Plymouth Long Beach Projects

Plymouth Long Beach Mixed Sediment Nourishment

Long Beach is not only a popular recreational area and important site for breeding and migrating shorebirds; it provides critical storm damage and flood protection for Plymouth Harbor and the downtown waterfront area. Significant erosion in the area near the Day Parking Area compromises the beach's ability to provide these important functions. In recent years, severe storms have caused significant lowering of the beach, damage to the gravel access road and adjacent private properties, and loss of shorebird habitat.

This project uses a nature-based approach to promote coastal resiliency, reduce repetitive maintenance, and enhance the beach's ability to provide storm damage protection and flood control as the climate changes. A mixed sediment material consisting of sand, gravel and cobble compatible with the native beach material will be used to nourish the project area. The goal of the project is to enhance the beach's resiliency to storm damage and sea level rise by adding a sufficient volume of compatible mixed sediment material to help protect Ryder Way, increase available shorebird habitat and enhance the natural function of the barrier beach to buffer storm impacts to Plymouth Harbor and the downtown waterfront area.

Construction Phase: Completed March 2023

The construction phase consists of placing approximately 35,600 cubic yards of mixed-sediment nourishment material comprised of a mix of sand, gravel and cobble compatible with the native beach sediment in a 270,000 square-foot area beginning at the Day Parking Area and extending northward for 2,000 linear feet. Material will be graded to the designed slopes that modeling has shown will provide greater resiliency for the beach, reduce storm impacts and increase the design life of the nourishment project as well as create new or improved nesting habitat. Construction is expected to begin over the winter of 2023 and be completed by April 1, 2023. Funding and technical assistance for this project were provided by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management through the Coastal Resilience Grant Program.

Project Funding: $2 million (Grant) / $750,570 (Town)

Design and Permitting Phase: Completed

The Town of Plymouth worked with Foth Infrastructure and Environment LLC and Applied Coastal Research and Engineering, Inc. to complete the design and permitting phase of the nourishment project. Work completed during this phase included surveying existing conditions, including field survey and shellfish survey; sediment sampling and analysis and compatibility assessment; coastal modeling, alternatives analysis and design; permit application preparation and submission; and preparation of bid specifications. Funding and technical assistance for this project were provided by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management through the Coastal Resilience Grant Program.

Project Funding: $139,800 (Grant) / $46,600 (Town)

Project Partners: Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

Plymouth Beach Seawall & Revetment Reconstruction

The project area is located near the entrance to Plymouth Beach. The structural integrity of the seawall in this area was compromised and it needed to be replaced. The Town had repaired the seawall and associated revetment many times over the last decade. Despite these efforts, portions of the seawall failed as a result of storm damage from winter storms in 2017 and 2018, and the Town performed emergency repairs to stabilize the shifted panels of the seawall. This project replaced the failed sections with a larger, more substantial seawall to provide increased protection for the upland areas in light of increasing coastal impacts resulting from climate change. Replacement of the failed seawall provides increased protection for Route 3A and the access to recreational areas and private properties on Long Beach.

Construction Phase: Completed November 2020

This project reconstructed 600ft of failed seawall and revetment. The existing revetment was removed and the failed seawall was demolished. The new footing and seawall was formed and poured in place and the revetment reconstructed in front of the new wall. The project was completed in two phases (April to June 2020 and September to November 2020) to minimize impacts of the winter storm season on the project and accommodate the summer recreational season. This project was funded by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs through the Dam and Seawall Repair and Removal Program.

Project Funding: $3 million (Grant) / $1.03 million (Town)

Design & Permitting Phase: Completed June 2018

The Town of Plymouth engaged Applied Coastal Research and Engineering, Inc. to complete the design and permitting phase of the repair of the failed portions of the seawall. This project funded the steps required prior to the construction phase, including design work and applications for the required environmental permits. This project was funded by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs through the Dam and Seawall Repair or Replacement Program.

Project Funding: $81,262 (Grant) / $27,088 (Town)