High Street Dam removal in progress | Hayley McManus
Project Details
Project Title
High Street Dam Removal
Municipality
Bridgewater
MVP Region
Southeast
Award Year
FY2022
Grant Award
$750,000
Project Length
Two Year
Community Overview
- Bridgewater is a town of 28,600 persons located in Plymouth County.
- Bridgewater has two Environmental Justice Communities with the criteria designated as Minority.
- Bridgewater State University and the Massachusetts Department of Corrections are the Town’s two largest employers.
Project Description and Goals
- Where was the project located?
- The project is located on High Street in Bridgewater near the intersection of Wall Street and crosses the Town River.
- What climate change impacts did the project address?
- Inland Flooding and Extreme Heat
- What were the specific goals and tasks of the project?
- Remove the High Street Dam, replace the undersized and aging High Street road-stream crossing over the Town River and protect and enhance surrounding infrastructure and public utilities
- Restore aquatic connectivity to a critical segment of the Town River by directly opening 10 miles of unimpeded access for diadromous fish including river herring
- Replace the bridge with one that can pass the 500-year recurrence interval storm and reduce flooding to adjacent properties
- Tasks included: construction oversight, interpretive materials, dam removal, road/stream crossing replacement, monthly reporting and case study
- Did your project meet the goals:
- Employing nature-based solutions - Yes
- Improving equitable outcomes for and fostering strong partnerships with EJ and other Climate Vulnerable Populations – This can’t be immediately measured but we are confident that this project will reduce the impacts of climate change
- Providing regional benefits – Reducing impacts of climate change will have regional benefits downstream on the Town River.
- Implementing the public involvement and community engagement plan set forth in your application - Yes
- Finishing the project on time - Yes
Results and Deliverables
- Describe, and quantify (where possible) project results (e.g. square footage of habitat restored or created, increase in tree canopy coverage, etc.). Report out on the metrics outlined in your application.
- Directly opened ten (10) miles of unimpeded access for diadromous fish including river herring
- Replaced a 1919 dam that was deemed a significant hazard and obstructed fish passage. Failure of it would have jeopardized the upstream High Street rad/stream crossing
- The road/stream crossing was over 200 years old, undersized and with documented structural issues. It has been replaced with a 55-foot clear span bridge that will withstand larger climate driven storms and reduce the possibility of flooding on adjacent properties
- Post construction fish passage monitoring will evaluate the water depths during the river herring fish passage season and the number of fish navigating this newly restored waterway
- Beginning in 2015 engaged seven governmental agencies and six non-governmental agencies in the planning and restoration process
Lessons Learned
- What lessons were learned as a result of the project?
- Anticipate construction delays and unforeseen conditions
Partners and Other Support
- Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs – EEA Dam & Seawall Program
- Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program – MVP Grant
- Dept. of Fish and Game -DER – Division of Ecological Restoration
- Wild & Scenic Taunton River Stewardship Council
- The Nature Conservancy
- National Fish & Wildlife Foundation – NFWF Coastal Resiliency
- The Dam Owner
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- Bridgewater Department of Public Works