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News  Work Continues to Restore 500 acres of Wetlands on Retired Cranberry Farmland

DER is currently working with local, state, and federal partners to advance 8 active restoration projects on retired cranberry farmland
8/26/2019
  • Division of Ecological Restoration
Undersized culvert

DER is currently working with local, state, and federal partners to advance eight (8) active restoration projects (~500 acres) on retired cranberry farmland. In addition, our staff is working closely with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to develop the next wave of potential projects. Highlights include:

  • Foothills Preserve and West Beaver Dam Brook Restoration Project (Plymouth) – DER continues to support the Town of Plymouth, USDA NRCS, and Mass Audubon to restore wetlands on this approximately 50-acre former farm site. DER recently awarded $75,000 in grant funding to the Town to support final engineering design, permitting, and bid phase services. The project is expected to move into implementation in early 2020.
  • Mill Brook Bogs Restoration Project (Freetown) – Under contract to DER, Stantec Consulting Services completed preliminary engineering plans, a basis-of-design report, and cost estimates for this large project in June 2019. Approximately 200-acres of historic wetlands and surrounding transitional areas will be restored. New project partner, Save the Bay, is working with DER to develop vegetation monitoring. DER expects to issue a bid request for final design and permitting service in September to carry the momentum forward.
  • Coonamessett River Restoration Project (Falmouth) – Contractor bids were just received by the Town of Falmouth for Phase 2 of project implementation. A groundbreaking event is scheduled for late October - stay tuned for more details. This phase of work will restore an additional 30+ acres of riparian corridor and 3,000 linear feet of the Coonamessett River, remove a valley-spanning earthen dike, and replace an undersized culvert along John Parker Road. This work serves to complement Phase 1 of the project, which included restoration of over 10 acres of riparian corridor and 1,600 linear feet of stream, and removal of the first dam from the ocean.
  • Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve (Harwich) – The project team is collecting new data and updating models to help evaluate various design elements with respect to future sea level rise for this low-lying former cranberry bog.
  • Childs River Restoration Project (Falmouth and Mashpee) – DER is providing support in a variety of forms to the landowner, Falmouth Rod and Gun Club, and other partners. In June, under contract to DER, a preliminary historical study was completed by the Public Archeological Lab and sediment sampling and large wood delivery to the site were completed by Inter-Fluve, Inc. DER will contract for the next phase of historical assessment this fall. The Association to Preserve Cape Cod is providing project management assistance to help advance this work. Once completed this project will restore wetlands on two small retired cranberry farms, replace a culvert, remove an old dam, and restore fish habitat and passage in this small coastal watershed.
  • Mattapoisett Bogs (Mattapoissett) – Under contract to the Buzzards Bay Coalition (BBC), GZA GeoEnvironmental recently completed conceptual engineering designs for the project. This work was made possible by a grant from DER. With a recent award from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, the next phase of engineering design will soon commence.
NRCS and MMI staff survey a new potential restoration site in Plymouth.
NRCS and MMI staff survey a new potential restoration site in Plymouth.
  • New potential projects – DER completed the first wave of conceptual design studies for new potential projects in June. All three sites (Plymouth, Carver, and Wareham) are currently in the land protection phase with NRCS, and will make excellent future wetland restoration projects. Thanks to the three firms that worked closely with DER to complete this work: Fuss and O’Neil, Milone & MacBroom, and Beals & Thomas.

Image at top: This undersized culvert along John Parker Road will be replaced as part of Phase II of the Coonamesset River Restoration Project.

 

  • Division of Ecological Restoration 

    DER restores and protects rivers, wetlands, and watersheds in Massachusetts for the benefit of people and the environment.
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