Amelia Earhart Dam
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The Amelia Earhart Dam is an earth-fill dam spanning the Mystic River near its mouth between Somerville and Everett, Massachusetts. It was built in 1966 to regulate tidal effects and the incursion of salt water in the upstream river basin. The dam is named after the aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart whose plane disappeared in 1937. Earhart lived in nearby Medford, Massachusetts in the 1920s. There is no public access to the dam.
Fish passage
Four dams play a role in the passage of fish into the Mystic River system. The Amelia Earhart Dam is the first and the largest, but it is not considered the main obstacle for the passage of fish (e.g. River Herring) because dam operations guarantee that fish can pass through at low tide and when the locks open.[3]
History
The Amelia Earhart Dam replaced the Craddock Locks in the city of Medford. The Craddock Locks were built in 1909 to prevent excess floodwaters from engulfing the city, Remnants of the locks can be seen under the Cradock Bridge.[4]
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
The City of Somerville's 2017 Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment noted that by 2035, a 100-year flood would flank the dam, and by 2070, overtop it, leading to major impacts on low-lying areas such as Assembly Square.[5] In 2018, 21 cities and towns near the Mystic River requested flood prevention and mitigation funding, including approximately $20 million for an additional pump.[6]
