September 2004 Update

As always, it seems summer has flown by in the blink of an eye. Now autumn is here (some say the best time of year), and there is restoration news to report. Around the Commonwealth, restoration partners have been working hard to find new sites, advance existing projects, and monitor restoration results. A sampling of these efforts is provided below.

In early September, project partners began construction of phase I at the Mallard Road site to restore over 1 acre of severely degraded salt marsh habitat. Tidal range within the site is restricted by an under-sized culvert beneath Mallard Road. Degraded marsh conditions have allowed invasive Phragmites to dominate over 75% of the marsh surface. Areas of the marsh have also been degraded by the placement of fill and other alterations. During phase I, portions of the site were re-graded to proper elevations for restoration of native salt marsh plants. Phase II is scheduled for completion later this Fall and will install a larger concrete box culvert to restore proper tidal hydrology. Disturbed areas of the marsh will be re-planted once the correct tidal range is established.

After spending substantial municipal funds and matching NOAA-CRP grant money on project development, the Town of Dennis recently received $250,000 in construction funds from the NRCS Wetlands Reserve Program. Combined with other anticipated funding, this money will be used to replace an undersized culvert beneath Bridge Street to restore tidal flows to 57 acres of degraded marsh. The town is also working with Mass Highway to replace several creek culverts upstream that inhibit fish passage to spawning habitat within Scargo Lake. Click here to view an annotated aerial photo of the site.

Several years of hard work by numerous partners are about to yield results as this project's October construction date fast approaches. Final preparations are now being made for the restoration of tidal flows to 11 acres of marsh. The project site consists of an abandoned road (Sea Street) that crosses the creek with two under-sized 30-inch culverts that restrict tidal flows. A new 8x8-foot concrete culvert will replace the old pipes and increase the tidal range in upstream habitats. The project goals are to improve the overall condition of degraded salt marsh habitats, facilitate the migration of river herring to an upstream spawning pond, and protect low-lying residences from flooding. A project dedication event has been targeted for Spring 2005.

WRP is collaborating with the Army Corps of Engineers to study the feasibility of restoring approximately 40 acres of former tidal habitats abutting the Palmer River in Swansea. Identified in the Mt. Hope Bay Tidal Restriction Atlas, this potential restoration site was diked off from tidal flows long ago and is currently used as a freshwater irrigation source for the abutting golf course. The purpose of the study is to determine whether existing site conditions would allow for the development of alternative irrigation sources and removal of the control structure to restore tidal flushing to the impoundment. If deemed feasible, WRP will continue to work closely with the landowner and town officials to evaluate the costs and benefits of restoring this freshwater pond habitat to a salt marsh and intertidal system.

In late July, staff from WRP and the NOAA Restoration Center conducted a tidal survey at this Fairhaven site originally identified in the Buzzards Bay Tidal Restriction Atlas. The site contains approximately 9 acres of salt marsh crossed by a road that accesses the town beach parking lot on West Island. Survey results from the tide data loggers show that the road and under-sized culvert cause a significant tidal restriction. The tidal range in the upstream marsh was measured at 70% of the downstream range (see tidal range graph). This restriction has decreased tidal flushing and degraded upstream habitats. Over the coming months, NOAA and WRP will work with town officials and other interested parties to explore restoration options.

Originally identified in a 2004 habitat restoration report produced by Mass Audubon, this site on the south side of Wingaersheek beach in Gloucester was immediately prioritized by city officials for further investigation. In July, a group of restoration experts and advocates met at the site to review habitat conditions and discuss possible next steps for project development. Some long-time city residents explained that in the 1960s, a large area of salt marsh behind the beach was filled in with dredge spoils (compare 1940s to 1980s USGS maps). A berm of fill was also created along the edge of the altered area. Portions of the site are now covered with invasive Phragmites, and the habitat appears to be severely degraded. Because this site is owned by the city and is located within a critical coastal habitat region, it may develop into a high-value restoration opportunity. WRP will continue to work with the city and other restoration partners to gather additional information and seek ways to move the project forward.

