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NATURAL RESOURCES
Rivers End Park Salt Marsh Restoration, New Bedford Harbor
New Bedford, MA
Beals + Thomas initially designed and prepared permits for a 15,000 sf salt marsh at the then future Rivers End Park. The design evaluated existing soils, vegetative communities, and tidal regimes at the site. Deepening and widening an existing channel to create a tidal creek leading from the Acushnet River into the salt marsh creation area was proposed to allow the tidal flushing necessary to promote the growth of salt marsh vegetation while minimizing impacts to the existing salt marsh.
Subsequently, MassCEC identified the salt marsh creation project as part of the mitigation package for the South Terminal project. Beals + Thomas revised the design to increase the salt marsh creation area to one acre and to create a hydrologically open edge to the river, and also provided construction administration services.
Damde Meadow Salt Marsh Restoration, World’s End Reservation
Hingham, MA
Beals + Thomas undertook comprehensive surveying, design, permitting (including emergency permitting) and construction administration to remove hydraulic restrictions and perform public safety improvements as part of the restoration of Damde Meadows salt marsh for The Trustees of Reservations. Two existing box culverts were removed, dredging was performed to create open channels leading to Hingham Harbor, and a new vehicular-rated pedestrian bridge was constructed. Extensive coordination for authorization was required with multiple agencies, including ACOE, NOAA, DEP, NHESP, MHC, DMF, CZM, MEPA, and the Hingham Conservation Commission.
Please click here to learn more about how World’s End has become a fantastic community resource.
Coolidge Point Stream Restoration
Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
Beals + Thomas provided coastal and wetland delineation, design and permitting services to address a hydraulic restriction at a pedestrian crossing over a tidal creek on property owned by The Trustees of Reservations. The channel was widened at the existing crossing and the existing footbridge was replaced with a new structure designed with a greater span. The project has resulted in increased capacity of tidal flow into Clarke Pond, restoration of Land Subject to Tidal Action, and reduced flooding of upland areas bordering Clark Pond during significant rainfall events. Permitting was undertaken with ACOE, DEP, and the Manchester Conservation Commission.
Coastal Bank Stabilization
Welfleet, MA
Beals + Thomas was retained to assist with the permitting of a coastal bank stabilization project along Wellfleet Harbor. The project site was experiencing severe erosion, largely due to 2,800± linear feet of updrift stone revetment. Beals + Thomas undertook emergency permitting with the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) and the local Conservation Commission to allow for implementation of a temporary pile wall should it become necessary to protect the coastal bank while the full stabilization was undergoing the permitting process.
The full stabilization required local and state permitting including a Notice of Intent, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) 401 Water Quality Certification, MA DEP Chapter 91 Waterways License, NHESP Conservation and Management Permit, Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Category 2 General Permit, and Massachusetts Historic Commission (MHC) Project Notification Form.
Hale Reservation
Westwood/Dover, MA
Beals + Thomas worked with Hale Reservation to catalogue, photograph, and map the various natural resource features on-site. The information was utilized by Reservation staff and the Board of Directors to aid in the management of programs and the stewardship of this remarkable property. The extensive investigation used both existing studies and additional observations to create a report describing the various woodlands, wetlands, ponds, fields, and wildlife habitat present on the Reservation. The report comprises the Natural Resources Inventory portion of Hale Reservation’s Master Plan.
The report described attributes of the land in detail, paying special attention to the water quality of ponds and wells. It also documented the status of both plant and animal species on the Reservation and inventoried vernal pools. Beals + Thomas outlined management opportunities for Hale Reservation, including recommendations for the control of invasive species, maintenance of trail systems, water quality management, and sewage disposal systems. The comprehensive guidance to the Hale Reservation encouraged the use of an action plan, coordination with adjacent conservation landowners, educational initiatives, and proper allocation of resources to result in effective stewardship of this regionally significant property.