Earth Team Volunteers Help Restore the Weir Creek Salt Marsh  

(from left) NRCS civil engineering technician Nancy Sheard; Earth Team volunteers Leonora Baddoo, Meghan Irving, Ida Ngambeki, June Young; and NRCS planning engineer Dennis Verdi  (NRCS photo -- click to enlarge)

Earth Team volunteer engineering students from Smith College recently partnered with NRCS in Massachusetts to design a culvert to help restore the Weir Creek Salt Marsh.  The volunteers researched salt marshes, modeled tidal flow into the marsh, planned and developed alternatives for the site, and then developed designs, construction specifications, and cost estimates for the project.  They provided NRCS with weekly progress reports that also provided an opportunity for the students to get assistance from agency technical staff and ask them questions about the project. Over the course of the project, NRCS engineering and resources staffs along with partner agencies provided reference material and technical guidance, assisted students as they surveyed the project site, provided guidance on modeling and evaluating alternatives, and answered questions regarding planning and design for the salt marsh restoration culvert improvements.
Your contact is Diane Baedeker Petit, NRCS public affairs specialist at 413-253-4371.