Wft^. 5 Pi Hc.l-.rtl- 2S- UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0308 0532 6 THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION ALE WIFE RESERVATION a ALEWIFE BROOK Master Plan JUNE 2003 Alewife Master Plan Acknowledgments Prepared for: The Metropolitan District Commission William D. McKinney, Acting Commissioner George M. Anzuoni, Associate Commissioner Avril T. Elkort, Associate Commissioner Howard M. Kahalas, Sr., Associate Commissioner Marilyn E. Rollins, Associate Commissioner Julia O'Brien, Director of Planning Daniel Driscoll, Project Manager Prepared by: The Bioengineering Group, Inc. In association with: Carol R. Johnson Associates, Inc. Landscape Architects and Environmental Planners Robert France Associate Professor of Landscape Ecology Graduate School of Design, Harvard University GOVERMENT DOCUMENTS COLLECTION MAR 0 2 20ft University of Massachusetts Depository Copy Pouder Associates, Inc. Landscape Architecture, Environmental Planning and Permitting Nobis Engineering, Inc. Environmental, Geotechnical and Civil Engineering Judith Nitsch Engineering, Inc. Civil Engineers, Planners and Land Surveyors The MDC thanks the many community groups, area residents, and elected officials for their thoughtful contributions to the master planning process. Preface 1. Introduction 1 A. The Need for a Master Plan 2 B. The Setting for the Master Plan 4 C. The Master Planning Process 9 2. Findings and Recommendations 11 A. Current Site Conditions 1 1 B. Goals and Objectives 18 C. Proposed Site Improvements and Amenities 19 D. Area-Specific Recommendations 32 3. Implementation 51 A. Design Process and Priorities 51 B. Schedule 52 C. Budget 53 D. Funding Sources 54 E. Required Permits 56 F. Encroachment Solutions 58 G. Maintenance and Management 59 H. Community Involvement and Stewardship 60 4. Related Projects and Recommendations 63 A. Projects Related to Study Area 63 B. Recommendations Beyond Study Area 67 Epilogue 73 Bibliography 75 Credits 81 Appendix A - Existing Flora and Fauna 83 Appendix B - Plant Lists 95 Appendix C - Sustainable Materials & Organic Products 105 Appendix D - Maintenance 109 Appendix E - Master Plan / 15 Preface As a meeting place — of earth and water, city and suburb, culture and ecology — the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Parkway play an important role in the lives of people and other animals alike. The area is rich with physical and symbolic connections: hydrologic connections link wetlands, rivers, floodplains, and neighborhoods; restored and protected ecosystems link wildlife habitats and thus sustain biodiversity; a network of trails and paths connects people to each other, to a significant historic legacy, and to the wilder, natural world which is the home for many animals. Urbanization and residential sprawl damage ecosystems and disconnect people from nature, exacting a significant toll on our physical and emotional well being. This Master Plan offers a prescription for ecosystem restoration of the Alewife Brook and Reservation, one small step toward restoring the balance between hu- man and natural communities. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Introduction A. The Need for a Master Plan B. The Setting for the Master Plan C. The Master Planning Process A, .lewife Reservation and the Alewife Brook Parkway are part of the Metropolitan Park System, the first regional park system in the country. Established in 1893, the system today comprises almost 20,000 acres of woodlands, rivers, coastline, wetlands, and urban parklands. The Alewife Brook and its adjacent Parkway are important linear connec- tions within the Metropolitan District Commission's park system. Near the end of the 19th century, the visionary landscape architect Charles Eliot planned the Alewife Brook Parkway as one link in his network of car- riageway parks winding their way through the suburbs of Boston. Such carriageways, and later parkways for automobiles, were a synthesis of road and adjacent landscape designed for driving as a leisurely, recreational, and aesthetically enjoyable activity. Increased traffic and other development pressures have obscured the parkland component so that the road now dominates public perception of many historic parkways. The Alewife Reservation, which has existed since the early 20th century, was purchased with the intent to fulfill Eliot's desire to connect the Mystic River with Fresh Pond. The intrinsic ecological value of the Alewife area was not recognized at the time. Today the Reservation is one of Boston's largest urban wilds, a remnant of the Great Swamp that once stretched from Fresh Pond to Spy Pond. This relic of the former expanse of wetlands still provides valuable ecological functions such as wildlife habitat and filtering stormwater runoff. It also ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN m serves as critical floodplain. These ecological values are being eroded as connections to other natural resource areas are lost to urban devel- opment. The Alewife area's ecological and recreational virtues are often overlooked because it receives stormwater and combined sewer overflows from surrounding communities and is therefore perceived as a source of pollution and flood- ing. The Alewife Brook, the central landscape feature of the Alewife Brook corridor, lies unseen from the Parkway and fenced off from walkers, joggers and bicyclists. The Reservation has been used for Route 2 construction fill, il- legally used as dumping grounds, inhabited by homeless people, encroached upon by abut- ters, and intensely developed along its border. Clearly the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Greenway require and deserve renewed attention, resources and stewardship. A. THE NEED FORAAAASTER PLAN The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) is a major property owner in the Alewife area, having management control of the majority of the green space located there, including the 115-acre Alewife Reservation and the 2.5-mile- long Alewife Brook and adjacent Parkway. The MDC has a renewed commitment to improve the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor. The MDC commissioned this Master Plan to provide recommendations and guide- lines by which the desired improvements of the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor could be achieved. This Master Plan envisions significant resto- ration of wildlife habitat and ecological and hydrological functions; enhanced recreational and educational opportunities; and improved connections to the system of protected natural areas and corridors in metropolitan Boston. In particular, the purpose of this Master Plan is to address the following key principles of ecologi- 1 faBC??h^f'fTrrTTT,^t*rr:-fwBv « *■ -w "': ■'•■"»• -■■ 1 i t * mmAT^— ^W •■'" r ■* '. ^•^^g ?- - 1 | ; ; ^ 1 FIGURE 1 . This great blue heron is one of many wildlife species that are found in the Alewife Reservation. cal restoration deemed necessary by the MDC: • Preserve and protect existing aquatic and riparian (shoreline) resources from threats of further degradation. • Restore, wherever possible, ecologi- cal structure and function in ways that are self-sustaining through time. Use bio engineering techniques, which rely on native plants and natural reinforcing methods. • Consider recommendations for the Res- ervation and the Alewife Brook corridor within a larger watershed and landscape context. • Address ongoing causes of degradation from a multidisciplinary perspective, ap- plying the principles of geomorphology, ecology, hydrology, and hydraulics to de- velop comprehensive solutions. • Add public access and recreational com- ponents. This Master Plan presents a comprehensive set of planning and design recommendations. Both short-term and long-term actions are proposed to set this process in motion. The actions described in this document should be understood as setting the foundations for a sustainable future in which people and wildlife can harmoniously coexist in an urban wetland- river corridor landscape. INTRODUCTION ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN o o CD CD < -C on a ■o c n _o a i_ o E o (0 « c ai > z* >> > "a ^ cd ts x: >. I- S CD 4-> on-t B. THE SETTING FOR THE MASTER PLAN B1 . The Study Area Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook lie within the 9- square-mile Alewife Brook subwa- tershed. This subwatershed in turn forms part of the Mystic River watershed, a 79-square- mile area that drains to Boston Harbor. The study area of this Master Plan encom- passes the Alewife Reservation and the Ale- wife Brook Greenway north of Route 2 and is located along the borders of four towns and cities, namely, Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, and Somerville (see Figure 2). The Alewife Reservation roughly spans the area from Little Pond to the west, Yates Pond to the east, the Boston and Maine Railroad and Blair Pond to the south, and the Acorn Office Park [formerly Arthur D. Little (ADL) headquarters] and Route 2 to the north (see Appendix E, Master Plan for boundary- defining features). However, the study area excludes Blair Pond and its adjacent land (7 acres) from the 115- acre Reservation because a planning document was recently completed for Blair Pond (MDC, 1999). Interested citizens can contact the MDC planning office for a copy of the plan and bro- chure. The Alewife Brook Greenway is a corridor that includes the Alewife Brook, the open space/parkland on the east and west sides of the brook, and the Alewife Brook Parkway. (The Parkway itself comprises the road sur- face, planted median, and rows of planted trees on both sides of the roadway.) The Greenway stretches between the Route 2 rotary (the for- mer "Dewey and Almy rotary") and the Mystic Valley Parkway. The area west of the brook (Arlington side) is spacious, with an average width of 300 feet whereas on the eastern side (Somerville), the open space consists of a nar- row strip 50 feet wide. The Parkway lies to the east of the brook. Alewife Brook Parkway stretches from the Route 2 rotary south to the Fresh Pond ro- tary. This section is not included in the study area. Recent improvements have been made by MDC along this section. B2. The Ecological Value of Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook The Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook are examples of two important ecological systems: an urban wetland and an urban river corridor. Urban Wetland Wetlands such as those found in the Alewife Reservation are a key part of the hydrologi- cal cycle, and have significant impacts on both water quantity and quality. Wetlands slow down and absorb stormwater runoff, then gradually release the stored water over a prolonged peri- od. The resulting reduction of peak flows helps to reduce flooding downstream. The slow movement of water through wetlands allows physical, chemical and biological processes to improve water quality by retaining and remov- ing environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, phosphorous, and nitrogen. FIGURE 3. This wetland is south of the Little River in the Reservation. H INTRODUCTION ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN The complex physical form and variable wa- ter depths of wetlands allows emergent, sub- merged, and floating vegetation to develop, which in turn attracts a wide variety of animals for spawning, nesting, breeding, feeding, refuge from predators, and nursery rearing purposes. In highly developed areas such as Metropolitan Boston, an urban wetland can function as a ref- uge for a range of flora and fauna. In addition, because they constitute a transition between fully terrestrial and aquatic environments, wetlands provide a network of connections be- tween other existing wildlife habitats. Because Native Americans and European colonists often settled close to wetlands due to their role as food sources, these regions harbor a rich cultural heritage. Wetlands also offer myriad opportunities for natural history study and outdoor learning. Urban River Corridor As an urban river corridor, the Alewife Brook provides a number of significant ecological functions. Where the riparian (shoreline) edge is vegetated, surface water runoff is filtered before entering the river channel. Biochemical and physical processes remove contaminants and thereby improve water quality and protect downstream aquatic environments from diffuse pollution sources. Rivers bounded by riparian forests act as cor- ridors for the relatively safe movement of ani- FIGURE 4. The Alewife Brook corridor between Broadway and the Mystic Valley Parkway Bridge ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN mals between isolated patches of habitat in a landscape that is increasingly fragmented by ur- ban development. In many regions, river corri- dors serve as protected habitat for animals and support a biodiversity much greater than that found in nearby terrestrial, upland regions. FIGURE 5. Confluence of Alewife Brook and Mystic River River fronts have been and continue to be focal points for human economic and social activ- ity. Particularly at the confluences of streams, which are depositional areas, artifacts of ear- lier human settlements are frequently found, making these important archeological sites. Contemporary uses of riverfronts range from the industrial to the recreational. People are drawn to rivers for contemplation, solace, and emotional rejuvenation, as well as for walking, birding, fishing, and more passive forms of recreation. Linear trail systems can provide ex- tended routes for hikers and bicyclists uninter- rupted by motorized traffic. Thus river corri- dors like the Alewife Brook can offer a respite from urbanization. 83, Native American and Colonial Cultural History The Alewife area is steeped in a rich cultural history. In pre-colonial times, Pawtuckeog Indi- ans inhabited the area. Archeological evidence shows that a permanent winter camp existed at the confluence of the Menotomy River (now the Alewife Brook) with the larger Mystic River. In the spring of each year, these Native Ameri- INTRODUCTION s 7IGURE 6. Alewife and blueback herring are the major anadromous fish species in the Alewife system. cans would establish seasonal camps along the shores of Spy and Little Ponds, as well as on the natural high point (later referred to by Eu- ropean settlers as "Black Island") situated near the present-day Alewife subway station. The Pawtuckeog were drawn to this area by the an- nual runs of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring {Alosa aestivalis), anadromous fish that migrate from the ocean to fresh wa- ter to spawn. In-stream fishing weirs along the Alewife Brook were used to gather the abundant fish, which were then dried, smoked, and stored for later use as a major winter food staple. High points in and around the marsh 4& 4 1 ; I I Hi ■17 -^E ■ FIGURE 7. A 1 904 photograph showing agricultural activities near the border of the marsh, where flooding occurred only seasonally. were used as hunting camps for parties pursu- ing the abundant waterfowl that the wetland supported. It was along the Alewife Brook that Squaw Sachem, a local tribal leader, deeded to FIGURE 8. This historic map illustrates the extent of the Alewife water system when the Great Swamp was intact. INTRODUCTION ALEWIFE MASTER PUN the colonists those lands that would later be- come the towns of Charlestown, Cambridge, and Watertown, in return for a small annual gift of corn and title to her wigwam overlook- ing Mystic Pond. Given the proximity of the Alewife area to the developing towns of Boston and Charlestown, and the rich upland soils found around the pe- rimeter of the tidal marsh, the area was used from the earliest days of European settlement in the Bay Colony. Soon to be referred to by the colonists as the "Great Swamp," the first inroads into the area were to es- tablish the common graz- ing land on Black Island. With the growth in popu- lation of Newtowne (now Cambridge), more of the marsh was ditched and drained, first for pas- ture land, and later for orchards. The last farm persisted until the early 1950s on what is now the Acorn Office Park. The first cartways penetrated the Great Swamp in the 1 7th century, linking FIGURE 9. This historic map of the Alewife Brook shows ~ i-i • i r- i 'ts meandering course prior to channelization and Cambridge with Concord, straightening. Later, the British fled from the skirmishes at Concord and Lexington across the Alewife Brook at the current site of the Massachusetts Avenue bridge. slaughterhouses, glue factories, and transporta- tion staging areas sprang up along the banks of Alewife Brook and were integral to supporting the cattle drives and markets that took place nearby at Porter Square. Ice harvesting at Fresh and Spy Ponds became one of the first inter- national business ventures of the newly inde- pendent country, the ice being shipped around the world. However, it was the thick deposits of alluvial clay beneath the Great Swamp — a product of the last ice age — that would spawn the industry that would most transform the entire Ale- wife landscape. From the middle of the 19th century through the first decades of the 20th century, numerous pits were dug into the Great Swamp to extract the valuable clay for brick making. Today, Yates, Jerry, and Blair Ponds are remnants of this period. Similar clay pits have since disappeared beneath Danehy Park and the Rindge Towers apart- ments. Along with the clay industry came roads and rail lines, ovens and warehouses, and housing developments and suburban infrastructure that would together accelerate the eventual filling B4. Industrial Development As industrialization took hold of the area at the beginning of the 19th century, residents saw the Great Swamp as an attractive location for industrial activities deemed undesirable in proximity to the developing town. Tanneries, of the Great Swamp. In the 20th century, the Alewife area contin- ued to develop. Residential development, iron works, chemical manufacturing plants, office buildings, the Fresh Pond Shopping Mall, a drive-in movie theater, automobile shops, landfills, gas stations, and entertainment clubs ALEWIFE MASTER PUN INTRODUCTION m have all left their mark on the landscape. Con- taminated or waste disposal sites are another consequence of industrial development in this area; over 50 such sites exist on the periphery of the study area. During the last decades of 20th century, the Alewife area became host to one of the more contentious environmental debates ever to oc- cur in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The widening of the Route 2 Highway and the extension of the Red Line subway pitted groups of state and city planners and concerned citi- zens against one another and brought new at- tention to the area. (MDC opposition and pub- lic protest caused the proposed highway expan- sion to be shelved; the Red Line was extended from Harvard to Alewife, not to Arlington Heights as originally planned.) The long debate over the Red Line extension helped to preserve the Reservation as an urban wild; it had been slated for use as rail yards, which were subse- quently moved underground. Today, as the remaining green spaces within the Alewife area dwindle, heightened debates have begun again about how to maintain the last sliver of the Great Swamp that still ex- ists within the Alewife Reservation, and how best to go about protecting it and the Alewife Brook Greenway from further degradation. B5. Environmental Degradation Development of the Alewife area has had its greatest influence on the area's hydrology. The gradual encroachment of the wedands by co- lonial farms, industrial development and later suburban sprawl have all whittled away the Great Swamp through ditching, diking, drain- ing, and dredging. Even so, during the middle of the 19th century, in the area that is today the Alewife Reservation, it was still possible to see a diversity of animals and plants. FIGURE 10. Construction of the straightened concrete channel for Alewife Brook in 1911 One of the largest hydrological changes oc- curred toward the end of 19th century when the connection of Alewife Brook to Fresh Pond was severed to preserve the water quality of the latter, which had become the drinking water supply reservoir for the City of Cam- bridge. In time, the Alewife Brook and several other inflowing tributaries would disappear un- der concrete and be all but lost to memory. The most serious hydrological alterations occurred in the first decade of the 20th century when the Craddock Dam was built on the Mystic River in Medford, thereby preventing tidal flows (and spawning fish) from moving upstream. What had once been a dynamic, tidally influenced marsh became a freshwater wetland in which mosquitoes bred and raised fears of potential Mi U^^^^^— U, ,—i. frfggj i^fr" m'tm "'" i' • m^^m SKt P^ jjkh j J2^ v ^iifc^ -^5 ■^v"^H iJj&nJL*^^' ^1 FIGURE 1 1 . The Alewife Brook Parkway and Henderson bridge shortly after construction in 1916 INTRODUCTION ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN malarial outbreaks. Consequently, a massive excavation project was undertaken between 1909 and 1912, and the formerly meandering Alewife Brook was straightened, deepened, and channelized. The hydraulic profile was modi- fied and the stream restricted in its access to its floodplain, all in an effort to further drain the once Great Swamp. During the 1930s, in an effort to claim yet more land from the wetland, the Little River was moved to a new location, and its old course filled in. The legacy of these hydrological changes has been a loss of over 90% of the surface area of the Great Swamp. Water that was once stored in the wetlands of the Great Swamp now has nowhere to go and backs up into the streets and basements of local residents. The remain- ing portion of the wetland, located within the Alewife Reservation and squeezed between Route 2 and several buildings to the north and the office developments and subway station to the south, is today simply incapable of absorb- ing all the stormwater runoff that enters into the system. As development within the water- shed continues, and more land is paved over, flooding intensifies. Today, new plans are being considered to convert a portion of the Reser- vation into a constructed treatment wetland to remove contaminants from the stormwater en- tering the stream and as a vital component of Cambridge's effort to separate most of the cur- rently combined sewer and stormwater flows. C. THE AAASTER PLANNING PROCESS The Alewife area has been the subject of many studies and plans for both development and open space preservation. Starting in the mid 1970s, spurred by the growing controversies about the widening of Route 2 and the Red Line subway extension, and continuing until the present time, various plans have been made about how to best manage, develop or pre- serve the Alewife area. Topics have included industrial revitalization, sustainable develop- ment, wildlife preservation, stormwater man- agement, transportation planning, open space management, brownfield redevelopment, office building construction, and river corridor park design. With particular reference to the MDC's land, notable studies include two open space plans for the Alewife Reservation in 1978 and 1985, a restoration plan for segments of the Alewife Brook Parkway in 1996, and a Master Plan for Blair Pond in 1999. This current Alewife Mas- ter Plan builds upon past work and integrates many other technical studies that have been conducted over the years. This Master Plan was developed through a multi-phase planning process. First, an inven- tory of physical, biological, and cultural re- sources in the study area was conducted. The information from the inventory was then used to formulate goals and objectives for the Mas- ter Plan. Goals: 1. Improve water quality and restore natu- ral hydrology. 