still one dam downstream from Temple St – Chandlers Pond Dam in Marshfield – we are hopeful that, with continued collaboration, we can find an equally beneficial solution to complete the South River Restoration and re-connect the entire 15-mile stretch of river.