Mass., N.H. dams slated for removal

Update: Sorry about forgetting to include the communities these dams are in. Fixed below - Beth

American Rivers, the national advocacy group, released a list of dams today that have been removed this year or will be by December 31 - and six Massachusetts and New Hampshire dams are on the list.

Once, dams - often built for hydropower or recreation - defined many parts of New England. But today, some have outlived their usefulness and only serve as impediments to fish and wildlife migration and can also cause flooding.

Here are the list of local dams to go - and a short explanation of why, according to American Rivers.

Eel River Headwaters Restoration, Eel River, Plymouth, Mass. Seven earthen dams were once used for cranberry bogs. Three of the dams, each measuring about eight feet high and 250 feet long, have already been removed and the remaining four are slated to be dismantled next month. The removals are part of a project to restore habitat for American eel, herring and brook trout.

Lower Dam, Ox Pasture Brook; Rowley, Mass: The eight-foot tall, 70-foot long dam, built for recreational reasons, will be removed in December to help American eel, Rainbow smelt and water quality.

Lower Flume and Middle Flume dams, Red Brook; Plymouth, Mass: These concrete and steel dams were removed in August to expand habitat for salter brook trout, help fish migrations and better allow sediments to flow.

Maxwell Pond Dam, Black Brook; Manchester, N.H.: This dam on a Merrimack River tributary was removed earlier this year, restoring eight miles of free-flowing river for alewife, blueback herring, Atlantic salmon and other migratory fish. The city of Manchester is planning a major park revitalization around the flowing river.

Winnicut Dam, Winnicut River; Greenland, N.H.: Built in 1957, the dam was removed in August to provide an additional 39 miles of spawning habitat for blueback herring, American eel and rainbow smelt. Boaters will also have an easier time navigating the river.