Our mission is to protect, restore and enhance the ecological health of Maine’s river systems. We depend on your support.
Maine Rivers
Our mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the ecological health of Maine's river systems
Other Projects
Medomak Brook
Maine Rivers is spearheading efforts to improve fish passage in the Medomak watershed, including alewife passage into and out of Washington Pond as well as at numerous other sites.
Seaward Mills Stream
The overall goal of this project is to establish safe, timely and effective alewife passage to and from Threemile Pond to support a run of up to 400,000+ adult alewives and other diadromous species via Seaward Mills Stream, Webber Pond and Seven-mile Stream.
Dam Removal Guide
This document is intended to provide basic guidance to project managers working on river restoration and dam removal projects in Maine.
Maine Alewife Trail Map
Maine’s annual spring alewife migration is inspiring. Alewives are anadromous (sea-run) fish that spend the majority of their lives at sea but return to freshwater to spawn. We created a map to help you find locations to witness this natural wonder.
River News
photo-by-Mary-SabinsMaine Gov. Mills attends alewife restoration ribbon cutting
June 1, 2022 - Town Line
A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Alewife Restoration Initiative’s project to bring migratory fish back to China Lake.
Benton Falls Fish LiftNumbers Speak For Themselves As Alewives Return To Central Maine
May 20, 2022 - Portland Press Herald
As the fish’s annual migration begins again, this is the first year in centuries that alewives will be able to swim upriver to China Lake, a milestone that Gov. Janet Mills and others celebrated this week.
photo: Susan Sharon/Maine PublicAlewives return to China Lake for the first time since 1783
May 20, 2022 - Maine Public Broadcasting
The last time alewives made the 70-mile journey from the ocean to China Lake in central Maine, the American Revolution had just come to an end in 1783.