Phase One Of Coonamessett River Restoration Project Completed 5-1-18
Phase One Of Coonamessett River Restoration Project Completed
By BRAD COLE May 1, 2018
The Falmouth Enterprise
The Coonamessett River restoration project marks a major milestone this Sunday, May 6.
"Phase 1 will be completed when we cut the ribbon and walk across the new pedestrian walkway on Sunday," said Elizabeth H. Gladfelter, lead coordinator for the project.
The 305-foot walkway ties into existing roadways on both the east and west sides of the river. As the project continues, it will connect to an approximately one-mile-long loop around Lower Bog. This loop is a small part of the Coonamessett Greenway Heritage Trail, a 3.5-mile trail that will feature multiple loops around the river.
The Coonamessett River Trust and the Town of Falmouth will host a ribbon cutting for the new boardwalk and river crossing at 1 PM at Dexter's Mill Crossing in East Falmouth, near 58 John Parker Road. Because of limited parking in the area, Dr. Gladfelter advises people to arrive early and park by the middle and upper bogs.
Dexter's Mill Crossing is where Philip Dexter installed a grist mill in 1700.
"This is the first time the river has run free in this area in 300 years," Dr. Gladfelter said.
The ribbon cutting will be followed by a herring tagging demonstration by the Coonamessett River Trust at 2 PM. This will showcase the trust's Adopt-A-Herring program, which allows people to follow their adopted herring as it travels from the ocean to the spawning freshwater pond.
"The tagging enables us to know the geographical movement of the fish, how many go to Flax Pond versus Coonamessett Pond, how the barriers impede their movement, how long it takes for them to get to the pond and how long they stay in the pond," Dr. Gladfelter said.
Adopt-A-Herring forms are available on the Coonamessett River Trust Facebook page. It costs $12 to adopt a herring, $30 to adopt three herrings, $50 for six, $75 for nine or $100 for 12. Adopted herring can be donated to local schools so students can learn about the life cycle of the herring and local watersheds. Questions on the "Adopt-A-Herring" program or donating to the trust can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
In addition, the trust will offer tours of the newly restored lower portion of the Coonamessett River.
Phase 1 of the project included removing the lower dam, removing approximately two to three feet of sand from the riverbed, and reorienting the river running up to the middle dam.
"The river has been made 30 percent longer," Dr. Gladfelter said. "It now has eight deeper pools secured with root wads."
These were placed at the outer bank of the river bed, allowing water to flow and pool beneath them. In addition to reorienting the river, this provides a new habitat for fish. Sand was removed from the riverbed for a similar reason.
"The whole platform is about two to three feet lower," Dr. Gladfelter said. "The bottom of the channel—most is down to the glacial outwash plain gravel. The structure of the riverbed is much more complex and fish-friendly."
That process will continue with Phase 2, which restores the middle and upper bogs. Much like in Phase 1, the river will be extended using large wooden debris and sand will be removed from the riverbed.
In addition, the middle dam will be removed and replaced with a crossing as part of the Coonamessett Greenway Heritage Trail. The project will also replace the culvert at John Parker Road.
"There are three deteriorating pipe culverts there," Dr. Gladfelter said. "They will be replaced with a larger concrete culvert."
She confirmed that permitting is underway for Phase 2 of the project. Construction is scheduled to run from 2018 to 2020.
In total, the river restoration will cost approximately $4.5 million between grants and in-kind donations. Funding for the project has come from a variety of grants and sources, including the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Falmouth Community Preservation Fund and the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration.
Dr. Gladfelter acknowledged that the site looks rough around the edges right now, but that is going to change. The Botanical Club of Cape Cod and Islands has partnered with the New England Wild Flower Society to collect native seed to be planted along the river.
"That native seed will be returned to the newly restored wetlands," she said. "It will green up quickly."
