Ashburnham got its river back on Tuesday, as town officials and state leaders gathered to celebrate the removal of the old Whitney Pond Dam and the return of a free-flowing Whitman River. The long-planned project has re-opened the stream, begun rebuilding floodplain wetlands and set the stage for native brook trout and other coldwater species to move back in. Residents at the event also checked out fresh-cut trails and new educational signs in the surrounding conservation area.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll called the removal a triple win that would "reduce flood risk, restore a healthy river and create a beautiful public space," according to a state press release on Mass.gov. Gov. Maura Healey, in the same release, framed the work as a way to make communities safer while boosting the Commonwealth's readiness for climate impacts.
Project Work And Partners
The roughly $1.4 million effort took out the aging concrete dam, stabilized the riverbanks, reshaped the channel and added plantings of native shrubs and trees, according to Sentinel & Enterprise. The Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration partnered with the Town of Ashburnham and the Nashua River Watershed Association, which led outreach and restoration planning along the Whitman River. Engineering and design work by Pare Corporation helped shepherd the project through permitting and construction.
River Health And Public Safety Gains
Division of Ecological Restoration Director Beth Lambert said "a river comes back to life when a dam comes down," and praised Ashburnham for opting for a "healthier, safer future," according to Sentinel & Enterprise. Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O'Shea said the project backs up statewide biodiversity goals and will help native fish and wildlife thrive, the outlet reported. With the Whitman River now reconnected, coldwater habitat in the larger Nashua River watershed is linked up again, and the threat once posed by the deteriorating structure is reduced.
State Context And What’s Next
The Whitney Pond project is one piece of a broader statewide push to restore rivers and boost climate resilience. The Division of Ecological Restoration is advancing dozens of dam removal and fish-passage efforts, and the Healey administration's recent restoration initiatives, along with the proposed Mass Ready Act, aim to increase funding and technical support for similar work, according to Mass.gov.
What Visitors Will See
The former impoundment has been remade as the Whitney Pond Dam Conservation Area, complete with walking trails, benches and interpretive signs, and the town kept the site's low-level outlet gates on display as a nod to its past, according to the Nashua River Watershed Association. Vegetation that spent decades buried under the pond is now resurfacing from the native seed bank, helping rebuild floodplain wetlands that can soak up stormwater during heavy rains. Town officials say the project cuts a long-standing public safety risk while opening up new public access to a restored river corridor.
