The Nobleboro Historical Society and the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration received a $92,505 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Announced Nov. 15, the grant will help support an ongoing effort to restore the passage of alewives through Damariscotta Mills and into Damariscotta Lake.
“We’re excited and delighted,” said Nobleboro Historical Society President Mary Sheldon. “This is a massive job and we were concerned about how far we could progress this year.”
Nobleboro and Newcastle have maintained the fish ladder in Damariscotta Mills since 1808. Beginning in 2007, the towns – through the Nobleboro Historical Society – initiated a full-scale restoration of the fish ladder. When the restoration goes to work in about two weeks, the grant will help restore the stone facing on the middle section of the ladder over the concrete.
Nobleboro Selectman Deb Wilson, who heads the restoration committee, said numerous people have supported the grant application. That list includes Sen. Olympia Snowe, who wrote a letter supporting the application.
“We’re thrilled,” Wilson said. “We’ve been hoping for a grant of this size for some time. Funding has been in small increments and this is a wonderful balance to all of that work.”
The restoration committee now needs to focus on raising the required matching funds for the grant. They need in-kind matching contributions – volunteer hours and donated goods and services – plus matching funds.
“This is a big boost,” Wilson said. “It should give a new energy and vitality to the project.”