Town of Ipswich Receives Coastal Resiliency Grant

Congratulations to the Town of Ipswich, which was recently awarded a Coastal Resiliency Grant from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. The grant funds, totaling $63,300,  will support a one-year pilot project to identify vulnerable areas along the Ipswich River between the Ipswich Mills dam downtown and the Town Wharf on Water Street. A team of coastal geologists and engineers will be hired by the town to inspect erosion and areas that have deteriorated due to both tidal and inland flooding. The focus of the study will be areas of the river bank adjacent to town infrastructure such as water, sewer, and roads.

The project will also consider the long-term impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and heavier storms, in its recommended improvements, prioritizing “nature-based solutions” to combat the erosion and provide long-term stabilization of the bank. The Ipswich River Watershed Association will partner with the Town to further public education on these topics through signage and public presentations next spring. Additionally, the team will assess the feasibility of constructing a public access area for launching non-motorized boats behind the Ipswich Town Hall.

Multiple municipalities in the Parker-Ipswich-Essex Rivers region took steps to move coastal resiliency projects forward this spring. Among these are the City of Newburyport, which will be working on dune restoration on Plum Island’s barrier beach, and the City of Salem and Salem Sound Coastwatch, which will be furthering their “living shoreline” techniques in Salem Sound. For more information on all of CZM’s awarded projects, click here.