2. Protect and enhance wildlife habitat. 3. Improve recreational, educational and other cultural opportunities. 4. Provide for maintenance that minimizes costs and maximizes effectiveness. These goals and objectives, described in detail in Section 2B, were the framework for the sub- sequent Opportunities and Options phase, as well as for the development of specific recom- mendations discussed in Section 2D. At each phase, public meetings were held to provide a forum for concerned neighbors, abutters, local officials, and interest groups to comment on the elements of the developing Master Plan. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN INTRODUCTION C1 . Inventory of Resources The Inventory of Resources consisted of a detailed program of site visits, research of previously published documents, compilation of additional relevant data from archives and libraries, and consideration of public com- ments. The physical resources assessed by the inventory included topography, geology, soils, hydrology, and geomorphology. Biological resources included fish, terrestrial plants and animals, habitat types, invasive species, rare or endangered species of special concern, and ecosystem functions. Finally, cultural and socioeconomic resources included historical sites, open space recreation areas, existing land uses, contaminated sites, utilities, transporta- tion linkages, and residential areas. Section 2A provides a more detailed discussion of current site conditions as documented in the Inventory of Resources. The inventory also includes a series of com- prehensive maps identifying those locations in the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor that are particularly significant. C2. Opportunities and Options In the Opportunities and Options phase, the planning team prepared two conceptual plans for the Alewife Reservation and the Alewife Brook Greenway. These designs were guided by the Master Plan goals and objectives and were based on information from the Inventory of Resources as well as comments from previous public meetings. The two alternatives differed in their relative emphasis on cultural and eco- logical concerns. Public meetings held during this phase generated additional responses that led finally to the development of a preferred alternative. C3. Preferred Alternative The preferred alternative synthesizes elements from the earlier conceptual plans that were deemed by the public, MDC administrators, and planning team as the most desirable and achievable options for implementation. This preferred alternative was then presented at a community meeting for another round of pub- lic comment. This Master Plan reflects the ad- justments to the preferred alternative resulting from that public process. FIGURE 12. At public meetings, area residents had the opportunity to interact with members of the master planning team. INTRODUCTION ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Findings and Recommendations A. Current Site Conditions B. Goals and Objectives C. Proposed Site Improvements and Amenities D. Area Specific Recommendations A. CURRENT SITE CONDITIONS T. he study area is the last remnant of the former Great Swamp that once stretched from Fresh Pond to the Mystic River. However, this relict eco- system has been highly altered by the use and re-use of the area over the past 350 years. Even the briefest review of historical descriptions and il- lustrations makes clear that the appearance of the area and its vegetation, topography, soils, and geomorphology differ greatiy from conditions at the time of European colonial settlement. Despite these radical changes, the area still provides ecological functions that are effectively irreplaceable. Fundamentally, water still drains through the subwatershed to the Alewife Brook. This flow of water — however altered the inputs and flow, and however contaminated the water — persists and continues to define the ecological value of the area. Little River and Alewife Brook remain the lifeblood of the area. A 1 . Physical Resources Most of the study area is the floodplain of the Little River and Alewife Brook and is flat and low-lying. The overall elevation gradient along the length of the study area is less than half a foot, and the average elevation of the study area is less than several feet above sea level. The area is so low in elevation that at times the Mystic River flows upstream into Alewife Brook in a reverse flow. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 11 Following the retreat of the last glaciers 15,000 years ago, kettle ponds such as Fresh Pond and Spy Pond formed, and sands and gravels were deposited in the glacial outwash. An ancient riverbed that once ran through the area depos- ited the clays that were later mined for brick- making. Generally bedrock lies more than five feet below the surface. Most of the surface soils of the Alewife area were subsequently highly disturbed by cut and fill activities dur- ing development of the area. Most of the soils now lack characteristics of naturally developed, undisturbed soils, such as defined layers and horizons, and their poor quality may serve as a constraint to restoration. FIGURE 1 3. View of Yates Pond from the top of the Alewife subway station. In addition to the soils, the hydrology of the Alewife area is also radically altered from its original condition. The major tributaries to Little River, Wellington Brook and Winn's Brook, and the original hydrological connec- tion with Spy Pond all enter the system now via underground pipes. Flow from Fresh Pond, the original source of water in Alewife Brook, was blocked in the 1870s, and most of Alewife Brook, upstream of its confluence with Little River, was buried in a pipe in the 1940s. The construction of Craddock Dam (since removed) and Amelia Earhart Dam on the Mystic River blocked tidal flow from Bos- ton Harbor, converting the Great Swamp from a tidal marsh to a freshwater wetland. Finally, the meandering Alewife Brook downstream of its confluence with the Little River was straight- ened and made to flow in a concrete channel to speed drainage of water from upstream. Ur- banization in the surrounding areas decreased groundwater recharge, resulting in lower base flow. The increased stormwater runoff from the contributing watershed also causes in- creased peak flows. These sudden, high inputs of large amounts of stormwater into the pond and stream system contribute to bank erosion. Despite these modifications to the hydrological system, all the original hydrological connec- tions remain in one form or another, except for the connection to Fresh Pond. Water quality in Little River and Alewife Brook is poor because of stormwater and sanitary sewer discharges. The degraded condition of Alewife wetlands also means they are less ef- fective at their natural function of buffering and improving water quality. More than 60 stormwater and combined sewer outfalls (CSO) discharge directly to the study area, while Spy Pond, Wellington Brook, and Winn's Pond bring significant quantities of contaminated stormwater from Belmont and Arlington. Re- cent projects by Somerville and Cambridge to separate storm and sanitary sewer systems have significantly improved water quality, and con- tinuing projects will yield yet more improve- ments in the future. FIGURE 14. The Alewife Reservation, shown during a major storm event, serves as the floodplain for the Little River. 12 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Alewife's altered hydrology combined with ex- tensive development in its floodplain results in severe flooding problems for some residents. There is simply too little flood storage capacity to accommodate very large storm events. In addition, hydraulic constrictions, most notably at the Massachusetts Avenue and Broadway bridges over Alewife Brook, impede river flow during high flow events. Given the sanitary sewer inputs to the system, local flooding may be a health hazard as well. A2. Biological Resources Although the various places within the Alewife Reservation and the Alewife Brook corridor seem distinct or different, they are all connect- ed by the water that runs through them. Water unifies the Alewife area. Given how difficult it is to see any water when passing through the area on its two major thoroughfares, Route 2 and Alewife Brook Parkway, most people are surprised to learn just how wet the Alewife area is under normal conditions. Five ponds lie within the Reservation, and five more ponds lie on adjacent properties. Some ponds are natural, such as Little Pond and Blair Pond, whereas others were made when clay was excavated for brick-making, such as Yates Pond. Three streams, namely, Wellington Brook, Winn's Brook, and Little River contrib- ute to Alewife Brook before it joins the Mystic River. In addition, numerous drainage channels maintain the hydrological connections among the ponds, streams, and wetlands. The wetlands include shallow marshes, wooded swamps, wet meadows, and two human-made wetland types, namely, stormwater detention basins and cre- ated mitigation wetlands. Upland areas, that is, areas that lie outside the 100 year floodplain, are very limited. The only major upland within the Reservation is the site of the former MDC skating rink, northeast of Little Pond. A few other locations in the Reservation and Greenway are elevated, typi- cally because of fill activities, and lie outside of the floodplain. This lack of upland habi- tat, combined with naturally high groundwater elevations, limit the opportunities to create additional flood storage capacity in the area. The most significant areas that lie outside the floodplain occur on abutting properties such as the Belmont Uplands, portions of the Acorn Office Park (former ADL campus), and the Martignetti property. Because most of the Alewife area is a low-ly- ing network of wet places, most of the habitat is either aquatic or wetland of various types. Although both the aquatic and wetland habitat are degraded, the aquatic habitat is relatively worse off. Poor water quality, the long stretch of concrete channel, and the extensive siltation that has occurred in the ponds and non-con- crete channel beds dramatically reduce the habitat value of the ponds and streams for fish and aquatic plants. Most of the native fish species that once would have lived and bred in the Alewife waters are no longer found in the system. Fish such as brook trout, brown bullhead, and white perch have been replaced by nonnative species such as largemouth bass and common carp, the dominant fish at Alewife (refer to Appen- dix A for a list of existing flora and fauna). Anadromous fish species, namely, alewife and blueback herring, were once so abundant that sometimes 50,000 fish were caught in one catch. The Amelia Earhart Dam at Boston Harbor continues to be an obstruction for fish passage but small numbers of alewife and blue- back herring still manage to migrate up Alewife Brook and Little River to spawn in Little Pond and Wellington Brook. Where siltation has reduced stream depth to less than 12 inches, water temperature tends to be too high for many native fish species. Common carp, which tend to fare better un- ALEWIFE MASTER PUN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 13 g Z LU > Z < I % t 0- D □ □ I 11 rr LU ! ES ! (D <* i M u X Oi c 01 0> L. (J J* o o L_ CQ < ■o c c _o *J (0 £ 0) l/t 01 0£ .* 10 & > "» < o. 51 (0 < O "~ i/> 0) 0) u »- c fli <0 JC t ^ o cu a. *j e «j .£ L. "~ 4-1 >*- ^ s — 1/1 ~ Oi 0 *G 4-> 0) u -a = c ■D ro e <« eJ CD i/> > £ i/i O C £ 0) i/> E 2 a E E ^ o £ y > 01 C •c - * ffl . <0 m -c «- ai 31 der these warm, shallow, and low-water-quality conditions, appear to consume most of the aquatic vegetation that does manage to grow in the stream channels. In contrast to the streams, the Alewife ponds have some aquatic plants such as pondweed, bladderwort and water milfoil. Three years ago Blair Pond and Little Pond were badly infested with the invasive water chestnut, but a concerned citizen has controlled the problem by hand-removing the plants at precisely the correct time before they release their seeds. Infestation is under control, but continuing effort is needed to prevent re- infestation. The land on the north and south banks of the Little River is primarily wetland, but var- FIGURE 16. Beavers have recently begun feeding on quaking aspen saplings along the Little River. ies from wooded swamp to open wet meadow. Weeping willow, black willow, gray birch, silver maple and quaking aspen are important trees offering canopy cover and habitat for birds and mammals. Coyote scat were found on the north bank during a 2002 wildlife inventory (refer to Appendix A for a list of existing flora and fauna). The MDC land surrounding the Little River and abutting properties (Belmont Up- lands, ADL wetland, Martignetti property, and Acorn Office Park) is the largest contiguous area of natural habitat in the area. No doubt this explains the presence of larger mammals such as coyote and deer and its attraction to the large birds of prey that frequent the area. The Reservation has plentiful food for preda- tors that feed on rabbits, feral cats, moles, and other small mammals. Extensive stands of Vhragmites (common reed) and areas of thick understory shrubs and vines provide extensive cover to small mammals. Common species in the understory include sumac, dogwood, speckled alder, and various Viburnum. Bald eagles have been sighted at the Reservation, while other birds of prey appear to be resident. For example, a Peregrine falcon has lived in the area for a number of years and at times is sighted almost daily perched on the top of the Rindge Apartment Towers during morning rush hour. Migratory waterfowl and songbirds also regularly visit the area. FIGURE 17. Woodcocks, which can be observed in the Alewife Reservation, prefer wet, scrubby habitat interspersed with open grassy areas, a habitat type that is being lost state-wide to forest succession and bottomland development. Most of the open wetlands are dominated by Phragmites due to soil disturbance and altered hydrology. However, several stands of cattail can be found in the Reservation, on the north- east corner of Little Pond, and in the cattail marsh just downstream of the Route 2 rotary. In the Alewife Brook corridor, along the stream banks, the main habitat types differ from the Reservation. Several long stretches along the Parkway consist of more formal parkland with specimen trees, mown lawn, and pedestrian paths. ALEWIFE AAASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 15 The parklike character of the west and east bank Greenway contrasts with the habitat on the banks of the Alewife Brook. In the Green- way section, the Alewife Brook is fenced off and flows through a long stretch of concrete- lined channel. Within the fences that line the brook, the banks support extensive woody veg- etation in some areas and in other areas very extensive and well-established stands of anoth- er invasive species, Japanese knotweed. Along the tree-lined sections of bank, maple, oak, alder, birch, willow, locust, sycamore, and pin cherry provide a relatively diverse flora. How- ever, less desirable species such as sumac and tree-of-heaven are also common. Horned owls, kingfishers, and great blue herons are some of the birds that are seen, and both red foxes and muskrats are known to use the Greenway. FIGURE 18. Black-crowned night herons have been reported to roost in the area where the Little River leaves Little Pond. In summary, significant ecological resources were identified in the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor, and for most of these resources, their value extended well beyond the boundaries of the study area. The area provides flood storage capacity to the whole subwatershed and to a "sewershed" that goes beyond the borders of the subwatershed. The wildlife habitat serves to support animals that otherwise would struggle to survive in the sur- rounding four municipalities. Although not formally recognized, rare, endangered, and/or protected bird species use the area, as well as migrating birds. FIGURE 1 9. A number of turtle species can be found in the Alewife Reservation such as these painted turtles. A3. Cultural and Socio-economic Resources The Alewife study area provides a rich chron- icle of the settlement and development of the New England coastal landscape, with many sites of historical interest and significance. The Reservation provides recreational opportuni- ties to surrounding communities and is ideally located relative to regional bike and pedestrian paths; proximity to public transportation, nearby playing fields and residential develop- ments; and easy access to roads and parking lots. Diverse land uses surround the study area, including commercial shopping districts, indus- trial and corporate centers, residential commu- nities of predominantly high density, and some public open space. The Alewife Brook Green- way serves as a utility corridor containing gas line easements, telephone lines, and sewer and storm drainpipes (Figure 20 illustrates cultural resources in the Reservation). More than a dozen citizen interest groups are focused on the Alewife study area. Prevalent is- sues include, but are not restricted to: reducing flooding and improving water quality, sustain- ing and enhancing biological diversity within the Reservation, developing educational op- portunities for school children and adults, and monitoring and limiting current and proposed future development projects in the area. 16 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN < LU o > O LU > Z U o o I Q. 1 t 0. 3% i © 3«£g ,« in P- Si I o (0 z "- I CO CO Q E It i-cr z |i! O 5 > o- £ in ID MO to co r*- oo O) U r o T3 C (1) .<0 on c v ... ... .* (0 a « o o E (0 a. on c X a> u s >-• *-§ g'E Q. O O U * -X ti ° 5 o C CO xi *: S 5 !E d-S UJ ° 2 '5 Ll- CI B. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Along with findings from the Inventory of Resources described above, four Master Planning goals were developed for the pro- posed restoration and enhancement of the Alewife Reservation and the Alewife Brook. Each of these goals is composed of three or four major objectives, with some overlap among them. Thus addressing one objective will likely address others as well. The ultimate success of restoration efforts will depend on how well these goals and objectives are met. However, it is important to recognize that in some areas the goals may go beyond the limits of the study area itself. Meeting Goal 1 requires involvement by neigh- boring communities outside the bounds of the study area. For example, cities and towns should decrease their pollution (especially fe- cal coliform bacteria) from combined sewer and stormwater overflows by eliminating cross contamination and illegal connections to storm drains. Pollutants washed from parking lots and lawns by stormwater should be reduced or eliminated through low impact development (LID) techniques, e.g., substituting infiltration Goal 1: Improve water quality and restore natural hydrology Objectives • Protect existing and increase future stor- age capacity of stormwater runoff to reduce threats of flooding. • Decrease pollution from combined sewer and stormwater overflows. • Decrease nonpoint sources of pollution from stormwater runoff by implement- ing traditional and innovative best man- agement practices (BMPs). • Re-establish a more stable and natural stream geomorphology. Goal 2: Protect and enhance wildlife habitat Objectives • Improve migratory and spawning habitat for anadromous fish, especially alewife — the namesake species for the entire region. • Enhance and expand aquatic and riparian habitat for birds and mammals. • Protect and expand ecological connec- tions to surrounding, non-MDC, open spaces with a broadened habitat per- spective. • Manage the study area to enhance species and habitat diversity. swales for curbs, gutters, inlets, and drains wherever possible. Placing development limits on the creation of impervious surfaces will maintain stormwater infiltration and enhance the flood storage capacity of the Alewife area. Goal 2 also requires efforts that extend beyond the specific recommendations for the study area described in Section 2D. For example, enhancing habitat for migratory birds depends in part on acquiring and protecting abutting wedands and upland areas. Where protection is not possible, ecologically sensitive develop- ment is critical. FIGURE 21. The Master Plan recommendations will provide opportunities for students to learn ecology lessons through first hand experience at the Alewife Reservation. 18 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PUN Goal 3: Improve recreational, educational and cultural opportunities Objectives • Facilitate public use of the Alewife Res- ervation and Alewife Brook Parkway. • Increase stewardship of the Reservation by users and other stakeholders. • Interpret ecological and cultural history from the time of the Great Swamp to today's relict wetland ecosystem. FIGURE 22. Small platforms connected to boardwalks will enhance wildlife viewing in the Alewife Reservation. Recommendations to improve public use of the Reservation and Greenway are presented in Sections 2C and 2D. There is a recognized need for the MDC to work with abutters, concerned citizens, and interest groups. Citizen-based monitoring and stewardship programs managed and coordi- nated by the MDC should be encouraged and enhanced to ensure progress implementing the Master Plan. Creative means for obtaining on-going funding for restoration and mainte- nance need to be explored that will maximize environmental involvement and stewardship by surrounding industries and businesses. Goal 4: Provide for maintenance that minimizes costs and maximizes effectiveness Objectives • Create a low-maintenance, long-term, self-sustaining landscape. • Implement MDC-managed citizen-based monitoring and stewardship program. • Identify sources for funding and part- ships for implementing the Master Plan. • Properly fund and staff the Reservation. C. PROPOSED SITE IMPROVEMENTS AND AMENITIES Many of the site improvements and amenities described below are closely linked to each oth- er in their function and have been combined in the design. Together, they are designed to reflect the comprehensive goals set forth in this plan, resulting in improved connections for water, wildlife, and people. For better un- derstanding of recommendations described herein, refer to the fold-out Master Plan draw- ings in Appendix E. The following paragraphs describe general improvements and treatments but also give an overview of the site program. For more de- tailed location descriptions for each area, refer to Section 2D. C1 . General Design Criteria In developing this Master Plan, the planning team established basic design criteria for site improvements and amenities to ensure that the goals and objectives set forth in the Master Plan are reflected in the individual site program elements. These criteria are as follows. