Posted on January 24, 2022
The Wareham River in East Wareham is set to be dredged for the first time since 1953, thanks to funding secured at the federal level through the Nov. 2021 Infrastructure Bill.
The Wareham Department of Natural Resources reported that the dredging of the river was funded as a navigational project.
Expected funds will total nearly $5,000, according to the department, but it’s unclear if that will cover the entire cost of the project.
The department will be working with the Army Corp of Engineers to evaluate the needed work, urgency and steps to complete the project, including permits and environmental considerations.
According to the Army Corp. of Engineers, the natural channel that goes from Buzzards Bay past Butler Cove to Buttermilk Bay — right near the Bourne line, and under the Rte. 6 bridge — is 2,800 feet long. The Corp dredged the channel to be seven feet deep and 100 feet wide, cutting through a sandbar that obstructed the natural channel.
The town has been hoping to dredge the channel for years. In 2012, Buckminster said that the channel was less than four feet, which is treacherous for many vessels — especially those with outboard motors.
Because the channel is mostly used by recreational boaters, it has been a lower priority for federal funding in the past, Buckminster said. But dredging the canal could open it to larger vessels.
The Department reported that the project was buoyed by letters of support from waterway businesses, the Board of Selectmen, members of the board of Marine Resources and elected officials.
The funds for the project are part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal passed in Nov. 2021. The legislation includes funds for projects to improve ports, roadways, railways, bridges and access to high-speed internet and clean water, among other funding priorities.
