Thank you for taking the time to read this,

The Town of Durham is faced with a very important decision regarding the fate of the Mill Pond Dam as well as the health of the upstream portion of the Oyster River. 

A feasibility study has been completed by qualified environmental professionals; the results of which have been presented to the town. The results are very clear in that removal of the dam will be largely funded by natural resource organizations and agencies costing Durham tax payers very little. Efforts to repair the dam would not receive this funding, would require regular maintenance and upstream dredging; but more importantly, would not solve the upstream problem in the Mill Pond, which has turned into a eutrophic, stagnant body of water, non-conducive to spawning of our native herring and other anadromous species of fish. Removing this dam would include a restoration component to the upstream area returning it to a free-flowing river with healthier water quality to support a wide variety of species that utilize the river and larger Great Bay watershed. 

The biggest argument against this effort is coming from local folks who value the “historic value” of the dam; however our local indigenous groups: the Koasek Band of the Abenaki, Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook - Abenaki People, have been quick to point out that their ancestors had been utilizing this river for tens of thousands of years before European settlers showed up, which begs the question; do we only care about our European history? I am hoping that the overwhelming answer is no. 

Another very important consideration is anticipated sea level rise projections. Currently the stretch of river upstream from the dam is not able to naturally absorb tidal flows, turning this into a safety issue in years to come if we don’t take advantage of this opportunity.  

The bottom line is, the experts have spoken and the decision is clear from an economic, natural resource, historical and safety perspective. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this and your support is greatly appreciated. 

Respectfully, 

Sean Moriarty - Oyster River Conservation Alliance (ORCA)