Wellfleet board approves plan that saves $14M for harbor dredge, adds shellfish

Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
·4 min read

WELLFLEET — The town will save nearly $14 million in fees with a plan to restore Blackfish Creek to offset dredging in Wellfleet Harbor which the Select Board approved July 18.

The Dredging Task Force and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been negotiating for several months on the what is called a mitigation plan.

The Army Corps of Engineers originally said the town either had to pay a $14.5 million fee or come up with a plan to offset the disturbances caused by the planned dredging of an area south of the town pier.

The task force was able to reduce that fee based on "arguments made with respect to the worth of the resource," according to Dredging Task Force member Curt Felix.

The Army Corps of Engineers has been "unbelievably accommodating with this whole process to get the town outcome for this mitigation agreement,” Felix said at the July 18 meeting.

Dredging a section of Wellfleet Harbor known as the south mooring field can begin Oct. 1 following approval July 18 by the Select Board of a plan to concurrently rehabilitate shellfish growth on 28 acres of Blackfish Creek. In this 2021 photo, south of the town pier, dredging is underway in other areas of the harbor.
Dredging a section of Wellfleet Harbor known as the south mooring field can begin Oct. 1 following approval July 18 by the Select Board of a plan to concurrently rehabilitate shellfish growth on 28 acres of Blackfish Creek. In this 2021 photo, south of the town pier, dredging is underway in other areas of the harbor.

The board’s approval means that dredging 23.8 acres in Wellfleet Harbor Area 2, known as the south mooring field, could begin as soon as October.

What is the background of this mitigation plan?

The actual dredge area, the 23 acres of the south mooring field, was last dredged in 1957, so that dredge is considered improvement rather than maintenance. The town needs a permit because of federal regulations regarding improvement dredging. That permit requires a mitigation plan or the payment of a hefty fee. The original fee of $14 million dropped to $4.5 million following lengthy discussions between the town and the Army Corps of Engineers, according to Dredging Task Force member Christopher Allgeier in May. But if the town follows the plan, it would pay in the neighborhood of several thousand dollars, according to Felix.

The plan calls for enhancing 28 acres in Blackfish Creek

Under the plan, the town would enhance 28 acres in Blackfish Creek.

The Blackfish Creek area will be restored to a successful shellfish habitat with spat, seed oysters, cultch (sea clam shell) and quahogs. That effort promises to lead to improved water quality and increased biodiversity and shellfish populations, according to the document presented to the board.

What are the details of the dredge mitigation plan?

A baseline study of Blackfish Creek, a once productive shellfish area, was done in June 2023. Restoration efforts will include cultching and seed placement over five years. It’s estimated that between 125 and 200 tons of cultch will be needed, according to Allgeier at the July 18 meeting.

Here's the background: At Wellfleet Harbor, dredge plan would improve boat access, bolster oyster beds, save money.

If oyster density reaches 25 oysters per square meter (including spat, seed and oyster), the town will receive a certificate of compliance from the Army Corps of Engineers. Felix said sustainability metrics are something resource managers are using to manage other fisheries.

Should oyster density not reach 25 per square meter, other metrics including improved water quality and increased biodiversity could be used in an adaptive management plan.

The town had to OK the plan before the Army Corps of Engineers would issue a dredge permit for Area 2 of the harbor. With a permit in place, the town can sign a contract with a dredge company before the Aug. 23 bid deadline. The dredging of Area 2 of the harbor would start around Oct. 1 and end Jan. 1.

For the dredge itself, there is enough money on hand, town official says

The town has $2.8 million in bond funds remaining for the Area 2 dredge project, according to Allgeier, and a state grant of $2.5 million that requires a 50-50 match. The grant money can be tapped into through Dec. 30, 2024. If unused the town will lose the money. Allgeier said the available money would cover about 75% of the dredge area.

Costs to the town will include what the shellfish department has to do for restoration work, including laying 10 strips of cultch annually and oyster seed. It's expected to cost an estimated at $55,000 annually for three to seven years, or until compliance is reached. Town Administrator Rich Waldo said costs could decline annually, and metrics might be achieved before seven years.

Should the town choose not to continue with the restoration before it reaches compliance, it will have to pay the $4.5 mitigation fee.

“This plan supports the (shellfish) industry, dredging and clean water,” Felix said.

“The Dredging Task Force has done an enormous amount of back and forth with the Corps,” Select Board member Kathleen Bacon said. “They’ve listened to every concern.”

The Select Board sent a letter asking Mass Audubon for support. Some of the land proposed for restoration belongs to the organization. But Felix said that there was enough town land for the project should the nonprofit withhold support.

Denise Coffey writes about business and tourism. Contact her at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Wellfleet approves plan to save millions on dredge, add shellfish