Letter from the Director
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Signs of spring are appearing all over the Commonwealth. Skunk cabbages are rising up in wetlands, wood frogs are emerging and heading to vernal pools, red-winged blackbirds are flitting around, and April showers have been falling. While we all patiently wait for the “May flowers”, I can’t help but notice the growing need for infrastructure to handle the high river flows our spring brings. Ecological restoration helps ensure that our infrastructure can handle the changing climate but also benefits our communities and ecosystems by ensuring public safety, preventing flooding, providing recreational opportunities, improving habitat for fish and wildlife, and more.
Winter and early spring have been a time of both forward motion and preparation for DER. Recently, two DER projects received $5 million in federal funding to implement their restoration work, and in this issue of Ebb & Flow, we share some of the ways DER has been setting the groundwork to enter spring and summer ready for restoration. We review the projects that have been under construction this winter, share exciting news from our Cranberry Bog Restoration Program that advances one of our Priority Projects, look back at an exciting event that allowed us to share our work with partners and colleagues, and share an update on the preliminary dam removal studies DER is supporting in seven municipalities.
I’ll see you on the river,
Beth Lambert, Director
Staff Welcomes
We had some new faces join DER this spring; let’s give a warm welcome to Kirsten and Robert.
Welcome Kirsten Currier. Kirsten joined us in February as DER’s Finance Manager. She brings many years of experience in finance from her previous position as a Deputy Director of Financial Services for the Sheriff’s Office, where she oversaw state and federal funding, procurement, and retained revenues. Outside of combing through budgets and spreadsheets, she enjoys cooking and, in the summer, can be found on the beaches along Massachusetts coasts.
Welcome Robert Kearns. Robert joined us in March as DER’s Restoration Partnerships Coordinator, which allows us to expand this growing program. He has always been interested in restoration and partnerships and most recently, joined us from the Charles River Watershed Association, where he was a Watershed Restoration Specialist. In his free time, Robert enjoys exploring nature by land and by kayak.
Funding Opportunities Coming Soon
DER has released a Notice of Upcoming Funding Opportunity for cranberry bog and coastal wetland restoration projects. When the official Request for Responses is released and the grant opportunity opens, DER will be seeking proposals for funding to advance early phase feasibility studies, project planning and design, and construction for both retired cranberry bog and coastal wetland restoration projects. This Request for Responses is anticipated to be issued later this spring. Visit CommBuys for more information.
Additional funding opportunities may be released this year for ecological restoration projects so be sure to follow DER on Instagram or Twitter for updates.
Construction Check-In
DER had seven projects under construction this winter. Many began in 2023 and will be wrapping up this year. Throughout this issue, you will read about construction on the Windswept Bog Wetland Restoration in Nantucket, Abbey Brook Restoration and Revitalization in Chicopee, and Cold Brook Restoration in Harwich. Check out some updates on other projects under construction right now:
Herring River Estuary Restoration – The largest tidal restoration in the northeastern U.S. is continuing in Wellfleet and Truro with significant progress on multiple construction elements. In March, construction was completed on the temporary bypass bridge that will keep traffic moving while the dike across the mouth of Herring River is replaced. Construction has started on the new bridge with installation of sheet pile and placement of stone armoring. Site work has also started for installation of the Mill Creek water control structure, and over 100 acres of vegetation has been cleared from the former floodplain to guide future salt marsh growth. Project partners include DER, Town of Wellfleet, National Park Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Friends of Herring River, and many others.
High Street River Restoration – The High Street River Restoration Project in Bridgewater opened 10 miles of river habitat and increased access to 354 acres of spawning habitat by removing the High Street Dam and replacing the undersized High Street Bridge. This spring, the focus is on planting to enhance vegetation growth and aim to finish this summer. Partners on this project include DER, Town of Bridgewater, Nature Conservancy, a private dam owner, NOAA, Division of Marine Fisheries, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Taunton River Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council, and others.
Mattapoisett Bogs Restoration - The Mattapoisett Bogs Restoration Project seeks to restore 57 acres of retired cranberry bogs in Mattapoisett to self-sustaining wetlands. The project includes improved in-stream connectivity along Tripps Mill Brook, expanded/enhanced habitat for rare species, and new infrastructure to improve visitor experience. Construction is nearly complete, and has been capped by the installation of three pedestrian bridges that will improve recreational opportunities for the public. Partners on this project include DER, Buzzards Bay Coalition, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Monatiquot / Fore River Restoration - The Monatiquot River Restoration Project removed two dams along the Monatiquot River in Braintree last year. After a brief hiatus this winter, construction is starting again and focusing on excavation for a fish ladder which will restore fish passage, as well as building a boardwalk and trails to enhance public access and recreation. Project partners include DER, Division of Marine Fisheries, Town of Braintree, a private owner of the dams, Fore River Watershed Association, NOAA Restoration Center, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Program, and US Fish & Wildlife Service.
We saw four projects wrap up construction last year. If you missed them, you can catch up in our Winter Ebb & Flow to read about the Manhan River Restoration in Southampton, Frost Road Culvert Replacement in Washington, River Road Culvert Replacement in Windsor, and Heald Street Culvert Replacement in Pepperell.
$1 Million Awarded by USWFS to a DER Cranberry Bog Restoration Project
February brought exciting news for one of DER’s cranberry bog restoration projects. DER, in partnership with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, was awarded $1 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for the Windswept Bog Wetland Restoration Project. As part of USFWS efforts to conserve and restore coastal wetlands, the Service awarded $10.8 million to 12 projects in seven states. Windswept Bog, a DER Priority Project in Nantucket, was selected as one of these projects.
