A Tale of Two Dams: Lessons from the Exeter Great Dam Removal

Kristen Murphy, Natural Resource Planner for the Town of Exeter, will tell the story of how an Exeter river was returned to its free-flowing glory after they removed their dam. Like the Ipswich Mill Dam, the Exeter Great Dam was a head-of-tide dam supplying textile mills and manufacturing with hydro power for their looms and machinery in the 18th and 19th centuries, but even with fish ladders these dams have prevented many native fish species from reaching the areas upriver where they spawn. The river ecosystem in Exeter has been thriving in the years since the dam’s removal in 2016.

Neil Shea, IRWA Restoration Program Director, will provide the latest updates and news about the Ipswich Mills Dam Project.

Join us at our Downtown Pop-Up at Naimo Gallery, 24 Central Street, Ipswich MA.

Learn why you should vote YES on Article 14 at Ipswich Town Meeting on May 9th.

Schedule:

10:00 AM: Coffee, Donuts & Conversation

10:30 AM: Informal presentation from Kristen Murphy on what we learned from the Exeter Dam removal

11:00 AM: Q&A

11:30 AM: We’ll walk to the dam with Kristen and Project Partners