Community Stakeholders

To investigate Lebanon residents’ relationship with the Mascoma River, we conducted twelve informal interviews at the Lebanon farmers market on May 26th, 2016 and spoke with 16 people in total. Most were Lebanon residents but some were from out of town. Through this research, we sought to understand how a dam would affect the way-of-life of Lebanon residents. The research suggested a strong connection between the Lebanon residents and the water, and revealed varied opinions about the effects of the proposed dam site in center of the town.

Relationships to the river varied between Lebanon residents but our interviews revealed a strong association between Lebanon residents and the water. One interviewee mentioned that the water provides a “sense of community” for Lebanon and we learned that residents used the river and dam reservoir for fishing, boating, walking along the river, letting dogs swim, and watching the river. Seven out of the eleven Lebanon residents actively used the Mascoma River or Lake (two of whom were new residents but were interested in exploring the water when the temperatures increased). One of our interviewees fly-fished on the river and another interviewee’s grandchildren fished on the river. We also learned about the emotional tie between the river and people: one person spoke passionately about the movement of the water flowing rapidly through the rocks; he enjoyed watching the water during visits to the river. Some Lebanon residents, however, had little or no relationship with the water. A resident of Lebanon noted that he does not use the river and was not aware of the class 4/5 rapids in the center of town. Another elderly resident was unable to easily access the water so she was unable to visit it.

Criticism of the dam centered primarily on the dam’s impact on river ecology and fishing opportunities. Three people discussed negative ecological impacts of the proposed dam site but scientific knowledge varied: one person mentioned that “as long as [the dam] has a fish ladder and things to help with the ecosystem it is alright” and another person spoke in more detail about how dams affect fish habitat and wildlife. Beyond the ecological impact, a fisherman spoke about how dammed rivers reduce opportunities for fishing. Other interviewees had no opinion of the dam at all; one person explained “[I] honestly haven’t thought of dams that much” and another interviewee told us plainly that he had no opinion about the dam.

Despite criticism by some individuals, others noted potential benefits of a dam in the center of Lebanon. One person enjoys watching the water flow through dams and she sometimes goes to a nearby dam see the water flowing over it; a dam in the center of Lebanon may become a similar destination for people like her. At the Mascoma Lake dam, for instance, there is a picnic area overlooking the flowing water. Two interviewees were very excited to hear about the proposed dam. To them, a reservoir created by the dam is a great spot for swimming and boating. Currently these two interviewees travel to a reservoir further away but a reservoir in Lebanon would offer closer access. An interviewee also called hydropower a “green” technology and seemed to have a positive understanding of how the dam would benefit the environment.

While this ethnography offers insightful knowledge of Lebanon residents’ relationship with the river and lake and their perspectives on a proposed dam, additional research should be conducted to further investigate the preliminary results. We are interested in speaking with more residents to increase our sample size and to hear more detailed accounts of river usage and perspectives on the proposed dam.