DPW Projects– Environmental Management Division
Town Brook Dam Removal Feasibility Study
Scope: The Town of Plymouth Department of Public Works Environmental Management Division is currently working on an assessment and feasibility study on the Off Billington Street and Plymco Dams located on Town Brook.
This project will assess the current conditions of the structures and explore the public safety, environmental and cost issues associated with repairing or removing these structures. It will include survey, HEC-RAS modeling, flow and flood analysis, fish passage analysis and sediment contamination review. It will provide cost estimates with each alternative to the Town for final decision-making.
Partners: Town of Plymouth Planning Department, NOAA Restoration Center, Massachusetts Riverways Program, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Massachusetts Bays Program.
Status: Feasability study completed. Awaiting grant funding for the final design for the dam removal.
Schedule/Funding: Feasibility study completed Winter 2007.
Funding Sources:
$49,000.00 NOAA
$25,000.00 Massachusetts Riverways Program
$20,000.00 Town of Plymouth
Eel River Headwaters Restoration Project
Scope: The Town of Plymouth Department of Public Works Environmental Management Division is working with project partners in the restoration of approximately 40 acres of wetlands and 1.25 miles of the Eel River channel originating at the headwaters. The channelized stream will be restored to a natural sinous channel with riparian wetlands through the removal of the water control structures, re-grading of the bogs and the planting of new wetland resource areas, including Atlantic white cedar (click here for pictures). The final design plans are expected in the winter of 2007 for the wetland and river channel
restoration for bogs 1-7. The final design for the potential removal of the Sawmill Pond Dam located downstream is awaiting funding.
This project will provide potential new habitat for brook trout and significant reductions in nutrient loading downstream in the Eel River as well as restoring natural wetland functions and values on a large scale.
Hayden Pond Land Acquisition
As an expanded project scope, the Town reviewed potential land along the Eel River to preserve as conservation land. The Town has acquired a 13 acre parcel along Hayden Pond with $38,500 of the USFWS National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (listed below) and $91,500 of Challenge Grant Money.
Photographs of Hayden Pond Parcel Acquisition
Project Partners: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Massachusetts Riverways, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management, Massachusetts Bays Program, The Nature Conservancy, Eel River Watershed Association.
Conceptual Design Report & Plans:
Status:
Phase I assessment, survey, data collection and conceptual design completed.
Final Design for the Wetland & River Restoration completed.
Currently working on the permitting phase of the project and the completion of the Final Design for the Sawmill Pond Dam Removal.
Permitting:
Click on link to access the application. Public Comment period is October 1 - October 22.
Schedule/Funding:
Phase I: Fall 2006
Funding Sources:
$30,000 Massachusetts Riverways Programs
$25,300 Town of Plymouth
Final Design: February 2008
Funding Sources:
$60,000 Riverways Grant
$30,000 DEP Wetland Mitigation Fund (Total $180,000)
$20,000 MCZM Grant
$30,000 Town of Plymouth
Additional Funding Sources:
$1,000,000 USFWS National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Award
$400,000 DEP 319 Grant Award
$180,000 DEP Wetland Mitigation Fund
$85,167 Natural Resource Conservation Service (Implementation)
$4,995 Riverways Program (Atlantic White Cedar Care)
$4,995 USFWS (Atlantic White Cedar Care)
$50,000 CZM Wetland Restoration Program 08
$5,000 A.D. Makepeace Neighborhood Grant
$15,000 Riverways Program
Grand Total $1,940,457
Pond Monitoring Program
Approved at Spring Town Meeting 2008
The Pond Monitoring Program was created to develop a baseline and assess water quality on a number of ponds in Plymouth. To date, four pond associations and 10 ponds are currently monitored. There are two portions of the monitoring program. The first includes the Biological Monitoring which is conducted by a professional biologist/limnologist. The second includes the Nutrient Monitoring which is conducted by each of the Associations.
Biological Monitoring - Water column profiles, secchi transparency, photoplankton sampling, macrophyte scouting, bathymetric data
Halfway Pond, Round Pond, Gallows Pond, Bloody Pond, Little Long Pond, Long Pond, Billington Sea, Little Pond, Great Herring Pond, Great South Pond
Nutrient Monitoring & Sampling - Collect water quality data, generate solutions & implementation strategies to improve water quality
Six Ponds Association Monitors: Halfway Pond, Round Pond, Gallows Pond, Bloody Pond, Little Long Pond, Long Pond,
Harbor Dredging
Scope: The Town of Plymouth Department of Public Works Environmental Management Division is working assessment, engineering and permitting to dredge portions of Plymouth Harbor. The harbor has not been dredged in decades resulting in safety concerns and loss of mooring areas.
This project will provide for improved navigation in the harbor, increased mooring areas and the long term use of the harbor for commercial and recreational boats.
Partners: Town of Plymouth Harbormasters Office, Massachusetts Seaport Council, Massachusetts Division of Conservation and Recreation – Office of Waterways.
Status: Engineering and permitting are on-going. Phase 1 sediment testing is complete.
Schedule/Funding:
Phase I: Fall 2007
Funding Sources:
$160,000.00 Massachusetts Seaport Council
Engineering for new T-Wharf
Scope: The Town of Plymouth Department of Public Works Environmental Management Division is working on engineering and permitting a new T-Wharf for Plymouth Harbor.
This project will provide engineering and permitting services for a new T-Wharf to serve the commercial fishing fleet in Plymouth Harbor. The new wharf will provide for loading and unloading of vessels, vehicular access, jib cranes, utilities and storm protection.
Partners: Town of Plymouth Harbormasters Office, Massachusetts Seaport Council, Massachusetts Division of Conservation and Recreation – Office of Waterways.
Status: Permitting is ongoing.
Schedule/Funding:
Engineering and Permitting: Permitting is ongoing
Funding Sources:
$150,000.00 Massachusetts Seaport Council
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