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York River Study

In December 2014, Congress passed the York River Wild and Scenic River Study Act, which authorized the York River Study. The York River Study Committee was formed in late 2015. Volunteers for the Study Committee were sought from Eliot, Kittery, South Berwick, and York through a public application process open to all communities’ residents. Town officials appointed committee members from their respective towns. The Study Committee included voting members (individuals appointed by towns) and non-voting members (representatives of public agencies). York River Study Committee members:

Voting Members: Karen Arsenault, Cindy Donnell Thom Kearns, Joan LeBlanc, Mike Masi, and Chuck Ott from York; Stefan Claesson and John “Jack” Murphy from Eliot; Judy Spiller from Kittery; and Jean Demetracopoulos from South Berwick

Non-voting Members: Paul Dest, Wells Reserve; Jamie Fosburgh and Jim MacCartney, National Park Service; Judy Gates and David Gardner, Maine DOT; and Claire Enterline, Maine Coastal Program

York River Study Coordinator (from February 2016 through January 2023): Jennifer Hunter

The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve served as fiscal agent for the York River Study Committee. Money from the National Park Service Partnership Wild & Scenic Rivers Program (about $200,000 total) was awarded through a 5-year Cooperative Agreement with the Wells Reserve.

The study process was voluntary and locally determined. The bulk of the work for the locally-led York River Study was conducted over three years from late 2015 to late 2018. The Committee’s work in 2016 and 2017 focused on:

  • Compiling and reviewing York River watershed studies and data
  • Identifying and documenting outstanding watershed resources
  • Conducting several new studies to gain additional information on high priority resources
  • Engaging the public and key stakeholders in developing stewardship goals, objectives, and strategies to protect the river

In 2018, the Study Committee developed the Stewardship Plan and presented information to towns and community members about Partnership Wild and Scenic River designation for York River. The York River Watershed Stewardship Plan was the culmination of over 30 months of work by the York River Study Committee to gather information about the York River and its watershed. See the York River Study Committee’s Designation Recommendation and Study Findings Overview. 

The legislative bodies for all four watershed communities (voters in York and Eliot; town councils in Kittery and South Berwick) supported pursuing river designation and accepted the Stewardship Plan in late 2018.



York River Study documents

From 2016-2018, the York River Study Committee gathered information and developed the York River Watershed Stewardship Plan, and in 2019 provided input to the National Park Service on its York River Wild and Scenic River Study Report that describes the eligibility and suitability of a Partnership Wild and Scenic River designation for the York River. From 2020-2022 the Study Committee continued to engage state and local partners and Congressional sponsors to maintain support for achieving designation. In 2023, the Study Committee coordinated with the National Park Service and watershed municipalities to facilitate the establishment of the York River Stewardship Committee. The York River Study Committee met for the last time in June 2023, after which time the transition to the newly formed York River Stewardship Committee was complete.

Information and outreach materials; reports and notes; committee meeting agendas and minutes; and press coverage of the York River Wild and Scenic Study are all available below.

INFORMATION AND OUTREACH MATERIALS 

Stewardship Committee formation/transition planning documents: Stewardship Committee-background and next steps & Stewardship Committee-description and responsibilities (February 2023)

YRSC Media Release – Designation announcement (December 2022)

Media Release from Congresswoman Pingree on York River Designation (December 2022)

Testimony from Jennifer Hunter given at Senate Subcommittee hearing on designation bill (June 2021)

Media Release from Senator King following Senate Subcommittee hearing on designation bill (June 2021)

Media Release from Maine’s congressional delegation on reintroduction of designation bills in US House and Senate (March 2021)

Media Release from Congresswoman Pingree on inclusion of York River designation in Wilderness Protection Act (February 2021)

Media Release from Senators King and Collins on introduction of designation bill (December 2020)

Poster on York River outstanding resources (February 2020)

Maine Legislative Resolution supporting York River designation (February 2020)

Poster on York River and Climate Change (January 2020)

Climate change impacts to Gulf of Maine (January 2020)

York River Watershed Stewardship Plan recommendations to help prepare for climate change (January 2020)

National Park Service Media Release on Study Report (January 2020)

Testimony from Chuck Ott provided at House Subcommittee hearing on designation bill (May 2019)

