TNCMaine_Summer26 - Flipbook - Page 7
large enough to allow spring meltwater, storm 昀氀oods, and debris—like
fallen trees—to pass under without damaging the road above. Fish
can swim easily up along the natural riverbed, and there are shelves
on each side for terrestrial wildlife like mink, foxes and turtles.
Why did this project in Brownville
rise to the top of the priority list?
Scenes of construction progress at the
site of a new stream crossing in Brownville
© Christian Fox/TNC
From TNC’s perspective, it offered a big win for nature and the
community at a manageable cost. Working with partners, we
analyzed almost all the road-stream crossings in the watershed to
昀椀nd out which ones were causing problems for wildlife. We saw that
this one would open up eight miles of stream habitat in a fairly
cost-effective way, offering good bang for our buck, while also
resolving the hazard it was causing for people in the area.
Another critical aspect of this project is community buy-in.
Community leaders were very motivated to 昀椀x this crossing. Every
summer when the old culvert 昀氀ooded, the water washed away tons
of gravel. The town was using the equivalent of $5,000 to $30,000
of new gravel every year, which is a big line item in the budget for a
small municipality. Between the costs and the impact on public
safety, 昀椀xing this culvert was a priority for town o昀케cials.
What partners are involved in a project like
this? And what was TNC’s role in particular?
Like almost every river restoration initiative, this was a team effort!
We worked closely with expert staff at the town, NOAA (the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and DMR (the Maine
Department of Marine Resources); and collaborated with USDA-NRCS
(Natural Resources Conservation Service) and USFWS (US Fish and
Wildlife Service). We hired a Maine-based engineering 昀椀rm to
design the new bridge, and the Town contracted a local 昀椀rm for the
construction. Without everyone bringing their expertise and unique
skills to the project, we would never have been able to get it done.
A big part of my role is to coordinate funding for restoration
projects. The price tag for this new bridge came out to $1.5 million
in total—way out of reach for the town to do on its own. But since
the project would bene昀椀t endangered Atlantic salmon, federal
funding from NOAA was available to cover most of the project costs.
Another part of my role was conducting construction oversight.
There are, rightly, a lot of rules around in-the-water construction to
ensure projects don’t harm wildlife or pollute the waterway. I spent
many days out in the 昀椀eld making sure all those rules were followed.
It was a busy construction site with dump trucks, excavators, a
loader, and a temporary bridge for passing tra昀케c, so there was a lot
to keep track of.
Is this an unusual project? Or are there
projects like this all over Maine?
There are folks doing this all over the state! Other nonpro昀椀ts like
Atlantic Salmon Federation, Trout Unlimited, and Downeast Salmon
Federation lead many of these projects. TNC and USDA-NRCS have a
program that supports private landowners (think timber companies)
in this work. The Maine Department of Transportation also has
funds available for towns working to upgrade culverts. TNC has
developed an online tool, the Culvert Flood Risk Explorer, to help
communities understand 昀氀ood risks and plan needed upgrades.
This is a relatively small project compared to other multiyear
efforts we have underway—like our stream-connectivity program
for private landowners, supporting restoration on the Skutik
River, removing the Mayo Mill Dam in Dover Foxcroft, and restoring
the Kennebec. It’s an exciting time for river restoration in Maine!
Maine Roots | Summer 2026 | 7
