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Town of Falmouth seeks Corps permit to dredge, nourish beach, reconstruct jetty, do other work in Falmouth

Published Oct. 24, 2017

CONCORD, Mass. –The town of Falmouth is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the U.S. in conjunction with dredging and other work in Falmouth, Mass. This work is proposed in Bournes Pond/Vineyard Sound at 0 Menauhant Road in Falmouth.

 

The proposed work involves dredging and the discharge of dredged material below the high tide line (HTL) of waters of the U.S. The dredging will be an approximately 3.4-acre area to a depth of approximately 7 feet below the horizontal plane of mean low water. An estimated quantity of 11,000 cubic yards of sand will be removed by mechanical means and disposed of as beach nourishment on Menauhant Beach. This estimated volume includes all overdredge material. The majority of the beach nourishment will be placed above the HTL; however, 2,050 square feet of material will be placed below the HTL.

 

The project purpose is to widen the Bournes Pond inlet channel to increase tidal flushing to Bournes Pond and provide beach nourishment on Menauhant Beach. The widening of the Bournes Pond inlet would be done in conjunction with the replacement of the Menauhant Road Bridge. The inlet is proposed to be widened from its existing width of 50 feet to 90 feet. In addition, the west jetty would be reconstructed and extended by 25 feet, 25 feet of the existing west groin would be removed and rebuilt, and the east jetty will be moved further east to accommodate the inlet widening. The jetty reconstructions will result in approximately 2,500 square feet of fill.

 

Approximately 81,000 square feet of the dredge footprint was previously permitted in 2012 by Department of the Army Permit #NAE-2010-145 and is maintenance dredging. Approximately 68,000 square feet of new dredging is proposed: 40,000 square feet for the inner pond channel and 27,900 square feet for the inlet channel widening. The proposed dredge volume is 11,000 cubic yards. The construction of the Menauhant Road Bridge is not under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers. However, the Corps does have jurisdiction over the three, 6-foot x 35-foot bridge abutments and two rip-rap side slopes associated with the bridge.

 

The proposed project has been designed to avoid and minimize impacts as much as possible. The project is intended as a water quality improvement project by increasing tidal flushing within Bournes Pond. The increase in tidal flow into the system will enhance water quality and habitat. Mitigation is not proposed.

 

The project will impact approximately 4.5 acres of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) for various species and life stages. This habitat consists of subtidal 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. 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 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 work proposed by the town of Falmouth, can be viewed on the Corps website at ww.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.

 

Public comments on this work proposed by the town of Falmouth (file # NAE-2017-1057) should be forwarded no later than Nov. 24, 2017 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Kevin Kotelly), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Kevin Kotelly at 978-318-8703 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: kevin.r.kotelly@usace.army.mil.


Contact
Tim Dugan
978-318-8264
cenae-pa@usace.army.mil

Release no. 17-122