A new round of grant funding is coming to a town resiliency project several years in the making. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) awarded a Coastal Resiliency grant to the Town of Ipswich for the next phase of the Riverwalk project. Ipswich River Watershed Association will produce a video series with assistance from Ipswich Community Access Media, with the first video set to premiere in April.
Project Goal
The CZM funded project will address critical infrastructure and planning needs along the Ipswich River. The project includes vegetative improvements to stabilize the riverbank, upgrades to stormwater infrastructure, a video series, and an interactive story map focused on the nearby Riverwalk trail.
Project Background
The Ipswich River Bank Resiliency Project started way back in 2016. That year, the Town of Ipswich and Ipswich River Watershed Association were awarded a Coastal Resiliency Grant from CZM. Initial funds supported a one-year pilot project to identify vulnerable areas along a one-mile stretch of the river between the Ipswich Mills dam to the Town Wharf on Water Street.
A team of coastal geologists and engineers were hired by the town to inspect erosion and other deteriorated areas. The focus of the study was those areas of the river bank adjacent to town infrastructure such as water, sewer, and roads.The project also looked at long-term impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and heavier storms.
Recommended improvements focus on nature-based solutions (Green Infrastructure) to fight erosion and improve long-term bank stability. The project also included outreach designed to promote resiliency-increasing habits, provide up-to-date information, and build momentum for similar projects. Project partners of this multi-year collaborative effort include the Town of Ipswich, Ipswich River Watershed Association, Horsley Witten Group, and Coneco Engineers.
Why Projects Like this Matter
Town Planner Kristen Grubbs of Ipswich says the Town, “is excited to move this project forward with the Ipswich River Watershed Association. The riverbank project is part of a larger effort to increase the resiliency, and beauty, of the entire river. The project focuses on establishing a “living shoreline” at an inland tidal site, which is new territory from the more common coastal sites funded by the state. I think that’s part of why people are so interested in projects like this one.”
“People already seem excited for this project,” says Ipswich River’s Environmental Planner Patrick Lynch, “We’re getting a lot of buzz and looking forward to premiering the first video in April. Ipswich River has an amazing team of volunteers who have been working with us for years. They include Paddle-a-thon volunteers, RiverWatch water monitors, event leaders, and on and on. We’re seeing more and more people offering to help share their visions for the future of their communities. ”
Sharing Community Stories
As an organization, Ipswich River hopes to share more community stories over the next three years. To support the goals in the new Strategic Plan, supporters are asked to share their hopes, concerns, and ideas for building a more resilient watershed. The CZM-funded video series and outreach will serve as a model for future project-based outreach. Says Kristen Grubbs, “Keeping projects like this out there in the public eye is important for sustaining momentum. It might be a couple of years before people see shovels in the ground at some sites, but we can’t get there without these early stages and all the hard work from engineers, town staff, and partners.”
“There are so many cool stories like this one happening across our region. What we’ve found is that community leaders are so busy getting these projects done, that at the end of the day they don’t have much time to teach others,” adds Patrick Lynch. “We need a reliable way to tell these stories that can really engage residents. That’s where Ipswich River and our project partners are stepping in.” Lynch has a film background, and has worked on visual storytelling projects focused on community identity and resiliency in other parts of New England.
As an example of Ipswich River’s storytelling, enjoy this short video featuring Bob LeMoine, a resident in Middleton and his beautiful never-been-watered lawn where his grandkids and great grandkids love to play. The video has collected over 7,000 views to date!
“Stories like Bob’s, or the Ipswich Riverwalk video series,” says Patrick, “really showcase how we can use visual storytelling to reach more people, in a way they’ll enjoy. We’re trying to make our work more accessible to residents, meeting folks where they actually live, not just at the river’s edge. I’m hopeful this latest series will do just that.”
Did you research neighborhoods with aging septic systems along the river? I live at 14 Upper River Road Ipswich (purchased in August) and the property was built in 1950’s (entire neighborhood was) and has the original, failed system! So do my neighbors. That can’t be good for the river!
The part your study can help with – recommending the town provide hook-in to existing sewer lines! THERE IS A CONNECTION AT TOP OF STREET ON ROUTE 1A! But residents have to pay tens of thousands to hook in 🙁