[MassHistPres] historic dam removal

[Jack]

Restoring a dam requires people to make difficult choices. We are choosing
to preserve History We LIke, vs. History We Don't Like. There is the
history before the dam was there, the history of the dam in use by a mill,
and the history after the mill closed.

When the tannery I worked in as a kid closed, I was sad to see a piece of
early 20th century industrial history torn down. On the other hand, it was
OK to not be dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water with
sulfuric acid, detergent, sheep hide residue, tanning chemicals, and heavy
metals into the Asoulet River. The water intake and dumping infrastructure
is still there. Being History We Don't Like, no one seems to be in a hurry
to preserve tannery remmanents.

It sounds like the dam in question is History We LIke.

Jack Cadwell
Cadwell Windows
Warwick, MA

On Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 10:13 AM Caleb Estabrooks via MassHistPres <
masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:

> I'm not sure if any of the smaller historic dams have been seriously
> considered for hydro power, but the power output would be pretty low so it
> would be difficult to justify the financial cost of installing and
> maintaining the hydro plant. I did some quick calculations for a dam on the
> Third Herring Brook that was removed in Hanover/Norwell MA a few years ago:
> what would probably be a 2+ million dollar project might produce enough
> power for 40 homes on average (more in the winter, less in the summer
> drought).
>
> Also, rebuilding a historic dam for power production would most likely
> destroy most of the historic features of the dam itself, although the
> retaining pond would be preserved.
>
> Regards,
> Caleb Estabrooks
>
> Hanover Historical Commission
>
> On Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 8:38 AM Dennis De Witt via MassHistPres <
> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:
>
>> Speaking of GREEN, has anyone explored the possibility of using the dam
>> for its original purpose, to produce GREEN power, using a modern low head
>> turbine?
>>
>> Dennis De Witt
>> Brookline
>>
>> On Feb 22, 2023, at 10:05 PM, Alicia Primer via MassHistPres <
>> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:
>>
>> Judy has a great memory. The dam restoration project at 39 Crescent
>> Street was Weston’s very first CPA project. And privately held.
>>
>> ALICIA PRIMER via iPhone
>> Weston: 781-899-5597
>> Cell: 781-771-9510
>> Groton Long Point: 860-536-0035
>>
>> “The greenest building is the one already built.” Carl Elefante
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ALICIA PRIMER via iPhone
>> Weston: 781-899-5597
>> Cell: 781-771-9510
>> Groton Long Point: 860-536-0035
>>
>> “The greenest building is the one already built.” Carl Elefante
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> on behalf of Judy
>> Markland via MassHistPres <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, February 22, 2023 12:50:34 PM
>> *To:* masshistpres at cs.umb.edu <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
>> *Subject:* Re: [MassHistPres] historic dam removal
>>
>>
>> Many years ago Weston used CPA funds to restore an historic dam on
>> private property.  It was a much smaller project than this appears to be,
>> but that is one possible source of funding for those communities that have
>> adopted the CPA.
>>
>> Judy Markland, Whately Historical Commission
>> On 2/22/2023 10:07 AM, Joanna via MassHistPres wrote:
>>
>>
>> Has anyone had experience with a privately owned dam in a historic
>> district?  The State is pushing hard for the removal of the 150-year-old
>> mill dam in Ballardvale, Andover.  The dam is owned 50/50 by the abutters
>> and, while one owner doesn't want the dam removed, neither owner wants to
>> cover the costs of upgrading or maintaining the dam.  The State is
>> requiring environmental impact reports, fish ladders and the like.
>>
>> The dam creates a mill pond that is perhaps the most iconic landscape in
>> Andover.  I think many would feel it would be tragic if the mill pond were
>> to disappear.  Two other dams in Andover were removed years back with
>> plenty of fed/state funding.  One of those dams also had created a pretty
>> mill pond which is now left a marshy swamp filled with phragmites.
>>
>> Looking for advice.
>>
>> Joanna Reck
>> Chair
>> Ballardvale Historic District
>> Andover
>>
>>
>> https://www.boston.com/uncategorized/noprimarytagmatch/2012/09/13/shawsheen-river-dam-removal-plan-has-supporters-detractors-in-andover/
>>
>> https://www.eagletribune.com/news/funding-okd-to-demolish-2-dams-on-shawsheen-river/article_615ab03d-a336-5982-bdbd-c2575636bf42.html
>> https://andoverma.gov/655/Shawsheen-River-Dam-Removals
>>
>> <AndoverMA_BallardvaleMillPond.jpg>
>>
>>
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