April 19, 2021 Maine’s history is, quite literally, embedded in the landscape. Riverbanks are dotted with mills, and over 1,000 dams fill the rivers that once powered the industrial hearts of many towns. Environmentalists and agencies determined to remove dams and “restore” rivers must contend with communities who often have a very different idea of what restoration looks like. Of the 107 dams that continue to generate hydroelectric power, there are four that ostensibly stand between a critically endangered population of Atlantic salmon and a vital spawning ground on the Sandy River, a tributary off the Kennebec River. While Atlantic salmon off the coast of Canada and Europe persist, Maine’s distinct population segment (DPS) of the species is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act due to damming of its spawning habitat, pollution and commercial overfishing into the mid-20th century. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Atlantic salmon are considered a “canary in the coal mine” as the health of their population generally signals the overall health of an ecosystem.