The following is a June 2007 write-up which Gene Chague, president of the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited, prepared for the Berkshire Woods and Waters column in the Berkshire Eagle about the successful removal of 2 dams from Yokum Brook, Beckett, MA. However, the Eagle had already covered it and did not use it. It is reprinted here. All involved should be very proud. Additional links and resources added following Gene's excellent introduction.

A Day to Remember

Approximately 100 peopled filled the assembly room at the Becket Washington School on a Friday in June to celebrate the restoration of Yokum Brook, ie the recent removal of the nearby Ballou Dam. Removal of this dam allows the stream to flow unobstructed to the Westfield River and allows salmon and trout to migrate upstream to their spawning grounds. The celebration was an opportunity for Mass Riverways and the Town of Becket to thank the sponsors and partners who made the restoration possible.

The room was packed with town officials, politicians and representatives from the various organizations such as: Mass Riverways, US Fish and Wildlife Services (USF&W), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), The Nature Conservancy, Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited, AmericanRivers, Westfield River Watershed Association, Mass Fisheries and Wildlife and many others. There was even a group of students from Union Atlantic College from Bangor, Maine. And, of course there were 3rd and 4th grade teachers and students. As one town resident put it, “There’s more people attending here today than at a town meeting”. Acting Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, Tom French, led the ceremonies.

Beckett Washington School Principal Laura Dumouchel commented on the restoration. Through the cooperation of the town of Becket and the Commonwealth, the school and grounds were enhanced and students learned the importance of harmony with nature. They learned about the life cycle of salmon and the importance of ponds and streams. With the help of a grant from Trout Unlimited, an ASERP (Atlantic Salmon Egg Rearing Program) was begun and the students were able to obtain and tend to the live eggs, test waters, feed and care for the newly hatched salmon fry, and prepare for their release into the newly restored riverflow.

Becket Town Manager, Richard Furlong, commented on how the dam removal process began in 2001 and the work that Riverways did. He commended two members of the Riverways staff: Karen Pelto who was in charge of the removal of the Silk Mill Dam and Tim Purrington who was in charge of the removal of the Ballou Dam. Without their help, these projects could not have been accomplished.

State Representative Denis Guyer, who serves on the Natural Resources Committee thanked Crane & Co for being a sponsor. He reported that the Becket Washington School has been designated a “Compass” school for its excellent work on this project.

State Senator Benjamin Downing, who serves on the Agricultural, Environmental and Energy Committee said that the Yokum Brook restoration was a great project which showed how to accomplish many goals at one time.

Eric Derleth, representing the USF&W, said that this was truly a collaborative effort and one of the best examples of diversity of effort he has ever seen. Not only were the dams removed to allow fish passage, but the town derived some long term benefits. A new underground tank to be used in fire emergencies was installed, a flood hazard had been removed, and safety issues related to the dams had been resolved. He personally thanked town Administrator Richard Furlong and the school district for its involvement and noted that the Town of Becket should be proud of these accomplishments.

Jim Turek NOAA representative mentioned that since 1996 some 134 such projects have taken place with some 32 in Mass. More than $1,250,000 in NOAA monies has been spent on these projects. But this restoration, he said, was “one of the most amazing projects I have ever seen”.

Christine Clark, State Conservationist for NRCS commended all involved for the collaborative effort. The NRCS is part of the US Dept of Agriculture and participated in this project through funding. They are currently involved in 51 projects dealing with 1,700 acres of land.

Bill Toomey representing The Nature Conservancy mentioned that they are involved in projects in 50 states and 35 countries. Their goal is to ensure that plants and animals have good habitat. They were a major sponsor in this project and they also partnered with Northeast Utilities and Lowes Stores in providing important funding.

Joan Kimball, Director of Mass. Riverways, said her agency’s goal is the protection and restoration of rivers through out the state. “Taking out two dams in one river is a major accomplishment”, she said. She thanked Richard Furlong and the town of Becket for the commitment and assistance. She commended Tim Purrington, who was the project manager from her staff, for the great job of coordinating the efforts in removing the Ballou Dam. She presented plaques which contained remnants of the dam to the town officials, the school and to all of the major sponsors and/or partners.

