After extensive research and more than 15 years of planning, the Herring River Restoration Project in Wellfleet broke ground in March 2023. The project will increase tidal influence in the Herring River with the goal of improving water quality in Wellfleet Harbor, which would benefit the aquaculture operations there.
The increased flow will cause changes in the Herring River system, possibly including sediment (clay, silt, and sand) transport/movement in and out of the Herring River and Wellfleet Harbor. With this understanding, the Cape Cod Conservation District contracted the Center for Coastal Studies (Department of Marine Geology) to undertake a baseline study on sediment transport dynamics and monitoring protocol (including the creation of a pre-construction seamless onshore/offshore map) before restoration at Chequessett Neck Road began.