Feds award $5 million to restore wetlands at 2 defunct Cape Cod cranberry bogs

Massachusetts will rip up two defunct cranberry bogs and restore wetlands on Cape Cod thanks to a $5 million federal grant.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grant will fund projects to restore coastal habitats, tidal flow and fish passage by removing dams and other restrictive structures in Bourne and Yarmouth.

Of the $5 million grant, $4.7 million will go toward the Upper Bass River Coastal Habitat Restoration Project to restore 57 acres of coastal wetland at retired cranberry bogs, remove structures that restrict flow and replace a concrete fishway with a natural channel in Yarmouth.

Currently, multiple obstacles — including a dam, an undersized culvert and berms — limit water flow, restrict aquatic species passage and pose a flood hazard to the surrounding community.

Removing those barriers will improve water quality and bring back wildlife like herring, which used to thrive in the upper Bass River.

The restoration could also allow the wetlands to spread deeper inland as sea levels rise. By removing flow control structures in the retired bog, the project will reduce flooding hazards to the surrounding community, according to the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management.

“This work is not simply about the conservation of a natural resource, it’s a crucial step towards safeguarding the health of our entire river system and fostering the well-being of our communities,” said Rick Bishop of the Friends of the Bass River.

In Bourne, the Puritan Bog Coastal Wetland Restoration Project was awarded $338,000 to complete modeling, design and permitting to restore 15 acres of coastal wetland. When completed, the restored wetlands will help with coastal resilience and reduce flooding in the area, according to the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management.