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 19 • Incorporate innovative stormwater man- agement techniques into infrastructure design. • Create a network of wildlife habitat and plant communities using native species. • Concentrate wider, primary pathways along Alewife Brook and the Parkway. Leave the Reservation for passive rec- reation with minimized disturbance in sensitive wildlife habitat areas. • Include educational components, for example, highlight natural and cultural processes through innovative design and exposed infrastructure. • Integrate educational, interpretive, and directional features with public art. • Use sustainable and recycled materials where possible (refer to the List of Sus- tainable Materials in Appendix C). C2. Hydrological and Hydraulic Improvements Major, sustainable improvements to current problems like flooding of abutting homes and businesses and impaired water quality can only be achieved on a watershed scale, and strate- gies for those planning efforts r & FIGURE 23. Flooded former ADL are discussed in parking lot in the Reservation. Section 4B of this Master Plan. However, as water remains the driving factor for life and restoration plans around the Little River and Alewife Brook, many of the site improvements described in this section take water into account. The al- terations that resulted in today's hydrologic and hydraulic conditions were severe, therefore many of the improvements listed below must be regarded as long-term actions, potentially requiring more extensive studies, modeling, and close evaluation regarding their feasibil- ity. Some studies are currently underway, such as the MDC Mystic River Hydrologic and Hy- draulic Study. Recommended hydrological and hydraulic im- provements are as follows: 1. Increase flood storage volume through dredging of ponds and stream chan- nels. This action must be closely linked to a comprehensive strategy to elimi- nate re-sedimentation from watershed inputs to the system to ensure long- term success. Potential aquatic habitat impacts must be carefully studied and minimized. 2. Increase flood storage volume by lowering floodplain elevation, e.g., through wetland creation and removal of fill material. Eliminate structural constrictions by widening bridge openings and culverts. FIGURE 24. This stream channel is being restored using bioengineering techniques. These techniques, originally developed in Europe, combine mainly natural materials such as native plants, coconut fiber mats, and rock. They have proven very successful in restoring natural systems. 20 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN J EVAPOTPAN5P1RATION TREE SPECIE5 5UITED FOR VARYING MOISTURE CONDITIONS SHRUB SPECIES SUITED TOR VARYING MOISTURE CONDITIONS &m0®t MANUFACTURED PERMEABLE SOIL PERFORATED PVC PIPE GRAVEL LAYER WRAPPED IN FILTER FABRIC FIGURE 25. Typical bioretention basin for stormwater infiltration and water quality treatment. 4. Realign the stream channel and alter cross sections to achieve a more bal- anced sediment transport regime. 5. Decrease sedimentation in streams and ponds by stabilizing eroded banks with bioengineering techniques. 6. Improve water quality by enhancing buffer areas, especially using native herbaceous plant communities on stream banks and pond edges. 7. Incorporate innovative stormwa- ter management techniques such as biofiltration basins and stormwater wetlands to improve water quality and decrease water quantity entering the stream system during storm events. These actions must be combined with similar efforts in the entire watershed if a measurable improvement is de- sired. 8. Achieve a water quality of Class B or better within the Alewife watershed to expand the possible uses of the water bodies to fishing and contact recre- ation. This effort requires regional planning efforts that focus on the entire watershed (see Section 4B, Rec- ommendations Beyond Study Area). Currently the Little River and Alewife Brook are classified as Class B (swim- mable, fishable) streams, but the cur- rent water quality does not fulfill the parameters set for a Class B stream and the official process for downgrading the status to the subcategory Class B, CSO is currently underway. C3. Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Despite the currently impaired habitat qual- ity, a variety of wildlife is commonly found in the project area and has been identified in recent studies and through observations. However, the remaining habitats are in need of protection and improvements to strengthen the desired wildlife communities already pres- ent and to improve the conditions for species currently under-represented, such as blueback herring and alewife. These improvements are expected to result in higher population num- bers, higher species diversity, domination of native species over exotic intruders, and better connections between isolated habitats. Recommended habitat improvements are as follows: 1. Improve habitat for wildlife already us- ing the Reservation and increase habi- tat diversity to accommodate a greater variety of species. Priority should be placed on improving and enhancing wetland habitats, including forested wetland, the aquatic habitat of ponds and stream channels, riparian habitat along the stream banks, wet mead- ows and swamps, and vernal pools. Increasing fragmentation should be avoided, rather - habitat areas should ALEWIFE MASTER PUN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 21 be consolidated into larger, contiguous areas where possible. Upland forest is extremely limited in the Reservation, but it is needed to provide habitat di- versity and to provide refuge to some species when flooding is extensive. Priority should be placed on preserv- ing abutting upland parcels as natural areas. 2. Improve the soil by amending exist- ing soils to support healthy vegetation, importing "clean" soil (free of weeds, exotic plant parts and seed), and manu- facturing a "new soil" from various in- dividual components, especially for use in bioretention/biofiltration areas. 3. Remove exotic species with low wildlife value and replace with noninvasive na- tive species selected for their potential resource value for nesting, food supply, etc. (see the Maintenance Plan in Ap- pendix D and Plant List in Appendix B). 4. Link habitats of vegetative communi- ties by removing invasive plant species and adding native plantings. WATER LEVEL /- BOTTOM OF ' POND FIGURE 26. Typical emergent pond edge treatment replacing lawn areas, improving habitat diversity, and cleansing water. FIGURE 27. Meadows serve as habitat for insects such as bees and butterflies, as well as for ground-nesting bird species. 5. Reduce mown lawn areas by adding pockets of upland meadow along the Alewife Brook and Parkway. 6. Replace lawn areas leading up to the water's edge with an emergent plant zone and riparian vegetation to dis- courage use by Canada geese. 7. Increase flood storage through excava- tion of the newly created or restored wetlands. Assess feasibility of excava- tion by testing soils to determine soil contamination from past industrial use and dumping. 8. Design natural areas/habitats to improve water quality by using na- tive plants, especially herbaceous species, that in combination with soil and microorganisms can filter pollutants from the water. Re-grade pond and river banks and shape the channel profile in restored stream sections to en- courage the establishment of a herbaceous plant shelf in contact with the water. 9. Decrease sedimentation in streams and ponds by stabilizing eroded banks. • COMPACTED OR UNDISTURBED 5UBGRADE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 10. Design habitat areas for increased stormwater infiltration by removing existing pavement, adding new native plantings, improving soil conditions (for example, deep tilling in heavily compacted areas, adding of compost and other soil amendments), and im- porting or manufacturing new soil. C4. Circulation and Access Improvements Gateways and Entrances The Master Plan proposes two major gateways that will serve as the primary access to the Ale- wife Reservation and Alewife Brook Greenway. The major gateway into the Reservation will be located just northwest of the Alewife Subway Station and adjacent to the Minuteman Bike- way terminus. This area is currently used as the entry point for most Reservation visitors. An information kiosk exists at this entry. FIGURE 28. This gateway to the Upper Charles Reservation is an example of possible gateway design for the Alewife area. Obelisks similar to those found at the Minute- man terminus will signal the gateway for the Reservation and the connection to the Fitch- burg Cutoff Bicycle Trail, a proposed multi-use trail that the Massachusetts Highway Depart- ment (MHD) will construct on the southern edge of the Alewife Reservation. Reservation users crossing a new bridge over old Alewife Brook could orient themselves to the Reserva- tion's rich ecological and recreational history at a new, nearby gathering area. Teachers and naturalists will use the outdoor amphitheater to educate students and other visitors on subjects ranging from birds of prey to wetland systems. The second major gateway will be located at the northern end of Alewife Brook where it connects to the Mystic Valley River. The Ale- wife-Mystic Gateway Park will help link these two linear open spaces. Amenities at the gateways will include seating areas to serve as a gathering point or outdoor classroom, information and directional dis- plays, interpretive and educational signage, and public art. The gateways could also include water fountains and public restrooms. Field and trail guides should be available at these locations. Several other minor gateways have been identi- fied in the Master Plan including the Reserva- tion access at Brighton/Blanchard Street, the restored east Reservation wetland as well as the Massachusetts Avenue and the Broadway bridge over Alewife Brook. They will incor- porate signage, a kiosk/information board to provide general information, trail guide, and interpretive features, and parking (where nec- essary). Neighborhood residents abutting the park can access the path system in other MDC designated locations, such as at Little Pond and along both sides of the Alewife Brook and Parkway. Parking Vehicular parking at Dilboy Field will re- main. The existing MDC parking lot there is proposed to be retrofitted or re-built using stormwater best management practices such as infiltration swales and biofiltration areas. These slightly depressed, vegetated areas receive run- off from paved parking surfaces and temporar- ily store the water above ground, in the soil and in subsurface drainage layers. Biochemical and ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 23 FIGURE 29. A biofiltration area in a parking lot. physical processes would improve the quality of the water before it enters Alewife Brook. A significant amount of the stormwater runoff would return to the hydrologic cycle by means of evapotranspiration through the plants and the soil medium. The proximity of the Alewife MBTA park- ing garage to the Reservation provides a good parking option for park users. However, the garage fills up quickly on weekdays with com- muters. Parking spaces are more readily avail- able on the weekends and after the afternoon rush hour. Several new, small parking areas (5 to 20 spac- es) are planned to reduce the dependence on the Alewife MBTA parking garage. They are: off Acorn Park Drive near the Belmont Up- lands; adjacent to the wetland restoration at the former ADL parking lot; and at Brighton Street to serve people accessing Little Pond. These new parking areas should incorporate biofiltration and porous pavement that allows infiltration of stormwater into the underlying soil for groundwater recharge. Bicycle racks should also be provided for those who want to access the Reservation by nonmotorized trans- portation. Public Transportation The Alewife Reservation is accessible to public transportation (e.g. Alewife subway station and connecting bus routes), however, additional signage is needed to direct visitors to the Res- ervation gateway. The location of the Alewife subway station presents a great opportunity for people to reach this "outdoor classroom" by means of an environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Circulation Patterns and Connectivity The primary goal of the proposed circulation system is to establish appropriate connections to existing trails, eliminate inappropriate trails and develop links to the existing regional path system (e.g. Minuteman Bike Trail). The cir- culation and path system balances the protec- tion of wildlife habitat with the public's desire to observe and appreciate it. Where feasible, paths have been located on higher ground in the least- sensitive areas. Paths leading through sensitive areas or wetlands will be constructed as boardwalks. Areas currently disturbed by filling and dumping activities or infested with exotic species will be properly rehabilitated in future advanced design stages. Examples of such areas include pieces of land south of Little River and along Alewife Brook. FIGURE 30. Photosimulation of a bridge crossing to allow for loop trails and better connections. 24 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 1 \ -, LEGEND \ RESERVATION & PARKWAY BOUNDARY M DC -OWN ED PROPERTY \ • ' * J i i a •• ■ INFORMAL TRALS GRAVEL PATH \ SOEWALK \ MULTIUSE PAVED PATH \ Figure 31: Existing circulation in Alewife Reservation. Numerous informal trails cut through the area north and south of the Little River. LEGEND Belmont RESERVATION & PARKWAY BOUNDARY ♦ ♦ ♦ STABILIZED AGGREGATE TRAJL (4-8 FTWOTH) I. . . BOARDWALK (IN SENSITIVE WILDLIFE AREAS) PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE immiiii — — EXISTING PATH TO REMAN EXISTING SIDEWALK TOREMAM FUTURE PATH (BV OTHERS) <-> CONNECTION TO EXISTING OR PROPOSED THAI 11 GATEWAY / PRIMARY ENTRANCE ► NEIGH BORHCOO ACCESS _^ITTT on I Mum Railroad J AHwife M &TA Proposed Cambndxe Station Scormwiur Wadand ► * . f J i — Z^ \ '- — Tiaa i V Figure 32: Proposed circulation in Alewife Reservation. The proposed circulation system retains some of the routes of existing trails but converts them to boardwalks to protect sensitive wildlife areas and keep visitors from venturing off the path. Most of the informal trails south of the Little River will be closed using extensive native plantings (thorny species). The proposed paths and boardwalks allow for loop walks, especially in the East Reservation where educational features will enable the area to serve as an outdoor classroom. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 25 The narrow stone dust path that runs along southern edge of the Reservation, also known as the Fitchburg Cutoff Bicycle Trail, is partial- ly located on MDC land. The MHD is planning improvements to that path to provide adequate width and surface. This path will connect to the Minuteman Bike Trail at the Alewife sub- way station and travel to Brighton/Blanchard Street in Belmont. It will be an important part of the Massachusetts Central Rail Trail (Way- side Section) that is envisioned to span east to west through the entire state. Through the Minuteman Bike Trail, the Fitchburg Cutoff Trail will connect to the proposed Alewife Brook Trail parallel to Alewife Brook through the Greenway and join the Mystic Valley cor- ridor trail system. The major path connection node for the area is conveniently located ad- jacent to the Alewife subway station. At this location, the proposed paths mentioned above, the Minuteman Bike Trail, and the Linear Path meet existing and potential connections to the Wayside Rail Trail, Fresh Pond, and the Charles River. The proposed network of trails in the Alewife Reservation focuses on creating several loops that will lead visitors through and around the sensitive wildlife areas using boardwalks and narrow trails. By reducing the existing un- planned network of informal trails, and pro- viding a new high quality path system, negative impact by park users on habitats and animals that live in or use the Reservation will be re- duced. Areas where trails will be closed off will be reclaimed for habitat. The major loop starts at the Reservation gate- way behind the Alewife subway station and continues through the area south of the Little River, crossing the Wellington Brook and Little River between Perch Pond and Litde Pond. From there, the path runs east along the north- ern edge of the Reservation, keeping the area along the river undisturbed for wildlife activity. A smaller "educational" trail adjacent to the Alewife subway station incorporates the pro- posed wetland restoration site in the east Res- ervation and the proposed stormwater wetland on the south side of the Little River, via a nar- row pedestrian bridge. Small platforms, over- looks, and some interpretive features make this smaller loop trail a central focus area for an outdoor classroom. Trails leading along the edges of Little Pond allow neighbors to access the west Reservation from two points along Brighton Street. A small pedestrian bridge across Little River near Little Pond allows circulation into the areas north of the Little River. The trail alignment in these areas is closely linked with shoreline restora- tion and riparian habitat enhancements around Little Pond. Path Types (Width a Surface Material) Four path types of varying widths and surface material are recommended for the project area. The different types were selected based on an- ticipated type of use, user frequency, accessi- bility, and sensitivity to the area where the path will be located. All pathways in the Reservation and along the Alewife Brook are designed pri- marily for pedestrian and bike traffic. Vehicular traffic (light vehicles such as pick-up trucks) will be necessary on selected paths for mainte- nance and public safety purposes. Those paths include the trail on the southern edge of the Reservation (Fitchburg Cutoff Trail) as well as the pathways on the west and east side of the Alewife Brook. These paths will be designed to accommodate heavier loads, and collaps- ible bollards or other appropriate means will prevent access by unauthorized vehicles. There will be path sections with structural limitations that will prohibit maintenance access like the cantilevered path parallel to St. Paul's Cemetery on the east side and the proposed ramp off Broadway on the west side of the brook. 26 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Asphalt Path Asphalt (bituminous concrete) is a hard sur- face that accommodates pedestrians, bicycles, wheelchairs, strollers, and in-line skates. As- phalt paths can also be designed to withstand emergency and maintenance vehicles. The gen- erous width of these paths (10-12 feet) allows for two-way traffic. Generally the asphalt surface is impervious, but porous formulations are available and can be useful in decreasing runoff. Biofiltration swales parallel to the path or leading from the path to larger biofiltration basins will also be used to retain and treat stormwater. This configuration is suitable along the Alewife Brook Parkway to improve or replace the existing sidewalks. Stabilised Aggregate Path This path type is 8—10 feet wide and uses stone dust, crushed stone aggregate (or decomposed granite) and an organic binder to create a semi-porous, stable surface. The path surface is accessible to wheelchairs. The path is semi- permeable and thus most desirable from a stormwater management standpoint. The path usually blends in well with the natural environ- ment. Successful installations of this material type occur on the Minuteman Trail (see Figure 33) and on certain sections of the Fresh Pond Perimeter Trail. FIGURE 34. A stabilized aggregate trail in a natural area. Stabilised Aggregate Trail This minor path type is 4-6 feet wide and uses the same surface as described above. It is pro- posed mainly in the Alewife Reservation where passive recreational activities such as wildlife viewing are common. This path type will pro- vide access while minimizing negative effects on the environment (see Figure 34). boardwalks Six- to eight-foot wide timber boardwalks are proposed in areas where the following condi- tions occur: in wetland and floodplain areas where impacts to wildlife habitat should be minimized; when the desired path is to be constructed above a certain flood elevation; FIGURE 33. A stabilized aggregate path (Minuteman Bike Trail, Concord-Lexington ) FIGURE 35. Cantilevered boardwalk on a steep slope using pin-type footings on downhill side. