Smelt Brook Restoration

The Restoration of Smelt Brook is another project that I have been working on.

Visit my website at www.smeltbrook.org

The daylighting of Smelt Brook is something that I have advocated for, and it is finally being built. The daylighting project has opened up Smelt Brook that was historically buried underground to the air and light. A trail and pocket park is being built.

Smelt Brook has a perched culvert that blocks fish passage for Rainbow Smelt, which the brook's namesake comes from. I have supported the Army Corps of Engineers 1135 Grant to study the restoration of Smelt Brook. The study will look at potential impacts of the fish gate and perched culvert to Rainbow Smelt. My vision is that the perched culvert along Brookside Road will be removed and replaced with an open natural stream channel with open space for passive recreation. There was historically an open stream channel and park at this location.

Additionally work was done to replace the aging Smelt Brook culvert underneath Commercial Street/Route 53 in Weymouth Landing. This provided upgraded infrastructure and better substrate for the Smelt and protected the roadway from potential collapse and failure.

There is also a project to look at the replacement of the Stetson Street Culvert. The culvert is structurally degrading and am minor barrier to aquatic passability.

Smelt Brook in Pond Meadow Park has a seasonal Eel Ladder. The eel ladder allows American Eel to be safely moved around the dam in their migration to the Pond. I wrote a blog post about the Eel Ladder for the Sierra Club and hosted an outing tour of the eel ladder for members of the public.

Other Projects