If you visit the Kouchibouguac River today, you will see crews tearing down the historic dam piece by piece. The concrete structure has stood since 1917. Now, its removal is causing frustration for locals who feel they are losing a major piece of their community history. According to a recent report from CTV News Atlantic, the demolition caught many residents by surprise.

A Century of Local History

The dam originally operated as a sawmill built by local entrepreneur Richard O’Leary. Moncton historian James Upham notes that the O’Leary family realized they could attach a power generation unit to the mill. NB Power purchased the site in 1939.

“It was the first one purchased by NB Power and one of the first electric producing locations in New Brunswick,” Upham told CTV News. “This was absolute cutting edge technology.”

The station provided electricity to Richibucto, Rexton and Saint Louis de Kent before NB Power retired it in 1953.

Restoring the River Flow

You will find that Fisheries and Oceans Canada ordered the demolition to improve the local ecosystem. The federal agency states the dam blocks fish passage during certain water conditions. Removing the structure restores the natural flow of the Kouchibouguac River. This change allows Atlantic Salmon, American eel, Brook trout, Gaspereau and Rainbow smelt to migrate freely. The natural habitat restoration project will wrap up by the fall.

Residents Voice Frustration

Many locals disagree with the federal assessment. Fisherman Onile Gallant spends his mornings on the river and questions the need for the project.

“People are catching fish here like crazy, so the idea fish can’t make it upstream, I mean there’s two openings there that they can go through,” Gallant said.

Retired blueberry farmer Murray Tweedie has lived near the dam his entire life. His father was born in a stone house just steps away. Tweedie first noticed the demolition equipment arriving on a Monday morning. He points out the lack of public consultation.

“We’ve lost a piece of the history with the old stone house rotting into the ground because it was not cared for and now it’s the dam. We don’t have much to hang on to anymore,” Tweedie said.

Tweedie also worries about future property damage. He fears ice from upriver will jam against nearby bridge pillars and flood the area, just as it did before the dam was built in 1917.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Kouchibouguac dam being demolished?

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is removing the dam to restore the natural flow of the river. This allows various fish species to migrate freely upstream.

When was the Kouchibouguac dam built?

Local entrepreneur Richard O’Leary built the original structure as a sawmill in 1917. NB Power later purchased it in 1939 to use as a hydroelectric dam.

When will the demolition project be finished?

Crews will complete the natural habitat restoration project by the fall.