Stanchem Fishway

The StanChem dam is the only barrier to historic fish habitat on the Mattabesset River.
The run-of-river dam is five feet high with a concrete abutment on the right bank and a stone masonry abutment on the left bank. It was built in the early 1900's for industrial cooling and it is still used for the same purpose, and for fire protection, today. The impoundment extends 1,000 feet upstream. The dam owner, StanChem, Inc., is very
supportive ofthe project.

The proposed Denil fishway will restore 16.5 stream miles (6.5
mainstem miles and at least 10 miles of high quality tributary streams). Concentrations of the following species are known by DEP to occur below the dam annually: American shad (Alosa sapidissima), alewife (A/osa pseudoharengus), bluebackherring (A/osa aestivalis), gizzard shad (Dorosoma depedianum), sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), sea-run brown trout (Sa/mo trutta), white perch (Morone americana), striped bass (Morone saxatilus), and American eel (Anguilla rostrata).
All but the last two engage in spawning migrations and would benefit from the fishway.