Hepburn Family Preserve Living Shoreline Project - Construction set to restart in March

 Project Site in November 2020 

Things have been quiet at the living shoreline project site since the New Year, but that doesn’t mean work has stopped.  As the project team has noted this living shoreline is one of the early living shoreline projects in Connecticut and so the team has been closely watching the project as it is built.  The three winter storms (2 nor’easters and 1 so’wester) have helped to identify adaptive changes to the project to improve its performance.  So over the last several months the project team and the state and federal permitters have evaluated changes to the project that include improving the design of the rock sills at the western end of the project; changing the dune profile to better respond to wave energy, and altering the relative dimensions of the salt marsh and cobble beach at the east end of the project. 

The work still to happen when work begins again includes changes to the rock sills and dune design, planting the marsh between the sills and dune, planting the dune, relocating Crab Creek and installing the new culvert under Mohegan Drive.  When the new culvert is installed that will limit access to the two properties during construction.  Temporary fire protection will be installed by the Old Saybrook Fire Department that will serve the two homes at the end of Mohegan Drive.

A big shoutout to SumCo, the contractor, for their work.  They have been terrific in meeting deadlines, providing information, evaluating options, and finding cost savings. 

So in the next few weeks you should see things begin to start up again with the project finishing up by the end of April or early May.  We will continue to send updates as we hear more information on project schedule.  We will be scheduling some additional site visits for folks interested in learning more about the project.

Thank you to all the residents who have generously supported the project as well as the support from the Fenwick Improvement Fund and Borough.  This has been critical support as match to the Foundation support for the project.

Have questions?  Feel free to reach out to Andy Fisk at afisk@ctriver.org or 413-210-9207.