PLYMOUTH – State officials announced $138,000 in grants for Plymouth and Westport to support fish migration, improve water quality, and reduce flood impacts in the Buzzards Bay Watershed.
The grants were awarded by the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program through the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and are evenly split at $69,000 for each town.
The Plymouth grant will focus on the design and construction of stormwater treatment systems to prevent nutrient runoff and other contamination at Clear Pond, which has been subject to increased chlorophyll, phosphorus, and nitrogen levels in recent years that have contributed to outbreaks of cyanobacteria.
The proposed system would eliminate the first flush of stormwater from being discharged directly into the pond, alleviating some of the runoff.
The Westport grant will fund the design of culvert replacement for Angeline Brook, Snell Creek, and Lyons Brook, enhancing public safety at the adjoining roads, which the current culverts are failing to protect from flooding.
The replacement will also restore upstream access to anadromous fish species such as brook trout, river herring, and American eel.
The effort reflects a broader move to preserve coastal wetlands and waterways.
According to Buzzards Bay NEP Executive Director Joe Costa, congressional support has allocated over $2.7 million in grants for 23 related projects in 12 regional communities since 2022.
“This investment in Plymouth’s water quality is a critical step toward protecting Clear Pond and ensuring the long-term health of our local ecosystems,” said Plymouth and Barnstable State Senator Dylan Fernandes.
“By preventing harmful contaminants from entering the water,” he said, “we’re not just improving environmental conditions, we’re safeguarding public health and enhancing the natural resources that make our coastal communities so special.”
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