North Bellingham Dam Site Visit
On September 20th, CRWA hosted a site visit to North Bellingham Dam. The site visit included Senator Rebecca Rausch, Dana Hanson from Congressman Jake Auchincloss’s office, State Representative Mike Soter, as well as members of Bellingham's Department of Public Works, Conservation Commission, and Select Board.
N. Bellingham Dam is considered a significant hazard dam in unsafe condition, and is a legacy structure that currently serves no purpose. The dam is not visible to the public, as it sits within a forested stretch of the Charles River Natural Valley Storage Area (NVSA). The dam is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and managed by Mass Wildlife through an easement. CRWA is excited about the removal of this dam given the benefits it may provide, including reduced public safety risks, improved fish passage, enhanced surrounding habitat, and restored natural flow of the Charles River.
As a next step, CRWA is working with the Conservation Commission to secure a spot on the agenda for their meeting on Wednesday, October 23rd. We intend to engage interested community members, direct abutters, and stakeholders to discuss potential dam removal. Please reach out to CRWA with any questions or concerns, and we hope to see you at the meeting on October 23rd!
