Summary 



Recommendations 



From tables 1 and 2 it may be seen that 

 of the 52 tributaries of the main river, 14 are 

 listed as having obstructions to fish migration 

 at or near the mouth of the stream, 20 of the 

 52 had insufficient flow for salmon migration, 

 49 of the streams were deemed of little or no 

 value as spawning or rearing areas, while an 

 additional two were of questionable value . Only 

 the West Branch in addition to the main river 

 was thought to have material value as a possi- 

 ble salmon producing area . 



Reference to table 3 will show that there 

 are 20 locations where fish migration is either 

 obstructed or questionable. Seven of these lo- 

 cations are on the main river; the most severe 

 are Head Tide Dam, Kings Mill Dam, and 

 Coopers Mill Dam . 



From the above information it is apf)ar- 

 ent that the Sheepscot River has a fairly small 

 watershed with comparatively small discharges 

 other than during the peak-run-off periods. 

 The low flows that prevail during the period 

 when adult salmon may be migrating upstream 

 make the obstructions even more hazardous 

 and extensive . While these obstructions do aid 

 in supplementing minimum flows from the 

 reservoir effect of stored water, it is apparent 

 that this contribution is negligible in those 

 areas which may presently be considered ac- 

 cessible to salmon on even rare occasions. 



The available history indicates that a 

 few shad, striped bass, and alewives, as well 

 as Atlantic salmon, may be found in the water- 

 shed. It is not now possible to state whether 

 all of these anadromous species were native to 

 the area or were strays into the area . The 

 presence of the alewife may be of importance 

 in view of their role in the economy of other 

 sections of Maine . The rather extensive pond 

 and lake areas indicate the possibility of de- 

 veloping a local alewife fishery that may 

 become of value . This possible extension of 

 the alewife as well as other anadromous runs 

 of fish cannot be made in the face of existing 

 barriers to fish migration. 



The following recommendations are 

 made as a result of the survey: 



1 . That adequate fish-passage facilities 

 be provided at Head Tide Dam and at other ob- 

 structions in the river as needed for possible 

 extension of the anadromous fishery resources 

 of the watershed. 



2 . That creation or extension of water 

 impoundments be investigated as a means of 

 supplementing normal stream flows during low- 

 water seasons . 



3. That fish-passage facilities and 

 other improvements be developed as multiple - 

 purpose proj ects particularly with the thought 

 of creating a commercial alewife fishery as 

 well as improving the status of Atlantic salmon 

 and other anadromous species . 



4 . That the dumping of garbage and 

 sawdust into the river and its tributaries be 

 stopped. 



The Ducktrap River 



The Ducktrap River and its tributaries 

 were surveyed on July 10 to 13, 1950, by Floyd 

 G. Bryant and John V. Mahoney. The survey 

 extended from the mouth where U.S. Route 1 

 crossed the river near Lincolnville to the site 

 of an old mill 6.7 miles above the mouth. 

 Above this area the prolonged drought had re- 

 duced the stream flow to a point where it was 

 Impossible to determine normal stream char- 

 acteristics. Areas below Tilden Pond were 

 inspected, as were parts of tributaries where 

 the flow was insufficient to justify the time and 

 expense of a survey. 



General description 



The Ducktrap River as shown in figure 3, 

 runs from its source in Tilden Pond for about 

 10 miles in a southeasterly direction to empty 

 into Penobscot Bay near Lincolnville . The 

 watershed drains an area of about 36 square 

 miles . 



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