Alex Abbott had a mission, and just one day to complete it. A stream restoration specialist, Abbott consults with towns, state and federal agencies and others about how to build better stream crossings. In Maine, Abbott helped start the Stream Smart program with Maine Audubon and other partners. After the brutal winter storms of early 2024, Abbott needed to check to see how his crossings fared.

On March 19, Abbott drove more than 400 miles across Maine, checking in on improved road crossings in 11 towns including Buckfield, Freeport, Naples, Phillips, Starks and Whitefield. What he found validated the work he’s helped pioneer for decades: not a single one of the Stream Smart crossings suffered any damage from the storms that decimated other roads throughout the state.

There are thousands of places in Maine where a road crosses a stream, and in the vast majority of cases a simple round metal culvert is used to keep the stream flowing. Culverts are the cheapest and easiest solutions, but they’re increasingly recognized as inadequate for both wildlife and people.

For one, small culverts disrupt the ecology of the stream.

Eighty-five percent of Maine wildlife species either live in or use stream habitats during the year to breed, travel and find food and water. But brook trout, Atlantic salmon, river otters, turtles and other wildlife get stuck behind undersized or improperly-set stream culverts. Surveys show that up to 90% of Maine’s current culvert crossings make movement difficult or impossible for wildlife at least part of the year.

Small culverts are also poor infrastructure. They’re often too narrow for the amount of water flowing through, especially during storms, causing water and debris to build up along the upstream side and increasing the chance of erosion, flooding and dangerous washouts. Towns across Maine spend millions of taxpayer dollars every year to repair roads and address improper culverts – costs that are increasing as Maine faces larger and more frequent storms.

There is a better way. Stream Smart road crossings are larger and wider than typical culverts, designed to permit water to flow through naturally. Sediment and woody debris from storms can also pass through, along with migratory fish and wildlife. They’re more expensive to install, but Stream Smart crossings save money in the long run by reducing maintenance costs and avoiding expensive, hazardous washouts.

Since 2011, a group of partners including Maine Audubon, the Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Maine Forest Service and more have worked to raise awareness of the benefits of Stream Smart crossings and encourage their adoption. For example, Maine Audubon Conservation Biologist Sarah Haggerty, working with partners, has traveled the state hosting workshops and giving demonstrations about the benefits of better stream crossings for hundreds of interested officials, engineers, students and the general public.

Stream Smart partners also work to secure state and federal funds for municipalities to offset the costs of construction, and their efforts are paying off. Since 2015, Maine has granted more than $20 million to towns across the state to help them build Stream Smart crossings. Originally housed in the Department of Environmental Protection and now administered by the Maine Department of Transportation, the latest round of grants to help offset the costs of building better crossings closed in July. In all, grants for more than 150 projects have been awarded, with more on the way. The success has inspired similar programs to pop up in other states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia.

All the work was validated by his road trip, Abbott said. After years of working with communities to invest in Stream Smart crossings, it was gratifying to see them all withstand the winter storms. As towns across Maine turn their focus to infrastructure built to withstand a changing climate, Stream Smart stands as a model of success. Anyone interested in learning more – whether it’s town officials or private individuals with a culvert on their road – can visit streamsmartmaine.org.

“Nature Connects” is a monthly column showcasing conservation stories from people and organizations across Maine. To learn more or suggest story ideas, email reply@mcht.org.