Outlet of the culvert on Angeline Brook at Cornell Road in Westport showing the three-sided open bottom stone structure.

While driving through the backroads of Westport, you might not even notice that some crucial infrastructure is failing. Time has compromised the infrastructure of three crossings of its cold-water stream network, the largest concentration of wild brook trout streams in southeastern Massachusetts.

At Angeline Brook at Cornell Road and Snell Creek and Lyons Brook on Drift Road, the culverts currently in place are undersized and deteriorating. All of them originally had two clear chambers. In the case of those on Drift Road, one of the pair has collapsed. This is bad for the important migratory paths of fish and poses risks to public safety.

In the event of a severe precipitation event, the limited capacity for water to pass through could cause dangerous flooding.

The Buzzards Bay Coalition, Town of Westport, Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program, and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries are collaborating on this project as part of the Buzzards Bay Watershed Restoration Partnership (BBWRP). The BBWRP has identified these three culverts as having high ecological restoration potential.

An initial design plan was presented to the abutting neighbors in June. After receiving comments, the Coalition will then eventually present in front of the Town’s Select Board for approval.

Westport’s Municipal Vulnerability Plan prioritizes culvert replacement as a strategy to prepare the town for increased rainfall due to climate change. The plan recommends that culverts with susceptibility to back up and flood, such as those at Angeline Brook, Snell Creek, and Lyons Brook, be replaced to adequately convey stormwater flow and restore downstream environments for native fish resources.

Additionally, the Town’s 2016 Master Plan specifically identifies cold-water streams and sea-run brook trout as critical natural resources for protection.

Inlet of the culvert on Snell Creek at Drift Road in Westport, showing the 36-inch diameter metal pipe (left side of the image) and the collapsing stonework obscuring the view of a 24-inch pipe (right side of the image).

Design engineers will also ensure that the angle of pipe is correct for fish migration. Even the slightest drop creating falling water is an obstacle for fish.

Cold water streams are harder to come by as development around them takes away tree cover, allowing the sun to warm them up. Damming along routes has caused ponds where slower moving water is more susceptible to the sun’s radiation. The fish that ply these waters are already under threat from climate change, so ensuring their passage makes for better survival rates for such fish and a better overall ecosystem in general.