Upper Coonamessett River Wetlands Complex Restoration Project
The Coonamessett River
The Coonamessett River, the third largest groundwater fed stream on Cape Cod, flows approximately three miles from Coonamessett Pond to the two mile long Great Pond estuary and farther out into Vineyard Sound. One of the Spring Sapping valleys of Falmouth, the river formed ~15,000 years ago during the last glacial retreat. In colonial times, the hydrology and water chemistry of the valley changed due to a succession of grist and woolen mills, the construction of cranberry bogs, and most recently, residential development. The lower one mile of river was restored by 2020 (please see Coonamessett Lower River: Coonamessett River Restoration Project)
Restoring The Upper Coonamessett
In 2020, the Town of Falmouth applied to DER to designate the Upper Coonamessett as a priority project. It selected an area about one mile north of the CRRP for the first project to actively restore 11 acres of former bogs (Baptiste Bogs) containing 0.5 mile of stream channel and 7 water control structures, and passively restore about 3.5 acres of Broad River by removing the berm. Total stream length will increase from about 2400 lf to 4000 lf, and all water control structures will be removed, The Baptiste Bogs were purchased by the Town in 1978, and as in the lower river, were initially used for cranberry agriculture. Again the Town with the support of DER, T3C (land trust), the Coonamessett River Trust, and the Wampanoag tribe began restoration design. Funding for this project will also include Mass Audubon (NOAA), USFWS, and CPA. As in the Lower Coonamessett, the trail system will include an all accessible loop and four wetland boardwalks.
The Partners
The 300 Committee and the Town are working with members of the Wampanoag tribe with support from the Falmouth Cultural Council and others to add additional signage along the Coonamessett Greenway Heritage Trail that will focus on tribal relationships to nature, the rights of nature, and Wampanoag as a living language. In parallel, the Coonamessett River Trust (CRT) will provide biological and chemical monitoring of the river system. Coonamessett wetland restoration projects have been developed with the intent of supporting the needs of the community and public engagement with the land. The establishment of a naturalized, self-sustaining river system provides long-term climate adaptation benefits; the cold groundwater inputs and vegetated buffer along its entire length provide resiliency for the system.
The Trail System
The Town provides opportunities for people of all ages and all abilities to enjoy the restored landscape and learn about nature. In 2018, the Coonamessett River Heritage Trail was established to provide a network of public walking trails, viewing platforms, and outstanding interpretive signage that allows visitors to better appreciate the river, its history, and the benefits accrued to people and wildlife from its restoration. This project in the Upper Coonamessett will provide additional access to all. The restored river system provides free passage for migrating river herring and American eels and habitat for the restored native brook trout population. It allows the CRT to expand its “Adopt-A-Herring” program as well as its programs for natural history and wetland science for all the 4th and 5th graders in the Falmouth Public Schools. Finally, T3C will continue to offer guided natural history walks over the improved all accessible trail as well as the additional wetland boardwalks.
