Winchester resident John Kilborn is pursuing the possibility of installing a fish ladder at the Center Falls Dam in Winchester center. Kilborn has been successful at bringing together town leaders, MA Division of Marine Fisheries, local residents, MyRWA and others to explore the feasibility and costs associated with such a project. MyRWA is conducting a herring habitat assessment in the Aberjona River and Wedge Pond to help inform this work, which is estimated at $100,000.
As to what piqued Kilborn’s interest in a fish ladder in Winchester, he says “I started this project when I saw a fish vainly trying to get up Winchester's Center Falls Dam. The fish ladder is an important step in treating the Aberjona like a natural river, instead of a storm sewer.”
Volunteers have documented the presence of herring in the Aberjona River at the Center Falls dam. The Town of Winchester recently applied for funding through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for this project.
Thanks for your work, John!
You can reach John at: jkilborn3@gmail.com.
