Sunshine, warmth…and alewives!

There have been alewives around for nearly two weeks but the run really isn’t off and “running” yet for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, we’ve had many inches of rain recently, which has increased the level of Damariscotta Lake beyond where it should be. We spill water out of the Middle Stream to bring the lake level down and this intense flow is a real challenge for incoming alewives. Second, and almost equally important, air temperatures have been cool and that means water temperatures have been cool—and its increasing water temperatures that trigger alewives’ urge to spawn. I expect these problems to resolve in the next couples of days but, in the meantime, water is running over the boardwalk along the lower fish ladder so this section is closed to the public. It’s still possible to view fish from the bridge over the fish ladder by accessing this vantage from Ladds Hill Road.