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to this report, all the water at
Brunswick Falls was 40.83 feet (12.44 m) high, divided at that time by three dams. At the upper dam there was a fall of 11.30 feet (3.44 m); at the middle dam, 14.04 feet (4.28 m); and at the lower dam, 15.49 feet (4.72 m). From the upper to the lower dam, the distance of the
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would pass through the ladder each year. However, as reported in 2017, only one per year, were able to swim up the steps of the fish ladder. In 2018 the number of fish who were able to do so increased to 32, and in 2019 it increased to sixty-three. In 2020, the number decreased to twenty-three. Shad,
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was made at the middle falls. To construct it, the ledge on the northwest end of the dam was cut through. The fishway was on the
Topsham side of the dam, at the lower side. The height of the fall at this time was 18 feet (5.5 m). A year later, a wooden fishway was put in on the lower dam next to
439:
of the
Androscoggin River in Brunswick. In his report, dated November 12, 1835, Baldwin stated that the Androscoggin River discharges more water than any other river in the state of Maine, being equal, at the lowest stage of the water, to more than 4,000 cubic feet (110 m) per second. According
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of
England was the first European settler to set foot in Pejepscot, building his own trading post at Pejepscot Falls. Purchase had an agreement with the natives for the land, as long as they were still able to hunt and fish at the falls. Four years later, in 1632, the
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While the falls' original dams were made from wood and stone, later dams were constructed using concrete, eliminating the possibility for fish to move upstream. By the 1930s, the
Androscoggin's population of sea-run fish was virtually gone, although the
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Throughout the 19th century, many dams were built across the
Androscoggin River between the towns of Brunswick and Topsham, Maine. The first dam was built in 1753 and, like all subsequent dams of this century, was washed away by
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705:
was the first organization to acquire electric power from
Brunswick Falls, with the purpose to generate, sell, and distribute electricity for lighting, heating and manufacturing in the towns of
306:, with three levels (prior to 1981). The rocks in the middle falls projects above the water at several points, serving as a natural island (Shad Island), to the several sections of the falls.
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Shad Island. These were not the first fishways; as early as 1789, the fish wardens were instructed by the town of
Topsham to see that the dams were opened so that fish could pass.
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granted a patent to the land known as
Pejepscot, including the falls, to Purchase and his brother-in-law, George Way. The falls had a rich stock of salmon, sturgeon and
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Commercial power generation at Unit 1 began in March 1982. In the same year construction began on Units 2 and 3 of the
Brunswick hydroelectric station including a
1196:"Observations of American Shad Alosa sapidissima Approaching and Using a Vertical Slot Fishway at the Head‐of‐Tide Brunswick Dam on the Androscoggin River, Maine"
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Since 1809 when the first cotton mill was erected at the falls, fish have been blocked by dams from the Androscoggin River. Salmon, sturgeon,
333:. During the time of the Wabanaki natives, they embraced the resources of the falls. Pejepscot Falls, as it was then called, was the site of a
295:, such as the Androscoggin River. As the climate warmed, the modern stream and river network was soon established, including Brunswick Falls.
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746:. Generator 1, being the largest has a capacity of 13 megawatts and generators 2 and 3 each have a capacity of 3.5 megawatts.
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239:, and into the 21st century, the falls have been a vital part of Brunswick and Topsham's economy, harnessing its power for
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317:, over several millennia, settled into the area along the Androscoggin River and Brunswick Falls, eventually becoming the
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and shad were very abundant in the Androscoggin, but their number has greatly diminished during modern times.
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salmon and sturgeon are sometimes able to make it up, but are often beaten or injured along the way.
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to start receding, with the last of the glacial ice disappearing from Maine by 10,000 years ago.
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1070:(This book) has long been considered the authoritative text on the three towns through 1878.