Completed in April, the Cow Yard project restored tidal flow to 16 acres of salt marsh (see May 2004 update for details). Now project partners, including WRP, Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, Buzzards Bay Project, Town of Dartmouth, and NOAA Restoration Center, are collaborating on efforts to monitor restoration results. Post-construction monitoring will last for at least 3 years and will document the condition of native salt marsh vegetation as well as changes in the coverage of invasive species in response to increased tidal flows and salinity levels. Partners will also perform a tidal survey to document the new tidal range resulting from installation of a larger culvert.

Monitoring of restoration sites is a time-consuming yet critical aspect of successful restoration efforts. To increase both monitoring resources and public participation in restoration projects, WRP, CZM, and the Mass Bays Program have partnered with the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) to develop a volunteer monitor program. Now at the end of its second season, the program is a resounding success. After receiving training, over 20 APCC members have monitored marsh conditions at 6 different sites on the Cape. Data collected by the volunteers will be analyzed to assess marsh conditions and track progress toward restoration goals. Participants receive valuable field experience in monitoring techniques and gain a better understanding of restoration projects and results.

The Bridge Creek Salt Marsh restoration team, composed of 27 partner groups and more than 50 individual partners, has been recognized by Coastal America with a 2004 Coastal America Partnership Award. The award letter reads "The Bridge Creek Salt Marsh Restoration Team has been selected to receive a 2004 Coastal America Partnership Award for your outstanding efforts to restore and protect the coastal environment. This award emphasizes the significance of your restoration accomplishments and contributions to the objectives of Coastal America. The award recognizes the Bridge Creek Salt Marsh Restoration Team's outstanding efforts to restore coastal Massachusetts. A Coastal America Principal, representing the President of the United States, will present the award."

The Bridge Creek project in Barnstable involves the restoration of 40 acres of valuable coastal salt marsh via removal of two significant tidal restrictions. WRP provided Phase I project management, overall partnership coordination, and technical and financial support (including construction grants). WRP will continue to help manage and coordinate Phase II of the project as it nears construction. See the Focus Project page for a detailed project description. For information about Coastal America awards, visit the Coastal America web site.

WRP is working on a coastal wetlands restoration plan for the Great Marsh region stretching from Rockport to Amesbury along Massachusetts' North Shore. The overall goal of the plan is to help coastal communities identify and prioritize valuable habitat restoration opportunities that can be implemented with assistance from state and federal restoration partners. Over the past decade, many partners have worked to locate sites and complete projects in this region. The plan will inventory new potential restoration sites identified from maps, aerial photos, field work, and input from local communities. It will also compile information about sites that have been identified in prior studies, that are under development, and that have already been restored.

1980s Map 1880s Map Aerial Picture

Historic maps have proven to be a valuable resource for identifying restoration opportunities in this region. In an example from the Town of Ipswich (left), only a map from the 1880s shows the location of an old road crossing a salt marsh. A site visit found that much of the tidal range in the upstream marsh is blocked by stones that remain in the creek (see picture). More than 30 acres of salt marsh may be affected. By showing where old roads and other activities have impacted salt marshes in the past, historic maps can reveal important clues for restoration planning that are often not found in contemporary data sources. Pass your cursor over the links above to view the maps and photos.

After completing initial site visits this fall, WRP will review the draft inventory with town officials and other restoration partners to collect additional site information and add sites that may have been missed. A subset of sites will then be selected for more detailed assessments. Planning results so far suggest that many significant restoration opportunities exist throughout the study area. Visit the Great Marsh page for more details.

This fiscal year, WRP will be funding two types of support for restoration projects: technical assistance and construction grants. Technical assistance support is a continuation of WRP's ongoing program to provide state-funded technical services to designated priority projects (see the Priority Projects page for details). A new Request for Responses (RFR) will soon be released for priority project nominations. An email notice will be sent to the WRP email list when the RFR is posted on the state procurement web site. WRP will also offer construction grants this year for restoration projects that will be selected through a competitive proposal process. An RFR and email notice will be released shortly for this funding opportunity.