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 27 and when paths are proposed on a particularly steep slope or where a significant grade change needs to be accommodated. Boardwalks closer to the ground (up to 2.5 feet) will have timber guards to minimize straying or falling off the edge, while boardwalks higher than 2.5 feet require railings. In sensitive areas, pin-type footings will be used to mitigate impacts to the existing resource area (see Figure 35). Benches and small viewing platforms can be built into the boardwalks to provide improved opportunities for wildlife viewing and scenic overlooks. Recycled plastic and pressed wood products are preferred building materials to pressure treated wood for their longer life span and to avoid toxic chemicals from the wood treatment process leaching into the surround- ing soils. An alternative to timber decking is corrosion-resistant metal mesh, which would allow maximum light penetration beneath the boardwalk/overlooks. This type of decking could be used over channel inlets designed for fish migration into the newly created open wa- ter wetlands. Bridges, Overlooks and Crossings Along Alewife Brook Parkway, vehicular bridg- es cross Alewife Brook at five locations: the Route 2 rotary at the beginning of the Parkway, the intersections with Massachusetts Avenue, Broadway, Henderson Street, and the Mystic Valley Parkway. Apart from the crossing at the end of Henderson Street which serves as a neighborhood connection, all of these bridges experience heavy traffic and accommodate pedestrians only with a narrow sidewalk. It is from these bridges that one can obtain the best view into the stream environment. These views will be maintained and may be improved (e.g. added safety measures in these locations, canti- levered platform at an existing bridge, etc.). The existing bridges should also be used to link proposed paths by installing proper crossings FIGURE 36. Example of a small platform that could be used on the edge of the Little River. and directional signage. Crosswalks over road- ways should be clearly marked and pedestrian lights installed to ensure safe travel and con- nection between the path segments. The use of different paving materials can be used as an- other measure to signal upcoming intersections and crossings. No additional vehicular or pedestrian bridges are currently proposed for the Alewife Brook and Parkway section of the project area. How- ever, pedestrian bridge crossings at Dilboy Field and over the Mystic-Alewife confluence at the Mystic Valley Parkway were discussed in the master planning process and could be re- visited in the future if adjacent neighborhoods expressed a strong interest. New pedestrian bridges are planned for key locations in the Reservation. These bridges will enhance accessibility and public safety, connect trails to form loops, and provide better views into wildlife areas. The proposed bridge behind the Alewife sub- way station over old Alewife Brook must be wide enough for emergency and maintenance vehicles (minimum 12 foot width). All other proposed bridges will vary between 6 and 8 feet in width and will be designed to carry non- vehicular loads. The bridges will be construct- ed using a mixture of recycled materials, wood and metal, and will be designed to have mini- mal impact on wildlife. Prefabricated systems 28 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PUN are desirable to minimize costs. Design con- straints such as flood elevations will be taken into consideration during design development. Small platforms and decks integrated into the system of boardwalks will create new scenic views into the restored wetlands and the Little River. Subtle interpretive features will provide opportunities for learning about the history of the Great Swamp, area wildlife, and important ecological functions of this urban ecosystem. C5. Landscape Furnishings The Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor differ noticeably in character. The Reservation is a contiguous open space that functions primarily as a natural area, whereas the Alewife Brook and the Parkway form a linear urban park. The Master Plan not only strives to make the connection between the two more effective and visible but also to improve and maintain their respective qualities. Landscape furnishing can help by creating a unifying character of the space. Light fixtures typical for the MDC Parkways are proposed along the road edges of the Alewife Brook Parkway to strengthen the Parkway character. The historic lights could also be furnished with a smaller scale light fixture to illuminate the asphalt path parallel to the brook and road. The use of light fixtures that mini- mize light pollution through cutoff reflectors is also encouraged. Benches in the Reservation will be provided in the form of structures built into boardwalks and overlooks creating a different character and quality. Standard benches can be used along the MHD Bike trail to provide a continuous con- necting element for the users. A modification to the standard MDC bench incorporating sus- tainable materials links the past to the future. Carefully selected locations along the Alewife Brook corridor will receive standard MDC benches inviting travelers for a short rest to enjoy the park and brook. Bike racks should be installed in the vicinity of the intersection between the Alewife Brook Parkway and Massachusetts Avenue, as well as at the Broadway intersection, to accommodate bike commuters who switch to bus transporta- tion in these locations. A carry-in/carry-out strategy clearly stated on signs in prominent locations is proposed for trash handling to help increase the aware- ness for environmental pollution. An increase in users and patrolling by MDC rangers and park police will help to eliminate large-scale dumping. Any trash receptacles placed at major gateways should be easily accessible to mainte- nance vehicles. C6. Interpretive Features and Signage Three major themes derived from the history of the Alewife area can serve as the basis for developing interpretive features: 1. past (industrial and agricultural), pres- ent and future land use, 2. changes to the natural system and ecol- ogy of the area, and 3. Native American history and settle- ments. FIGURE 37. This etched boulder calls attention to the species and other natural elements of a site. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 29 Interpretive features should be subtle, low maintenance, easy to change in response to varying program requirements, and accom- modate short- and long-term objectives (e.g., expansion of trails along the Mystic River or other connected areas of interest). Rather than a large number of interpretive signs that could be subject to vandalism, num- bered identification markers at various points of interest will relate to an interpretive guide available at all gateway areas. Where signs are used in prominent locations, they should be designed to be durable, nonflammable, and cost-effective for replacement. C7. Public Art The Master Plan envisions using art as an ele- ment of public education and for creating vi- sual connections between spaces and habitats that are not readily apparent to the traveler. Interpretive elements incorporating art and lo- FIGURE 38. This art installation made from natural materials also functions as an entrance and play area. cal artist's visions, similar to those found at the new Fresh Pond facility, are also desired. Temporary installations might celebrate sea- sonal events such as the spring herring run. Natural materials found on-site, such as (wil- low) twigs, branches, or vines, might become the basis for transient art or play installations. Permanent installations would be placed in prominent locations. Collaborations of artists with local activist groups, residents, school FIGURE 39. An ecological mural is proposed for the Alewife subway station. children and businesses can help foster an understanding of the natural and cultural world and enhance the human connection to the wildlife found in the Reservation and the Greenway. A project in this spirit is an environ- mental mural proposed to adorn the walls of the Alewife subway station. Fundraiser events such as the one organized by the Friends of the Alewife Reservation in November 2002 for the mural are good examples of what can be done to spark interest and help raise some of the necessary funding. C8. Water Access A key element of the Master Plan is to provide opportunities for users to experience water in new ways. Structural obstacles, including the chain link fence along the Alewife Brook, should be removed to allow for visual access to the any restored sections of the brook. To limit FIGURE 40. Representation of a possible boat access area 30 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN the negative impact on the ecosystem, access areas along the Little River and Alewife Brook should be small in scale and well defined. Many of the site amenities described in this section, including overlooks, platforms, and boardwalks, make access and views to sensitive aquatic areas possible. Nonmotorized boating is a popular activity that can be facilitated by improved access to the water. New access points for nonmotorized boats are incorporated at Little Pond, the pro- posed wetland in the east Reservation (current ADL parking lot), and the Dilboy Field parking lot, expanding the routes for canoes and kayaks to travel to the Mystic River. Boat launches will be designed to blend with the surrounding en- vironment (e.g., using cobbles and stone place- ments to define the launching spot). Stairs leading down to the water could be marked with the flood levels as an educational feature. FIGURE 41. Water play The expected im- provements in en- vironmental health and water quality within the Alewife watershed will dic- tate which types of water activities will ultimately be encouraged. Currently the water quality of the Alewife wa- ter bodies is not safe for contact recreation. Therefore, other opportunities for water play should be offered, particularly for children. An underground cistern could store potable water that would circulate through different water features by means of solar- or hand-powered pumps or Archimedes screws. Such water play features could also serve as an important educational element for sustainable water and energy use. C9. Safety and Security The planned improvements to the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor are expected to increase recreational use and visits to the area. Greater public use will help reduce unwanted, illicit activity that currently takes place in several remote areas. In other words, increased use means increased visibility, which in turn promotes increased safety. In general, night-time use is not planned or encouraged for the Reservation. MDC policy for public use is dawn to dusk (i.e., closed after dark). Another suggested measure to increase safety is increased patrolling by MDC rangers and state and local police (e.g., bicycle-mount- ed park rangers). C10. Delineating and Screening the Private- Public Property Interface FIGURE 42. Example of boundary treatment between private and public property before (above) and after (below). ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 31 Where requested and appropriate, strategic plantings and a low wooden fence will be used to clearly define the line between private and public property at the edges of the Reservation and along the Greenway. Dense plantings of woody native species (see plant list in Appendix B) can screen private abutters from park users, ensuring adequate privacy, and clearly delineating between public and private land. Carefully sited openings in the vegetation and/or fence will maintain desired views and access to open space. A wooden guardrail will be used in areas abutting commercial and industrial properties to define the boundaries of the public open space. D. AREA-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDA- TIONS The fold-out master plan drawing in Appendix E is designed to accompany the descriptions and the recommendations in this section. To facilitate description of the recommenda- tions in more detail, the project area has been divided into seven areas. For each area a short summary of the existing conditions and a statement of the key challenges is provided, followed by a description of the proposed rec- ommendations. The list of recommendations for each area starts with actions related to Mas- ter Plan Goals 1 and 2 and their corresponding objectives (i.e., improve hydrology /water qual- ity and habitat) followed by proposed actions fulfilling Goal 3 (i.e., improve recreational, educational, cultural opportunities). The typical improvements and site amenities that recur in these project areas are described above in detail in Section 3C. Recommen- dations that require more extensive studies regarding their feasibility are labeled "long- term recommendations." These actions would greatly improve the health of the ecosystem but involve extensive planning, funding, and construction. Area 1 : Little Pond Existing Conditions and Key Challenges Much of the shoreline of Little Pond has been modified and few aquatic plants are present. Trees and shrubs dominate about one third of the shoreline; residential yards and lawns, most illegally encroaching, line the remaining two- thirds of shore. There is also a loss of natural shoreline from erosion. FIGURE 43. View over Little Pond from the north Although Little Pond is reported to sustain some of the few spawning populations of her- ring in the area, fishing seems to have decreased in recent years, possibly due to a decline in water quality. (Approximately 20 stormwater outfalls drain to the pond, including a large box-culvert receiving significant runoff from the City of Belmont.) Bordering lands harbor a variety of birds and mammals. -■ ' "*4| I t m * '- 'w_: < i. ■ * 1 —^ ■ - ' • - ■■■-■ 32 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FIGURE 44. Existing Little Pond shoreline with lawns leading up to the water's edge. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN No trails circumnavigate Little Pond, although the site does serve as a gateway to the Reserva- tion from several access points. No important cultural resources exist in the area. Recommendations 1. Reclaim all encroachments and re- store the riparian buffer and shoreline around Little Pond. The west side of the pond requires intensive restoration using bioengineering techniques and native herbaceous plantings as well as shrubs and trees. Planting trees at spe- cific intervals will maintain views to the pond from the abutting residential homes. The littoral shelf (the lower, mostly flat and submerged part of the pond bank) should be planted with native emergent wetland species able to trap contaminants, which will im- prove water quality. In addition, native vegetation provides increased habitat, which can lead to greater diversity of aquatic invertebrates and fish. Remov- ing the lawn abutting the pond will help reduce the Canada Goose prob- lem in the area. 2. Determine sediment depths and ex- plore the feasibility of dredging Little Pond. Increasing pond depth will in- crease flood storage capacity and can also reduce peak summer water tem- peratures while increasing dissolved oxygen levels (long-term recommenda- tion). 3. Create predator free islands in the pond that could serve as avian nesting habitat. Flexible modular systems that are anchored to the pond bottom are available that allow herbaceous vegeta- tion to become established. 4. Convert mowed grass south of the pond into low-maintenance meadow communities to increase the diversity of habitat types in this area and reduce goose feeding. 5. Install paths at strategic locations to allow for better access to the Reserva- tion and pond edge. The path system will comprise a combination of trails, boardwalks, and small lookout plat- forms at locations with scenic views (e.g., on the south side near the neigh- RE5IDENTIAL ABUTTER PROPERTY RESIDENTIAL BOUNDARY TREATMENT AND SHORELINE RESTORATION LITTLE POND WOOD FENCE AT MDC PROPERTY LINE AND RIPARIAN DUFFER HABITAT PLANTING FIGURE 45. Proposed pond shoreline with riparian restoration ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 33 7. 8. borhood access from Brighton Street, at the outlet of the Little River, and on the north side near the neighborhood access from Frontage Road). Access to Little Pond is proposed via neighbor- hood access points in three locations: two off Brighton Street and one off Frontage Road. Directional signage should be installed in those locations. Install rustic wood benches at key loca- tions along paths and at overlooks. Use porous pavement to create a new ecologically sensitive parking lot (5-10 spots) and access off Brighton Street to serve as a drop-off at the existing MDC dock. Repair and improve the existing dock to allow for easier use as a canoe/kayak launch. Install a wooden fence, with openings if requested by abutters, along the property line and vegetative buffer to delineate public and private space. 9. Reclaim MDC land that has been en- croached upon to implement the above recommendations (refer to Section 4F for encroachment solution strategy). Area 2: Former MDC Skating Rink Existing Conditions and Key Challenges This area includes a dense woodland on the west, a woodland border along the north and east sides, and a central disturbed area that was once an MDC skating rink and associated park- ing lot. In the woodland on the west, signs of former agricultural activity can be found, such as old apple trees. The central disturbed area is a relatively barren grassland. This area is the only large site within the study area out- side the 100-year floodplain. Therefore, it has potential to provide additional flood storage volume. The site is fairly isolated by its location between Route 2, Route 2 access ramps and Frontage Road. It provides no terrestrial habi- tat connection, although birds are able to reach RESIDENTIAL BOUNDARY TREATMENT RESIDENTIAL ABUTTER PROPERTY STABILIZED AGGREGATE TRAIL SHORELINE RESTORATION LITTLE POND WOOD FENCE AND SCREEN PLANTING 4--G' WIDTH RIPARIAN BUFFER. PLANTING FIGURE 46. Proposed path and public-private property treatment at pond shoreline 34 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN the area. Several hydrologic connections via pipes exist. The area received heightened at- tention over the last two years when the Town of Belmont Recreational Department and the Belmont Hill School were seeking an agree- ment with the MDC to re-develop this area for playing fields. This project was stalled in 2002 by the Massachusetts State Senate. FIGURE 47. The former MDC ice rink site is fenced and surrounded by roads and highway ramps. Recommendations 1. Identify methods for using the area to increase flood storage capacity and es- timate cost and feasibility. 2. Manage the site to maintain different habitat types, namely, bordering wood- land and open grassland— wet meadow (seasonal flooding). 3. Remove invasive species and plant na- tive vegetation. 4. Remove remnant debris and fabrics that impede development of a diverse plant community. Area 3: Reservation North of Little River Existing Conditions and Key Challenges This portion of the Alewife Reservation is sit- uated within the 100-year floodplain and much of it is classified as wetland habitat. The banks of the Little River are heavily vegetated with trees and shrubs that shade the water between late spring and early fall. Aquatic habitat struc- ture is limited to woody debris, and numerous FIGURE 48.This grassland is east of the ADL parking lot. carp are present. Closed canopy woodlands oc- cur east of Little Pond and west of the Acorn Office Park. A relatively open grass/shrubland with scattered trees is found east of the former ADL parking lot. Important wildlife habitats include the wet- lands and uplands located on the abutting pri- vate lands to the northwest of the Reservation, some facing future development. The contigu- ous open space of the Reservation is broken by the Acorn Office Park complex, a large parcel of developed private land that stretches from near the bank of the river north to Route 2. One storm drain outfall from the Acorn Office Park complex discharges to the river. A dirt trail runs from the Route 2 access road to the MDC-leased ADL parking lot and then soon disappears near where the property fence comes down to the riverbank. The only cultural site is the former location of the last vegeta- ble farm in the area located near Acorn Park Drive. •^•^ >4»^l *W?fr^- 8§hL ^P '** 'm ;i ■ - " ■ il»~?2^ *• -J FIGURE 49. View of ADL parking lot with bordering wetlands from northwest corner. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 35 PARKJNG AREA WJ GATE ( 1 6 CARS) SEASONAL LIGHTING, -JH TYF. 1 \ /■'/ BIORETENTION BASIN, SEE TYPICAL DETAIL STABILIZED AGGREGATE PATH LOW BOARDWALK, W/ HANDRAILS, TYP. FIGURE 50. Concept plan for wetland restoration in the East Reservation Recommendations 1. Determine the depth of unconsoli- dated sediment in the Little River and Perch Pond and explore the feasibility of dredging to increase channel depth and flood storage capacity and intro- duce appropriate bed substrate to sus- tain invertebrate species fed on by fish (long-term recommendation). 2. Stabilize eroding stream banks with native vegetation using bioengineer- ing techniques such as live stakes and brush layers. Establishing herbaceous communities at the water's edge using pre-vegetated systems should also be incorporated to diversify the habitat structure and improve water quality. 3. Restore wedands on the former ADL parking lot, including open water, marsh, and an upland island (see Fig- ure 50). Connect the restored wetlands to the existing wetlands (forested wet- land, wet meadow) to the North and the East, and enhance the disturbed portions of the existing wedands by removing invasive species (e.g., com- mon reed, Japanese knotweed, Tree- of-Heaven) and planting native vegeta- tion. Improve the riparian habitat on the stream banks and in the floodplain areas (see Appendix B for appropri- ate species). In addition to significant habitat improvements, this new marsh will improve water quality and provide additional flood storage. Expand the drainage ditches that con- nect the ADL wedand with the Litde River to provide a larger open water area that can be used by a variety of 36 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN species. Invasive species in this area should be replaced by native plant communities (Refer to Section 3F for management and maintenance recom- mendations). 5. Identify and certify vernal pools (sea- sonal pools that are free of fish) east of Littie Pond to protect this valuable habitat, especially for amphibians. 6. Remove the fence that currently blocks continuous access to the Little River at the Acorn Office Park complex. Starting with a ramp off the existing sidewalk at the Route 2 access road, install a trail along the river's edge and the newly created wetland at the former ADL parking lot in the eastern Reservation. A bridge over the Little River at the Acorn complex will con- nect the wetland on the north side of the river with the stormwater wetland on the south side, creating the possibil- ity for loop circulation. A boardwalk through portions of the wetland will join the river trail. West of the Acorn Office Park complex the trail will move away from the river to protect a larger, contiguous habitat area and connect with a trail entering from the Belmont FIGURE 51 . A slightly elevated boardwalk along the Little River will allow access even during certain flood events . Uplands. A fork in the trail splits the path with one segment leading along the northern edge of Little Pond and the other crossing the Little River over a bridge to connect to the south side. 7. Provide limited parking off Acorn Park Drive at the trail entrance on the Belmont Upland site and at the end of the road as part of the entrance into the new habitat area. An ecologically sensitive parking area adjacent to the wetland will also serve a boat launch into an open water area connected to the Little River. Small boats such as canoes and kayaks can be carried down steps to access the Little River. 