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in the region, there were two fortifications established adjacent to the falls. During
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Report of the Commissioners of the Hydrographic Survey of the State of Maine
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1310:"Dam those fish: human-environment interaction on the Androscoggin River"
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was created from a revision of this article dated 11 July 2023
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In 1982, during the construction of the Brunswick Hydroelectric Dam, a
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The station has three generators at work for a total capacity of 20
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1005:: Owen & Nash, printers to the state. p. 68 – via
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Between 1979 and 1982 construction occurred for the
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1152:"Central Maine Power Company Collection, 1883–1965"
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History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Maine
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27:Dam and waterfall in Brunswick and Topsham, Maine
785:million, was built. It was believed that 85,000
329:and lived there until the 1600s, when the first
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298:The formation of the natural falls consists of
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1200:North American Journal of Fisheries Management
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455:that harnessed the water-power of the falls.
8:
1352:. Maine Department of Marine Resources. 2022
711:Bath and Brunswick Light & Power Company
337:that the Wabanakis established to exchange
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325:. The Wabanakis called this area of Maine
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1272:"Fishways to Aid Androscoggin, Penobscot"
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198:85,000 cu ft/s (2,400 m/s)
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1320:from the original on September 27, 2022
1282:from the original on September 23, 2022
1251:from the original on September 21, 2022
1194:Weaver, Daniel; Brown, Michael (2019).
1172:from the original on September 27, 2022
1089:from the original on September 21, 2022
976:from the original on September 21, 2022
947:from the original on September 22, 2022
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513:Brunswick Hydroelectric Station in 2022
73:
51:Brunswick Falls (Middle tier) from the
1125:from the original on December 31, 2021
774:of 1972 helped restore a few species.
713:in 1910, who in turn, was acquired by
409:Brunswick Falls (Upper & middle),
709:and Brunswick. They were acquired by
7:
1038:& Wheeler, Henry Warren (1878).
377:, the first fort was built in 1688:
1510:Hydroelectric power plants in Maine
160:41.83 ft (12.75 m) (1835)
1052:from the original on April 1, 2023
1003:University of California Libraries
943:. World Waterfall Database. 2019.
25:
1270:Letourneau, Gene (May 19, 1983).
1048:: A. Mudge & Sons, Printers.
703:Sagadahoc Light and Power Company
178:1,280 ft (390 m) (1835)
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739:. It was completed in May 1983.
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211:, lie on a rocky section of the
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1064:. p. Inside Front Cover –
722:Brunswick Hydroelectric Station
603:Brunswick Hydroelectric Station
385:and under the authority of the
256:Around 25,000 years ago all of
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1308:Piper, Jessica (May 9, 2018).
1:
761:In 1871, a substantial stone
492:Brunswick Hydroelectric Plant
444:was 1,280 feet (390 m).
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264:, was covered by the massive
223:in the US. First occupied by
1116:Pejepscot Historical Society
1066:Pejepscot Historical Society
916:Pejepscot Historical Society
911:Brunswick Historical Society
1109:"From the Falls to the Bay"
680:Brookfield Renewable Energy
451:, there was a multitude of
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1159:Raymond H. Fogler Library
693:FERC license number: 2284
686:
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319:Wabanaki Native Americans
229:Wabanaki Native Americans
215:, bordering the towns of
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39:
1343:"Historical trap counts"
1036:Wheeler, George Augustus
416:, Cabot Mill on the left
794:Historical trap counts
662:Installed capacity
478:point of view in 2022.
435:, made a survey of the
387:Dominion of New England
1395:
1375:Listen to this article
995:Wells, Walter (1868).
717:on December 31, 1920.
474:of the falls from the
429:Colonel Loammi Baldwin
417:
343:Native American tribes
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592:Type of dam
449:Industrial Revolution
408:
237:Industrial Revolution
1442:at Wikimedia Commons
1426:More spoken articles
1165:. 2015. p. 11.
1085:. Publius Research.
972:. Publius Research.
