The Town of Ipswich has worked closely with our Ipswich River Municipal Services Program since its inception. One collaborative project is increasing the resiliency of Argilla Road and a section of tidal riverbank in downtown Ipswich that has been badly damaged by climate driven factors. Support for the project includes working to facilitate public meetings to solicit input on the projects, like the meeting this week where Town Manager Anthony Marino spoke about the Town’s initiatives to prepare for a changing climate.

The two projects include flood resiliency and ecological restoration of vulnerable areas in Ipswich. One encompasses stormwater infrastructure improvements and restoration of an eroded section of the Ipswich Riverbank near the County Street Bridge in downtown Ipswich. The other project addresses flood resiliency and ecological restoration of the salt marsh along Argilla Road near Crane Beach by replacing a culvert, elevating the section of the road, and using nature-based bank stabilization techniques.

Both restoration projects, supported by funding from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management use innovative, nature-based techniques to protect and restore public infrastructure from weather-related impacts and future climate change. For more information about the riverbank project visit: www.pie-rivers.org/ipswichriverbankproject. For more information about the Argilla Road project, visit the Trustees story map here.

The June 10th public meeting brought a mix of town residents and partners together in Ipswich Town Hall to learn more about the status of the projects. By the end of June, the riverbank project will have applied for all of the environmental permits needed to complete the restoration work, and will have two local permits in hand. The state and federal agencies should review and approve two more permits over the next fiscal year, and the Town will be poised to begin construction of the work in the fall of 2020. Contact Ipswich DPW Operations Manager Frank Ventimiglia at frankv@ipswichma.gov with any questions.