Weir Creek Restoration Public Meeting Held in Dennis, MA
At the recent community meeting hosted by our team in partnership with Association to Preserve Cape Cod, Town of Dennis, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Woods Hole Group, we reviewed hydrologic/hydraulic modeling results and different replacement options for two culverts along Lower County Road – a low-lying roadway in Dennis, MA that is prone to routine flooding. The public had an opportunity to provide initial comments and questions regarding the tidal restoration options.
Two deteriorated, undersized Weir Creek culverts under Lower County Road in Dennis, MA restrict tidal flow to approximately 120 acres of upstream wetland habitat, which has resulted in the degradation of salt marsh and stream habitat, increased cover of invasive phragmites, and reduced nutrient flushing. We designed a number of site improvements, including replacement of the old pipes with precast box culverts with increased hydraulic capacity and raising the roadway elevation. These improvements will provide long-term, durable infrastructure that is resilient to climate change and sea level rise to mitigate roadway flooding and accessibility, while improving tidal flushing and restoring valuable saltwater marsh habitats within the Weir Creek watershed.
Proposed design for the culvert replacements and roadway improvements.