Cataract East Today


Today, the Cataract East Dam is part of a series of hydropower projects along the lower Saco River.


Spring flows at Cataract East.


The current iteration of the dams at Cataract Falls provides hydropower generation of 6.65 MW, and the average annual power generation is 30,868 MWh — powering roughly 3,000 homes per year.


A view of the newly renovated fish lift.


The fish lift (left) is meant to transport certain species of fish from below the dam to a channel above it, and the powerhouse (right) contains the hydroelectric turbine.


The dam's spillway allows for increased drainage as needed.


You can continue down the walkway to explore different views of the dam and Factory Island as you continue reading through the remainder of Stop 2's content.