Mattapoisett addressing ecological, safety concerns with $3.5 million grant

MATTAPOISETT — A $3.5 million federal grant will allow Mattapoisett to replace a too-small and deteriorating piece of drainage infrastructure in Molly’s Cove, a salt marsh off of Mattapoisett Neck Road.

The current culvert — a structure embeded under a road to allow water to pass through — is trapping salt in the area and poses a flooding risk for nearby residents, and construction of a new culvert is meant to solve both issues. 

The drainage issue in the area poses two concerns for the town. First, it damages a vital ecological habitat and reduces vegetation in the area. Second, there is only one road out of the neighborhood nearby and any flooding or colvert collapse will pose a public safety issue for these homeowners.

“For everyone that lives on the other side of the culvert, this is the only way to access them,” Town Administrator Michael Lorenco said. “We knew we had to do something, and we had to try to figure out a way to improve the marsh.”

Salt marshes are home to many kinds of wildlife — especially shellfish and endangered bird species — but Mattapoisett Land Trust staff member Sarah French Storer said too much salt has collected in the one at Molly’s Cove.

As the tides change so does the water level, but because the culvert is too small the water can't drain properly. This has led to harmful salt buildup in the marsh.  

This causes soil degradation, making it difficult for vegetation to grow there and causing further damage to the ecosystem. 

 Storer said many repairs have been made on the culvert over the years, but the town has merely “put Band-Aid” on infrastructure that needs to be replaced.

“We've got this significant amount of salt marsh that will be restored with this culvert replacement,” she said. “With the sea level rising, it's going to be more and more important to have healthy salt marshes and good flow in this area.”

Receipt of funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the culmination of efforts by the town, Mattapoisett Land Trust, Buzzards Bay Coalition and Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program.

These groups suspected the culvert was responsible for the degradation of the area, which was confirmed by a study the Woods Hole Group, an engineering and consulting firm, completed in 2024. 

While the three environmental groups supported the application for grant funding, Storer said they will only offer oversight for the project. The town will be responsible for designing and constructing the updated drainage system at Molly’s Cove.

Lorenco said the project was among many the town hoped to complete, and the grant makes it possible to undertake such an expensive repair.

“Getting some funding to do a project that's absolutely necessary brings a lot of relief to us,” Lorenco said. “It's desperately needed, so it was a big relief to have the funding so we can push this thing forward.”

The funds come from a reimbursement grant, meaning the town must pay upfront and will later be paid back for the expenses, but will ultimately pose no cost to taxpayers. Lorenco said it is among the largest grants the town has received. 

He said it would have been hard to ask taxpayers to foot the bill, and without the grant the project might have been one more item on the list of projects the town hopes to take on.

“If we didn't get this money, I think this project would be just another thing that kind of gets kicked down the road,” Lorenco said.  “Neither the marsh or the residents down Mattapoisett Neck Road deserve that, so I'm thankful this grant came to us.”

With money for the project secured, he said next steps include designing a new culvert, securing permits and construction. He said the town is currently aiming to finish construction by early 2028.