Ipswich-01A
Ipswich, Stage Island Pool
42.712171, -70.778948
Technical Specifications
Basic Properties
- Type
- Sluice Gate
- Material
- Metal
- Control
- Manual Gear
- Condition
- Good
- Geometry
- Rectangular
- Status
- Active
- Number of Gates
- 0
Operator & Management
- Operator Type
- —
- Operator
- USFWS
- Permits
- ACOE
- Purpose
- Restoration
Dimensions & Elevations
- Dimensions
- —
- Invert Elevation
- —
- Installation Date
- 1990
- Tidal Influence
- —
Culvert Details
- Restriction Type
- Berm
- Geometry
- Rectangular
- Material
- Concrete
- Bottom Material
- —
- Number of Pipes
- 0
- Dimensions
- 3ft diameter, 3ft height
- Condition
- Good
- Comments
- —
Restoration Potential
Assessment
- Salt Marsh Impairment due to Tidal Restriction
- Moderate
- Potential Extent of Marsh Restoration
- Moderate
- Implementation Feasibility
- High
- Restoration Priority
- High
- Recommended Improvement Type
- O&M and Infrastructure
Notes
Site shows moderate salt marsh impairment due to restricted tidal flow. Replacement with self-regulating tide gate could restore approximately 5-8 acres of degraded marsh habitat. Good access for construction equipment. Regional coordination completed with town DPW and conservation commission.Historical Records
Environmental Data
- Invasive Species
- Yes
- Restoration Status
- Unknown
- Invasive Comments
- Abundant phragmites; occassional loosestrife; abundant green crabs
- Restoration Comments
- —
- Upstream Area
- —
Notes & Comments
- General Comments
- Permitted by ACOE with Ipswich-01B. Tide gate located at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge at a berm not accessible by the general public. USFWS must be contacted to obtain access. Followups - Site visit conducted to obtain photos and vegetation status in October 2016. USFWS can provide additional details with a field visit including tide gate and culvert dimensions, invert elevations, and upstream acreage.
- Operation Plan
- Yes
- Operation Comments
- Tide gate operational purpose is to provide habitat for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. There is no specific operational plan for the tide gate - it is detailed and adjusted as needed per the Refuge's annual habitat work plan. Operation of the tide gate is restricted to times when the clam flats are closed (Sundays or after major rain events).
- Gate Comments
- Metal screw gate with potential to add wooden stop logs into the control structure. The control structure was installed in the 1990s.
- Elevation Comments
- —
- Visit Comments
- —
- Other Comments
- —
- External Data Comments
- ACOE Permit NEWE-87-206 issued 9/9/87
Part of the Massachusetts Bays Program© 2026 Massachusetts Bays Program. Monitoring tidegates across Massachusetts.