PROJECTS
Galilee Salt Marsh Restoration
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Executive SummaryThe Galilee Salt Marsh was the first Section 1135 Environmental Restoration project constructed by New England District, winning a Coastal America Partnership Award in 1999, as it represented a significant step toward Coastal America’s goal of restoring degraded salt marsh habitat in the northeast region.
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The Galilee Salt Marsh Restoration project restored 34 acres of former salt marsh from a degraded condition to a salt marsh valuable to fish and wildlife habitat. |
To allow regular tides entering the Galilee Salt Marsh from Bluff Hill Cove, the Corps’ contractor reconstructed the historic channel and excavated the dredged material placed in the west side of the marsh during the 1950s, and installed new, twin 6 foot by 10 foot box culverts with self regulating tide gates beneath the Galilee Escape Road. |
Salt marsh vegetation and tidal creek in the former dredged material disposal area five years after completion of construction of the Galilee Salt Marsh Restoration Project. |
Disposal of dredged material from the navigation improvements at the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge in the 1950s filled in a portion of the historic salt marsh and construction of the Galilee Escape Road cut it off from tidal exchange for many years. This led to the degradation of the majority of the marsh from high value salt marsh habitat to lower value common reed marsh. The Section 1135 project restored approximately 34 acres of former salt marsh from a degraded condition which consisted primarily of fresh water wetland overgrown with common reed (Phragmites australis) and shrubs. Construction was completed and tidal flow restored to the estuary in October 1997.
For more information, please contact the Project Manager, by e-mail or by calling 978-318-8113.
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