8. Place subtle educational and interpre- tive signage in key locations explaining the function of wetland systems and their history in the Alewife area. Area 4: Reservation South of Little River Existing Conditions and Key Challenges This section of the Alewife Reservation lies mainly within the 100-year floodplain and is classified as wetland habitat. The southern banks of the Little River are heavily vegetated by colonizing shrubs and contain patches of canopied woodlands. Disturbed land, in the form of a mosaic of hummocks, and a flood- protecting berm exist in this area as a result of filling activities from construction of the rail line. This is the largest contiguous stretch of land in the Reservation; consequently, it sup- ports a diversity of wildlife. The substrate of the Little River consists most- ly of unconsolidated muck due to sediment input from sewer pipes. One combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges into the Little River from the south and another discharges into the old Alewife Brook. Sewer overflow discharges can seriously degrade water quality. In addition, ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 37 FIGURE 52. Grassland and wetland south of Little River. Wellington Brook, which enters the western portion of the Reservation from Blair Pond, at times carries stormwater contaminated by- unauthorized sewer connections. A sand and gravel pathway that runs west from the subway station to Brighton Street in Belmont borders the entire southern edge of the Reservation. A network of unplanned and overgrown dirt trails leads off this major path- way and penetrates the Reservation south of Little River. An important access point exists at Perch Pond, where a trail makes a dangerous crossing of the rail line to reach Blair Pond im- mediately south of the Reservation. Notable cultural resources include the former location of one of the most important farms II ^fl 1. ^-^ifTT-rvf^JBI . ^■l'"1 I in ■|qH ■■-■>■(..-, ------ u • FIGURE 53. Existing dirt trail running along the south edge of the Reservation. in the area, now occupied by the Hill Estates apartment complex, the old ice industry rail line running along the southern edge of the Reservation, and the historic Black Island upland area that served as a Native American hunting camp and as a colonial grazing com- mon, now mostly covered by the Wyeth build- ing (formerly known as the Genetics Institute). Encroachments exist from the apartment com- plex located near Perch Pond. Recommendations 1. Stabilize the eroding banks at Welling- ton Brook to reduce sediment input into the stream system through bio- engineering techniques and enhanced forested riparian buffer. 2. Incorporate an approximately 3.5- acre stormwater wetland adjacent to the existing, delineated wetland in the southeast part of the Reservation (see Figure 54). This wetland is part of the Combined Sewer Overflow Separation project that the City of Cambridge is undertaking with the Metropolitan Water Resources Authority (MWRA) to improve water quality and is described in more detail in Section 4A. The sur- rounding wetlands are also expected to benefit greatly from this proposed created wetland basin through in- creased infiltration and temporarily rising groundwater levels. The smaller wetland to the west will feature a large open water area connected to the Little River that will allow fish to enter this protected area for reproduction. 3. Create a major gateway area to the Res- ervation at the Alewife subway station, incorporating a proposed bridge over Alewife Brook that connects to the planned MHD bicycle path and leads to a public gathering area featuring in- terpretive and educational elements. 38 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Compound Outlet Structure ( 1 2" pipe at 0_ 1 .0. cgWew war it EL 3.5 far low rto 36" pipe) Top of Berm at EL 6.(7 Emergency Overflow Spiloay at EL 4.5' (5 total) Existing Dike Trail n 0 forebay Forebay Inlet at EL -0.5' S) x 4rBox'Cutvert| Torebay Outlet (Two I 2* pipes at EL I .&, craxJscrm jt EL /t.M " Vegetated CK V 5tormwitgr FIGURE 54. Conceptual design of the stormwater wetland. Recreational and educational amenities will be incorporated in the later design phases. Install a circulation system to provide access to key features and allow for pe- destrian loops of various lengths. For example, a boardwalk from the gath- ering area through existing wetlands and down to the river can connect to links through the proposed Cambridge stormwater wetland to the Fitchburg Cutoff Trail, as well as to a proposed bridge across to the north side. Further west, a boardwalk from the path would end in a small, quiet viewing deck. An- other boardwalk is proposed leading to Perch Pond and connecting with a bridge over Wellington Brook to a sta- bilized aggregate trail running between the Little River and Hill Lstates apart- ment complex. This trail would con- nect to Little Pond and continue with a bridge across the Little River to the north side joining the trail along the Belmont Upland. 5. Place interpretive /educational signage at strategic locations. For example, signage along the trail leading to Perch Pond could identify former Black Is- land and historic uses like the railroad and ice industry. At the Cambridge stormwater wetland, information could be provided on the history of this wet- land system from the days of the Great Swamp to the present. The trail along Hill Instates could present the agricul- tural history of this area. 6. Place interactive educational features at strategic locations, such as real-time water quality monitoring boards. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 39 Area 5: Alewife Subway Station Existing Conditions and Key Challenges This section of the Alewife Reservation occurs within the 100-year floodplain and is classi- fied as wetland habitat. The Alewife Brook, which emerges from its buried pipe to join the Little River near the Alewife subway station, contributes contaminated stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows. Portions of the Alewife Brook and Little River near the subway station have been armored to prevent further erosion from the storm runoff surges that occur in the area. Yates Pond is infested by both common reed and Japanese knotweed and is entirely surrounded by transportation infra- structure. Stormwater from the subway station parking garage drains to Yates Pond. The loca- tion of the subway station, Minuteman Bicycle Trail and nearby recreational fields in both Ar- lington and Cambridge make this area the most important access point to the MDC parklands. However, Yates Pond is not accessible by any marked trails. The only landscaped portion is the small section where the Minuteman Trail passes through the Reservation along the Route 2 access road. A paved sidewalk runs along the edge of the subway station access road that overlooks Yates Pond, a former clay pit that is an important cultural resource in the area. Recommendations 1. Remove invasive species and establish native plantings. (Refer to Section 3F for specific management and mainte- nance recommendations.) Particular attention should be paid to areas along the road so that views of the pond are available year round. Establishing native plant communities, including herbaceous species, can also help to improve the ability of this area to treat stormwater from the Alewife subway station and thus improve water quality. 2. Provide access along Yates Pond with a boardwalk parallel to the sidewalk, pro- viding a safer connection to the Linear Path. 3. Install interpretative signage and edu- cational features. For example, a his- toric marker could identify Yates Pond as a former clay pit. A real-time water quality monitoring board would inform motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians about the current state of the Alewife Brook and Little River. Public art can FIGURE 55. Route 2 access road, Minuteman Bike Trail extension and Yates Pond to the right. FIGURE 56. Photosimulation of a possible art feature calling attention to the stream and its wildlife for passing motorists. 40 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN be incorporated in this area as well, such as a feature creating a visual con- nection between the Little River and Alewife Brook that disappears here under Route 2 (see Figure 56). Area 6: Alewife Brook Between Route 2 Rotary and Henderson Bridge Existing Conditions and Key Challenges This section of Alewife Brook flows within a concrete trapezoidal channel that is bordered by a chain-link fence, trees, and shrubs, includ- ing the invasive Japanese knotweed. Aquatic habitat structure is poor given the absence of a natural substrate that can support in-stream plants. However, the abutting cattail marsh (now colonized by common reed) is home to many birds. Residences along the Arlington side of the Ale- wife Brook experience frequent flooding, pos- sibly exacerbated by the hydraulic constriction of the bridge culvert at Massachusetts Avenue. Some encroachments exist here. There are also a dozen stormwater outfalls and two combined sewer outfalls. This area is a major gateway to the Alewife Brook Greenway, where the well-used Minute- man Bicycle Trail crosses from Cambridge to Arlington, on its way to Lexington. A low-use dirt trail, often overgrown with grasses, winds FIGURE 58. View over the cattail marsh from the southeast around the cattail marsh and runs along the western side of the brook to the landscaped Bicentennial Park situated at Massachusetts Avenue. The small dirt path continues between Massachusetts Avenue and the Henderson Bridge on the western side of the brook beside a new hotel and Arlington residences. A parkland strip of varying width containing mown grass and scattered trees stretches be- tween the tree-lined east side of the brook and the edge of the roadway form Route 2 up to Henderson Bridge. The eastern border of the Alewife Brook Parkway is fringed with trees, residences, a strip of parkland, and a paved sidewalk where encroachments exist. One cultural feature of note is the Massachu- setts Avenue Bridge, which marks the location where British forces crossed the Alewife Brook during their retreat in the wake of skirmishes at Concord and Lexington during the colonial war. Cultural points of interest between the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge and the Hen- derson Bridge include the historic North Cam- bridge Alms House on the eastern edge of the Parkway and an inflow that marks the remains of Tannery Brook, a site where the colonial leather-finishing industry developed and where a fishing weir had been used by both colonists and Native Americans. FIGURE 57. The Alewife Brook flows in a concrete-lined, straight channel in this area. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 41 ^O (DO iD< in IU u_ si cnp zO ptO QlU o< So b 4-> 4-1 01 >. (0 C (0 >. I 4-1 o i jjsEfc'- &-, N *v'w> *&£%8bf s- .^fl ^^^, . fifM ~ ?Tijfe, yd^^HHflH^JS^^k'W V^* ' ^viT^HffrojBl it>aS^-, ^ — &v vU9 C^ fi f*rtfffl£m!i$ g»^M^ ^v ^^9Bft -j^& ^^W\ Sr'? 1 Sf^^*-^ - - """"V^^K^I KjfipK?^5**^ — ^m* ^W**fe2a. FIGURE 67. Conceptual representation of a gateway treatment that calls attention to key Alewife elements 48 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 8. Expand the existing play- ground north of Broadway to incorporate water play structures for children of all ages to experience water for both fun and learning. Install a viewing area with benches at the stream edge. 9. Provide boat access at the Dilboy parking lot. Install steps leading to the water's edge for access. Remove invasive vegetation in this area. 10. Improve existing active recreational facilities at Dilboy Field, including sta- dium renovation, improve- ments to ball fields and pool, and incorporation of bathroom facilities. FIGURE 68. Interpretive signage can be incorporated into other site elements, such as stone walls. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 49 A. Design Process and Priorities B. Schedule C. Budget D. Funding Sources E. Required Permits F. Encroachment Solutions G. Maintenance and Management H. Community Involvement and Stewardship Implementation A. DESIGN PROCESS AND PRIORITIES A. his Master Plan makes recommendations for the restoration of the Ale- wife Reservation and the Alewife Brook and its adjacent parkland. It will serve as a framework for the more detailed design stages currently under- way. The conceptual ideas described herein will be modified and refined, as the design moves toward construction documents. Critical Reservation resources such as plant and animal habitat will be revisited to ensure that they are considered, enhanced, and protected in the final design. The MDC will provide citizens with opportunities to respond as these detailed plans take shape. DESIGN PROCESS 1 '. Master Plan Stage: Visionary plan for the whole area and conceptual designs for selected sites are produced. 2. Design Development Stage: Design elements are refined for certain areas and developed to a higher level of specification. Preliminary cost estimates are produced. 3. Construction Documents Stage: Designs are worked out in detail using drawings, technical written specifications, and a detailed cost esti- mate allowing the recommended restoration designs to be build by a qualified contractor. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 51 Metropolitan District Commission planners identified priorities for implementation within the project area at the outset of the Master Plan process. These areas include the Little Pond area, the former ADL parking lot, and the greenway along the west bank of Alewife Brook, and to ensure continuity, a segment on the east side between the Henderson Bridge and Broadway. However, the MDC is commit- ted to implementing all the recommendations put forward in this document to the extent funding allows. Funding to bring the design for the greenway along the west bank to a more detailed level has been secured. The MDC is now seeking funding for 100% design and con- struction documents, specification preparation, and funds for the actual construction that will reclaim and rehabilitate this area, as well as additional funds for the design development stage for the other two priority areas. This will be a phased program requiring determination and continued support from the public, con- stituents, and elected officials. In addition to design and implementation of the three MDC priorities, two other major projects in the Reservation area are moving forward. One is the design of a stormwater wetland in the Reservation south of the Little River. This project by the City of Cambridge and the Mas- sachusetts Water Resource Authority in con- junction with the MDC is described in more detail in Section 4A. The work is being closely coordinated with the Master Plan team to en- sure consistency with the goals and objectives defined in this Master Plan for the Alewife Reservation. The improvements this project will bring to the southern Reservation will be significant. If these improvements were not in process, this southern section of the Reserva- tion would be among the MDC's top priority areas listed above. The second project is the development of the Belmont Uplands adjacent to the Reservation Figure 69: The greenway west of Alewife Brook is one of the three priority areas identified and will undergo detailed design in the next phase of planning. by O'Neill Properties (see Section 4A for more detail). While there is significant opposition to the Belmont Uplands development by those concerned with the ecological impacts of this project, the developer has discussed some miti- gation options with the MDC. Although the MDC opposes the development of any remaining open space around Alewife, there are currently limited resources to pur- chase these private lands. Given this reality the MDC has worked with O'Neill Properties and the town of Belmont to provide as much protection and mitigation for the Reservation as possible. Among the numerous beneficial results will be a gift from O'Neill Properties to the MDC of a permanent Conservation Re- striction for approximately 7.8 acres of upland and wetland habitat abutting the Reservation. B. SCHEDULE The time frame for implementation of the rec- ommendations identified in this Master Plan depends on available funding for the necessary design and construction activities (refer to Sec- tion 3D for potential funding sources). The MDC anticipates a 10- to 20-year design and implementation process for this Master Plan. Full implementation for the three priority ar- eas is expected to be possible within a 5-year 52 IMPLEMENTATION ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 5-YEAR ACTION PLAN Spring 2003- Spring 2004: Design development and 100% construc- tion documents for West Bank Greenway (area west of Alewife Brook) Starting 2004: Design development and construction documents for ADL parking lot and Little Pond Starting 2004-2008: Construction of restoration recommenda- tions starting with West Bank Greenway, followed by ADL parking lot, and Litde Pond in phases as funding becomes avail- able Starting Fall 2003: Design development followed by construc- tion documents for stormwater wetland south of Little River (by others with MDC coordination) 2004/2005: Anticipated construction of stormwater wedand and associated recreational and educational features such as boardwalks and gathering area south of Little River in Alewife Reservation (by others with MDC coordination) Starting 2005-2008: Design for remaining areas in the Reserva- tion, especially restoration of Wellington Brook and supplementation of boardwalk and path system as well as de-channeliza- tion of Alewife Brook between Route 2 and Henderson bridge, restoration of the cattail marsh, and restoration of the east side of the Parkway including redefining the Parkway edge with tree planting, his- toric lighting, etc. period. Recommendadons that require more extensive study and modeling regarding their feasibility, design development and construc- tion (labeled as long-term recommendations in Section 2C) are not expected to be fully imple- mented within the 5-year time frame. The development of the design for the identi- fied priority areas will be the next step in the planning process and is expected to be com- pleted by the summer of 2004. Partial funding is already secured for this phase of work. A 5-year action plan follows, based on the assumption that funding can be secured and permits can be obtained in a timely manner. All those actions will either be executed by the MDC or implemented under close coordina- tion with the MDC and with MDC's Master Planning team. Actions will be consistent with the goals and objectives put forth in this Mas- ter Plan. C. BUDGET Cost estimates will be prepared for implement- ing the conceptual designs and Master Plan recommendations. Recent restoration projects of similar size cost roughly one million dol- lars per mile of greenway. However, restoring a natural channel to the Alewife Brook will raise the cost of improvements along the Ale- wife Brook Corridor significantly. The MDC is eager to identify other agencies or businesses that share an interest in the restoration of the Alewife area. For example recent negotiations have been conducted by MDC Planning with the City of Cambridge and O'Neill Properties to fund design and construction of portions of proposed work within the Reservation and within the 7.8 acre Conservation Restriction to be gifted to the MDC by O'Neill Properties (see Section 4A for details). ALEWIFE MASTER PUN IMPLEMENTATION 53 D. FUNDING SOURCES The phased implementation of this ambitious, ecologically oriented Master Plan will require ongoing support and adequate funding. Given the present fiscal climate, it is unlikely that restoration and enhancement of the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor can be accomplished solely by support garnered from state funding of the MDC. There must be con- tinued creative exploration by the MDC for al- ternative funding, new productive partnerships, and continued public support. D1 . Public Sector Sources State and Federal Programs Sources of potential state-level support include other state agencies that manage state parks, establish wetland mitigation banks, restore fish and game populations, do transportation planning or river management, or have envi- ronmental and public health concerns. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed a $750 million bond bill in 2002 to support envi- ronmental capital projects such as these. Federal funding opportunities include the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), the US Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE), the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Recommended eco- logical restoration projects (e.g., construction of a wetland on the site of the former ADL parking lot and dechannelization of Alewife Brook) will require significant funding. One viable funding source for such projects is the ecosystem restoration program administered by the USACE that is described in Section 206 of the Water Resource Development Act of FIGURE 70. Biodiversity Days 2002. From right to left: Mayor Sullivan, Ellen Mass of FAR receiving $2000 Riverways Inventory Grant check from former Secretary Bob Durand, Representative Alice Wolf, Representative Anne Paulsen, Representative Jim Marzilli 1996. This program provides funds for eco- system restoration projects up to five million dollars, with a cost-sharing plan that asks the project sponsor to share 35% of the cost total. The USACE carries the remaining 65%. The USACE has shown interest in the past in the restoration of the ADL parking lot, Alewife Brook, and the cattail marsh and has included these sites among others in the proposed Mas- sachusetts and Cape Cod Bay Ecosystem Res- toration Feasibility Study. Construction of past and recent MDC green- way restoration projects was mainly possible through funding from the federal TEA-21 pro- gram. The TEA-21 program derives from the Intermodal Surface Transportation Equity Act (ISTEA) authorizing funding of a wide vari- ety of transportation infrastructure projects, including improvements to public greenways. The MDC plans to seek TEA-21 funding for the proposed greenway development on the west bank of the Alewife Brook. This will cre- ate a vital link in the regional path network and provide extensive ecological rehabilitation of the Alewife Brook corridor. 54 IMPLEMENTATION ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Public Agency Joint Ventures Many of the local, state and federal agencies listed above should be approached to formalize working partnerships that are mutually benefi- cial to both the MDC and the respective public service mandate of the partnering agency. One such current initiative is the coordination and planning effort between the MDC, the City of Cambridge's Department of Public Works and the Metropolitan Water Resources Authority (MWRA) to create a stormwater wetland on a portion of the Reservation. The project will benefit wildlife and the park user, and will help alleviate serious pollution presently entering the Little River and Alewife Brook through combined sewer overflows (CSO). Public Finance Some of the most successful wetland and river corridor restoration projects in the country have obtained a large funding base through lo- cal voters approving a special bond to manage the specific project. Another approach being used elsewhere in the country involves estab- lishment of a stormwater user fee through which residents and businesses are charged relative to the amount of runoff that leaves their properties. Adoption of such a program for the Alewife watershed could help sustain supplemental funding of options discussed above. 