The Cape Cod Conservation District has prepared an update to the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project Master Plan.
The original Plan, completed in 2005, identified a total of 76 priority coastal restoration projects across Cape Cod. The plan was developed by the Cape Cod Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and approved by the Congress. The Congressional approval authorized $30 million in federal grant funds to the NRCS to implement the overall program.
The projects included in the original 2005 plan identified 24 new fish passage improvement projects, 26 new stormwater management projects to restore shellfish habitat and 26 new salt marsh restoration projects.
Our fish ladder projects are designed to restore fish passage on exiting anadromous fish runs. River Herring are just one of the many species that migrate from the ocean to fresh-water bodies to spawn. Many of these passages are failing or have obstructions that impede the access to spawning areas.
Our stormwater projects restore and protect local shellfish beds by treating the road runoff. The projects can vary in size and utilize a variety of treatment methods.
The saltmarsh projects are designed to reduce tidal restrictions, like dams, failed culverts, undersized bridges that impact the tidal flow, reduce water-quality and jeopardize fish and other wildlife habitat.
With most of the projects in the original plan having been completed, the Conservation District was tasked by the NRCS to prepare an update to the Master Plan and identify new coastal restoration projects for consideration.
The report was prepared under the District’s contract with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to "Evaluate and Recommend Updates or Revisions to the CCWRRP Project Final Watershed and Areawide Environmental Impact Statement." The work was completed this past summer, and the recommendations were submitted to NRCS’s headquarters this past fall.
The new projects that were identified in the plan were based on District research and discussions with local officials, state fisheries and shellfish experts in each of Cape Cod’s 15 communities.
Approximately 129 stormwater project sites that were evaluated and, of those, 51 priority projects were recommended for consideration.
Approximately 148 restricted Fish Passage project sites were evaluated, and 31 priority project sites that were recommended.
Approximately, 96 Salt Marsh restoration sites were reviewed and evaluated, and 16 priority project sites were recommended.
The estimated costs for all the additional projects exceed $250 million.
The plan is under review at the NRCS and the District is expecting to hear the results of the review in early 2022.