Since 2019, the DER has worked with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation to plan this watershed-scale wetland restoration project. This instrumental funding supports construction, for which Phase One began in January and wrapped up in March. The first phase of this project focused on restoring natural hydrology, eliminating barriers to fish and wildlife movement, enhancing habitat, including for rare species, and providing opportunities for scientific research, public education, and outdoor recreation to 39 acres of retired cranberry bog. In addition, the restored bogs will be added to the larger, publicly accessible 231-acre conservation property and 111 acres of natural wetlands. Phase two of construction is anticipated to begin in the late fall.
Strong partnerships are the backbone of DER’s projects and this project is an example of the teamwork needed to advance restoration. Additional project partners include the Environmental Protection Agency’s Southern New England Estuary Program (SNEP) and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, as well as project engineer Fuss & O’Neill and SumCo Eco-Contracting as the construction contractor.
Preliminary Design Studies Proceed on Seven Dams
In December, DER awarded $350,000 to support preliminary studies on seven dams for potential removal. These studies, funded and managed by DER, help owners of significant hazard dams assess risks and opportunities associated with potentially removing the dam while also providing DER with critical information for future ecological restoration and climate adaptation planning. Funding for this comes from the State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan (SHMCAP) which was adopted last September as the Commonwealth’s 2023 ResilientMass Plan, and from DER’s Operational funds.
Since the announcement, DER selected consulting firms to carry out the studies and DER and partners have been attending site visits throughout the winter to the seven dams selected in Athol, Attleboro, Colrain, Groton, Shirley, North Andover, Monson, Phillipston, and Shutesbury. These site visits allow the consultants, DER, dam owners, and other potential partners to see the site in person and guide the design that will come later. Additionally, it is an opportunity to begin collecting preliminary data such as dam size, channel morphology, additional infrastructure surrounding the dam, sediment sampling, and more. Throughout the spring, consultants, with the guidance of DER and partners, will prepare preliminary designs, an estimate of cost, and a report outlining all the findings of the study including potential constraints and recommendations for removal of each dam. To see an example of what happens during those studies, check out DER’s Instagram reel about a site visit in Monson. With over 3,000 dams in Massachusetts, most no longer serving their original purpose and many in disrepair, preliminary assessments like this can advance river restoration and climate resilience at a time when it’s needed most.
Site Tour of the Abbey Brook Restoration and Revitalization
In February, DER led a site walk of a Priority Project in Chicopee to colleagues from the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). Selected as part of DER’s Priority Projects Program in 2018, DER has been working with the City of Chicopee to restore Abbey Brook by removing two dams, replacing an undersized culvert, and “daylighting” a 250-foot stretch of river that currently runs underground. When complete, the Abbey Brook Restoration and Revitalization Project will reconnect 1.5 miles of Abbey Brook with the downstream Chicopee River.
EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper and DFG Commissioner Tom O’Shea were joined by other officials at this and other sites to learn about dams, bridges, and small culverts, as well as the many benefits of restoring rivers such as Abbey Brook. The project is located within the heart of the city, and the restoration will benefit the community such as reducing flood risk and eliminating the risk to public safety posed by the deteriorating infrastructure. Replacing the aging culvert, which currently runs under a road that contains critical cable and internet utilities, will reduce flooding and the risk posed to that critical infrastructure. Additionally, the project will improve water quality and enhance recreational opportunities in the surrounding Szot Park.
Currently in Phase One of construction, one dam has been removed and park improvements are underway. Abbey Brook is one of the many active DER projects that are working to build climate resilience by removing old and deteriorating dams and culverts. Project partners include the City of Chicopee, the Municipal Vulnerability Program, and the EEA Dam and Seawall Program.
Project Highlight: Cold Brook Restoration
Wetlands are well-known for being natural filters. The soil and plants found in wetlands remove pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorous from the water. But could that be enhanced? DER and partners are taking an innovative approach with wetland restoration to specifically filter groundwater at a Priority Project in Harwich.
The Cold Brook Restoration Project will restore 50 acres of former commercial cranberry bog into a healthy, self-sustaining wetland and restore over 4,000 linear feet of river channel along Cold Brook. Along with the many benefits of cranberry bog restoration such as reduced flood risk, improved habitat for many species, and increased coastal resilience, this project is also exploring restoration as a way to reduce unwanted nitrogen (a process called denitrification). Having excess levels of nitrogen in these coastal areas can lead to algae growth which harm water quality, decrease oxygen levels that fish and other aquatic life need to survive, and closes these waterways to recreation.
The Cold Brook Reserve is in a unique location in the watershed, where a large amount of groundwater moves through it and out to Saquatucket Harbor. This provides an opportunity to capture groundwater and treat it naturally through the newly restored wetland complex to decrease nitrogen. With that in mind, the engineer specifically designed the restoration plans to add ponds and shallow emergent marshes and create a more sinuous river channel for Cold Brook which will enhance the denitrification process. Construction began in September of 2023 to create those systems and has progressed throughout the winter.
Most of Southeastern Massachusetts is facing this growing issue of nitrogen damage, so projects like this could catalyze a new and natural solution to enhance denitrification. As the project wraps up this year, walking trails and accessible paths will be added to allow the public to witness and enjoy nature being reclaimed. Primary project partners include DER, the Harwich Conservation Trust, the Town of Harwich, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.