Annual Atlantic salmon redd count is higher than expected in the Sheepscot River given low water levels

Midcoast Conservancy participated in a recent survey of Atlantic salmon redds, or nests, in the Sheepscot River conducted by the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), along with Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Redd surveys are done annually and used to estimate the number of adults returning to the river to spawn.

The 320-square mile Sheepscot watershed is an area long recognized as one of ecological significance. The Sheepscot River is one of the last remaining rivers - one of only eight in the United States - with remnant populations of the nearly extinct native Atlantic salmon.  

Every year in the Sheepscot River, adult Atlantic salmon begin to make their way from the river mouth in the estuary to their spawning grounds upstream. To access their preferred spawning habitat, which includes gravel substrate and enough flow to keep their buried eggs well oxygenated, they must navigate past remnant dams, beaver dams, and natural falls. Despite low water levels this fall due to persistent moderate drought conditions across much of the state, adult Atlantic salmon still returned to the Sheepscot River to reproduce. 

Results of redd count surveys from this past fall indicate that there are 13 Atlantic salmon redds in the river this year. This number will be used to estimate the number of adult salmon that returned to the Sheepscot in 2024. These Atlantic salmon in the Sheepscot are an important biologically distinct population. Because the Sheepscot watershed is heavily affected by roads  and the most southern with a genetically distinct population of all the salmon rivers in Maine, the Sheepscot salmon are considered the most ‘urban’ population of salmon in Maine and potentially the most resilient to the impacts of climate change. Midcoast Conservancy is working with organizations such as DMR and Maine Coast Heritage Trust to improve and protect the habitat and health of the river as well as the adjacent land in order to l help this iconic species reach levels of recovery. 

“It’s such a thrill when you come across an Atlantic salmon redd in the Sheepscot because it’s evidence of adults returning to the river. I still encounter people that don’t think there are salmon in the Sheepscot, but I let them know they’re here and we’re working to help recover the population,” said Melissa Cote, the Sheepscot River Watershed Manager at Midcoast Conservancy.

The work to conserve and protect the critical salmon spawning and nursery habitat that the Sheepscot River provides continues! To learn more about a river restoration technique to help foster healthier habitats hnique in river restoration, check out this video from one of our project partners.