02. Private Sector Sources Private sector sources should be regarded more as supplemental funding sources since they are generally capable of generating limited resources compared to federal or state funds. Nevertheless they represent an important funding source, for example, for small-scale educational or interpretive projects. FIGURE 71. A recent fundraising event in November 2002 for an environmental mural received broad support, from community members to state officials. From left to right: MDC Project Manager Dan Driscoll, Naturalist Peter Alden, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Foundation and Individual Grants Under federal and state tax laws, companies and individuals can receive tax benefits by do- nating some of their wealth to nonprofit chari- table organizations (e.g., a community-based land trust). Creating such an entity for the Ale- wife area would be one way to raise funds for land acquisition, Reservation enhancements, and seasonal maintenance. Special Events and Fundraisers Many opportunities exist for creating public interest and financial support for ongoing res- toration and enhancement efforts within the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Green- way corridor. A recent event organized by the Friends of the Alewife Reservation (FAR), in which Massachusetts Environmental Secretary Robert Durand began the state-wide Biodi- versity Days campaign from the banks of the Little River, brought helpful attention to the area. Similar opportunities exist for engaging government officials, the public, and business- es to raise visibility and support for the Alewife ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 55 Reservation and Brook. The highly successful Mystic River Run, in which joggers symbolical- ly follow the spawning run of alewife upstream to the race finish line is another engaging, eas- ily adaptable model for mobilizing public sup- port through recreation and education. %\,tl Alewife Reservation Alewife Brook Parkway FIGURE 72. The Alewife logo can be used on signs, clothing, brochures, and other items to help raise public awareness of and commitment to restoring the Alewife area. Abutting Business Contributions The Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook are fringed by numerous abutters including apartment complexes, retail businesses, in- dustries, and commercial office spaces. These institutions should be solicited to help sponsor restoration improvements along the particular section of the MDC lands to which they are adjacent. The strategy employed would be to establish an "adopt a wetland/greenway" pro- gram in which site improvements in the imme- diate area would be credited to the sponsoring group in a newsletter or some other form of public notification. Neighborhood Business Contributions Restoration of the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Greenway will provide numer- ous economic benefits to the area. Green space has been shown to positively affect local com- munities by providing amenities that attract people to live and work in these communities. Proximity to open space increases property val- ues. Opportunities for ecotourism and recre- ation generate economic benefits for area busi- nesses, which create jobs and income for local residents. Attempts should be made to engage those businesses that are situated within walk- ing distance of the MDC lands. MDC and sup- port groups should encourage good corporate citizenship through supporting the overall neighborhood improvements that will ensue through implementation of the Master Plan. Merchandise Sales Revenue might also be generated by communi- ty groups through the sale of products such as clothing sporting the Alewife logo, field guides to the flora and fauna of the Alewife area, and maps of trails and other points of interest for pedestrians and cyclists. E. REQUIRED PERMITS Permits are required whenever proposed work may affect environmentally sensitive areas such as water bodies, wetlands, floodplains, rare or endangered species habitat, historic and ar- cheological sites, and sites with hazardous ma- terials. Some federal, state and local agencies will need to review and/or permit components of the Master Plan prior to construction. Plan implementation may fall under the jurisdiction of the following policies and regulations. Clean Water Act, Section 404 and Rivers and Har- bors Act of 1899, Section 10. (33 USC 401-426; 40 CFR 230). This act controls discharges of dredged or fill material in wetlands and water bodies in order to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of US waters (federally defined wetlands and water bodies). Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act requires coordination with and approval by USACE for dredging in US waters and/or con- struction of structures in US waters. Clean Water Act, Section 402 and the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). (33 USC 1342; 40 CFR 122-125, 131, 14 CMR 3.00.) This act sets standards for point and nonpoint discharges of wastewater into surface 56 IMPLEMENTATION ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN water bodies and sets ambient water quality criteria that must be met. It also sets forth a process by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Depart- ment of Environmental Protection (MAPEP) for granting General Permits, Group Permits and Individual Permits. In Massachusetts, the USEPA issues permits and the MADEP certi- fies permit conditions. Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act. (30 MGL 61; 301 CMR 11.00.) This policy is the state equivalent of the National Environmental Pol- icy Act. It sets forth a process of environmen- tal impact analysis and public review of state projects. It is applicable to projects directly undertaken by state agencies; private projects seeking permits, funds or lands from the state; and any projects that will dredge, fill or alter more than 1 acre of wetland. (It does not ap- ply to private projects requiring local approval only.) Review is based upon an Environmental Notification Form and/or Environmental Im- pact Report. Upon approval by the MA Office of Environmental Policy Act, the project is is- sued a Certificate. Massachusetts Water Quality Certification for Dis- charge of Dredged of Fill Material, Dredging, and Dredged Material Disposal in Waters of the US within the Commonwealth. (21 MGL 26-53; 314 CMR 9.00.) These regulations outline proce- dures for the Massachusetts administration of the Clean Water Act Section 401 for discharges in US waters within Massachusetts. Discharge is not permitted if there is a practicable alter- native with less adverse impact on aquatic eco- systems. Potential adverse impacts to wetlands and land under water must be minimized and mitigated. Activities must comply with State Surface Water Quality Standards. A Water Quality Certification is required when a fed- eral permit (Clean Water Act 404/Section 10) is needed for filling wetlands or waterways. Projects with impacts to areas less than 5,000 square feet are reviewed and approved by the local Conservation Commission. Projects with impacts on areas more than 5,000 square feet are reviewed by the MADEP Division of Water Quality Control and are issued a Major Water Quality Certification. Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act and the Water- ways Licenses Law. (91 MGL 1.00 et seq.; 310 CMR 9.00.) This act defines private property rights in tidal areas to mean low water. It de- fines public access rights to tidal land be- tween mean low and mean high water for the purposes of fishing, fowling and navigation. Public access rights extend to mean high water in tidal bodies and ordinary high water in non- tidal bodies. Access rights are also extended to "filled tidelands," i.e., to the historic high water in areas filled as long ago as the 1640s. Proposed activities that will occur below mean high water in flowed or filled tidelands requires a Waterways License from the MADEP Divi- sion of Waterways. Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. (131 MGL 40; 310 CMR 10.) This act prohibits damage to inland wetland, river, and coastal resource areas within 100- foot buffer zones (25 feet in designated urban areas). No resource areas may be altered, filled, dredged, or removed in such a way as to adversely impact water supplies, groundwater sources, surface water quality, flood prevention, shellfish habitat, fisheries, and wildlife habitat. It also sets forth the MA Stormwater Management Policy and its performance standards. The jurisdictional riverfront resource area of the Little River in Belmont and Arlington is 200 feet wide; how- ever, the riverfront area of Alewife Brook and Little River in Cambridge and Alewife Brook in Somerville is only 25 feet wide. Proposed proj- ects with impacts less than 5,000 square feet are reviewed and permitted by municipal Con- ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 57 servation Commissions. The MA Department of Environmental Protection reviews projects with greater impacts. Municipal Conservation Ordinances. Belmont, Cambridge, and Somerville do not have ordi- nances. The Town of Arlington has Wetlands Protection Town Bylaws that regulate wetlands in more detail than the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act. Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. (131 A MGL; 321 CMR 10.00.) This act prohibits the taking of state-listed rare and endangered species and damage to their habitat. The Mas- sachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program will review proposed activi- ties to determine whether any priority habitats or state-listed species occur in the project area and will recommend how to minimize any po- tential impacts. Historic and Archaeological Preservation. The Mas- sachusetts Historical Commission may need to review proposed activities to determine if they have potential impacts on historic or archaeo- logical resources. F. ENCROACHMENT RESOLUTION Key steps toward implementing the Master Plan involve reclaiming properties from unau- thorized commercial, industrial, and residential abutters that have illegally extended their prop- erty onto MDC parkland. Such encroachments include gardens, storage of materials, vehicle parking lots, fences to and along the water's edge, and portions of buildings. Using the process outlined below the MDC Planning Office resolved approximately 75 encroachments along the Charles River, above Watertown Square. Several of these former "encroachers" are now stewards helping to maintain the new greenway along the Charles River. The framework for resolving encroachment issues includes surveying property lines to determine ownership and to identify possible violations. With this information, abutting property owners must be notified and opportu- nities created for amicable resolution. As part of the Master Plan a new survey was developed by Judith Nitsch Engineering based on aerial photography taken in the spring of 2002. This survey information will be used by the MDC in resolving existing encroachments. The MDC developed a detailed guide for en- croachment resolution from their experience ENCROACHMENT RESOLUTION PROCESS 1. Create a list of owners and occupants. 2. Notify tenants of an upcoming survey. 3. Conduct a survey to delineate property lines and set boundaries in the field. 4. Photograph the site and film video documentary. 5. Check all past leases. 6. Decide long-term restoration strategy and restoration plan. 7. Hold meetings with encroachers. 8. Develop an encroachment compensa- tion formula. 9. Calculate the size of all encroach- ments. 10. Establish an Encroachment Reclama- tion Trust Fund. 1 1 . Send abutter notification letters. 12. Distribute Acknowledgement of State Ownership/Agreement to Quit Forms. 13. Distribute Memorandum of Agree- ment. 14. Return signed Acknowledgments and MOAs to abutters. 15. Continue abutter communication. IMPLEMENTATION ALEWIFE MASTER PUN along the Charles River Reservation. The pro- cess will be used for resolving encroachments and reclaiming public land along the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor. G. MAINTENANCE AND MANAGE- MENT Restoration of the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Greenway is a long-term invest- ment that requires a comprehensive mainte- nance and management program. The success of the Master Plan depends on a commitment to execute maintenance and management plans after construction is completed. The MDC acknowledges citizen criticism voiced about in- adequate maintenance and management in the past and is dedicated to improving the current effort. However, increased maintenance will result in increased costs that in the past MDC was not able to bear due to budget constraints. It is therefore unlikely that adequate and effec- tive maintenance can be performed solely by the MDC. Hence this Master Plan recommends that the MDC take advantage of the grow- ing public interest in natural areas and create mechanisms for citizens to participate in the ongoing care and maintenance of the Alewife area (refer to Section 3H for proposed strate- gies). G1 . Maintenance The following maintenance recommenda- tions (described in detail in Appendix D) are designed to ensure the long-term ecological health and integrity of the Alewife system. Conventional maintenance strategies typically used for urban parklands are unlikely to meet the needs of a complex ecological system like the Alewife area. In general, maintenance strategies should re- flect a commitment to environmentally sensi- tive methods. Such methods typically favor physical labor over chemical applications; the KEY MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES • Establish a schedule of routine activities (weekly, monthly, seasonally, annually) to tend the landscape and perform minor repairs. Routine activities include clean up of litter and trash, seasonal removal of debris, and maintenance of storm drainage structures. Inspection and repair of paths, walkways, and site fur- nishings should also be carried out. • Establish a program for invasive species control in both the Alewife Reserva- tion and Alewife Brook Greenway. The full range of invasive species should be monitored and managed, including aquatic, herbaceous, and woody types. Long-term monitoring is critical, be- cause once an invasive species enters the landscape, eradication becomes very dif- ficult. • Provide turf and plant maintenance for the Alewife Brook Parkway, includ- ing regular weeding, pest and disease control, watering, fertilizing, mulching, pruning, replanting, seeding and mow- ing. Meadow areas in the Reservation will also require mowing once or twice a year, as well as possible overseeding dur- ing the first three years to combat weeds and invasives. • Develop a schedule and budget for the replacement of infrastructure, site ame- nities, and plantings as they wear out or decline with age. use of low-toxicity, low-residue compounds; and strategies such as Integrated Pest Manage- ment (discussed in Appendix D). The Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor share some maintenance require - ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 59 merits, however, they also have significant dif- ferences. The Reservation should ultimately develop into a self-sustaining, natural system that requires limited intervention (e.g., servic- ing of infrastructure elements such as paths and boardwalks). The Alewife Brook corridor is a more controlled area that will require more frequent intervention. G2. Management It is essential that the entire Alewife system, from Little Pond to the confluence with the Mystic River, be managed as a single entity to ensure uniformity of the vision and pro- gramming of the management decisions. For- tunately the entire site is under the MDC's jurisdiction. Consideration should be given to hiring an Alewife MDC ranger to be respon- sible for oversight of the entire parkland. The six key components that have frequently been identified as being essential to open space management programs include consideration of user safety and risks, patrol and emergency procedures, administration, programming and events, stewardship and enhancement, and funding for ongoing activities. H. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP Planning is a vital component of open space management. This Master Plan is a critical step toward proper stewardship. Often the plans that work best are those supported by organi- zations, corporations, institutions, and a mo- bilized community of concerned individuals, which this one is. Public— private partnerships can provide the best opportunities to ensure implementation success by combining commu- nity spirit, entrepreneurial drive, volunteerism, good corporate citizenship, financial resources, professional expertise, and long-term commit- ment. It is also important to cultivate a sense of community pride, support, and shared stew- ardship. All of those factors are required to properly restore the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor. H1. Volunteer Efforts Restoration Sustainable, and therefore successful, environ- mental restoration projects involve more than simply repairing degraded physical landscapes. Restoring the degraded human— nature rela- tionship is equally important. Efforts should be made to engage the local community to help restore the Alewife Reservation and Ale- wife Brook corridor rather than relying solely upon professional practitioners. The success- ful removal of water chestnut from the Alewife area water bodies is an example of excellent MDC— volunteer coordination and partnering. Well-managed and organized public involve- ment in restoration projects can help ensure ongoing maintenance and support for the area. All such efforts must receive the guidance and approval of the MDC. Stewardship Public involvement is critical to a successful planning effort. A lack of public involvement and caring generates "orphan" open spaces and parklands. The continued involvement of con- cerned individuals for periodic trash clean-ups and removal of invasive plants will be essential to achieving the Master Plan recommendations and sustaining a long-term stewardship pro- gram for the Alewife Reservation and Brook. H2. Organizations Education The creation of interpretative programs at Alewife for school children and adults will help generate the needed commitment to re- store and enhance the Alewife Reservation and 60 IMPLEMENTATION ALEWIFE MASTER PUN 9 HI -I KVAIHIN '" -i -'.v. FIGURE 73. Teenagers displaying good stewardship of the Alewife Reservation by performing a trash clean-up. Alewife Brook corridor. Educational materials could include brochures, newsletters, videos, models, and school curricula. After-school programs and guided tours will provide on-site education. Coalition Building There are currently more than a dozen citizen groups with interest in the long-term well be- ing of the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor. These groups are focused on flooding, water quality, municipal projects to separate storm and sanitary sewer drains, cleaning up the Alewife Reservation, educa- tional opportunities for local schoolchildren, and influencing proposed developments and re-developments in the area. These include, in alphabetical order: • Alewife Neighbors • Alewife Study Group • Belmont Citizens' Forum • Boston Society of Architects • Cambridge Highlands Neighborhood Association • Coalition for Alewife • Concord-Alewife Study Group East Arlington Good Neighbor Associa- tion Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR) Friends of Blair Pond Friends of the Community Path Friends of Fresh Pond Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition Mystic River Watershed Association North Cambridge Stabilization Commit- tee Merging some of these groups could provide a centralized, more effective, and better funded advocacy organization. Faculty and students from Tufts University, the Graduate School of Design at Harvard, and Antioch New England Graduate School have been involved in study and research in the area. At Master Plan public meetings the MDC and team members emphasized the need for cooperation among these citizen groups. In addition, the importance of working with municipal departments and state agencies was highlighted. All of these stakeholders have expressed strong interest in holding forums to facilitate cooperation and a unified call for at- tention and resources for addressing Alewife's watershed challenges. Summary Recommendations: • Create an efficient agency mechanism for coordination of volunteer efforts (e.g., hire a full-time park ranger) • Establish a regional forum or roundtable that brings all involved citizen groups, institutions, and numerous municipal departments and state agencies together to discuss and coordinate efforts ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 61 A. Projects Related to Study Area B. Recommendations Beyond Study Area Related Projects And Recommendations A. PROJECTS RELATED TO STUDY AREA A number of projects related to the Master Plan study area are planned or underway by the MDC, abutting towns and cities, neighboring property owners and developers. The status of these projects varies. Some are very advanced in their design and/or construction, others exist only in concept. Development within the Alewife subwatershed had and will continue to have an effect on the hydrologic regime of the receiving water bodies and groundwater in the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor (see Section 2D). Descriptions of the various projects follow. A 1 . MDC Floodplain Mapping Project For the past 20 years development activities have proceeded in the water- shed without updates of the 1982 floodplain lines delineated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The MDC has identified the need to verify those lines throughout the Alewife area 100- and 200-year floodplain. The MDC hired Applied Geographies to produce updated and corrected floodplain maps for all floodplains around the Alewife Reserva- tion, Alewife Brook, the Mystic River, Fresh Pond, and Spy Pond. These new maps should advance understanding as to why so many properties "outside" the 1982 delineated floodplain regularly have flooding problems. This is one helpful step of many that are needed to thoroughly understand the complex flooding issues in this watershed. The work under this con- tract is expected to be completed by the end of 2003. