This project is to remove the talbot mills DAM in north billerica, MA, on the concord river

IT is for the construction phase only, which follows the completed permitting phase (fully funded). When completed, the talbot mills DAM will have been removed in accordance with all laws and regulations. This DAM removal will RE-establish migratory fish passage from the atlantic ocean up the concord river to the sudbury and assabet rivers opening 135 river miles of habitat. IT carries the largest benefit of any other DAM in massachusetts due to the number of miles and acres of ponds and habitat its removal offers. The concord river is also one of the closest merrimack tributaries to the ocean and accessible to migratory fish. Its removal will open many additional restoration opportunities upstream, currently being prioritized in anticipation of the removal. This DAM removal is a regional priority in the merrimack restoration partnership implementation plan (2021) and a state priority project. IT will improve water quality and riverine and riparian habitat quality, building a more climate-resilient river. This will benefit the wildlife and recreational and commercial fisheries both locally and in the gulf of maine. IT will reduce upstream flooding and eliminate the chance of catastrophic DAM failure and flooding downstream. This DAM removal site is just downstream of the federally-designated sudbury, assabet and concord wild and scenic river, under the national park services partnership wild scenic rivers program. Designated in 1999 due to its outstandingly remarkable values, the restoration of migratory fish and river health is a very high priority in the river conservation plan for this river of national importance. The grant recipient will manage the project and oversee the consulting engineers (funded separately), contracting of the construction (removal) work, and possible mitigation and restoration activities.