West Groton Dam Removal

The Squannacook River is in one of Massachusetts’s four designated Wild and Scenic River Systems, reflecting its high-quality water, densely forested watershed, and cold-water fishery ecosystem. On the border of Groton and Shirley in the neighborhood of West Groton, the Squannacook River Dam stands as the downstream-most of five dams found on the river.

Opportunity

Ownership of the dam is split between Groton and a private entity. While Groton repaired a portion of the dam as recently as 2013, the privately owned portion is in deteriorating condition. On top of eliminating the risk of dam failure, removal of the dam would improve the ecology of the Squannacook River, restoring habitat connectivity to 1.2 miles of river. However, emotional ties to the dam remain for many residents, and Groton has not yet decided whether to remove or repair the dam.

Solution

HW is assisting the town to study dam removal alternatives. The project began as a feasibility study with support from DER and continued on to more advanced design phases. Our staff provided background review, topographic and bathymetric survey, sediment sampling and analysis, hydraulic modeling, and dam removal design to help the town as it considers options.