Making Warm Brook cool again
Ward Bredeau had a job to do…two, really. As road commissioner for the Town of Phillips, Maine, he was responsible for maintaining safe road-stream crossings. As a father, he longed to share his love of fishing and conservation with his young son.
One project accomplished both.
“As a kid, I remember this road washing out many times,” explained Bredeau. “During large storms, water would back up behind the failing culvert, sometimes reaching more than 10 feet.”
The failing culvert, along with a few others, were located on a tributary to the Sandy River and were impeding the passage of fish as well as road traffic.
The Sandy River in Maine flows for more than 70 miles, winding south from Sandy River Ponds, through the towns of Strong and Farmington, to New Sharon, where it finally feeds into the Kennebec River. The river’s cool, clear freshwater habitat is ideal for fish like Atlantic salmon and brook trout.
Historically, the river was an important fishing location, but dam construction and log drives over the last 150 years have impeded the passage of fish and disrupted their natural habitat. Over the last few decades, the Service has worked with state and local partners to restore the Sandy River and its tributaries. Dam removals, habitat improvement, and other conservation efforts ensure the future of native fish and wildlife.
In the town of Phillips, one Sandy River tributary called Warm Brook caught the eye of biologists looking to improve habitat for native fish. Living up to its name, Warm Brook does not freeze in the winter due to extensive aquifer-fed springs, exactly the type of place where cold-water fish like salmon and trout seek cover and refuge.
But four undersized stream crossings impeded access for fish. During intense storms, some of them caused flooding of roads and nearby communities.
Warm Brook has special meaning for Bredeau, who grew up in the area. As an avid fisherman, he was eager to pass on his stewardship knowledge to his young son. He played a crucial role in helping the town plan for an upgraded road crossing that also restored the natural ecosystem.
“As road commissioner, I had a big drive to find a lasting solution to the failing roadway, but personally I value the importance of healthy streams for fish,” said Bredeau.
In 2012, the Service’s Gulf Of Maine Coastal Program identified Warm Brook as a target area for restoration due to the high-quality habitat, the proximity of Atlantic salmon and brook trout populations, and the town’s need for improved road-crossing structures.
Atlantic salmon are anadromous fish, meaning they seek freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats during different stages of life. Providing high-quality habitat for salmon is necessary to their reproduction and survival, and to the health of the ecosystem. Trout also prefer cold, clear, well-oxygenated waters, making the (relatively!) Warm Brook habitat ideal for restoration.
To re-establish access to the Warm Brook watershed, staff from multiple Service programs — including the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, Maine Field Office, Maine Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, and Maine national wildlife refuges — joined forces with the Town of Phillips, private landowners, and private conservation groups, including The Nature Conservancy and Maine Audubon, to break down barriers to fish. With Service equipment, new natural designs, and support from partners, work to replace the outdated structures throughout Warm Brook began.
In 2015, a large, more stable structure replaced the overwhelmed, smaller ones at the Bragg Corner Crossing, the largest and busiest in the watershed. Bredeau contributed significant time and resources to see an improved road crossing at this location. (This video from Maine Audubon Media highlights the construction process and partnership work.)
“With Service guidance on how we can also improve the natural habitat, together we devised a plan for a long-lasting solution that best suits both the road and the stream,” explained Alex Abbott, fish passage specialist with the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program. “The new structure allows water to flow freely during floods with room for debris and stream substrates to pass and for fish to swim freely upstream.”
The next year, our staff worked with the Town to replace a second structure, teaching their road crew techniques to use on many other crossings in town.
The final two structures were upgraded in 2018, and those projects included the installation of in-stream wood structures to add habitat complexity and improve fish productivity. Before construction began, nearly 70 trout were captured from the pool below one of the structures and relocated for safety — a sure sign that Warm Brook is a prime location for restoration.
By restoring Warm Brook to its free-flowing state, we are allowing water and fish to move freely and connecting waterways to their natural floodplains. With free-flowing streams, the temperature of the water stabilizes, creating a more natural rhythm of habitat features along the channel. The new, larger structures are safer for people, withstanding storms and requiring less maintenance over their lifetime. Combined, the new projects provide pristine habitat to wildlife while also benefiting the local community.
The improved stream crossings on Warm Brook helped connect wildlife to its habitat, the stream to its floodplain…and a father to his son.
In memory of Jed Wright, Gulf of Maine Coastal Program Project Leader, whose insight and leadership were key in identifying the Warm Brook site and helped inspire its restoration.
