In 1966, the Standells released their biggest hit, “Dirty Water,” a song about Boston’s Charles River, which was heavily polluted at the time.
Over the years, there has been a significant effort to clean up the Charles, with a great measure of success. And for the most part, the references to the Charles’ “dirty water” have been relegated to the past.
Now, it’s apparent that without some work, Gorham’s Tannery Brook could soon be considered for a “dirty water” song of its own.
A recent tour of the Tannery Brook watershed demonstrated how much the water quality has degraded in some parts of the river while another section, the headwaters, appears much as it did two centuries ago. Betty Williams, project manager for the Tannery Brook Watershed Management Plan, described the brook in that area as “a gem.”
Downstream flows water of an entirely different quality, however. Years of pollution, development and neglect have alarmingly degraded the condition of the brook.
Trash, including rusting metal barrels and bicycles, litters the banks in some places, and in other areas, runoff from the surrounding roads has gotten into the water, warming the brook. The warmer waters have made it impossible for trout to live in the brook, where they were once plentiful.
While the brook has problems, it is not a lost cause. Since 1999, there has been a plan to clean up the brook and restore it to its pristine condition.
The town of Gorham has pitched in to help as well. The town has identified several areas of Fort Hill Road that have been contributing to erosion problems, and will be taking steps to correct that later this year.
But more needs to be done. There are almost 500 homes and a number of businesses, along with the resulting paved roads, in the three-mile Tannery Brook watershed, and that development is contributing to the brook’s problems.
While it’s not realistic to stop all development around the brook, it is realistic to make sure the developments are designed in such a way that they will not pollute the water further.
The town needs to make sure its comprehensive plan addresses the need to make sure storm water from new developments does not drain into the brook.
There are simple ways to do this. The installation of drainage ditches and culverts can keep dirty water and salt and sand from roads out of the brook. In addition, seeding bare areas of dirt and making sure the vegetation along the banks will help stop soil from eroding into the brook and polluting it.
Residents can also do their part to keep the waters clean. The effort can be as small as making sure all pet waste is picked up and properly disposed of, to organizing community clean-up days to remove the heavy trash that sits along the banks of the stream.
Those interested in improving Tannery Brook can also call Betty Williams at the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District at 856-2777.
As the many people who take advantage of the trails winding through Tannery Brook park show, the brook and the surrounding land is an important resource for Gorham, one that needs to be taken care of.
It took years for the Charles River to rebound from its “Dirty Water” days, and it will take years to return Tannery Brook to the condition it was in 200 years ago. That’s why it’s so important to start cleaning it up now.
Mike Higgins, assistant editor
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