781:, at a cost of US$ 2
726:Brookfield Renewable
615:Brookfield Renewable
480:Frank J. Wood Bridge
371:Native American Wars
283:accumulated in this
266:Laurentide Ice Sheet
53:Frank J. Wood Bridge
1505:Waterfalls of Maine
1163:University of Maine
1068:second ed. (1974):
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715:Central Maine Power
653:Generator 3: 3.5 MW
650:Generator 2: 3.5 MW
620:Central Maine Power
540:43.9214°N 69.9678°W
536: /
383:Major Thomas Savage
369:During the various
349:European settlement
287:as winds picked up
129:43.9212°N 69.9661°W
125: /
1500:Geography of Maine
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1314:The Bowdoin Orient
1212:10.1002/nafm.10330
793:
690:Operator ID: 39006
647:Generator 1: 13 MW
482:on the left, and
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375:King William's War
353:In the year 1628,
310:Indigenous peoples
241:energy development
213:Androscoggin River
187:Androscoggin River
1438:Media related to
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1245:energyjustice.net
970:"Bedrock Geology"
941:"Brunswick Falls"
902:
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586:Dam and spillways
578:Opening date
545:43.9214; -69.9678
391:King Philip's War
341:with other local
331:Europeans arrived
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134:43.9212; -69.9661
16:(Redirected from
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1490:History of Maine
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205:Brunswick Falls
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1278:. p. 20.
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1354:. Retrieved
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1322:. Retrieved
1290:– via
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1253:. Retrieved
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1223:. Retrieved
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1062:Google Books
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978:. Retrieved
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730:head of tide
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484:Fort Andross
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427:
419:
379:Fort Andross
368:
352:
335:trading post
313:
297:
289:outwash sand
278:
274:sheet of ice
260:, including
255:
225:Paleoindians
208:
204:
203:
157:Total height
29:
1356:October 10,
1241:"Brunswick"
1083:"BRUN-zwik"
779:fish ladder
737:fish ladder
608:Operator(s)
597:Gravity dam
573:Operational
543: /
519:Coordinates
447:During the
437:water-power
414: 1912
395:Fort George
272:forced the
258:New England
183:Watercourse
132: /
107:Coordinates
101:, Maine, US
1484:Categories
1422:Audio help
1413:2023-07-11
927:References
531:69°58′04″W
528:43°55′17″N
281:sand dunes
120:69°57′58″W
117:43°55′16″N
1474:Geography
1350:maine.gov
1220:202029021
1056:March 21,
744:megawatts
389:. During
327:Pejepscot
252:Pre-human
217:Brunswick
195:flow rate
95:Brunswick
1424: ·
1318:Archived
1280:Archived
1249:Archived
1206:(5): 2.
1167:Archived
1120:Archived
1118:. 1980.
1087:Archived
1050:Archived
974:Archived
945:Archived
905:See also
898:139,326
842:179,040
750:Fishways
640:Turbines
423:freshets
291:forming
227:and the
91:Location
1448:Portals
1411: (
1382:minutes
884:54,906
856:81,025
828:49,923
813:Herring
763:fishway
756:alewife
675:Website
556:Purpose
476:Topsham
431:, from
300:granite
193:Average
151:Cascade
99:Topsham
55:in 2022
1218:
803:Salmon
783:
570:Status
433:Boston
304:gneiss
279:Large
235:, the
1462:Maine
1346:(PDF)
1216:S2CID
1170:(PDF)
1155:(PDF)
1123:(PDF)
1112:(PDF)
564:Power
262:Maine
1358:2023
1326:2022
1288:2022
1257:2022
1227:2022
1178:2022
1131:2022
1095:2022
1058:2023
982:2022
953:2022
889:2022
875:2021
861:2020
847:2019
833:2018
819:2017
808:Shad
799:Year
707:Bath
630:Type
581:1982
562:and
401:Dams
364:shad
339:furs
302:and
219:and
146:Type
97:and
1208:doi
895:228
881:550
870:67
666:20
496:Dam
442:run
174:Run
1486::
1348:.
1334:^
1316:.
1312:.
1300:^
1274:.
1247:.
1243:.
1214:.
1204:39
1202:.
1198:.
1186:^
1161:,
1157:.
1139:^
1114:.
1044:.
1015:^
1001:.
961:^
892:17
867:23
853:63
839:21
732:.
668:MW
425:.
411:c.
345:.
268:.
243:.
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864:5
850:1
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825:1
822:0
168:3
20:)
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