After last December’s floods, one western Maine town dredged the river. Now they must undo it.

First came the snow. In early December 2023, a powerful storm dropped more than a foot of snow across Maine’s western mountains, with Franklin County recording the highest totals in the state. Then came the rain. The Kennebec, Androscoggin and Saco rivers swelled, and hundreds of roads closed. The devastation was swift in Phillips, a town of roughly 900 people some 15 miles northwest of Farmington. The town’s response, which included dredging part of the river and constructing berms, provoked a notice of violation from the state. The Sandy River is considered prime fish habitat, particularly for the endangered Atlantic salmon. Town officials deny they did anything wrong. A year has passed since the storm, but the debate continues, and a restoration plan is due early next year.