Designs and Permitting Complete (2020-2022)
Lead Organization(s): Town of Newbury and Ipswich River Watershed Association
Project Contact:
Neil Shea, Restoration Program Director, IRWA
nshea@ipswichriver.org
About the Project
Watershed: Parker River
Municipality: Newbury
Building off of several efforts by the Town of Newbury Public Works and Conservation departments, Ipswich River Watershed
Association and partners, this new project aims to replace an ecologically important stream crossing in Newbury, located in the Parker River Watershed. The project includes engineering, survey and design work for replacement of a hard structure to widen the creek channel, restore more natural flow conditions, and minimize scour pools to provide natural flood protection, water quality enhancement and wetland restoration.
The project site was first identified through the Great Marsh Barrier Mitigation Project, funded by a grant from the MassBays National Estuaries Partnership. It is also listed in the Town of Newbury’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Plan, completed in June 2018, as well as ranking high on The Nature Conservancy’s diadromous fish analysis.
The engineering, surveying, design work, and permitting was completed in 2021 via a MVP Action Grant. PIE-Partners have continued to work with the Town of Newbury in order to locate and secure funding for implementation of the upgraded structure and anticipate going out to bid for construction in 2024.
For more information on this project, check out the project case study here.