NepRWA, along with
the state Riverways Program and many others, has been trying
for years to restore the historic migratory fish “runs” on
the
Neponset
River
, which for millennia brought ocean fish like shad and herring
dozens of miles upstream to lay their eggs. These fish are now
blocked from reaching the fresh water portion of the river by
two dams in
Boston
and
Milton
.
A couple of years ago, NepRWA called together a Citizens
Advisory Committee on the
Lower Neponset
(CAC), made up of
neighborhood and civic associations as well as environmental
groups, condo associations, yacht clubs and the like. Much to
our surprise, the CAC reached a unanimous agreement in 2009,
which recommended cleanup of the toxic sediments behind the
two dams, removal of the more upstream Tileston &
Hollingsworth (T&H) Dam in Hyde Park and
Milton
, and partial removal of the Baker Dam in Lower Mills along
with construction of a nature-like fishway suitable for shad
and herring.
The
CAC recently was called together again in January for an
update on the project. The CAC learned that, concerning the
sediments contaminated with toxic PCBs behind the dams, both
of the major upstream sources of PCBs have been, or soon will
be, cleaned up. Furthermore, the U.S. Geological Survey has
published a report on the Neponset that claims to have
identified the precise locations from which came most of these
PCBs behind the dams. If this can be proved, the current
owners of these sites will be responsible for cleaning up the
contamination.
Regarding
Baker Dam, a consultant has drafted a Preliminary Design plan
for the nature-like fishway. This is an essential first step
to getting federal funding for the project. Finally, two state
agencies (MA Department of Fish & Game and MA Department
of Conservation & Recreation) have finally agreed upon
what needs to be done to confirm that removal of the T&H
Dam will not cause flooding. Although progress has been slow,
we now have full local support for cleanup of the River and
restoration of its fish runs, and we have made significant
progress on technical issues as well.
For
more information on this project, contact NepRWA Advocacy
Director Steve Pearlman at 781-575-0354 x304 or pearlman@neponset.org.
January
2011