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN 63 FIGURE 74. The MDC floodplain mapping project will review and adjust the existing FEMA 100-year floodplain lines for the Alewife Reservation, Alewife Brook, the Mystic River, Fresh Pond, and Spy Pond. New orthophotos allow for much greater accuracy. A2. MDC Mystic River Hydrologic and Hydraulic Study The MDC has contracted Camp, Dresser and McKee (CDM) for a study and conceptual de- sign for the new Upper Mystic Lake Dam. This project includes a hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) study of the Mystic River Watershed (Phase I) and the development of required dam safety improvements recommendations as well as the conceptual design of a fish ladder at the Upper Mystic Lake Dam (Phase II). The objectives of the study are to identify constric- tions that prevent flood flows from reaching the Amelia Earhart Dam and pumping station and to establish the role of the Upper Mystic Lake Dam in flooding within the basin. Ex- tensive hydrologic and hydraulic modeling has been conducted and findings were presented to the public in April 2003. The major conclu- sions presented are: • Flood obstructions have been removed. No other identifiable constrictions on either the Mystic River or Alewife Brook exist. • No localized constrictions exist that are cost-effective to eliminate • Not practical to reconstruct Alewife Brook and Mystic River channels or tun- nel flow to alleviate problem • Upper Mystic Dam safety improvements can be made without adversely affecting downstream flooding levels • Flood monitoring program is recom- mended to collect better data for future projects. Any applicable findings of this study will be incorporated into the design development of the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Greenway restoration. A3. Cambridge Stormwater Wetland South of the Little River in the Alewife Reser- vation, the Cambridge Department of Public Works and the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) have proposed a storm- water wetland as part of the Long-Term CSO Control Plan for Alewife Brook. A primary function of the wetland is to receive and treat the stormwater that will be separated from the sewage that flows through Cambridge sewer pipe CAM004, thus preventing the combined sewer overflows from continuing the pollution of the Little River and Alewife Brook. The RIPARIAN/UPLAND RIPARIAN/UPLAND dk. FUTURE MHO BIKE TRAIL 2-5H: STREAM CHANNEL EXISTING WETLAND W-YEAR STORU EVENT EL. 5.5' 1-MONTH STORU EVENT EL T.5 BASE FLOW EL. 1.0' Typical Channel Section - I -Month Storm Event FIGURE 75. A restored natural stream channel is designed to convey stormwater to the wetland for water quality treatment and will provide habitat for wildlife. 64 RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN separation project and the use of natural pro- cesses in the wetland to remove contaminants will significantly improve the quality of the stormwater that flows into these waterways. The stormwater wetland is designed, also, to meet the goals and objectives of the Master Plan for Alewife Reservation with respect to wildlife habitat enhancement, hydrological improvements, and recreational and educa- tional opportunities. For example, the smaller wetland cell designed for compensatory flood Benefits for Alewife Reservation from the Stormwater Wetland Project: • Improved water quality through elimina- tion of combined sewer overflows into the Cambridge sewer outfall CAM004 and additional water quality treatment of the remaining stormwater through a natural wetland system • Enhanced habitat diversity through the creation of low marsh, high marsh, and upland plant communities • Expected enhanced hydrologic con- ditions in the surrounding wetlands through increased resident time of stormwater in wetlands, with concomi- tant increased infiltration and a season- ally elevated watertable • Recreational and educational opportu- nities to study wildlife and plants from boardwalks, paths, and overlook plat- forms incorporating signage and a pub- lic gathering space • Connection to main gateway to the Res- ervation and MHD Bike Path • Invasive species control and restoration of native plant communities • Long-term maintenance and monitoring by the Cambridge Department of Public Works storage will feature a large open water area connected to the Little River to allow alewife, blueback herring, and other fish to enter this protected area for reproduction. The projected benefits of this new wetland are described on page 64. A4. Belmont Uplands Development The 15.6-acre Belmont Uplands site, located northeast of Little Pond, is the highest el- evation in the area. Although not part of the MDC Alewife Reservation, it is contiguous to it and supports a mature silver maple forest, a habitat type not found in the Reservation. This forested area is home to many animals, includ- ing large mammals like deer and coyote. Coyote apparently use the area for daytime cover be- fore going downstream to hunt at night. The area also likely supports vernal pools that pro- vide breeding grounds for amphibians in the spring. FIGURE 76. Foot trails lead through the silver maple forest. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 65 The parcel is owned by AP Cambridge Partners II, LLC and O'Neill Properties Group. In 2002 the Town of Belmont approved a zoning bylaw that allows for the commercial development of this site. The current plans propose a commer- cial building and structural parking on approxi- mately 7.8 acres. The MDC Planning Office and the Town of Belmont have negotiated a Conservation Restriction (CR) to preserve and enhance the remaining 7.8 acres of upland and wetland habitats. The O'Neill Properties Group has agreed to gift this CR to the MDC. In ad- dition they will provide habitat enhancement, forest management that enhances biodiversity, long-term maintenance of the CR area, and a public trail that connects to the MDC Alewife Reservation trail network. (Refer to the Master Plan fold-out map in Appendix E for areas rec- ommended for Conservation Restriction). he development of the Belmont Uplands site ., ill have negative effects on the habitat value of the whole Reservation given the loss of for- ested land and decreased habitat connectivity. However, the MDC has worked closely with the developer to define measures that protect and enhance the remaining open space and its connection to the Alewife Reservation. (See Open Space Maintenance Plan, Belmont Up- land Site, by Epsilon Associates, revised May 2002 for further details.) A5. Acorn Office Park Redevelopment In 2001 the Bulfinch Companies and the McK- innon Company, the owners of the Acorn Of- fice Park (formerly Arthur D. Little headquar- ters), developed a master plan that outlines the redevelopment of this office building complex. Currently Bulfinch Companies uses MDC land, the former ADL parking lot, to satisfy the company's parking needs. The MDC issued Bulfinch a permit for the use of the existing lot. Proceeds from that permit have helped fund a large amount of this Master Plan. The MDC plans to reclaim this land within the next five years and restore the area as described in Section 2C, Area 2 of this Master Plan. The office complex currently expands south of Acorn Park Drive up to the Little River and divides the Reservation land north of the river. The redevelopment plan calls for restructur- ing of the building complex in three phases, which would ultimately result in the demolition of all building and structures south of Acorn Park Drive. The MDC and the property own- ers are discussing the reclamation of this area as open space. through a Conservation Restric- tion (similar to the agreement for the Belmont Uplands). This plan could potentially ben- efit the Alewife Reservation through restored floodplain, improved habitat connectivity, and increased flood storage capacity. (Refer to the Master Plan fold-out map in Appendix E for areas recommended for Conservation Restric- tion.) A6. Arlington Hotel Completed in 2002, this new hotel complex in the Town of Arlington is located off Mas- sachusetts Avenue adjacent to the Alewife Brook Greenway. Because the hotel develop- ment required the temporary use of the abut- ting Parkway, an agreement between the hotel developers and the MDC Planning Office was reached requiring mitigation for the temporary FIGURE 77. The Arlingtion Hotel is set right on the border of Alewife Brook Parkway. This pictures shows a view into the Alewife Brook corridor approaching from Massachusetts Avenue. 66 RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN disturbance of the public open space. Mitiga- tion measures included revegetation of the Alewife Brook corridor with native tree and shrub species, which were planted in the fall of 2002. In addition, the hotel owner agreed to take over the maintenance of a defined section of the Alewife Brook corridor adjacent to the hotel and has committed to removing invasive species in this area. A7. Fitchburg Cutoff Bicycle Trail The Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) plans to upgrade the existing stone dust trail (also known as the Fitchburg Cutoff Trail) at the southern border of the Reserva- tion. The improved trail will be a 12- foot- wide, two-way, multi-use asphalt path, including a ve- hicular bridge (for maintenance purposes) over Old Alewife Brook behind the Alewife subway station. This proposed path improvement proj- ect would strengthen a vital link in the regional path system and is also an important compo- nent of the Master Plan trail system. Construc- tion of the project has been on hold for several years, although funding is in place. According to 2002 survey information, the existing trail is located partially on MHD land and partially on MDC land. Thus coordination among the MHD, MDC, and City of Cambridge (which will use portions of the path for stormwater wetland maintenance) is recommended to bring this project to fruition. FIGURE 78. The existing, narrow stone dust path parallel to Boston-Maine Railroad tracks B. RECOMMENDATIONS BEYOND STUDY AREA The Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor comprise less than 4% of the total Alewife watershed, thus successful manage- ment of this site cannot occur in isolation from the surrounding cityscape. In particu- lar, plans to develop abutting properties (e.g., the Belmont Uplands, the former skating-rink site, Acorn Office Park, Cambridgepark Drive, and the Mugar and Martignetti sites) and more distant, but still ecologically linked sites (e.g., Alewife Industrial Quadrangle area) must be carefully considered in light of their potential impacts to the Alewife Reservation and the Alewife Brook corridor. Using the framework of recommendations es- tablished by this Master Plan, a review of pro- posed development plans for the surrounding areas is highly advisable. Promising elements from other existing studies and plans can be extracted. These urban planning initiatives should be oriented toward sustaining and pro- tecting the investments of the Alewife Reser- vation and Greenway. B1 . Watershed Planning It is essential to place site-specific restorative designs in both a larger landscape and a larger management context, in this case where the two are in the same watershed. From an envi- ronmental perspective, watersheds are the most appropriate units in which to manage water resources effectively in the urban landscape. Even if all the recommendations of the Mas- ter Plan are implemented, it is unlikely that the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook will be able to sustain long-term ecological health without additional positive changes in the wa- tershed. An effective, comprehensive water- shed management plan must be developed that will prevent, or at least reduce, the severity of the problems that necessitated the need for the ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 67 restoration effort in the first place. The following elements should be addressed in developing a plan for the larger Alewife water- shed: Land Use Planning • Development of a model of the water- shed that identifies pervious and imper- vious areas • Examination of land use management techniques and alternative future devel- opment scenarios for the entire water- shed Land Conservation • Identification and prioritization for protection of all sites targeted for devel- opment (e.g., Belmont Uplands) to pre- serve important watershed hydrologic functions • Prioritization for protection and pos- sible acquisition by MDC of all undevel- oped lands adjacent to the Reservation (e.g., Belmont Uplands, Mugar parcel, Martignetti property, portions of Acorn Office Park, Jerry's Pond, north- ern piece of the cattail marsh) because these sites provide key wetland and upland habitat and flood storage capacity, all of which could be enhanced fol- lowing acquisition Aquatic Buffers • Examination of potential pro- use (e.g., former MDC skating rink site, Martignetti property, Mugar parcel, Thorndike playing fields) Investigation of opportunities for "daylighting" or opening up now bur- ied streams in the Alewife watershed (e.g., Alewife Brook, Upper Wellington Brook, Winn's Brook) Better, ecologically sustainable site and building design Implementation of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) Development of guidance directives for reducing stormwater runoff by encour- aging a "start at the source" BMP effort by individual homeowners Assessment of the potential for retrofit- ting low impact development stormwa- ter BMPs such as "green parking lots" into the existing urban framework Discourage developers from using un- derground stormwater detention basins as a means to achieve a no-net discharge of runoff from their sites because these EVAPOTRANSPIRATION TREE SPECIES SUITED FOR VARYING MOISTURE CONDITIONS SPIRUB SPECIES SUITEO FOR VARYING MOISTURE CONDITIONS NEW F LUSH CURB EXISTING PAVING 9TT*VW»TW xutcfr tective buffer strip creation and planting schemes for headwater streams and ponds Hydrological Connections • Improvement and maintenance of existing hydrological con- nections between flood storage areas and identification of ad- -.-,,,,,. ,„ c. .' . .. ' . . , .. n... , _. . . FIGURE 79. Stormwater bioretention basins as proposed for the Dilboy Field ditional areas suitable for this parking areas could be implemented throughout the watershed. MANUFACTURED PERMEABLE SOIL PERFORATED PVCPIPE 68 RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PUN systems are inadequate for sustaining wildlife • Update FEMA floodplain delineation Erosion and Sediment Control • Development of guidance directives for reducing erosion from abutting proper- ties • Assessment of the potential for retrofit- ting erosion control BMPs into the ex- isting urban framework Non-Stormwater Discharges • Investigation of structural and non- structural controls for limiting lawn and wastewater discharges and for uncou- pling illicit connections, with an accom- panying management plan and detailed implementation strategy and budget Watershed Stewardship Programs • Outline program for public and private stewardship that helps sustain the water- shed B2. Landscape Ecology Planning One measure of the ecological health of a landscape is the overall connectivity of the natural open spaces that are present. A fragmented landscape is generally inhospitable for wildlife, yet a network of green corridors connecting "island" habitat patches can significantly improve habitat value. Maintaining large, intact parcels is even more beneficial as certain species require interior habitats far from any edges. Unfortunately, land use planning often occurs at the scale of individual development sites, with little understanding about the implications of those projects upon the larger ecological context of the landscape or region. Land use planning must shift from its reactive mode — merely responding to existing environmental constraints — to a more proactive mode, whereby green open spaces are prioritized first and human developments fitted into, not against, the ecological landscape. The Alewife Reservation and Greenway are urban wilds within a sea of suburban sprawl and generally unrestrained development. The long-term viability of healthy populations of terrestrial animals located within the Reservation and Alewife Brook corridor needs to be considered when undertaking planning efforts. Emphasis should be put on maintaining a resident population of a sufficient size to ensure genetic diversity and facilitating the genetic exchange with other distant populations. The following elements should be addressed in developing a landscape ecology plan for the Alewife area: Habitat Patches • Prioritization for protection and possi- ble acquisition of all undeveloped and vacant lands adjacent to the Reserva- tion (e.g., Mugar and Martignetti prop- erties, sections of Acorn Park) and the Greenway (e.g., W.R. Grace property) as potential sites to increase the size of the contiguous wildlife habitat • Identification and characterization (e.g., overall size and ability to sustain populations, ratio of interior to edge dimensions, habitat diversity and edge structure, resilience to disturbance, and recolonization potential) of isolated habitat patches proximal to the Reser- vation and Greenway • Prioritization for protection of those patches deemed most beneficial for augmenting and sustaining wildlife within the MDC managed lands Corridors and Connectivity • Identification and characterization (e.g., corridor width and length dimensions, gap isolation between patches, "step- ping stone" connectivity of patches) ALEWIFE MASTER PUN RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 69 of those areas that can be connected to the Alewife Reservation and Greenway through creation of wildlife corridors Prioritization for protection of those locations deemed most suitable for creating wildlife corridors to the MDC managed lands (e.g., the existing cor- ridor provided by the Mystic River to the Mystic Lakes, the potential corri- dor along the Mystic River to Boston Harbor, the potential corridor through the future developed Alewife Industrial Quadrangle that will link the Alewife Reservation via Blair Pond and Raffer- ty Park to the Fresh Pond Reservation, and the potential corridor from Little Pond to Spy Pond beneath Route 2) Investigation of stream daylighting op- portunities in the Alewife watershed (e.g., Alewife Brook, Upper Wellington Brook) and incorporation in regional planning concepts to create open stream corridors. • Improve fish passage at the Amelia Earhart Dam at Boston Harbor by managing the dam operation to allow for fish to pass during the spawning season or by installing a fish ladder that allows for passage at all times. B3. Regional Trail Network and Environmental Education Planning Outdoor recreation has become as popular within cities as it has always been in the countryside. One outcome resulting from this urban increase in recreational activity is the accelerated construction of regional trail networks. In terms of public circulation and pedestrian and cycling use, connecting the newly designed trail systems within the Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Greenway to the larger network of trails throughout the eQofbdi Yankee Qofodle CARLISLE BILLERICA WILMINGTON^ v READING CONCORD Narrow Gauge BEDFORD] Rail Trail Bedford Depot Store i BURLINGTON ~ Great 5 Meadows . t National Z Wildlife ..•-Rflfermatnrw n Refuge ,.• rierormaiory fc »- ..** Branch _V Existing multi-use path Existing soft-surface multi-use path Proposd path connection Less active or early stage project Road or sidewalk connection Selected MBTA Station - 20 minute bike ride (atlOmph) •>•-' Tri-Commu h ity/"\ Bikeway ^.♦** .: ONEHAI\ £ J Concord •I Walden Pondj CD p 3attle Road TraiH Minute Man National Historic Park WOBi IRNVf^C^J' *"© Winchester WINCHESTER LYNN (To Calais Maine, via 4. East Coast Greenway) : MELROSE Lynn \SAUGUS: LEXINGTON^ LINCOLN •Minineman Commuter Jikeway Old 0chwamb Mill ILINGTOI WAYLAND WESTON *• (gj WALTHAM ^BELMONT <7~H)flass Central Rail Trail Vay side Section) .-*" o Alewife MEDFORD Mystic Way .lewif e Brook inearPark - 'Square* Path- \MALDEN, To-Tbe^Sea :VERE1 REVERE 1HELSE/ ca^bridgeX""^ SOlMERVILl Waltnanr 'WATERTOWh . Watertown BraOfch . (Jo Key West Florida, via Bast Coast Greenway) www.pathfriends.drg Grand • Junction RR. 'EastBofetQ Greenwav NEWTON ChaHesRiver Paths [BOSTON /INTHROP 3> Deer ' Island FIGURE 80. Evolving Multiuse Path Network, Boston North (map by Bryce Nesbitt). 70 RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALEWIFE MASTER PUN surrounding region is essential. Opportunities for such connections exist with the Minuteman Path (which runs from the Alewife subway station, past the Reservation and northwest to Lexington), the Mystic River Green way (from the confluence of the Alewife Brook north to the Mystic Lakes and south to the Amelia Earhart Dam), and the Fitchburg Cutoff Bicycle Trail (a section of the Mass Central Rail Trail which will run east from the Alewife subway station into Belmont and will connect east to the Linear Path and Danehy Park). In addition, potential exists for establishing new trails that would link with the Alewife Reservation and Greenway. One such possibility would be a trail alongside a newly daylighted Alewife Brook creating a new greenway link from the Alewife subway station south to the Fresh Pond Reservation. Transportation has always been a serious and recurring planning problem facing the Alewife area. Although the acrimony of the debates of several decades ago in relation to the widening of Route 2 have subsided, questions about how best to manage automobiles moving through this area are very much at the forefront of present-day planning concerns. Such heated discussions include, but are not limited to: • how the proposed future development slated for the Belmont Uplands will af- fect vehicular flow along Lake Street and access off Route 2 • whether the Mugar site in Arlington will receive permission to build an off-ramp from Route 2 • the poorly designed intersection from Route 2 to the Alewife Brook Parkway formerly known as the Dewy traffic circle • the number of lanes of the Alewife Brook Parkway and its merging with the Mystic River Parkway • proposals to create a crossing from Cambridgepark Drive into the Alewife Industrial Quadrangle area The mandate of this Master Plan is to focus on the parklands of the MDC. The planning team recognizes, however, that the successful restoration and maintenance of the Alewife Reservation and the Alewife Brook corridor (particularly the latter) should be considered in the context of a new regional traffic manage- ment plan. Another effort that is linked to traffic plan- ning in the Boston metropolitan area is the Historic Parkways Initiative launched in 2002 by the Executive Office of Environmental Af- fairs. The initiative's slogan 'A Parkway is not a road. It's a park with a road in it." stresses the importance of parkways as valuable historic open spaces and not solely as transportation corridors that they are often reduced to. It was developed through an interagency effort in- cluding Metropolitan District Commission, the Department of Environmental Management's Historic Landscape Preservation Program, the Massachusetts Highway Department, and the Massachusetts Historical Commission. The project's goal is to protect the historic parkways in Massachusetts. So far, 13 MDC- controlled parkways have been identified and nominated for inclusion in the National Reg- istry of Historic Places and are expected to be accepted, including the Fresh Pond Parkway and Fellsmere Park Parkways. It is recommend- ed that both the Mystic Valley Parkway and the Alewife Brook Parkway be included in the next round of nominations to protect them from further development and infringement. ALEWIFE MASTER PUN RELATED PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 71 Epilogue This Master Plan presents an ambitious program for watershed stewardship. Its success will depend on the continued, dedicated efforts of the MDC, concerned citizens, and local and state officials. The implementation of these recommenda- tions would result in an ecologically and socially vibrant urban wild and greenway. This would be a new park system link strengthening Charles Eliot's century-old vision of a continuous network of open spaces throughout the suburbs of met- ropolitan Boston. "We abuse land because we see it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." (Aldo Leopold) ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 73 Bibliography Alewife/Mystic River Advocates and Friends of the Mystic River. 