EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton has secured grant funding to study the impacts of destruction of the Manhan River Dam and fish ladder, which could save significant costs to the city and improve the health of a major fish habitat.
The Manhan River is a major tributary to the Connecticut River, just south of Northampton. The dam and fish ladder are located just off Northampton and Mill streets in Easthampton, on the river.
In an email to the Gazette, Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Greg Nuttelman said the Manhan River Dam and fish ladder, currently managed by the DPW and owned by the city, is the only obstruction on the river from its span between the Connecticut River and the reservoir.
“The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, Division of Ecological Restoration provides this type of grant funding to further its mission of restoring rivers, wetlands, and watersheds for the benefit of people, fish, and wildlife throughout the Commonwealth,” the email read.
Destruction of the dam would reconnect approximately 377 downstream miles to 79 miles upstream, according to Nuttelman. He said this study would explore the effects on fish and river health, if the dam was removed.
Easthampton is one of seven municipalities in the state to each receive a portion of $350,000, funded by ResilientMass. The money will fund removal studies to be completed on various dams in each community, that will be managed by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER).
A statement from the DFG reads, “The Manhan River Dam is a significant hazard dam in Easthampton. Removal of the dam would benefit migratory and coldwater fish species, important habitats, nearby infrastructure, and surrounding environmental justice communities.”
Easthampton Mayor Salem Derby said he signed off on the grant funding in one of his first weeks as interim mayor in July, though the push for the funding started when former Mayor Nicole LaChapelle was in office.
However, Derby said he is not necessarily in favor of removing the dam. “I’m not against a study being done for removal … but the city needs to proceed cautiously.”
He said depending on what the study reveals, in terms of impacts on fish and river health, the dam has future potential for different uses, including generating electricity as it once did and for recreation. He said the findings of the study with ecology and the environment in mind, will help inform future decisions.
Nuttelman said the dam was originally constructed in 1682 to provide mechanical hydropower, but it was ultimately discontinued in the 1940s, according to records. A 2024 assessment of the dam performed by Tighe & Bond, an engineering firm in Westfield, found the dam to be in “fair” condition.
Nuttelman wrote in his email that, “Removal of the dam would lead to perpetual maintenance cost savings for the City and completing this study puts the City in an excellent position to pursue further grant opportunities towards that possibility.”
The fish ladder became active in 2014, drawing some pushback from residents, proponents and officials with U.S. Fish & Wildlife, according to previous reports in the Gazette.
Construction of the fish ladder was planned to cost $750,000, with this funding provided by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, but the project’s price tag increased to more than $1.35 million due to unanticipated complications at the worksite, according to a previously published report. The fish ladder’s construction was completed more than a decade after it was first proposed.
Former Easthampton Mayor Michael Tautznik said the project was made possible through federal funding and the government was making a push to get the dam removed. He said leading up to the fish ladder construction, the city was really given two options: remove the dam or create a device that allowed for fish passage.
Through public outreach, at that time many residents and abutters were in favor of the fish ladder, wanting to maintain the current water flow with the dam, according to Tautznik.
“We believed we went forward with what the citizens wanted back in the day and the public were supportive of the project …” Tautznik said in a recent interview. “I’m hoping that the city decides to involve the neighbors, accomplishing the same.”
Tautznik said there were many factors to consider, including how the water flow throughout that section of river would be affected if the dam was destroyed.
Nuttelman wrote that “there may be more significant benefits to removal and the fish ladder is dependent on consistent operation and maintenance.”
Additionally, he said the Manhan River Dam became the final obstruction of the river after the destruction of the former Lyman Pond Dam in Southampton.
In informal conversations with DFG staff, it was indicated that the removal of the Lyman Pond Dam has led to benefits in Southampton and removal of the Manhan River Dam may lead to more significant gains, according to Nuttleman.
“Dam removal is an important part of the Commonwealth’s ambitious, whole-of-government approach to conserve biodiversity,” DFG Commissioner Tom O’Shea said in a statement. “With every aging, unwanted dam removed, we help people and nature thrive together. Free-flowing, restored rivers are critical for fish and wildlife and make our communities safer, healthier, and better prepared for severe storms.”
The DFG statement said there are over 3,000 dams in Massachusetts, most of which no longer serve their original purpose and many of which are in disrepair. Dams degrade water quality, block passage for fish and wildlife, and increase flood risks and public safety hazards for communities.
Nuttelman said he expects the study to begin in the first quarter of 2026.