Smelt Brook Preserve

Description and Access

This scenic 7.6-acre coastal preserve has a DSF preserve sign located at 48 Ocean House Rd which turns off of US Route 1 in Sullivan, Maine. There is a short access road and room to park several vehicles, but there are no amenities or facilities at this preserve.

Smelt Brook Preserve

A short walking trail leads to the edge of the small inter-tidal marsh at the mouth of Smelt Brook and the former dam site. Seagulls, herons, ducks, and bald eagles are commonly observed when visiting this preserve.

History and Background

The Smelt Brook Preserve was the site of an old granite dam at the mouth of Smelt Brook in Sullivan, Maine. The dam was originally constructed in 1967 by the landowners to create a trout pond, which halted a once-robust annual smelt run. The land was acquired by new owners, and Downeast Salmon Federation bought it when property values fell during the global financial crisis in 2007-2008.

Smelt Brook 1967 Dam Construction

After buying the property, the DSF stabilized an existing road and removed the granite dam. Since the dam was removed in 2018, DSF has monitored the habitat restoration as the marsh grew and the site returned to a more natural condition. Rainbow smelt, other sea-run fishes, along with a variety of tidal aquatic life can now travel freely through this former barrier.

The dam being removed