CONCORD, Mass. – Mashpee Neck Marina, Inc. is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the U.S. to dredge, replace bulkheads and relocate boat ramp and do other work in Mashpee, Mass. The work is proposed in Shoestring Bay at 21 Frog Pond Close in Mashpee.
The proposed work involves the replacement of the existing deteriorated timber/composite bulkheads, relocation of the existing boat ramp, installation of a new boat wash (with recycling power wash system), dredging with on-site and off-site re-use of sediments, reconfiguration and expansion of the existing float system (including authorization of a reconfiguration zone), relocation of the existing fuel dock and shed along with ancillary site amenities, including a new timber deck and walkway and additional on-site parking.
The new bulkhead will be approximately 330 feet in length and include 12-inch diameter timber fender piles spaced 3 feet on-center along the seaward face. The existing boat ramp will be removed and a new 18-foot by 88-foot reinforced, cast-in-place concrete boat ramp will be constructed approximately 40 feet east of the existing ramp location. A new fuel dock will be installed adjacent to the boat ramp and consist of a 10-foot by 42-foot floating dock and a 4-foot by 25-foot aluminum gangway.
A new reconfiguration zone will allow the applicant to rearrange any permitted structures within that zone without applying for a permit; but does not allow an increase in the total number of slips, the square footage of the floats, or the extension of any structures or any vessels moored to any structures beyond the limits of the reconfiguration zone once it is established, unless Corps authorization is received.
The current docking facility at the marina is comprised of about 6,433 square feet of seasonal, timber floats. The existing dock configuration will be modified and expanded to a total of about 18,982 square feet, resulting in a net increase of about 12,549 square feet. The new marina docking facility will provide slip space for up to 154 vessels.
The project proposes to conduct both maintenance and improvement dredging to provide adequate water depth for the expanded floating dock system and vessels throughout the tide cycles. The proposed dredging will be performed over an approximate total area of about 4.3 acres and to a depth of -4.6 feet with a 1-foot allowable overdredge to a depth of -5.6 feet. An estimated 19,240 cubic yards of sediment will be dredged from the total footprint area. Dredging is proposed to be conducted by mechanical or hydraulic methods, and sediments will be dewatered on-site within a designated containment area. Approximately 1,500 cubic yards of sediment dredged from the immediate vicinity of the bulkhead will be dewatered and reused as fill on site behind the bulkhead. The remaining materials will be disposed of at an upland facility.
The proposed project will impact approximately 4.3 acres of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) for various species and life stages. This habitat consists of a silty, coarse to fine sand. Loss of this habitat may adversely affect these species. However, the Corps has made a preliminary determination that the site-specific adverse effect will not be substantial because work outside of the time of year restrictions will avoid impacts to these species. Further consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding EFH conservation recommendations is being conducted and will be concluded prior to the final permit decision.
The application for the federal permit was filed with the Corps in compliance with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which provides for federal regulation of any work in, or affecting navigable waters of the U.S.; and with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in U.S. waters, including wetlands. The public notice, with more specifics on the proposed work by Mashpee Neck Marina, Inc., can be viewed on the Corps website at www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.
Public comments on this work proposed by Mashpee Neck Marina, Inc. (file # NAE-2006-2309) should be forwarded no later than Aug. 11, 2017 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Lindsey Lefebvre), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Lindsey Lefebvre at 978-318-8295 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: lindsey.e.lefebvre@usace.army.mil.