The York River's approximately 400 acres of salt marsh form valuable wildlife habitat, and represent about 10% of the salt marsh in York County.  Salt marsh ecosystems are among the most productive in the world.  Marshes themselves face little threat of development because they are regularly inundated by the tides.  However, they are impacted by nearby development of uplands, and may be further degraded when fill is used to make a marsh buildable, either for a road, railroad, or other development.

Where roads or railroads cross the salt marsh, they restrict the tidal flow across the marsh. Because the salt marsh relies on regular cycles of inundation by salt water, restricted flow can result in degradation of the marshes. Often, invasive species such as phragmites become prevalent.

Gaps

Anecdotal Knowledge

Interview with Brad Sterl (retired) of Department of Marine Resources. Interviewed Dec. 1999.

In his estimation, the worst tidal restriction is at Cooks Bridge (Rt. 91), where the road crosses the marsh. Upstream, a large area of marsh is affected. Prior to the 1960s, there was a bridge across the channel, which he remembers to be 26'. In the 1960s, the bridge was replaced by 2 culverts, which do not allow for sufficient water flow, and which are placed too high in the road bed, so that they also restrict fish passage. Although there are other restrictions, he believes this is the worst one.

He believes that Smelt Brook's bridge is big enough so that it does not restrict tidal flow. There was a tidal mill on Dolly Gordon Brook; the remains of this mill may restrict flow.

Contact:  Brad Sterl in Ogunquit.

Observations on the Lower Barrels Millpond, Becka Roolf. Dec. 1999.