Third and forth grade teachers Mary Kay McCloskey and Patricia Robie participate in running the ASERP program. They commented on the cooperative venture with the Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited, in terms of funding and technical assistance provided by member Karen Karlberg of Becket. They believe that they are educating future environmental stewards. Those advocating “no child left behind” can apply lessons used here. They commended the collaborative effort in the dam removals and commented on how “individuals can really make a difference in supporting a common cause for the good of the community”.

French addressed the students and noted how lucky they are to have Yokum Brook right in their back yard. Students held up Governor Patrick’s framed Proclamation recognizing June 2007 as River Month while French read it. During the ceremonies, the students were given an oral examination as to where the salmon traveled in their lifetime. They received a 100% grade by being able to relate how the salmon grow up in Yokum Brook, migrate downstream to the West Branch of the Westfield, then to the main body of the Westfield, then to the Connecticut River, then to Long Island sound and then up to the feeding grounds near Greenland.

Students Serena Guthrie, Matt Jacques, Sierra Toomey and Alexandra Massaro gave a chronological history of this year’s soon-to-be released salmon and their life cycle. Taking turns, they told how 300 salmon eggs were obtained from the Roger Reed Hatchery, how the third and forth grade students monitored the water temperature and conditions, how the fish hatched into elven and evolved into fry, and how they were fed brine shrimp. They explained that after release into Yokum Brook, the fry would remain in the brook for a couple of years and would become parr and smolts and how they would migrate down to the Atlantic Ocean. They explained that after a couple of years the salmon, using their sense of smell, would return to their home waters to spawn and begin the life cycle all over again.

Following the ceremonies, the students went to the Yokum Brook stream side, where the Ballou Dam once stood, and released this year’s salmon fry under the watchful eye of Karen Karlberg.

Gene Chague
President
Taconic Trout Unlimited

Read More Below:

From Naure.org

Silver and streamlined, Atlantic salmon have come to symbolize clean, unspoiled rivers that run wild to the sea. Here in Massachusetts, they are also a symbol of wild waters restored. The stock of Atlantic salmon in the Connecticut River and its tributaries disappeared just after the turn of the 19th century, a result of dam building that blocked access to spawning grounds. Now, the collaborative efforts of state agencies, conservation groups, private donors, corporate sponsors and even elementary school students are helping to bring the “king of fish” back to Massachusetts waters.

This spring, more than 100 community members cheered as students from the Becket Washington School released 300 young salmon into the newly restored Yokum Brook.

Read More and See "Before and After" Picures of Ballou Dam

From Mass Riverways

Project Name: Yokum Brook Dam Removals
The removal of Ballou dam was completed in December of 2006 and is the final phase in the multi-year effort to restore fish and wildlife passage through Yokum Brook following the 2003 removal of the Silk Mill Dam.

Site Location and Description: Yokum Brook is a tributary to the West Branch of the Westfield River. In 1998, the upper West Branch supported the first natural spawning of Atlantic salmon in Massachusetts in over 150 years, and restoring habitat continuity for coldwater fisheries in Yokum Brook is a priority for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. >>Read More

From the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services:

“Yokum Brook is an excellent example of the successful public-private partnerships that are hallmarks of the Riverways Program,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles in a prepared statement. “This is truly a win-win project that not only improved public safety, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities, but also helped advance environmental education among local students.” >>Read More

From TU National:

Becket dam removal promises easier flow for Westfield River fish

December 20, 2006
Associated Press (MA)
By Adam Gorlick

BECKET, Mass. --Built in the 1800s to harness power for grist mills, the Ballou dam first spanned Yokum Brook as a sign of economic progress.

But it's been nothing more than an obstacle for the past four decades, blocking Atlantic salmon and brook trout making the eight-mile swim upstream from the Westfield River. >>More

From Mass Dept of Fish and Game:

View the Mass Dept of Fish and Game's Massachusetts Dam Removal Permitting Manual >>Here This useful guide for voluteers and partners features the removal of the Silk Mill Dam on the cover.

From the Berkshire Eagle:

As one of the most sprawling, scenic hilltowns in the county, Becket is rural, remote and dominated by second-homers, who own 55 percent of the residential property.

Home to the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, several venerable summer camps, the Becket Arts Center and the offbeat Dream Away Lodge, the town has vast woodlands, as well as lakes, ponds and brooks. It shares with the adjacent town of Washington the 16,500-acre October Mountain State Forest, the largest of the state-owned forests. >>More