09/30/1996 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

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Town of Mashpee Waterways Commission 16 Great Aeck 4oad Jdorth Maslipee, Massachusetts 02649 Tdzphone.-508-477.0147 jam 508.477-0147 ` Ll f, i'. Date:4 October 1996 Town of Mashpee Board of Selectmen 601 4 1996 16 Great Neck Road North MASr�tt Mashpee MA. 02649 t: 'I MEETS Dear Selectmen: Aubrey Consulting has completed their study of Mashpee River flushing using several dredging scenarios we provided. The results show that dredging the shoal at the mouth of the river will improve the flushing by about 8%, and that additional dredging 1000 feet up the river can bring it up to a 10% improvement. Extensive dredging of the entire river makes only a fraction of a percent improvement at a much larger cost. The bottom line is that dredging will not achieve the desired result of cleaning up the river, so we must look to other means of doing that. The Waterways Commission recommends a comprehensive "Master Dredging Plan" approach to improving the waterways in the Town of Mashpee. This includes initiating the permitting process for dredging the lower portions of the Mashpee River as first priority. . Attached is a copy of the final report. We further recommend continuing development of a"Master Dredging Plan" as described in the "Mashpee Coastal Resource Management Plan and Municipal Harbor Plan",December 1990 (Interim Master Dredging Plan,pp 43-56), and the Coastal Resources Element of the draft Local Comprehensive Plan wherein a 10 year outlook on dredging is called for. If we do not adopt this approach, the waterways will continue to deteriorate in terms of water quality and navigation, and we will have periodic crises as we try do deal with problems as they crop up. Very Truly Yours James P. Hanks Chairman,Waterways Commission JPh / cc: Executive Secretary Harbormaster File