The Association to Preserve Cape Cod will host two virtual public meetings on conceptual designs for green infrastructure stormwater management systems for 20 public boat ramp sites across the Cape. The purpose of the meetings is to gather input on the site designs and to inform final selection of priority sites for further development.
These systems are designed to capture rainwater draining off roads, parking lots, and the surrounding landscape, and remove pollution from this runoff before it flows down the boat ramp and enters ponds, lakes and coastal estuaries. Top ranked sites will be selected for the next phase of design with plans for final construction to follow.
The goal of the project is to improve water quality through treatment of polluted stormwater at these boat ramp locations. Green infrastructure stormwater systems integrate plants and soil in the design to target removal of bacteria and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The concept designs also consider current recreational uses at these locations and associated waterbodies as well as parking and site access.
This project, managed by the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, involves partnerships with the Massachusetts Department of Fishing and Boating Access and the towns of Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Dennis, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Sandwich and Yarmouth. The stormwater engineer designs were developed by Horsley Witten Group.
Boat ramps located in Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, and Sandwich will be discussed on November 1, and boat ramps located in Barnstable, Dennis, Yarmouth, Brewster, Harwich, and Orleans will be discussed on November 3. Both meetings are scheduled form 2-4pm. Attendees are required to register for the meetings at: https://apcc.org/boat-ramp-stormwater-project-public-meeting-registration/.
Funding for this work has been provided by an EPA Southeast New England Program Watershed Grant in partnership with Restore Americas Estuaries and a Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grant. For more information on the project, go to https://apcc.org/stormwater-management-at-public-boat-ramps/.
