This two year project will continue through 2012 and some future activities are outlined below.

Construction of a Stream Channel

The goal of the Stream Restoration in the upper watershed is to expand and enhance the existing wetland at the headwaters of the Berry Brook (Water Works facility) and re‐establish an open channel, floodplain, and wetland pond system by day lighting portions of the stream which is currently piped underground.

Installation of BMPs in Watershed

Stormwater management improvements will be installed at 8 different locations to improve water quality for Berry Brook. Installations will all be Low impact Development and will include  bioretention/raingardens, bioswales, tree filters, and treatment wetlands. The systems will help improve stream baseflow, provide pollutant reduction,  and slow highly erosive flows. Potential sites being evaluated include: Crescent Avenue, Paige Avenue, Glencrest Avenue, Lowell Avenue, Redden Street and Redden Street Extension and the corner of Ash and Horne Streets.  A preliminary depiction of these areas throughout the watershed is shown below.  The final locations will be selected based on upcoming assessment activites.

Lower Watershed Stream Restoration

In the lower watershed where the brook connects with the the Cocheco river, near Sixth Street Station, our goal is to reestablish a direct connection to the river with Berry Brook (near Sixth Street Station) to the main stem of the Cocheco River. This would involve restoring approximately 500’ of  natural stream channel.  UNHSC will work with the Dover Trails Committee to install light walking bridges to improve public trails in lower stream channel.  The current stream Crossing in Lower Reach shown below. 

Conservation Elements

Conservation areas and urban greenways provide an important space where community can gather, converse, recreate, relieve stress, and be proud of. 

As a component of this project The City will establish a protected easement for the areas that are proposed for restoration in headwater wetlands and the stream. 

Monitoring

Monitoring will be conducted in Berry Brook to examine the benefits of the watershed improvements. Fish Monitoring will be performed by the NHFG. Potential species of interest include primarily  sea lamprey, alewife, blueback herring, American shad, various trout, and American eel. Water quality monitoring will be conducted by the UNHSC for dry weather and wet weather events over a 2 year period. Locations include an upper watershed location where the degree of treatment and level of impervious cover reduction will be highest in relation to the watershed area, and a lower watershed location where the entire watershed response can be monitored.