Wednesday, June 29 at 11 AM to 12 PM (rain or shine)

Location: 150 Hawthorne Ave., Pittsfield, MA

The Tel-Electric (a.k.a. Mill Street) Dam was part of the Pittsfield community for more than a century. Its removal, 20 years in the making and completed in spring 2020 at a cost of $4.2 million, ushers in a new era for residents and the West Branch of the  Housatonic River. The work was achieved through collaboration by the City, state and federal agencies, and conservation and stewardship organizations. The project eliminated a public safety risk associated with the aging dam, protected surrounding infrastructure, reduced the likelihood of localized flooding, and removed polluted sediments from the river. It reconnects nearly five miles of river, improves water quality, and repairs natural river processes in the West Branch. The City plans to expand its Westside Riverway into the area of the former dam.

Project partners and state legislators will make brief remarks, then subject-matter experts will be available throughout the project area.

Project partners: City of Pittsfield, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Massachusetts SubCouncil of the Housatonic River Trustee Council, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game – Division of Ecological Restoration, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Pittsfield Mills Corporation, Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT)