This Master Plan covers 1,153 acres of federally owned land at the Cape Cod Canal within Bourne, Sandwich, and Wareham, Massachusetts. The Cape Cod Canal is known as the gateway to America's Intra-Coastal Waterways. It is also the gateway to Cape Cod, one of America's finest and most popular vacation regions. Whether passing through the Canal by boat, driving by the waterway on adjacent highways, driving over it on either the Bourne or Sagamore bridge or merely resting on its shores or walking the miles of abutting service roads, it is an impressive anthropogenic construction full of history and navigational significance.
The Cape Cod Canal is the New England District's most heavily visited project as witnessed by the presence of well over a million annual visitors since 1964. It is not the size of the project that populates the banks of the Canal with visitors but the unique setting that attracts the tourists. The Canal is operated 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. During the daytime, visitors see an array of vessels from a small fishing charter to a double-hulled barge being pulled or pushed by 1 or 2 tugboats making the voyage through. The waters of the Canal hosts a variety of saltwater flora and fauna for hundreds of fisherman to sport and onlookers to enjoy. At night, the lights along the banks form a double string outlining the “S” shape of the Canal and the bridges are lit for a safe journey for boats along the waterway. The infamous Railroad Bridge also allows for safe travel for tourists over the water and assistance to Cape Cod residents for refuse transport. There is always the fresh embracing scent of salt air as the most popular activities are conducted including sightseeing, saltwater fishing, exercise, picnicking and camping.
Access areas with courtesy picnic and sanitary facilities have been provided by the Corps to accommodate visitor activities and interpretive bulletin boards are located throughout the project. A Visitor Center and Museum is located in Sandwich, MA to accommodate thousands of visitors per year in search of information on the history of the Canal and local area.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is updating the Cape Cod Canal Master Plan. The Master Plan is the strategic land use management document that guides the comprehensive management and development of all project resources throughout the life of a USACE project. The Master Plan guides efficient and cost-effective management, development, and use of project lands. It is a vital tool for the responsible stewardship and sustainability of project resources for the benefit of present and future generations. The Master Plan guides and articulates USACE responsibilities, pursuant to federal laws to preserve, conserve, restore, maintain, manage, and develop project lands and waters and associated resources. The intent of an updated Master Plan is to present a current inventory and assessment of resources, provide an analysis of resource use, and evaluate existing and future needs required to protect and improve the value of resources at a project.
The current Cape Cod Canal Master Plan, last approved in 1975, needs revision to address changes in regional land use, population, outdoor recreation trends, and the USACE management policy. Key topics to be discussed in the revised Master Plan include revised land use classifications, new natural and recreational resource management objectives, recreation facility needs, and special issues such as invasive species management and threatened and endangered species habitat. The Master Plan revision WILL NOT address the technical and operational aspects of the lake related to flood risk management or the water conservation missions of the project. During the process, the team will collect data, conduct analysis, prepare a draft report (which will become available for public and agency comments), and ultimately finalize and adopt the new Master Plan.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is initiating the revision process for the Master Plan (MP) at the Cape Cod Canal. The revision process will not address the current bridge replacement project at the Cape Cod Canal. USACE defines the MP as the strategic land use management document that guides the comprehensive management and development of all recreational, natural, and cultural resources throughout the life of the water resource development project. Bridge replacement is outside of the scope of USACE MPs.
The MP defines "how" USACE will manage the resources for public use and resource conservation. Key topics to be discussed in the revised MP include revised land use classifications, new natural and recreational resource management objectives, recreation facility needs, and special issues such as invasive species management and threatened and endangered species habitat.
The current MP for the Cape Cod Canal, last approved in 1975, needs revision to address changes in regional land use, population, outdoor recreation trends, and USACE management policy.
USACE is seeking public input prior to master plan development and revision in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The public involvement process will be conducted online for the initial scoping period and the materials will be made available on February 26, 2026, at the website below. A virtual open house presentation will be held to present the draft version of the resource management master plan, anticipated March 2027, which includes a comment period for public input. The final document release date for the revised Plan is anticipated for September 2027. The public is invited to view information found at the following website:
www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Cape-Cod-Canal/Cape-Cod-Canal-Master-Plan/
The website contains a brief presentation describing the revision process, a copy of the current Cape Cod Canal Master Plan, maps of the current land classifications, and instructions for submitting comments to USACE.
A 30-day public comment period for this initial scoping will begin February 26, 2026, and end March 28, 2026. The public can send comments, suggestions, and concerns during this time.
Comments can be submitted in writing, mailed to John MacPherson, Canal Manager, at the Cape Cod Canal Field Office, 40 Academy Dr. P.O Box 1555, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-1555, or via phone 508-759-4431, or email to: CapeCodCanalMasterPlan@USACE.Army.Mil.