The Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA), in association with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), will be granted $2.3 millino to address priority fish passage barriers in the Ipswich and Parker Rivers watersheds.
Additionally, an anonymous foundation has matched $1.14 million to make this the largest project-based grant in IRWA’s history.
As project lead, IRWA will use the $3.4 million to fund the work of project partners in advancing critical restoration projects in our region over the next 3 years. The nearest project to Lynnfield is the South Middleton Dam removal project at the Bostik, Inc. property off North Main Street. (Bostik, Inc. is the project partner and owner of the South Middleton Dam.)
In total, the five projects will make more than 40 miles of main stem and 198 miles of major tributary in the Ipswich and Parker Rivers accessible.
The Great Marsh Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) hosts some of the most pristine and protected habitat for migratory fish species which use the Ipswich and Parker Rivers to reproduce and rear their young. Barriers such as dams segment the migratory pathways for these fish and restrict them from accessing critical portions of the watersheds.
“We are extremely excited to bring this transformational grant funding to the watersheds of the Great Marsh. We’re grateful for our partners on this proposal as we continue to work together across and between the Parker and Ipswich River watersheds to address the region’s highest priority stream barriers,” said IRWA Restoration Program Director Neil Shea.
