April 25, 2007

Update to the Addison Board of Selectmen

by the West Branch Study Committee

Over the past few years the Committee has researched various questions about eventual replacement of, or modifications to, the 66-year-old West Branch bridge, dam and tide gates. Through grants and donated services, the Committee has obtained for the town:

• Hydraulic Engineer’s Report by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which summarized road, wells, and hayfield elevations and water levels that would occur if the current bridge and dam were replaced with a 100-foot span bridge.
• Verification of vertical benchmarks, and revision of USDA NRCS data with the new benchmark information. This service has recently been completed by NRCS.
• One-foot contour topographical baseline maps of the entire West Branch 100-year floodplain in both Addison and Columbia, with additional layers of information including vegetation cover, soil substrates, tax map lot lines and existing buildings. These maps were completely funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Restoration Center.
• Aerial photographs showing contour lines representing Mean High Water and Spring High Water.
• Reports on the Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) floodplain and Shoreland Zoning regulations as they relate to the West Branch wetlands, recently completed by a certified floodplain manager contracted to do this work.
• Information about fish species present in both the West Branch and marshes on the main stem of the Pleasant River, through fish surveys conducted in 2005-2006. Results are reported in a recently published flier.

Still in progress, not yet completed:

• A preliminary study of groundwater resources (i.e. well water) in the Addison West Branch area.

The Committee recognizes that there are many options possible for the eventual replacement of the West Branch bridge and dam. The options range from hardly any change in the present hydrology, to a complete opening of the channel for a natural tidal flow, with a variety of possibilities between those two extremes. Indications are that some degree of tidal restoration would benefit recreational and commercial fisheries, and could bring funding to the town for the bridge, other new roads and culverts, and additional infrastructure such as future enhancement of the Addison Point boat landing. The Committee does not know what the eventual outcomes will be, but trusts that our work will help ensure that the local community (West Branch landowners, town officials, town committees, fishing interests) will have input in future decision-making. The Committee recommends that we continue researching all unanswered questions, explore possible funding opportunities, and cooperate with all local parties. In particular, we need to learn in more detail all the constraints to tidal restoration, due to existing land uses, locations of wells and septic systems, and the desires of landowners.