Letter to York River watershed residents (October 2018)

Media Release YRSC Oct 4 Speaker & Event Flyer

YRSC September3 2018 Media Release

Designation Recommendation / Overview (updated September 2018)

York River Study June 2018 Media Release

Frequently Asked Questions (updated May 2018): FAQ York River W&S Study

River segments recommended by the York River Study Committee for Partnership Wild and Scenic River designation and summary, as of December 2017: Designation Outreach Print Version December 2017.  Maps of rivers recommended for PWSR designation: Proposed Stream Reaches Poster Dec2017 (poster size, best for on-line viewing) and Proposed Stream Reaches Letter Dec2017 (letter size, best for printing)

York River Study December 2017 Media Release

York River Study June 2017 Media Release

July Walking Tours Flyer

York River Study informational “video”

Archaeology Survey Flyer

Letter to landowners in the historic resources survey area (March 2017): Landowner Letter and Map

Policy statement on York Harbor dredging, February 2017: York River W&S Study and York Harbor Dredging

Overview of the York River Study and the NPS Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers Program: York River Study Factsheet

Public Input Poster on York River Watershed Resources: Public Input Poster

York River Study Committee – Update and Listening Session, June 20, 2016: Agenda, Study Committee List and Watershed Map, York River Watershed Report List, & Presentations

REPORTS AND NOTES

The York River Study Committee approved the Stewardship Plan at its July 24, 2018 meeting: York River Watershed Stewardship Plan. A Story Map by Wells Reserve accompanies the Stewardship Plan.

Final reports on the York River Watershed build-out study completed by Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission and Spatial Alternatives, June 2018:

Final report on the 2017 fish survey conducted by Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve for the York River Study (includes Habitat Assessment/GIS Analysis in report appendix):  An Assessment of Spring Fish Communities in the York River, Maine

Final reports on York River headwaters historic resources surveys completed in 2017:

Notes from the February 13, 2018 ORV Subcommittee meeting on water quality and fish habitat, including links to two presentations given at the meeting: Notes from Feb13 WQ and Fish Habitat meeting

Notes from the November 9, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on fish, wildlife and habitats, including links to two presentations given at the meeting: Notes from Nov9 Natural Resources meeting

The York River Study Committee’s Preliminary Draft Management Recommendations Outline, October 2017

Notes from the August 24, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on historic resources, including links to three presentations given at the meeting: Notes from Aug24 Historic Resources meeting

Notes from the June 20, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on watershed conservation lands, including links to a presentation given at the meeting: Notes from June20 Conservation Lands meeting

Notes from the May 11, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on drinking water supplies, including links to a presentation and a document handed out at the meeting: Notes from May11 Watershed Drinking Water Supplies meeting

Notes from the April 26, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on working waterfront, tidal water recreation and economic values, including links to the presentation given and documents handed out at the meeting: Notes from Apr26 Working Waterfront Tidal Water Recreation meeting; data compiled by YRSC: Working Waterfront Data Compilation – Summary

Notes from the March 30, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on infrastructure, aquatic organism passage, and describing river flow and conditions, including links to four presentations given at the meeting: Notes from Mar30 Infrastructure meeting

Notes from the March 7, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on water quality in the York River, including links to data and shoreline survey findings from Maine Department of Marine Resources: Notes from Mar7 WQ meeting

Notes from the January 31, 2017 ORV Subcommittee meeting on York River salt marshes and potential marsh migration areas, including links to a presentation and maps distributed at the meeting: Notes from Jan31 Saltmarsh Meeting; list of salt marsh-related data and reports: Resource Information and Links – ORV Saltmarsh Meeting Jan 31 2017

Wild and Scenic River Reconnaissance Survey of the York River, National Park Service Northeast Region, 2013  (This survey pre-dates the formation of the York River Study Committee but provides background information for the York River Study.)

YRSC MONTHLY MEETING AGENDAS AND MINUTES

From 2015-2020, the York River Study Committee met monthly on the fourth Tuesday of the month (third Tuesday in December) at the Grant House in York. From 2020-2022 the committee met on Zoom as needed. In 2023, the committee resumed monthly in-person meetings, held at the York Land Trust office.

NEWS COVERAGE OF THE YORK RIVER WILD AND SCENIC STUDY