Childs River Restoration Project

Location: Falmouth/Mashpee
Website: https://apcc.org/childs-river/

Background

The Childs River flows for about 1.5 miles through the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge before reaching Eel Pond and eventually Waquoit Bay. Historically, it supported a well-known sea-run Brook Trout fishery, attracting prominent anglers in the 19th century. Over time, the river was heavily altered by human activity—starting with a 19th-century mill dam that created a warm, stagnant impoundment—and later by the development of cranberry agriculture. Two large commercial bog complexes—the former Garner Bogs in Mashpee and Farley Bogs in Falmouth—transformed the river’s headwaters and floodplain through extensive channelization, ditching, and installation of undersized culverts. These modifications disrupted natural flow, raised water temperatures, reduced dissolved oxygen, and severed habitat connectivity, all of which degraded conditions for native Brook Trout and other aquatic life.

MassWildlife has conducted long-term monitoring of the Childs River since the 1950s. From 2008 to 2010, 85 adult Brook Trout were transplanted from the neighboring Quashnet River in an effort to re-establish a population. Although early signs were promising—with young-of-the-year trout captured and PIT tag detections confirming inter-river movement—habitat degradation persisted. A comprehensive survey in 2006 had found only a single adult male Brook Trout and no evidence of reproduction. Despite subsequent transplanting efforts, long-term recovery was hindered by the failure of upstream fish passage and ongoing poor habitat conditions. This underscored the critical need for comprehensive restoration to support a self-sustaining Brook Trout population.

Restoration

A full-scale restoration effort began in 2014, after cranberry production on the Farley and Garner Bogs ceased. The Falmouth Rod and Gun Club initiated the project with support from the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other partners. Planning began in earnest in 2017, with Inter-Fluve leading engineering and design. The project was designated a Priority Project by the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, which helped attract technical and financial support.

Construction took place between 2020 and 2021 and included the removal of the failed earthen dam and fish ladder, replacement of an undersized culvert under Carriage Shop Road, and reconstruction of over 2,500 feet of stream channel through former impoundments and cranberry bogs. The project restored more than a mile of aquatic habitat and over 17 acres of wetlands. Key habitat features—such as large wood placements, deep pools, and riparian plantings—were included to improve fish passage, stabilize stream temperatures, and enhance habitat complexity for Brook Trout and other species.

Today, the Childs River flows freely from its spring-fed headwaters to its estuary, with restored floodplains, ponds, and wetlands supporting a rich diversity of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. The project stands as a model for holistic river and cranberry bog restoration, both on Cape Cod and beyond. Monitoring from 2019 to 2024—capturing both pre- and post-restoration conditions—has documented strong ecological recovery. Brook Trout responded rapidly, with clear evidence of spawning and multi-year survival tied to cooler, better-oxygenated water and restored streambed conditions. While nitrate levels rose slightly in some downstream areas due to improved groundwater connectivity, the restoration also led to increased native plant diversity and greater use of the site by aquatic and wetland-dependent species. Together, these outcomes reflect a significant advance in restoring the resilience and biodiversity of coldwater stream systems.

Partners

The Childs River restoration was made possible by the following partners and funders: the Falmouth Rod and Gun Club, the Sporting Safety Conservation and Education Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the towns of Mashpee and Falmouth, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Inter-Fluve Inc., the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, Luciano’s Excavation Inc., Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, the Falmouth and Mashpee Community Preservation Committees, the Woodwell Climate Research Center, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through collaboration with Restore America’s Estuaries Southeast New England Program watershed grants, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, the Cape Cod Foundation, the Living Observatory, the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition, MA Department of Fish and Game, Essex Horticulture, Tighe & Bond, Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration, the Falmouth Department of Public Works, the Federal Highways Administration, the Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, and public donations.