1997. Comprehensive Report of the Lower Mystic River Watershed: Shoreline Survey Results and Analysis for Mystic Raver, Alewife Brook, and Maiden RJver. Alewife/Mystic River Advocates. 1998. Stormwater Monitoring Program: Water Quality Monitoring September 1997 — September 1998 (Draft). With City of Somerville and Massachusetts Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement, Riverways Program. Alewife/Mystic River Advocates. 2001. Stormwater Monitoring Program: Water Quality Monitoring Data November 1999 — November 2000. With City of Somerville and Massachusetts Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement, Riverways Program. Arthur D. Little, Inc. 1 998. Post-removal Conditions: Buffer Zone Areas of Debris and Soil Removal (Figure 1). Prepared by Schofield Brothers, Inc. Town of Arlington. 1999. Alewife Brook outfalls. Town of Arlington. 2001. Spy Pond watershed restoration project. Grant application to MA Department of Environmental Management, Lake and Pond Watershed Demonstration, Restoration and Protection Program. Bates, R.L. and J.A.Jackson (eds.). 1987. Glossary of Geology. American Geological Institute, Alexandria, VA. Belding, D.L. 1921. A Report upon the Alewife Fisheries of Massachusetts. MA Department of Conservation, Division of Fisheries and Game. Brown, D.W. 2002. Alemfe Reservation Mammal Tracking Survey. Prepared for Friends of the Alewife Reservation. Brown, D.W. 2002. Alewife Reservation Migrant and Breeding Bird Survey. Prepared for Friends of the Alewife Reservation. ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 75 Burtner,J., H. Clish, N. Kimball, and J. Nordgren. 1997. Fish in the City: Challenges Facing the Mystic River Herring Run. Tufts University UEP 255 field project. Prepared for Alewife/Mystic River Advocates. The Bulfinch Companies. The McKinnon Company. 2001. The Acorn Park Masterplan (Development/ Phasing Plans for Former ADL Property). Prepared by Arrowstreet Inc., Architects. City of Cambridge, Community Development Department. 1977. Alewife Urban Design Study. City of Cambridge, Community Development Department. 1979. Alewife Revitali^ation: Alewife Urban Design Study Phase II. City of Cambridge. 1995. A Plan for Sustainable Development. City of Cambridge, Department of Public Works, and Metropolitan Water Resources Authority. 2000. Resource Area Delineation and Evaluation at Little River and Alewife Brook, Cambridge. Montgomery Watson, SEA, and BSC Group. City of Cambridge. 2000. Fresh Pond Reservation Master Plan. Fresh Pond Master Plan Advisory Committee. Cambridge Chronicle. 2001. "Alewife Reservation Gains More Friends." Cambridge Chronicle, Vol. 155, No. 35, pg.ll. July 4, 2001. Cambridge Historical Commission. Survey of Architectural History in Cambridge: Northwest Cambridge. Department of Environmental Protection. 2000. Notices of Noncompliance to Town of Belmont, City of Cambridge, Town of Arlington, and City of Somerville. Emmet, A. 1980. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Changing of a Landscape. Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press. Executive office of Environmental Affairs. 2002. Historic Parkways of Massachusetts. A Parkway Is Not A Road. It's A Park With A Road In It. Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1979. Special Problem Report 2501 86 for Federal Insurance Administration (FEMA) Regarding City of Cambridge at Alewife: Explanation of Unresolved Differences in Flood Elevations. C.E Maguire. Friends of Alewife Reservation. Undated. The Alewife Reservation pamphlet. 76] BIBLIOGRAPHY ALEWIFE MASTER PUN Friends of the Alewife Reservation. 2000. Alewife Brook/ Little River Shoreline Survey and Action Plan. Alewife Brook/Little River Stream Team. Friends of Alewife Reservation. 2001. Biodiversity Days 2001 : Species List for Alewife Reservation. Submitted to the MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. Friends of Alewife Reservation. 2002. Holiday family walk: Bird sightings. Email, January 10,2002. Hartel, K.E. 1995. Non-native Fishes Known from Massachusetts. Occ. Reps. MCZ Fish Dept. 2:9 pp. Kaiser, S. 2000. A History of Land Use, Hydrology, Transportation and Planning at Alewife. Unpublished report. Magee, D.W. and H.E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. Amherst, MA. University of Massachusetts Press. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 1977. Final environmental impact statement, Red line extension, Harvard Square to Arlington Heights. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 1984. Final environmental impact report, MBTA Alewife station interim access, Arlington and Cambridge. Sverdrup and Parcel and Associates. Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. Digital Aerial Photographs. MassGIS. www.state.ma.us/mgis/massgis.htm. Mehrhoff, Leslie J. Criteria for Including a Species as a Non-Native Invasive Species or a Potentially Invasive Species in New England. Storrs, CN: University of Connecticut. Metropolitan Area Planning Council. 1 978. Alewife Open Space: Objectives and Recommendations for the Development of A Park and Open Space Network. Metropolitan Area Planning Council. 1985. The Alewife Open Space Plan. Metropolitan District Commission. 1981 . Mystic River Comprehensive Hydrology Study, Final Report. Camp, Dresser and McKee. Metropolitan District Commission. 1995. Topographic survey. Prepared by Howe Engineering. Metropolitan District Commission. 1996. A Master Plan for Segments of the Alewife Brook and Mystic Valley Parkways: Case Study of the Alewife Brook Parkway and ALEWIFE MASTER PUN BIBLIOGRAPHY 77 Mystic Valley Parkway. Prepared by Brown and Rowe. Metropolitan District Commission. 1 996. A Master Plan for the Lower Neponset River Reservation, Boston, Milton, andQuincy, Massachusetts. Metropolitan District Commission. 1996. A Master Plan for the Lower Neponset River Reservation: Appendix and Attachments. Inventory and Analysis of Existing Conditions. Prepared by Planners Collaborative, Inc. Metropolitan District Commission. 1 998. The Upper Charles River Reservation Master Plan. Prepared by Carol R. Johnson Associates Metropolitan District Commission. 1999. Blair Pond Master Plan. Prepared by the Berkshire Design Group. Metropolitan District Commission. 2000. Stormwater Design Solutions for MDC Parkways: Case Study of the Alewife Brook Parkway and Mystic Valley Parkway. MDC Planning office. Metropolitan District Commission. 2000. Mystic River Outfall Report. MDC Engineering and Construction Division. Metropolitan District Commission. 2002. Master Plan for the Charles River Basin, the Second Century. Prepared by Goody, Clancy & Associates. Metropolitan District Commission. 2002. Alewife Reservation <& Alewife Brook Master Plan: Inventory of Resources. Prepared by The Bioengineering, Group, Inc. Metropolitan District Commission. 2002. Draft topographic survey. Prepared by Judith Nitsch Engineering. Metropolitan Parks Commission. 1893-1932 Series of Annual Reports. Metropolitan Water Resources Authority. 2001. Results of combined sewer overflow receiving water monitoring in Alewife Brook/Upper Mystic River for 2000 (Draft). Metropolitan Water Resources Authority. 2001. Notice of project change for the long term CSO control plan for Alewife Book. City of Cambridge, Department of Public Works, Metcalfe and Eddy, Inc., Montgomery Watson, Inc., and SEA Consultants, Inc. Mystic River Watershed Association. 1994. An Alewife Ecology Guide. With S. Sanders. 78 BIBLIOGRAPHY ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Mystic River Watershed Association. 2000. A Snapshot of the Alewife Watershed: Observations and Bacterial Sampling Results From Fall 1999. Prepared by Roger Frymire. Natural Resources Conservauon Service. 1995. Middlesex County Massachusetts Interim Soil Survey Report, 4th ed. US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Middlesex Conservation District. North Cambridge News. 1995. "Alchemy at Alewife." Special issue, June 1995. O'Neill Properties. 2000. Wetlands locations, Acorn Park, Belmont, MA. BSC Group. O'Neill Properties. Undated. Proposed Conditions Plan and Site Cross Sections. Prepared by Rizzo Associates, Inc. and McPhail Associates, Inc. O'Neill Properties. 2001. Open Space Maintenance Plan, Belmont Uplands Site. Prepared by Epsilon Associates, Inc. Rule, Vanessa L. 2002. Planning Alewife: Past, Present, and a Sustainable Future. Practicum Report Department of Environmental Studies, Master's Program, Antioch New England Graduate School. SEA Consultants, Inc. 2002. Unpublished data on Alewife Reservation soil borings. Transmittal memo from SEA to the Bioengineering Group, March 12, 2002. Skehan, J.W. 2001. Roadside Geology of Massachusetts. Missoula, MT. Mountain Press Publishing Company. Weatherbee, P.B., Somers, P., Simmons, T. 1998. A Guide to Invasive Plants in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. Wilson, Albert O. Jr. 2001 . Alewife District Master Plan, Inventory, Analysis and Recommendations "Initiating A New Community Dialogue. " Cambridge, MA. Bluestone Planning Group ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN BIBLIOGRAPHY 79 Credits FIGURE 1: FIGURE 2: FIGURE 3: FIGURE 4: FIGURE 5: FIGURE 6: FIGURE 7: FIGURE 8: FIGURE 9: FIGURE 10: FIGURE 11: FIGURE 12: FIGURE 13: FIGURE 14: FIGURE 15: FIGURE 16: FIGURE 17: FIGURE 18: FIGURE 19: FIGURE 20: FIGURE 21: FIGURE 22: FIGURE 23: FIGURE 24: FIGURE 25: FIGURE 26: FIGURE 27: FIGURE 28: FIGURE 29: FIGURE 30: FIGURE 31: FIGURE 32: FIGURE 33: FIGURE 34: FIGURE 35: FIGURE 36: FIGURE 37: The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Virginia Institute of Marine Science (www.vims.edu) Metropolitan Parks Commission. 1893-1932 Series of Annual Reports. Cambridge Historical Commission Cambridge Historical Commission Metropolitan Parks Commission. 1893-1932 Series of Annual Reports. Metropolitan Parks Commission. 1893-1932 Series of Annual Reports. The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Roger Frymire, Mystic River Watershed Association The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Richard Baetsen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Steve Farrell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Roger Frymire, Mystic River Watershed Association Carol R. Johnson Associates Carol R. Johnson Associates Dan Driscoll, Metropolitan District Commission Roger Frymire, Mystic River Watershed Association The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Carol R. Johnson Associates Dan Driscoll, Metropolitan District Commission The Bioengineering Group Carol R. Johnson Associates The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Carol R. Johnson Associates Carol R. Johnson Associates Carol R.Johnson Associates Dan Driscoll, Metropolitan District Commission Dan Driscoll, Metropolitan District Commission ALEWIFE MASTER PUN 81 FIGURE 38: FIGURE 39: FIGURE 40: FIGURE 41: FIGURE 42: FIGURE 43: FIGURE 44: FIGURE 45: FIGURE 46: FIGURE 47: FIGURE 48: FIGURE 49: FIGURE 50: FIGURE 51: FIGURE 52: FIGURE 53: FIGURE 54: FIGURE 55: FIGURE 56: FIGURE 57: FIGURE 58: FIGURE 59: FIGURE 60: FIGURE 61: FIGURE 62: FIGURE 62: FIGURE 63: FIGURE 64: FIGURE 65: FIGURE 66: FIGURE 67: FIGURE 68: FIGURE 69: FIGURE 70: FIGURE 71: FIGURE 72: FIGURE 73: FIGURE 74: FIGURE 75: FIGURE 76: FIGURE 77: FIGURE 78: FIGURE 79: FIGURE 80: The Bioengineering Group Carol R. Johnson Associates Carol R. Johnson Associates The Bioengineering Group Dan Driscoll, Metropolitan District Commission The Bioengineering Group Dan Driscoll, Metropolitan District Commission Carol R. Johnson Associates Carol R. Johnson Associates The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group City of Cambridge (The Bioengineering Group) Roger Frymire, Mystic River Watershed Association The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Carol R. Johnson Associates The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Carol R. Johnson Associates Carol R. Johnson Associates The Bioengineering Group Carol R. Johnson Associates The Bioengineering Group Friends of the Alewife Reservation Ellen Mass, Friends of the Alewife Reservation The Bioengineering Group Ellen Mass, Friends of the Alewife Reservation Roger Frymire, Mystic River Watershed Association The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group The Bioengineering Group Dan Driscoll, Metropolitan District Commission The Bioengineering Group Bryce Nesbitt, Friends of the Path 82 CREDITS ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Appendix A - Existing Flora and Fauna The following plants and animals have been observed in Alewife Reservation and Alewife Brook Parkway. After this inventory was completed in spring 2002, ad- ditional species not included below were observed during the 2002 Biodiversity Days species census. The superscript numbers behind the common name depict the source documents listed at the end of this appendix. PLANTS List 1. Plants observed in the Reservation /Parkway. Scientific Name Aquatic Plants E/odea canadensis Eemna sp. Myriopbjllum sp. Potamogeton sp. Trapa natans Utricularia vulgaris Common Name Waterweed Duckweed9 Water Milfoil4 Pondweed4' 14 Water Chestnut2, 14 (Invasive) Common Bladderwort Ferns Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive Fern2, 14 Mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus Polyporus squamosus Oyster Mushroom2 Dryads Saddle Mushroom2 Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes Carex stricta Cortaderia sp. Juncus effuses Phalaris arundinaceae Pbragmites australis Scirpus validus Tussock Sedge14 *Pampas Grass9 Soft Rush 2 Reed Canary Grass'4 Common reed1 (Invasive) Giant Bulrush14 ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN 83 Typha latifolia Zi^ania sp. Common Cattail9, '4 Wild Rice1 Herbaceous Plants Achillea millefolium Agalinis sp. Ambrosia artemsifolia Anagallis sp. Arabis sp. Arctium minus Aruncus dioicus Asclepias syriaca Aster novae-angliae Aster sp. Aster vimineus Barbarea vulgaris Barbarea vulgaris Calendula officinalis Calystegia sepium Centaurea maculosa Cerastiam vulgatum Chelidonium majus Chelone sp. Chenopodium album Chrysanthemum leucanthemum Chrysosplenium americanum Cichorium intybus Coreopsis sp. Daucus carota Dipsacus sylvestris Echinocystis lobata Equisetum arvense Equisetum sp. Erigeron strigosus Eupatorium sp. Euphorbia esula Galium apraine Gentiana sp. Geum aleppicum Glechoma hedercea Helianthus tuberosus Hesperis matronalis Hypericum sp. Impatiens capensis Iris prism atica Iris pseud acorus Eactuca scariola Yarrow; Milfoil2 Gerardia2 Common Ragweed14 Scarlet Pimpernel9 Rock Cress2 Common Burdock14 Goatsbeard9 Common Milkweed2 N.E. Aster14 Asters2 Small White Aster14 Winter Cress2 Yellow Rocket2 Ragweed2 Hedge Bindweed2 Spotted Knapweed2 Mouse-ear Chickweed2 Celadine9 Turtlehead; Snakehead2 Lamb's Quarters9 Oxeye Daisy2 Golden saxifrage9 Chicory2 Coreopsis2 Queen Anne's Lace2, ,4 Teasel9 Wild Cucumber2 Field Horsetail14 Horsetail2 Daisy Fleabane2 Joe-pye-weed2 Leafy Spurge2 Cleavers; Bedstraw2 Soapwort2 Yellow Avens9 Ground Ivy9 Jerusalem Artichoke2 Dame's Rocket2 (Invasive) St. John's Wort2 Jewelweed2, 14 Slender Blue Flag2 Yellow Iris2 Prickly Lettuce9 84 APPENDIX A ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Lamium sp. Lychnis alba Lytbrum salicaria Maiantbemum canadense Malva neglecta Medicago sativa Melilotus alba Melilotus officinalis Mentha piperita Mirablis nyctaginea Oenothera biennis Oenothera sp. Oenothera sp. Oxalis montana Parthenocissus quinquefolia Plytolacca americana Plantago lanceolata Polygonum amphibium Polygonum lapathifolium Polygonum pensylvanicum Pontedarea cordata Potentilla sp. Potentilla sp. Ranunculus repens Rhus radicans Rumex acetosella Ritmex crispus Sagittaria latifolia Solanum dulcamara Solan urn nigrum So lid ago canadensis v. sea bra Solidago sp. Spiraea alba par. latifolia Spiraea ulmaria Stellaria graminea Stellaria sp. Symplocarpus foetidus Tanacetum sp. Tanacetum vulgare Taraxacum officinale Taraxacum sp. Tauschia sp. Tbalictrum sp. Trifolium agrarium Tri folium arvense Trifolium dubium Trifolium bybridum Nettle2 Evening Lychnis; White Campion2 Purple Loosestrife2, 14 (Invasive) Canada Mayflower2 Cheese Mallow9 Alfalfa9 White Sweet Clover9 Yellow Sweet Clover2 Wild Peppermint2 Wild Four O'Clock9 Evening Primrose2 Primrose4 Sundrops2 Common Wood Sorrel9 Virginia Creeper9' 14 Pokeweed2 English Plantain9 Water Smartweed; Water Lady's Thumb2 Nodding Smartweed14 Pinkweed14 Pickerel Weed2- 14 Rough-fruited Cinquefoil2 Silvery Cinquefoil2 Creeping Buttercup8 Poison Ivy1' 14 Sheep's sorrel9 Curley dock9 Arrowhead2 Deadly Nightshade9 Black Nightshade14 Tall Goldenrod14 Goldenrod2 Broadleaf Meadowsweet14 Meadowsweet2 Lesser Stitch Wort9 Chickweed9 Skunk Cabbage2 Yellow Tansy2 Common Tansy2 Common Dandelion2 Dandelion9 Umbrella Wort2 Meadow Rue2 Hop clover9 Rabbit-foot Clover2 Least Hop Clover" Alsikc Clover9 ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN APPENDIX A 85 Trifolium pratense Trijolium repens Triodanis perfoliata Urtica dioica Verbascum sp. Verbena sp. Vicia cracca Vicia sp. Vinca minor Viola papilionaceae Red Clover2-14 White Clover9-14 Venus Looking Glass2 Stinging Nettle14 Mullein2 Vervain2 Cow Vetch9 Purple Vetch2 Periwinkle14 Common Violet14 Trees and Shrubs Acer negundo A cer platanoides Acer rubrum Acer saccharinum Ailanthus altissima Alnus rugosa Amelanchier caradensis Amorpba sp. Berberis thunbergii Be tula populifolia Catalpa sp. Cornus alternifolia Cornus amomum Cornus racemosa Cornus stolonifera Fagus grandifolia Fraxinus americana Fraxinus sp. Gleditsia triacanthos Juniperus communis Juniperus virginiana Fonicera tatarica Malus pumila Ma/us sylvestris Morus alba Myrica pensylvanica Picea mariana Pinus resinosa Polygonum vaccinifolium Populus deltoides Populus spp. Populus tremuloides Prunus pensylvanica Prunus serotina Pyrus coronaria Black Elder14 Norway Maple9, 14 (Invasive) Red Maple414 Silver Maple1-14 Tree of Heaven14 Speckled Alder8-14 Juneberry2; Shadbush Indigo Bush2 Japanese Barberry14 Gray Birch1-14 Catalpa9 Alternate-leaved Dogwood14 Silky Dogwood2, 14 Gray-stemmed Dogwood14 Red— osier Dogwood2' 14 American Beech1 White Ash14 Ash Honey Locust9 Juniper14 Eastern Red Cedar9 Tartarian Honeysuckle8, 14 Domestic Apple14 Common Apple1 White Mulberry9'14 Bayberry2 Black Spruce14 Red Pine14 Japanese Knotweed2' 7' 14 (Invasive) Cottonwood14 Poplar1 Quaking Aspen9, 14 Pin Cherry Black Cherry14 Crabapple2 86 APPENDIX A ALEWIFE MASTER PLAN Pj'rt/s sp. Ouercus alba Ouercus palustris Ouercus rubra Ouercus sp. KJjamnus cathartica R/jus typhina Kibes sp. Kibes sp. Kobinia pseudoacacia Kosa multiflora Kosa rugosa Kj/bus allegbeniensis Km bus hispidus Kubus sp. Salix alba Salix babylonica Salix discolor Salix nigra Sambucus canadensis Sorbus americana Tsuga canadensis Ulmus americana Ulmus serotina Vaccinium corymbosum Viburnum recognitum Viburnum sp. Viburnum sp. Vitis aestivalis Vitis labrusca 1/itis riparia Vitis sp. Choke Berry8 White Oak14 Pin Oak9' l4 Red Oak14 Oak European Buckthorn9 (Invasive) Staghorn Sumac2' !4 Wild Gooseberry9 Currant4 Black Locust14 Rose9, H (Invasive) Wild Rose2 Blackberry14 Dewberry2 Raspberries9 White Willow9- ,4 Weeping Willow9 Pussy Willow2- u Black Willow Elderberry2' 14 Mountain Ash2 Hemlock14 American Elm9' 14 Slippery Elm14 Highbush blueberry9, 14 Arrowwood9 Maple Leaf Viburnum1 Northern Arrowwood14 Summer Grape14 Fox Grape2 Riverbank Grape14 Concord Grapes2 FISH List 2. Fish observed in the Reservation/Parkway. Scientific Name Alosa aestivalis A losa pseudobarengus Carassius auratus Cuprinus carpio I jepomis g/bbosus I £pomis macrocbirus Mi crop tents salm aides Perca f lave seen s Common Name Blueback Herring Ale wife Goldfish Common Carp (Invasive) Pumpkinseed Bluegill Largemouth Bass (Invasive) Yellow Perch ALEWIFE AAASTER PLAN APPENDIX A 87 BIRDS List 3. Birds observed in the Reservation/Parkway. This list includes breeding and migratory species. Scientific Name Podiljmbus podiceps Phalacrocorax auritus Anas clypeata Anas platyrhynchos Anas discors Anas rubripes Aix sponsa Branta cabadensis Cygnus olor Yjophodytes cucullatus Mergus merganser Farus argentatus Farus delawarensis Icarus marinus Ardea herodias Butorides striatus Botaurus lentiginosus Botaurus lentiginosus Nycticorax nycticorax Nyctanassa violacea Fulica americana Gallinula chloropus Pro^ana Carolina Charadrius vociferous Actitus macularia Calidris minutilla Philohela minor Tringa solitaria Meleagris gallopavo Bonasa umbellus Phasianus colchicus Buteo jamaicensis Haliaeetus leucocephalus Pandion haliaetus Accipiter cooperii Accipiter striatus Falco sparverius Falco columbarius Falco peregrin us Aegolius acadicus Bubo virginianus Common Name Pied-billed Grebe2 Double-crested Cormorant2'16 Northern Shoveler12, 16 Mallard Duck216 Green- winged Teal5' 16 Black Duck216 Wood Duck2- ,6 Canada Goose2' 1 CONNECTION TO EXITING OR PROPOSED TRAIL # PLATFORM OR OVERLOOK © VIEWING AREA (NEW 4 EXISTING) © N ON -MOTOR SCAT ACCESS ® PARKING (NEW A EXETTNQ EL caossng (proposed a existing) traffk: ught controued » GATEWAT / PRIKART ENTRANCE ► NBGHBOAHOOO ACCESS * GATHERING PLACE • PUBLIC ART T INTERPRETIVE FEATURE O EDUCATIONAL STATION / NODE HABITAT k HYDROLOGY MPMMMENTS © FLOOD STORAGE 'CONTROL 4 RAJNGARDENSFOR STORMWATER TREATMENT § EXISTMG MEADOW TO MAINTAIN nirm PROPOSED MEADOW NATURAL CHANNa RESTORATION Esia IN-CONCRETE CHANNa HABITAT ENHANCEMENT k-::^m ^^ RPAJUAN HAVTAT EXPANSION UPLAND FOREST DEVaOPMENT (SECONDAAn r i WETLAND RESTORATION / CREATION i i FUTURE CONSERVATION RESTRICTION AREAS (IT OTHER* kSftSI • IDENTFY A CERTFY VERNAL POOLS ^ PAAKWAT RESTORATION ISLAND CREATION V IANK ST ABA. EATON M PERMANENT POOUOPEN WATER © SEDIMENT DREDGING PROPOSAL5 OUTSIDE MDC PMHRIT © IMPROVE HSH PASSAGE D STREAM DA YUGHTWG ^^ NEW CHANNa CONNECTION e IMPROVE HYDROLOQCAi CONNECTION V PROPOSED LAND AQUtSmON Bl C*«OL t (OHMiOW AJ»CI» POUOEB DtilQw G»OU? Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, and Somerville, MA June 2003