The Army Corps of Engineers and the town of Yarmouth maintain that recreational use of the Royal River will not be substantially affected by removing the Elm Street dam. I believe their claims are misleading at best. The projected 4-foot drop in water level will result in four “portages” along the impoundment. The river bottom is muck and clay and silt and will not easily allow passage. At low water, such as we have in late summer, I hit submerged snags with my canoe paddle. Drop 4 feet more and there will be no way through the blowdown and sunken tree trunks. And at higher water, the flow will be too fast for safe passage, never mind trying to go upstream.

The Royal River is a treasure for both towns and deserves better treatment from Yarmouth and the ACE; both entities should be working on improving the fish ladders at the Elm Street dam rather than removing the dam.

This initiative has been in the works for over 14 years. Why is the Yarmouth Town Council only now reaching out to North Yarmouth’s Select Board to form a joint committee on recreation and ecology on the river?

Martin Kremer
North Yarmouth