Oliver Mills Fish Ladder
Challenges
The mill and dam remained in a state of abandonment until the 1960’s, when Oliver Mill Park was opened surrounding the dam and historic industrial ruins. Herring populations in the Nemasket River declined dramatically during this time, with a mysterious die-off event in 1965. Low water levels and invasive plants exacerbated the issue and prompted proposals to reestablish fish passage on the river.
Solutions
The fishways at Oliver Mill were initiated by an effort to restore the ecological and cultural heritage of the Nemasket River. During the 1960’s and 1970’s the site was partially restored for recreation, fish passage, and to preserve the industrial archeological site. During this time, two stone fish ways were installed. In 1982, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries built a new stone and concrete notched weir-pool fishway. In 1996 the Middleborough-Lakeville Herring Fishery Commission was created to administer and enforce herring harvest regulations, maintain and enhance herring habitat, and public education on the herring run.
Successes
The Nemasket River is relatively short (11.2 miles) with only 3 dams between the ocean and the 1,721 acres of prime spawning grounds of the Assawompset Ponds. Taking a whole river approach, fishways have been constructed at all three dams, allowing fish passage into the ponds. In 2013, almost one million herring were able to pass through the fishway at Oliver Mill to spawn in Assawompset Pond!
The communities of Middleborough and Lakeville have been shaped by the abundance of herring in the Nemasket River. In addition to the ecological value of the annual hearing run, it is also an important social and cultural event. Community support to preserve the yearly fish run helped to spur the restoration of the river and the fish migration. Since 2013, local and state Cultural Councils and the Middleborough Tourism Committee have hosted the Annual Herring Run festival to bring the community together to celebrate the fishrun. These celebrations help to reinforce the relationship between the community and the herring, ensuring the herring remain an important part of the local identity and helping to spur continued stewardship and involvement in preserving and improving the annual fish runs.
This case study is also an example of how a fishway can be integrated into a public park to achieve multiple objectives. With the creation of the Oliver Mill Park, the project was able to achieve the shared goals of improving fish passage, providing recreation, and preserving history. The fishways are integrated into the design of the park allowing the fishruns to be highly visible. Oliver Mill park provides paths for visitors to see the historic stone mill ruins and bridges that cross the multiple river channels and allow visitors to see the herring run below. In 2000, Oliver Mill Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Muttock Historic and Archeological District.
