Proposed Dredging of the Bay Street Channel

Three Bays Preservation, the local area yacht yards and the Town of Barnstable have teamed up to do some much needed dredge work.  Three Bays and the Town have been working together for several years to maintain the circulation/navigation channels in our area.  In order for this project to go forward we are soliciting private donations because the Town does not have sufficient funds to get this permitting done.  In the past, Three Bays has successfully obtained the funding from private donations for the dredging we completed in West and Cotuit Bays and the restoration of Dead Neck Island. 

What we are proposing to do for the upper areas of the bays is to complete the channel from where our last dredge project finished in West Bay, go under the bridge to eight feet of water near St. Mary’s Island in North Bay (Click on the thumbnail map to view a larger image).  This channel has not been maintained for over 40 years.  The dimensions of the proposed one mile long channel are 60 feet wide and it will be dug to a depth of eight feet.  Unlike the lower bays, this area is comprised of a large amount of fine grained material that cannot be placed on Dead Neck.  It is largely because of this disposal problem that this channel has not been dredged.  

We are considering several options that include nearby marsh creation, land based disposal offsite and contained aquatic disposal offshore.  Because of the complexities of obtaining permits for this type of work we need your financial help.  The cost of this type of analysis, design and permitting is beyond the scope of what has been done in this area before.   

We have “tested the waters” so to speak and found great interest among many people in getting this work done.  Every boat owner we talk to knows of the need to complete this job.  A strong case can be made to the regulatory authorities that this is a previously permitted project which will provide the added benefit of improved water quality.  What Three Bays needs is funding for the myriad of tests, core samples, applications, etc. that will be required to find a disposal site for the fine grained material.   

The budget for this permitting could be as high as $200,000 depending on the requirements of the regulating agencies.  We would like to begin with an initial fundraising effort for Phase One Permitting of $100,000.  All monies raised will be dedicated to this effort.  Three Bays Preservation is a not for profit 501 (c) 3 and donations are fully tax deductible. 

We ask for your generous support so we can continue our mission to improve the water quality of the three bays.

Update - Summer 2004

In our ongoing effort to open the Bay Street Channel from northern West Bay under the bridge and on to St. Mary’s Island in North Bay, preliminary surveying was conducted this past spring to determine the width and depth of the existing channel.  It appears that these channels are in better condition than once thought. 

Data collection will be completed this September to determine the amount of material that needs to be removed.  Disposal of the fine grained material continues to be the issue that must be resolved before any dredge work can begin.  We will be applying for permits as soon as we have a suitable placement site for this material, provided there is sufficient fundraising for the permitting effort.   

The actual dredge work could commence in the late fall of 2005 or early 2006, provided there are monies available for the dredge work.