CONSTRUCTED & RESTORED WETLANDS
Improving Flood Management, Water Quality, Habitat, And Open Space
Throughout the watershed, wetlands are being created and restored to better provide flood management, filter pollutants, improve habitat, and create open space for residents. These projects came from 1) a settlement through the Industri-Plex Natural Resource Damages Trustee Council, as well as 2) an initiative on the part of the Upper Mystic Working Group that explored constructed and restored wetlands as tools for collaboratively managing precipitation-based flooding. The Maillet, Sommes, and Morgan Project is complete and many more these great projects are moving forward! See below for more details.
The Maillet, Sommes, and Morgan Project in Reading features a series of constructed stormwater wetlands like the one pictured above. These wetlands provide increased stormwater storage capacity and have the co-benefits of improving water quality, better ecological and stream stability, reduction of invasive species, and new open space and trails for people to enjoy. Credit: Isaiah Johnson.
Woburn’s Hurld Park
Hurld Park Concept | Horsley Witten Group Feb 2024. Click to enlarge image.
Along with Mayor Michael Concannon, Ward 3 Alderman Jeff Dillon, and the Woburn Recreation Department, we conducted a community-led visioning process of the former Hurld School and neighboring Hurld Park. The site will consist of a more “natural” area with stream, wetland, and flood plain restoration as well as a constructed wetland; along with a grassy area for the community to gather. The project is currently in the permitting phase. Interested to learn more about the design? Visit the project webpage here. Fill out this form if you would like to receive email updates on this project.
View past presentations:
Woburn’s Shaker Glen
Credit: Daria Clark Santollani
With funding from the Industri-Plex Natural Resource Damages Trustee Council and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the City is creating wetlands at the Shaker Glen site at the intersection of Russell and Lowell Street. The wetlands will manage flooding, create habitat, and extend the open space and walking trail along Shaker Glen Brook.
Visit the project webpage here. Fill out this form if you would like to receive email updates on this project.
View past presentations:
Woburn’s Horn Pond Fish Passage
Credit: Daria Clark Santollani
Stay tuned for a state of the art fish passage that will showcase our amazing herring migration, the largest in Massachusetts. The planned “pool and weir” fish passage — an engineered system of pools along a gentle slope will make it easier for fish to reach 100+ acres of spawning habitat in Horn Pond. Additionally, viewing areas at this new fish passage, including an underwater window, will allow more visitors to witness this amazing migration! The Horn Pond fish passage is currently in the permitting phase.
Visit the project webpage here. Fill out this form if you would like to receive email updates on this project.
View past presentations:
Winchester’s Davidson Park
We are working along with the Town of Winchester to explore improvements to the ecology and passive recreation at Davidson Park — thanks to funding from the Industri-Plex Natural Resource Damages Trustee Council. Check out the project webpage to learn more.
Everett’s Gateway Park
Credit: Karina Ramos
Exciting improvements are happening at Gateway Park! A new boardwalk to bring people closer to the Malden River and the riverbank; and a wetland restoration project that provides flood storage, improves habitat, and filters pollutants. Subscribe to our eNewsletter for upcoming volunteer opportunities and events at Gateway Park. Volunteers help with planting, invasive species removal, picking up trash, and more! Check out the project webpage for more information.
Reading’s Maillet, Sommes, and Morgan Land
Credit: Isaiah Johnson
A big thank you to the Municipal Vulnerability Program for providing funding to construct this project! Completed in 2024, a series of new constructed wetlands at the Maillet, Sommes, and Morgan land provides flood storage, filters pollutants, improves habitat, and has amazing open space amenities for residents! An overview and progress photos are posted on the Town’s web site.
View past presentations:
Jan 2023 Public Meeting Presentation | slides.
Stoneham’s High School Wetland
Stoneham HS students remove invasive bittersweet vines from the wetland. Credit: Daria Clark Santollani
With funding from the Municipal Vulnerability Program, the Town of Stoneham is moving forward on a wetland restoration project behind the high school. This project will provide flood storage, habitat, and improved trails for residents to enjoy!
Visit the project webpage here. Subscribe to our eNewsletter to be notified of volunteer opportunities to remove invasive species in the wetland.
Check back for project updates!
For general inquiries, contact Catherine Pedemonti, MyRWA Senior Climate Resilience Manager at catherine.pedemonti@mysticriver.org. Sign up to be on our newsletter.
