Tim Mathews and John Sheedy of the MA Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Managers assess the types of fish found in Howlett Brook watershed. After completion of restoration and fish stocking, we will repeat these assessments to track progress towards restoring the migratory pathway.
Restoration projects continue to move forward following our most recent update at the end of July. The Pond St culvert replacement, part of the Howlett Brook Watershed Restoration project is progressing, with the existing conditions plan and wetlands delineation work being finalized in late July by our project partners at Trout Unlimited Nor’East. Currently, additional assessments are being performed by sub-consultants to inform the engineering designs. Beaver Solutions Inc, have been contacted to discuss the need to re-incorporate devices meant to discourage beaver activity once the new culvert is installed.
Additional project highlights include Trout Unlimited National’s completion of 12 30% designs and cost estimates as part of the Municipal Vulnerability Action grant, ‘Increasing regional flood resiliency through re-designing culverts in the Howlett Brook Watershed’, which will be discussed at the Boxford Conservation commission meeting on August 20 at 7pm and during a virtual event, Increasing Regional Flood Resiliency in the Howlett Brook Watershed at 3pm on August 25. We also had the pleasure to participate in pre-restoration fish assessments with the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife throughout the Howlett Brook watershed and Ryan O’Donnell continues to perform Herring Habitat assessments in Four Mile Pond with dedicated volunteer Brandon Boyd.