The removal of a decades-old dam on the Batten Kill is expected to boost trout populations in the river, known for its trout fishing.
It's part of a larger movement to remove now-obsolete and risky dams that would cost more to repair and maintain than to remove.
The Dufresne Dam in Manchester was built in 1908 to power a sawmill, but the sawmill is long gone and the earthen dam has been leaking, creating a safety hazard.
The concrete wall and earthen dam were removed this month, and the river is being moved to its original spot in the middle of the channel.
Water resource scientist and engineer Roy Schiff says it's exciting to think that fish will begin to move through the site again.
